Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above sea level as an icon of the Washington landscape. An active volcano, it is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A. and gives rise to five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring its icy slopes, while ancient forest covers its lower slopes, and wildlife is abundant across the park’s ecosystems. Its weather is strongly shaped by the Pacific Ocean and elevation, producing a generally cool, rainy climate with summer highs in the 60s and 70s. Although July and August are the sunniest months, rain is very likely in spring, fall, and winter, mountain weather changes quickly, and at higher elevations such as Paradise, winter can last from November to May with many feet of snow on the ground.