Your time is running out. Without radical changes in global practices, glaciers could disappear entirely in the Lower 48 states, and the ice rivers on Mount Rainier are already in full retreat. Fortunately, we can still see the mighty ice sheets and even get up-close and personal with them. This trail ascends the upper reaches of the White River valley, crawling through scraggly forest and craggy moraines--ridges of rock pushed aside by the moving glaciers. If you have the skill and the time, you can scramble up the bottom section of a climbers trail to reach the ice of Inter Glacier.

Head up the trail as it follows the frigid, churning waters of the White River upstream. The trail is broad and easy to walk. In fact, it's actually an old road, once used by miners and then by tourists until the late 1940s. The trail dips near the river periodically, and even on the hottest summer days, you can often feel a refreshingly cool breeze off the icy waters.

At 1 mile, the trail splits. Stay right to continue up the Inter Fork of the White River. This branch of the river is spawned by the melting waters of the Inter Glacier, the river of ice nestled in the rocky basin below the pointed crest of Steamboat Prow.

From the fork, the trail continues west, climbing along the river at the foot of Burroughs Mountain until reaching another trail junction at 2.5 miles (5500 feet). The trail on the right climbs steeply to the crest of Second Burroughs Mountain. You want to stay left and push upward toward The Wedge--the headwall of Glacier Basin.

At 3 miles, the official trail ends at Glacier Basin Camp (5900 feet). From here, you can look upward at the rocky notch of St. Elmo Pass, through which flows the headwaters of the Inter Fork of White River. After enjoying the views, turn back at the camp and return the way you came. Note: This trail was severely damaged in the November 2006 floods. As this book went to press, this trail was relocated through rough terrain. Check with the park for the current status of this trail.