Wednesday's Word - Rainier

Wednesday's Word is Rainier - reɪˈnɪər -- ray-NEAR

r: 'r' in 'rye'  eɪ: long 'a' in 'base'  ˈ: primary stress follows  n: 'n' in 'nigh'  ɪər: 'ear' in 'beard' 

Mount Rainier, reaching 14,411 feet, is the tallest mountain in Washington State and the entire Cascade Range. It was named in honor of British Rear Admiral Peter Rainier (pictured at left) by George Vancouver. The two were friends. However, prior to this name, the mountain was called Tahoma or Tacoma by the Puyallup tribe that lived in the area. The Puyallup name was from a word meaning "mother of waters." Although the name Rainier was made official in 1890, as late as 1924 Congress considered a resolution to change the mountain's official name to Tacoma.

The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile route that circumnavigates the peak. Many of the hikes in Mount Rainier National Park involve hiking on portions of this trail. The park is popular for hiking and camping in the summer, and snowshoeing and backcountry skiing in the winter. Roughly 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Rainier every year, and the route via Disappointment Cleaver is by far the most popular approach.