Curtis Ridge/Observation Rock/Russell Glacier

Part IV of the Mount Rainier Grand Tour picks up on the Wonderland Trail after exiting the Elysian Fields and proceeds a short distance to Mystic Pass. From Mystic Pass an obvious climbers trail will eventually deposit the hiker on Curtis Ridge, which offers miles of aimless wanderings all the way above 9,000 feet if one accesses the snow field to skirt some steeper terrain. Overlooking the Willis Wall, Liberty Ridge and the birth place of the Carbon River, one can turn 180 degrees and look back towards Old Desolate and Mystic Lake. And right across the glacier are the next areas to explore; Observation Rock, Ptarmigan Ridge and the Russell Glacier. This section of the Grand Tour encompasses some of the most astounding views one can get in the park! These videos were captured in October 2014, September 2016 and July 2017.