118-530: U.S. Route 12 ( US 12 ) is a major east–west U.S. Highway , running from Aberdeen, Washington , to Detroit , Michigan . It spans 430.5 miles (692.8 km) across the state of Washington , making it the second longest highway in the state. It is also the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean , and crossing the Idaho state line near Clarkston . It crosses
236-577: A Carnegie library that was opened in 1908 and replaced in 1966 by the current building, which underwent extensive renovations in 2000. The city's museum was located in a historic armory building that was built in 1922. The building and the museum's collections were destroyed in a major fire in June 2018, including an exhibit on Nirvana . It was the latest of several major fires to have affected Aberdeen. Mount Rainier Mount Rainier ( / r eɪ ˈ n ɪər / ray- NEER ), also known as Tahoma ,
354-796: A National Scenic Byway in October 2009. Local officials in Walla Walla County began lobbying for the replacement of two-lane sections on US 12 between the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla with a four-lane divided highway in the 1970s. The project was funded by the state government in 2001 and broken up into eight phases, of which six were completed between 2004 and 2012 at a cost of $ 180 million. The seventh phase, bypassing Touchet and constructing 11 miles (18 km) of four-lane highway with two interchanges, began construction in 2021 and opened to traffic on June 2, 2023. The original opening date of May 26
472-485: A four-lane divided highway . The highway bypasses the towns of Montesano and Elma , which are served by interchanges as well as a junction with SR 107 in the former. In Elma, US 12 exits at a diamond interchange , while the highway continues east to Olympia as SR 8 . US 12 heads southeast towards Oakville and Rochester , still following the Chehalis River. East of Oakville, US 12 runs north of
590-482: A household in the city was $ 30,683, and the median income for a family was $ 37,966. Males had a median income of $ 32,710 versus $ 20,446 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,092. About 16.1% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those ages 65 or over. According to the Uniform Crime Report statistics compiled by
708-403: A major debris avalanche and the resulting Osceola Mudflow approximately 5,000 years ago. In the past, Rainier has had large debris avalanches, and has also produced enormous lahars ( volcanic mudflows ), due to the large amount of glacial ice present. Its lahars have reached all the way to Puget Sound , a distance of more than 30 mi (48 km). Around 5,000 years ago, a large chunk of
826-509: A male householder with no spouse present, and 37.9% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.8% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
944-560: A median household income of $ 50,008. Approximately 21.0% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line . Aberdeen has an estimated 54.6% employment rate, with 16.6% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 84.8% holding a high school diploma. The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (83.7), Spanish (14.1%), Other Indo-European (0.5%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.9%), and Other (0.8%). The median age in
1062-564: A mudflow might also reach down the Duwamish estuary and destroy parts of downtown Seattle , and cause tsunamis in Puget Sound and Lake Washington . Rainier is also capable of producing pyroclastic flows and expelling lava. A 2012 Washington State Department of Natural Resources estimate showed that a significant lahar could cause up to $ 40 billion in damage downriver. According to Kevin Scott,
1180-461: A regional service center for much of the Olympic Peninsula. Grays Harbor Community Hospital employees total more than 600 workers. Historically the area is dependent on harvesting and exporting natural resources. The Port of Grays Harbor is the largest coastal shipping port north of California. It is still a center for the export of logs on the west coast of the U.S. and has become one of
1298-784: A result of high snowfalls during the 1960s and 1970s. Since the early-1980s, however, many glaciers have been thinning and retreating and some advances have slowed. In a study using data from 2021, National Park Service scientists removed Stevens Glacier from its inventory of Mount Rainier glaciers due to its dwindling size and lack of evidence that it was moving. Using satellite data in 2022, researchers at Nichols College determined that both Pyramid and Van Trump glaciers had also ceased to exist with only fragments of ice remaining. A significant decline had been noted between 2015 and 2022. The glaciers on Mount Rainier can generate mudflows through glacial outburst floods not associated with an eruption. The South Tahoma Glacier generated 30 floods in
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#17328521078331416-519: A scientist with the USGS: A home built in any of the probabilistically defined inundation areas on the new maps is more likely to be damaged or destroyed by a lahar than by fire... For example, a home built in an area that would be inundated every 100 years, on the average, is 27 times more likely to be damaged or destroyed by a flow than by fire. People know the danger of fire, so they buy fire insurance and they have smoke alarms, but most people are not aware of
1534-429: A spa and hotel, drawing other visitors to the area to seek the benefits of the spring. Later, the headquarters of the national park would be established at Longmire, until flooding caused them to be relocated to Ashford. The area also became the site of features like a museum, a post office, and a gas station, with additions like a library and a gift shop soon following; many of these buildings were ultimately nominated to
1652-734: A spur was added to State Road 9 —the Olympic Highway , looping around the Olympic Peninsula —connecting Elma to the Pacific Highway at Grand Mound , and creating a shortcut between the Cowlitz River route and Aberdeen. The Olympic Highway from Elma west to Aberdeen had been added to the state highway system in 1905 west of and 1913 east of Montesano . As part of the U.S. Highway system laid out in 1925 and finalized in late 1926, US 410 connected Aberdeen with Clarkston, following
1770-734: Is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about 59 miles (95 km) south-southeast of Seattle . With an officially recognized summit elevation of 14,410 ft (4,392 m) at the Columbia Crest, it is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington , the most topographically prominent mountain in
1888-577: Is a peak known as Little Tahoma Peak , 11,138 ft (3,395 m), an eroded remnant of the earlier, much higher, Mount Rainier. It has a prominence of 858 ft (262 m), and it is almost never climbed in direct conjunction with Columbia Crest, so it is usually considered a separate peak. If considered separately from Mount Rainier, Little Tahoma Peak would be the third highest mountain peak in Washington. The National Park Service and United States Geological Survey cite Mount Rainier's elevation at
2006-601: Is home to Grays Harbor College , located in south Aberdeen, and is represented by the Charlie Choker mascot. The college emphasizes student opportunities and has resources to help students transfer to a four-year college to complete a degree. Aberdeen has the largest public library in Grays Harbor County, which is operated as part of the Timberland Regional Library system. The city originally had
2124-402: Is land and 1.70 square miles (4.40 km ) is water. Aberdeen experiences a climate on the boundary between Mediterranean ( Köppen Csb ) and oceanic (Köppen Cfb ). Although rainfall is extremely high between October and March, July and August still have a distinct excess of evaporation over rainfall. Temperatures are generally very mild due to the proximity of the warm Pacific Ocean and
2242-567: Is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states. The summit is topped by two volcanic craters , each more than 1,000 ft (300 m) in diameter, with the larger east crater overlapping the west crater. Geothermal heat from the volcano keeps areas of both crater rims free of snow and ice, and has formed the world's largest volcanic glacier cave network within the ice-filled craters, with nearly 2 mi (3.2 km) of passages. A small crater lake about 130 by 30 ft (39.6 by 9.1 m) in size and 16 ft (5 m) deep,
2360-579: Is the only crossing of the Cascades open year-round between I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and SR 14 through the Columbia River Gorge . After it descends the mountains, US 12 intersects SR 410 (formerly US 410) west of Naches , which serves Chinook Pass , Cayuse Pass , and the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. East of Naches, US 12 widens once again to four lanes as it approaches
2478-626: Is thought that, during glacial periods of the Quaternary, the Chehalis River was a major refugium for aquatic species, as was the west coast from the Olympic Peninsula southward for plants that later formed the northern part of the Pacific temperate rainforest in formerly glaciated areas. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 12.58 square miles (32.58 km ), of which 10.87 square miles (28.15 km )
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#17328521078332596-677: The Pirates of the Caribbean film The Curse of the Black Pearl . Aberdeen is at the eastern end of Grays Harbor, near the mouth of the Chehalis River and southwest of the Olympic Mountains . Grays Harbor is notable as the northernmost ria on North America's Pacific Coast because it has remained free of glaciers throughout the Quaternary due to unfavorable topography and warm temperatures. It
2714-581: The Bumping River and Naches River to a point near Naches . East of the mouth of the American River , this replaced part of State Road 1 (North Yakima and Natches State Road), which had been defined in 1897 to cross the Cascades north of Chinook Pass and included in the 1905 appropriations. Under a 1909 law, the State Highway Board surveyed a connected network of proposed state roads. Included
2832-417: The Cascade Range over White Pass , south of Mount Rainier National Park . Portions of it are concurrent with Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 82 (I-82), although the majority of the route does not parallel any interstate highway . Although US 12 was not extended into Washington until 1967, portions of it have been part of Washington's state highway system since as early as 1905. The last part of
2950-691: The Cascades , including one in the corridor currently served by U.S. Route 12— State Road 5 , the Cowlitz Pass State Road , climbing east from a point near Salkum via the Cowlitz River , over Cowlitz Pass , and down towards Yakima . A 1907 amendment renamed State Road 5 the Cowlitz-Natches Road , moved the Cascade crossing north to Carlton Pass , and defined the portion east of the pass to follow
3068-569: The Chehalis Indian Reservation . It then continues east through the town of Rochester, and interchanges with I-5 at exit 88 in the town of Grand Mound . US 12 continues south concurrent with I-5 through Chehalis and Centralia before exiting again at exit 68 south of Napavine . The highway then heads east along the Cowlitz River and passes through the town of Mossyrock , where it intersects SR 122 . East of Mossyrock, US 12 runs just north of Mossyrock Dam and Riffe Lake . In
3186-519: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2023, there were 77 violent crimes and 587 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Of these, the violent crimes consisted of 0 murder, 21 forcible rapes, 14 robberies and 42 aggravated assaults, while 82 burglaries, 435 larceny-thefts, 64 motor vehicle thefts and 6 acts of arson defined the property offenses. Aberdeen and the rest of Grays Harbor remain dependent on timber, fishing, and tourism industries and as
3304-621: The Kuroshio Current . Snow is very common but usually light, with one exception being December 1964 during which 22.3 inches or 0.57 metres fell. Occasionally, southeasterly winds can cause very high temperatures. For example, in August 1981, the temperature in Aberdeen reached 105 °F (40.6 °C). As of the 2022 American Community Survey , there are 6,441 estimated households in Aberdeen with an average of 2.59 persons per household. The city has
3422-481: The Lily Formation (about 2.9 million to 840,000 years ago). The early deposits formed a "proto-Rainier" or an ancestral cone prior to the present-day cone. The present cone is more than 500,000 years old. The volcano is highly eroded, with glaciers on its slopes, and appears to be made mostly of andesite . Rainier likely once stood even higher than today at about 16,000 ft (4,900 m) before
3540-544: The Pacific Coast as a pair of one-way streets : Heron Street for eastbound traffic and Wishkah Street for westbound traffic. The streets travel from the highway's western terminus at US 101 , which continues west to Hoquiam and south to Cosmopolis , across the Wishkah River and merge onto Wishkah Street near a shopping center. US 12 leaves Aberdeen and follows the Chehalis River east through Central Park as
3658-583: The Pacific Ocean . The 1846 Oregon Treaty between the United States and United Kingdom set new borders between British and American territory along today's approximate borders . In 1853, the land between the Columbia river and the border with British Canada was organized into the Washington Territory , which was the administrative status of the region at the time of the first successful ascent of Mount Rainier. In 1833, William Fraser Tolmie explored
U.S. Route 12 in Washington - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-508: The Puyallup , Sumner–Bonney Lake , Orting , White River , and Carbonado School Districts. During the exercise, emergency operations centers in the cities of Puyallup , Bonney Lake , and Buckley were activated to help the movement of school students and staff. Typically, up to five earthquakes are recorded monthly near the summit. Swarms of five to ten shallow earthquakes over two or three days take place from time to time, predominantly in
3894-621: The Strait of Juan de Fuca . Upon reaching what would become California in 1579, Sir Francis Drake claimed the entire northwest coast of North America for England . This claim to the coast of the Pacific Northwest was not further explored until in 1778 Captain James Cook sailed the coastline of modern-day Washington and British Columbia, stimulating a subsequent increase in English ships coming to
4012-544: The United States Geological Survey (USGS), about 150,000 people live on top of old lahar deposits of Rainier. Not only is there much ice atop the volcano, the volcano is also slowly being weakened by hydrothermal activity. According to Geoff Clayton, a geologist with a Washington State Geology firm, RH2 Engineering, a repeat of the 5000-year-old Osceola Mudflow would destroy Enumclaw , Orting , Kent , Auburn , Puyallup , Sumner and all of Renton . Such
4130-527: The contiguous United States , and the tallest in the Cascade Volcanic Arc . Due to its high probability of an eruption in the near future and proximity to a major urban area , Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. The large amount of glacial ice means that Mount Rainier could produce massive lahars that could threaten
4248-472: The 1980s and early 1990s, and again in August 2015. For thousands of years, the area surrounding Mount Rainier has been inhabited by several Indigenous peoples , who traditionally hunted and gathered animals and plants in Mount Rainier's forests and high elevation meadows. These peoples and their modern-day descendants are represented today by the members of the federally-recognized tribes which surround
4366-415: The 29 named glacial features cover about 30.41 square miles (78.8 km ) of the mountain's surface in 2015 and have an estimated volume of about 0.69 cubic miles (2.9 km ). Glaciers flow under the influence of gravity by the combined action of sliding over the rock on which they lie and by deformation , the gradual displacement between and within individual ice crystals. Maximum speeds occur near
4484-457: The Cascades at Chinook Pass, US 12 used the all-weather White Pass, replacing SR 8 and SR 14. Signs were changed in late December 1967, and the bypassed segments of US 410 became a new SR 8 between Elma and Olympia, and SR 410 between Tacoma and Naches. Due to construction of the Mossyrock Dam on the Cowlitz River, which would create Riffe Lake and inundate parts of the valley, US 12
4602-622: The Columbia Crest as 14,410 ft (4,392 m). This value was taken in 1956, but was added to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 . Another commonly accepted measurement of the mountain is 14,411 ft (4,392 m) which comes from the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1988 . Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc that consists of lava flows , debris flows , and pyroclastic ejecta and flows. Its early volcanic deposits are estimated at more than 840,000 years old and are part of
4720-532: The Frying Pan and Emmons glaciers on the east flank and the small near-peak snowfields; the greatest volume loss was concentrated from ~1750 m (north) to ~2250 m (south) elevation. The largest single volume loss is from the Carbon Glacier, although it is to the north, due to its huge area at <2000 m elevation. The Carbon , Cowlitz , Emmons, and Nisqually Glaciers advanced during the late 1970s and early 1980s as
4838-701: The Little Ice Age, the Nisqually Glacier advanced to a position 650 to 800 ft (200 to 240 m) downvalley from the site of the Glacier Bridge , Tahoma and South Tahoma Glaciers merged at the base of Glacier Island, and the terminus of Emmons Glacier reached within 1.2 mi (1.9 km) of the White River Campground. Retreat of the Little Ice Age glaciers was slow until about 1920 when retreat became more rapid. The Williwakas Glacier
U.S. Route 12 in Washington - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-619: The Olympic Highway (State Road 9) to Olympia , the Pacific Highway (State Road 1)— concurrent with US 99 —to Tacoma , the National Park Highway System (State Road 5) to Yakima , and the Inland Empire Highway (State Road 3) to Clarkston. This differed from present US 12 between Elma and Naches in that it followed the route through Olympia and Tacoma rather than along the Cowlitz River. However, despite being part of
5074-583: The Pacific", as well as "The Port of Missing Men" due to its high murder rate. One notable resident was Billy Gohl , known locally as Billy "Ghoul", who was rumored to have killed at least 140 men, disposing of the bodies in the Wishkah River. Gohl was ultimately convicted of two murders. Aberdeen was hit hard during the Great Depression , with the number of major local sawmills reduced from 37 to 9. By
5192-524: The Puyallup River, which discharges into Commencement Bay at Tacoma . The Nisqually empties into Puget Sound east of Lacey . The Cowlitz joins the Columbia River between Kelso and Longview . The broad top of Mount Rainier contains three named summits. The highest of these named summits is known as the Columbia Crest. The second highest summit is Point Success, 14,158 ft (4,315 m), at
5310-666: The Saddle . For a time, both names were used interchangeably, although residents of the nearby city of Tacoma preferred Mount Tacoma. In 1890, the United States Board on Geographic Names declared that the mountain would be known as Rainier. Following this in 1897, the Pacific Forest Reserve became the Mount Rainier Forest Reserve , and the national park was established three years later. Despite this, there
5428-642: The United States. In 1824, Russia ceded all land claims south of parallel 54°40′ north to the United States as part of the Russo-American Treaty . In 1818, the United States and the United Kingdom signed a treaty, agreeing upon the joint settlement and occupation of the Oregon country which consisted of the territory north of 42°N latitude , south of 54°40′N latitude , and west of the Rocky Mountains to
5546-545: The Weatherwax building of Aberdeen High School, built in 1909, burned to the ground in an act of arson. The new building was completed in 2007 and held its grand opening on August 25, 2007. Aberdeen School District also consists of one junior high: Miller Junior High; five elementary schools: Central Park Elementary, McDermoth Elementary, Stevens Elementary, AJ West Elementary and Robert Gray Elementary; and one Roman Catholic parochial school: St. Mary's Catholic School. Aberdeen
5664-631: The Weyerhaeuser Cosmopolis Pulp Mill was purchased by the Beverly Hills-based Gores Group and restarted as Cosmo Specialty Fibers, Inc. They started production of pulp on May 1, 2011. The city had two indoor shopping malls that were developed in the 1970s and early 1980s. The Wishkah Mall east of downtown Aberdeen opened in August 1976 on the riverfront and was followed in August 1981 by the South Shore Mall, which
5782-677: The area as part of the fur trade . On July 22, 1793, Sir Alexander Mackenzie of the British Northwest Fur Company reached the Pacific Ocean via overland route that crossed the Rocky Mountains. The first American, John Ledyard , reached the region aboard Captain Cook's ship in 1778. By 1787, six Americans from Boston formed a company which began trading along the northwest coast. The Lewis and Clark overland expedition reached
5900-417: The area looking for medicinal plants. Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump received a hero's welcome in the streets of Olympia after their successful summit climb in 1870 . The first female ascent was made in 1890 by Fay Fuller , accompanied by Van Trump and three other teammates. Descending from the summit in 1883, James Longmire discovered a mineral spring; this ultimately led to his establishment of
6018-457: The area now within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park and extended to the perimeter of the present Puget Sound Basin. Between the 14th century and 1850, many of the glaciers on Mount Rainier advanced to their farthest extent downvalley since the last ice age. Many advances of this sort occurred worldwide during this time period known to geologists as the Little Ice Age . During
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#17328521078336136-637: The banded appearance of a classic podzol but the E horizon is darker than usual. Under meadows a thick dark A horizon usually forms the topsoil. The most recent recorded volcanic activity was between 1820 and 1854, but many eyewitnesses reported eruptive activity in 1858, 1870, 1879, 1882, and 1894 as well. Additionally, the Smithsonian Institution's volcanism project records the last volcanic eruption as 1450 CE. Seismic monitors have been placed in Mount Rainier National Park and on
6254-456: The border gather research of the past eruptions of each in order to predict how mountains in this arc will behave and what they are capable of in the future, including Mount Rainier. Of these, two have erupted since the beginning of the twentieth century: Lassen in 1915 and St. Helens in 1980 and 2004. However, past eruptions in this volcanic arc have multiple examples of sub-plinian eruptions or higher: Crater Lake's last eruption as Mount Mazama
6372-595: The city of Yakima . There, it has an interchange with I-82 and US 97 at exit 31. US 12 then runs concurrently with I-82, bypassing the towns of Toppenish and Prosser and paralleling the Yakima River , until exit 102 near the Tri-Cities . At exit 102, it meets the western terminus of Interstate 182 . US 12 and I-182 then run concurrently east over Goose Gap and through the Tri-Cities. In Pasco , I-182 ends, and US 12 intersects US 395 . US 12 then heads south to
6490-566: The city was 37.1 years. As of the 2020 census , there were 17,013 people, 6,449 households, and 3,881 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,564.7 inhabitants per square mile (604.1/km ). There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 665.5 inhabitants per square mile (257.0/km ). The racial makeup was 72.19% White , 1.31% African American , 4.01% Native American , 1.85% Asian , 0.21% Pacific Islander , 9.59% from some other races and 10.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 18.86% of
6608-593: The city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female. As of the 2000 census , there were 16,461 people, 6,517 households, and 4,112 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,548.8 inhabitants per square mile (598.0/km ). There were 7,536 housing units at an average density of 709.1 inhabitants per square mile (273.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.87% White , 0.47% African American , 3.70% Native American , 2.10% Asian , 0.14% Pacific Islander , 5.15% from some other races, and 3.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 9.22% of
6726-461: The closures from local radio stations who received a press release prior to a scheduled press conference. Major employers in Grays Harbor include Westport Shipyard, Sierra Pacific Industries, the Quinault Indian Nation, The Simpson Door Company, Hoquiam Plywood, Pasha Automotive, Willis Enterprises, Ocean Gold Companies, Vaughn Company, and the Stafford Creek Corrections Center, a state prison which opened in 2000. Other significant employers include
6844-513: The cranberry-growing cooperative Ocean Spray , worldwide retailer Walmart , Sidhu & Sons Nursery USA, Inc. (AKA Briggs Nursery), Overstock.com, and Washington Crab Producers. In 2007, Imperium Renewables of Seattle invested $ 40 million in the construction of the biodiesel plant at the Port of Grays Harbor. It is estimated the plant will produce as much as 100 million US gallons (380,000 m ) of biodiesel fuel made from plants and vegetable material annually. In September 2010,
6962-472: The direction of Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra , a boat was sent ashore to Destruction island . Upon landing, the crew was attacked and killed by the local indigenous population. Although attempts were made in 1792 to create a permanent Spanish settlement at Neah Bay , the project was unsuccessful and by 1795, Spain had given up on the region. Although not documented anywhere, it is likely that Spanish sailors first observed Mount Rainier while sailing in
7080-418: The earlier state roads, these primary roads mostly followed existing passable county roads. The incomplete roadway between Riffe and the American River remained as part of secondary State Road 5, and the legislature designated the surveyed route from the National Park Highway near Raymond north to Aberdeen as secondary State Road 20 in 1915. A 1923 restructuring of the system reassigned numbers to almost all
7198-521: The east half of State Road 5, was added to the state highway system in 1931 as another branch of the highway. The roadway between Packwood and Cayuse Pass, added to the state highway system on a different alignment in 1905, was finally completed in 1940, and the White Pass Highway was dedicated on August 12, 1951, opening a shortcut between southwest Washington and Yakima. When the U.S. Highways were first established in 1926, US 12 ended in Miles City, Montana , and most of US 12's current routing in Washington
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#17328521078337316-478: The eastern rim of the Pacific Ring of Fire . This includes mountains and calderas like Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak in California, Crater Lake , Three Sisters , and Mount Hood in Oregon, Mount St. Helens , Mount Adams , Glacier Peak , and Mount Baker in Washington, and Mount Cayley , Mount Garibaldi , Silverthrone Caldera , and Mount Meager in British Columbia . Many of the above are dormant, but could return to activity, and scientists on both sides of
7434-411: The effect would be cumulatively greater, because of the far more massive amounts of glacial ice locked on the volcano compared to Mount St. Helens, the vastly more heavily populated areas surrounding Rainier, and the fact that Mount Rainier is almost twice the size of St. Helens. Lahars from Rainier pose the most risk to life and property, as many communities lie atop older lahar deposits. According to
7552-580: The entire Puyallup River valley and other river valleys draining Mount Rainier, including the Carbon , White , Nisqually , and Cowlitz (above Riffe Lake ). According to the United States Geological Survey 's 2008 report, "about 80,000 people and their homes are at risk in Mount Rainier's lahar-hazard zones." Between 1950 and 2018, 439,460 people climbed Mount Rainier. Approximately 84 people died in mountaineering accidents on Mount Rainier from 1947 to 2018. The many Indigenous peoples who have lived near Mount Rainier for millennia have many names for
7670-403: The federal government for lahar protection in the area has dried up, leading local authorities in at-risk cities like Orting to fear a disaster similar to the Armero tragedy . To prevent against such tragedies, authorities downriver from Rainier have conducted annual large-scale evacuation exercises in cooperation with local school districts. The 2024 drill included 45,000 students and staff from
7788-412: The four anchor spaces at the mall, which is owned by Coming Attractions Theaters. The city's school district has two high schools: J. M. Weatherwax High School , or Aberdeen High School as it is now called; and Harbor High School, an alternative high school with an enrollment exceeding 200 students. Aberdeen High has a long-time school sports rivalry with nearby Hoquiam High School. In 2002,
7906-475: The highest in North America with a surface elevation of 14,203 ft (4,329 m), occupies the lowest portion of the west crater below more than 100 ft (30 m) of ice and is accessible only via the caves. The Carbon , Cowlitz , Nisqually , Puyallup River , and North Mowich Rivers begin at eponymous glaciers of Mount Rainier. The sources of the White River are Winthrop , Emmons , and Fryingpan Glaciers . The White, Carbon, and Mowich join
8024-507: The highway going only as far as Pasco—but all of these plans were rejected. Washington introduced a new system of sign route numbers in 1964. While US 410 was still signed as such, present US 12 became State Route 8 between US 410 at Elma and US 99 / I-5 at Grand Mound and State Route 14 between US 99/I-5 at Chehalis and US 410 at Naches. The extension of US 12 to Aberdeen was approved on June 20, 1967, with US 12 taking over much of US 410's former routing. However, where US 410 had crossed
8142-495: The highway to open was over White Pass in 1951, although it was added to the state highway system by the legislature in 1931. Most of the route (except for the approximately 160 miles (260 km) between Elma and Naches ) had been part of the U.S. Highway System since its inception in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 410 . The portion between Napavine and Grand Mound was also designated a U.S. Highway in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 99 . US 12 begins in downtown Aberdeen on
8260-505: The largest centers for the shipment of autos and grains to China and Korea. On December 19, 2005, Weyerhaeuser made plans to close the Aberdeen large-log sawmill and the Cosmopolis pulp mill, and the closures took effect in early 2006. This resulted in the loss of at least 342 jobs. In January 2009, Weyerhaeuser closed two additional plants in Aberdeen, resulting in another 221 lost jobs. In both cases many employees were not told by Weyerhaeuser management, but learned about
8378-456: The largest number of events of any swarm at Rainier since seismic monitoring began over two decades earlier. Further swarms were observed in 2011 and 2021. Glaciers are among the most conspicuous and dynamic geologic features on Mount Rainier. They erode the volcanic cone and are important sources of streamflow for several rivers, including some that provide water for hydroelectric power and irrigation . Together with perennial snow patches,
8496-493: The late 1970s, most of the area had been logged and the remaining mills closed during the next decade. By the early 1990s, the industry was decimated due to resource reduction. Local political and business leaders ignored this fact and did not pursue economic diversification. Aberdeen is also the home port of the tall ship Lady Washington , a reproduction of a smaller vessel used by the explorer Captain Robert Gray , featured in
8614-572: The mountain Tax̱úma , which is borrowed from Cowlitz. Another anglicized name is Pooskaus. George Vancouver named Mount Rainier in honor of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier . The map of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804–1806 refers to it as "Mt. Regniere". Although Rainier had been considered the official name of the mountain, Theodore Winthrop referred to the mountain as "Tacoma" in his posthumously published 1862 travel book The Canoe and
8732-460: The mountain in their various languages . Lushootseed speakers have several names for Mount Rainier, including xʷaq̓ʷ and təqʷubəʔ . xʷaq̓ʷ means "sky wiper" or "one who touches the sky" in English. The word təqʷubəʔ means "snow-covered mountain". təqʷubəʔ has been anglicized in many ways, including 'Tacoma' and 'Tacobet'. Cowlitz speakers call the mountain təx̣ʷúma or təqʷúmen . Sahaptin speakers call
8850-401: The mountain itself to monitor activity. An eruption could be deadly for all living in areas within the immediate vicinity of the volcano and effects from an eruption could be noticed from Vancouver, British Columbia to San Francisco , California because of the massive amounts of ash blasting out of the volcano into the atmosphere. Mount Rainier is located in an area that itself is part of
8968-510: The mountain suggest primary use of subalpine meadows and low alpine habitats that provided relatively high resource abundance during the short summer season. Evidence suggests that there existed a tradition of Native Americans setting fire to areas of the region each year as a way to encourage meadow development. The first Europeans to reach the Pacific Northwest were the Spanish who arrived by sea in 1774 led by Juan Perez . The next year, under
9086-968: The mountain, including the Nisqually Indian Tribe , the Cowlitz Indian Tribe , the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation , the Puyallup Tribe of Indians , and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe , among others in the area. The archaeological record of human use of the mountain dates to over 8,500 years before present (BP). Sites related to seasonal use of Mount Rainier and its landscapes are reflected in chipped stone tool remains and settings suggesting functionally varied uses including task-specific sites, rockshelters, travel stops, and long-term base camps. Their distribution on
9204-660: The name has two possible origins: from the Ilwaco -based Aberdeen Packing Company, which opened a cannery on the homestead in 1873; or from the Scottish city of Aberdeen , named by an early settler who had lived in Scotland. Like the Scottish city, Aberdeen is a port settlement situated at the mouth of two rivers—the Chehalis and the Wishkah . An earlier name for the settlement was Heraville, which
9322-403: The national historic register of historic places. Longmire remains the second most popular place in the park. In 1924, a publication from the park described the area: "A feature at Longmire Springs of great interest to everyone is the group of mineral springs in the little flat to the west of National Park Inn. There are some forty distinct springs, a half dozen of which are easily reached from
9440-401: The new park "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people" and "... for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their natural condition." On June 24, 1947, Kenneth Arnold reported seeing a formation of nine unidentified flying objects over Mount Rainier. His description led to
9558-583: The northwest coast in 1805 and observed Mount Rainier for the first time in the Spring of 1806. The first documented sighting of Mt. Rainier by a European was by the crew of Captain George Vancouver on May 7, 1792, during the Vancouver Expedition (1790–1795). On May 8, 1792, Vancouver gave the name of Mt. Rainier to the observed peak in homage to Vancouver's friend Rear Admiral Peter Rainier . At
9676-518: The original estimate due to inflation. The freeway opened on October 17, 1973, despite local opposition that compared the elevated overpasses to the Berlin Wall . In 1985, US 12 was moved onto I-182 in the Tri-Cities, while its former route through Kennewick was replaced with an extension of SR 240 . The change was not formally submitted to the AASHTO until 2006. The White Pass Scenic Byway was designated as
9794-471: The outset of the 19th century, the region where Mt. Rainier was located was claimed by Spain, the U.S., Russia, and Great Britain, with most claims being based on instances of early naval exploration of the region's coast. Spain relinquished all remaining claims to the Pacific Northwest that had not already been handed over with the Louisiana Purchase in 1819 with the purchase and cession of Florida by
9912-419: The population. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.2% were under 5 years of age, and 17.6% were 65 and older. As of the 2010 census , there were 16,896 people, 6,476 households, and 4,020 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,586.0 inhabitants per square mile (612.4/km ). There were 7,338 housing units at an average density of 689.0 per square mile (266.0/km ). The racial makeup
10030-502: The population. 16.4% were of German , 9.3% English , 9.3% American , 8.7% Irish and 5.9% Norwegian ancestry. 90.2% spoke only English, while 7.7% spoke Spanish at home. There were 6,517 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who
10148-582: The primary state highways. State Road 5 became a primary route and was greatly expanded, taking over the entire McClellan Pass Highway and the National Park Highway east of the Pacific Highway . The former secondary State Road 5 was realigned starting from near Packwood , heading north instead of east, alongside the Ohanapecosh River to the old McClellan Pass Highway at Cayuse Pass , west of
10266-561: The region of 13,000 feet (4 km) below the summit. These earthquakes are thought to be caused by the circulation of hot fluids beneath Mount Rainier. Presumably, hot springs and steam vents within Mount Rainier National Park are generated by such fluids. Seismic swarms (not initiated with a mainshock) are common features at volcanoes, and are rarely associated with eruptive activity. Rainier has had several such swarms; there were days-long swarms in 2002, 2004, and 2007, two of which (2002 and 2004) included M 3.2 earthquakes. A 2009 swarm produced
10384-663: The risks of lahars, and few have applicable flood insurance. The volcanic risk is somewhat mitigated by lahar warning sirens and escape route signs in Pierce County , part of the Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System , which was implemented by the USGS in 1998, and has been maintained by Pierce County since. The more populous King County is also in the lahar area, but has no zoning restrictions due to volcanic hazard. More recently (since 2001) funding from
10502-419: The road. An analysis of the waters show that they all contain about the smae [sic] mineral salts but in slightly differing proportions. All the water is highly carbonated and would be classed as extremely "hard". Certain springs contain larger amounts of soda, iron and sulphur, giving them a distinct taste and color." John Muir climbed Mount Rainier in 1888, and although he enjoyed the view, he conceded that it
10620-670: The southeastern horizon in most of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area to such an extent that locals sometimes refer to it simply as "the Mountain". On days of exceptional clarity, it can also be seen from as far away as Corvallis, Oregon (at Marys Peak ), and the North Shore Mountains in British Columbia . With 26 major glaciers and 36 sq mi (93 km ) of permanent snowfields and glaciers, Mount Rainier
10738-492: The southern edge of the summit plateau, atop the ridge known as Success Cleaver. It has a topographic prominence of about 138 ft (42 m), so it is not considered a separate peak. The lowest of the three summits is Liberty Cap, 14,112 ft (4,301 m), at the northwestern edge, which overlooks Liberty Ridge, the Sunset Amphitheater, and the dramatic Willis Wall . High on the eastern flank of Mount Rainier
10856-465: The state highway system since 1897, US 410's crossing of the Cascades, the first between the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass , was not opened to traffic until 1931. The new highway, named the Mather Memorial Highway for conservationist Stephen Mather , was dedicated on July 2, 1932. A shortcut from near Packwood east across White Pass to Naches, very close to the original plan for
10974-465: The state, including maintenance, and received only names, while secondary roads kept their numbers and county maintenance. The National Park Highway replaced State Road 5 west of Riffe , and extended as surveyed to and beyond South Bend, and the McClellan Pass Highway replaced State Road 1 and continued via State Road 5 to Yakima. The majority of the route from Yakima via Connell to Pullman
11092-494: The summit of the Cascades. The new State Road 5, named the National Park Highway System , now included four roads in the vicinity of Mount Rainier National Park , but as the road across the Cascades at Chinook Pass was not yet built, these roads did not connect with each other. Also included in this numbering was the designation of the Inland Empire Highway, including Yakima to Clarkston, as State Road 3 . In 1925,
11210-492: The surface and along the centerline of the glacier. During May 1970, Nisqually Glacier was measured moving as fast as 29 inches (74 cm) per day. Flow rates are generally greater in summer than in winter, probably due to the presence of large quantities of meltwater at the glacier base. The size of glaciers on Mount Rainier has fluctuated significantly in the past. For example, during the last ice age , from about 25,000 to about 15,000 years ago, glaciers covered most of
11328-884: The term " flying saucers ". In 1998, the United States Geological Survey began putting together the Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System to assist in the emergency evacuation of the Puyallup River valley in the event of a catastrophic debris flow. It is now run by the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. Tacoma, at the mouth of the Puyallup, is only 37 mi (60 km) west of Rainier, and moderately sized towns such as Puyallup and Orting are only 27 and 20 mi (43 and 32 km) away, respectively. Mount Rainier appears on four distinct United States postage stamp issues. In 1934, it
11446-425: The terminus for Northern Pacific Railroad , but instead of ending at one of the established mill towns, the railroad skimmed through Cosmopolis and headed west for Ocosta . Hoquiam and Aberdeen citizens together built a spur; in 1895, the line connected Northern Pacific tracks to Aberdeen. By 1900, Aberdeen had become home to many saloons , brothels , and gambling establishments. It was nicknamed "The Hellhole of
11564-609: The time, it was the longest concrete arch bridge in North America. The Montesano–Elma section of US 12 was moved to a new, 9-mile (14 km) divided highway in February 1969 after construction was completed on the last section of the Ocean Freeway. Construction of a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) freeway to bypass downtown Walla Walla began in 1971 and was completed three years later at a cost of $ 13 million—about $ 5 million over
11682-456: The town of Morton , it intersects SR 7 , which heads north to Tacoma . It then ascends the Cascade Range , passing south of Mount Rainier , and intersects SR 123 , which serves the Stevens Canyon entrance of Mount Rainier National Park . 12 miles (19 km) east of this intersection, US 12 crosses the Cascades over White Pass at an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m). White Pass
11800-537: The town of Wallula , intersecting US 730 , then east to Walla Walla , north to Dodge , and east to Clarkston before crossing the Idaho state line over the Snake River just outside Lewiston . US 12 through Walla Walla consists of a four-lane bypass, also known as Inland Empire Highway. The alignment of US 12 through Walla Walla County passes by a number of historical landmarks, such as Whitman Mission and Fort Walla Walla . The Washington section of US 12
11918-464: The volcano slid away and that debris avalanche helped to produce the massive Osceola Mudflow, which went all the way to the site of present-day Tacoma and south Seattle. This massive avalanche of rock and ice removed the top 1,600 ft (500 m) of Rainier, bringing its height down to around 14,100 ft (4,300 m). About 530 to 550 years ago, the Electron Mudflow occurred, although this
12036-470: Was 17,013 at the 2020 census . The city is the most populous in Grays Harbor County and the region's economic center, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis . Aberdeen is occasionally referred to as the "Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula ". Samuel Benn, a New York City native, established a homestead on the Chehalis River in 1859 and later platted a town at the site named Aberdeen. According to accounts collected by historian Edmond S. Meany ,
12154-450: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males. The median income for
12272-451: Was 80.40% White , 0.80% African American , 3.65% Native American , 1.89% Asian , 0.29% Pacific Islander , 8.04% from some other races and 4.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 15.85% of the population. There were 6,476 households, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no spouse present, 7.1% had
12390-465: Was a westerly extension of SR 5 via Chehalis to South Bend and Aberdeen and an easterly extension to Pullman . A route from Yakima southeast and east via the Tri-Cities to Idaho was also surveyed, mostly as an extension of State Road 8 (Columbia River Road). The legislature added most of these routes to the state highway system in 1913, when they formed a two-tiered system of primary and secondary roads. Primary roads were completely controlled by
12508-644: Was best appreciated from below. Muir was one of many who advocated protecting the mountain. In 1893, the area was set aside as part of the Pacific Forest Reserve in order to protect its physical and economic resources, primarily timber and watersheds . Citing the need to also protect scenery and provide for public enjoyment, railroads and local businesses urged the creation of a national park in hopes of increased tourism. On March 2, 1899, President William McKinley established Mount Rainier National Park as America's fifth national park . Congress dedicated
12626-498: Was delayed by a week after issues with a paint truck needed for road striping. Construction of the final phase, bypassing Wallula Junction, remains unfunded as of 2022 and would require an extension of US 730 to a new interchange with US 12. Aberdeen, Washington Aberdeen ( / ˈ æ b ər d iː n / AB -ər-deen ) is a city in Grays Harbor County , Washington , United States. The population
12744-483: Was followed by US 410 . U.S. Route 12 was extended westward in stages; an extension to Lewiston, Idaho , was approved on June 19, 1962. At various times in the early 1960s, the states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon submitted plans for further westward extension to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) to either Vancouver, Washington or Boardman, Oregon —or, a plan submitted in 1963 had
12862-637: Was large enough to cause its cone to collapse, and Mount Rainier's closest neighbor, Mount St. Helens, produced the largest recorded eruption in the continental United States when it erupted in 1980. Statistics place the likelihood of a major eruption in the Cascade Range at 2–3 per century. Mount Rainier is listed as a Decade Volcano , or one of the 16 volcanoes on Earth with the greatest likelihood of causing loss of life and property if eruptive activity resumes. If Mount Rainier were to erupt as powerfully as Mount St. Helens did in its May 18, 1980 eruption,
12980-545: Was not added at that time; it was finally taken over in 1937 as Secondary State Highways 11A and 11B . Only the route via the Tri-Cities, forming part of the Inland Empire Highway , continued from Yakima to Idaho. East of Pomeroy , the original survey had curved south, using State Road 16 to near the Oregon state line; this was bypassed by the 1913 designation, which instead continued directly east to Clarkston . Unlike
13098-526: Was not as large-scale as the Osceola Mudflow. After the major collapse approximately 5,000 years ago, subsequent eruptions of lava and tephra built up the modern summit cone until about as recently as 1,000 years ago. As many as 11 Holocene tephra layers have been found. Soils on Mount Rainier are mostly gravelly ashy sandy loams developed from colluvium or glacial till mixed with volcanic tephra. Under forest cover their profiles usually have
13216-414: Was noted as extinct during the 1930s. Between the height of the Little Ice Age and 1950, Mount Rainier's glaciers lost about one-quarter of their length. Beginning in 1950 and continuing through the early 1980s, however, many of the major glaciers advanced in response to relatively cooler temperatures of the mid-century. The glaciers and snowfields of Mount Rainier also lost volume during this time, except for
13334-578: Was originally developed as a state highway in the early 20th century. It was incorporated into several later highways, including US 410 . The Washington State Legislature created the State Highway Board in 1905 and appropriated funds to construct—but not maintain—twelve highways in sparsely settled areas of the state. Main highways in more populated areas would continue to be entirely under county control, though sometimes built with 50% state aid . Six of these highways were east-west crossings of
13452-465: Was recorded by Benn. The city was founded by Samuel Benn in 1884 and incorporated on May 12, 1890. Although it became the largest and best-known city in Grays Harbor , Aberdeen lagged behind nearby Hoquiam and Cosmopolis in its early years. When A.J. West built the town's first sawmill in 1894, the other two municipalities had been in business for several years. Aberdeen and its neighbors vied to be
13570-575: Was relocated in December 1967 on a 16-mile (26 km) route that traveled through Morton . The detour was opened early after the Nesika Bridge over the Cowlitz River was destroyed in a fire started accidentally by construction crews a month earlier. The final project near the dam, a 1,136-foot (346 m) arch bridge over the Cowlitz River, opened in May 1968 and was primarily financed by Tacoma City Light ; at
13688-532: Was south of the Chehalis River. The newer South Shore Mall had 350,000 square feet (33,000 m ) and space for 80 retailers, including anchor tenants Sears and J.C. Penney following their relocation from downtown. It was renamed to the Shoppes at Riverside in 2016 and closed on February 13, 2021, following an engineering report that found the soil under the foundation had settled and would pose structural risks. A movie theater and fun center remain open in two of
13806-438: Was still a movement to change the mountain's name to Tacoma and Congress was still considering a resolution to change the name as late as 1924. Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington and the Cascade Range. This peak is located southeast of Tacoma, approximately 60 miles (97 km) south-southeast of Seattle. Mount Rainier has a topographic prominence of 13,210 ft (4,026 m). On clear days it dominates
13924-418: Was the 3-cent issue in a series of National Park stamps, and was also shown on a souvenir sheet issued for a philatelic convention. The following year, in 1935, both of these were reprinted by Postmaster General James A. Farley as special issues given to officials and friends. Because of complaints by the public, "Farley's Follies" were reproduced in large numbers. The second stamp issue is easy to tell from
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