Sunrise Elopement at A Mount Rainier Fire Lookout
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that Washington will never, ever stop amazing me. If I could sum up what this elopement was like in a single word, it would be magic. The early start time, the different light over the course of a few hours, the way Rainier showed up for us, the solitude, just everything. If you’ve ever thought about having a hiking elopement, this blog is totally gonna make you want to commit to it.
But first…
Let’s learn about Mount Rainier and some Washington fire lookouts!
Did you know that there are somewhere around 93 fire lookouts in Washington (and that historically there were about 750!!)? Most are decommissioned and now just kept up as either a marker of history or turned into a place you can book for a long weekend. Some you have to hike miles to get to, and some are just a short walk from the car. Some are first-come, first-serve but you can book some of them ahead of time! But some are still in use, like the Tolmie Peak fire lookout, and national park employees will still stay and work in them to keep our parks safe during wildfire seasons.
If you’re looking to elope at a fire lookout, consider a few things:
Is the hike to this lookout within a reasonable distance for myself and my partner, but also any guests I’m bringing?
Will the time of year or time of day be crowded with other visitors and hikers?
Am I willing to hike in the dark to see sunrise or sunset from the lookout? *Note: this isn’t required, but I’d urge you to consider being there for one or the other!
I’m going to break down the answers to each of these questions for you so that you can decide if a fire lookout elopement is really for you!
Distance and elevation gain:
Whether you’re an avid hiker or someone just looking to get on the trail for your elopement, checking how far you’ll be hiking round trip AND the elevation gain/loss over the entire hike is crucial. Sure, you might find a short trail that’s only a mile each way, but what happens when that mile is 1,200’ and you’re climbing at a 45-degree angle for most of it!?
AllTrails is a great app to learn more info about your hike ahead of time, including recent trip reports and photos from other hikers, what parking is like, and if any passes are needed to park at the trailhead. For my Washington locals, Washington Trails Association is also an awesome resource.
*Pro tip!: Read recent trip reports to learn about the road conditions getting to the trailhead. Some are seriously treacherous and you won’t want to do it without a high clearance vehicle.
Time of year/day:
If you didn’t know, a ton of the higher elevations in Washington have snow that lingers well into July and sometimes August! Which can make getting to some fire lookouts difficult or downright impossible. Research what the weather is like ahead of time so you can plan accordingly.
As for the time of day, this one is going to depend a lot on which lookout you’re at, what time of year it is that will determine how busy it’s likely going to be, and what the weather is like that day. Sunrise is almost always going to be less busy than sunset, especially in the summer and fall months. Fewer folks want to wake up at the asscrack of dawn, which is why it’s typically a little quieter!
Now that you know more about eloping at a fire lookout in Washington state….
Let’s get to this couple and their elopement day!!
Something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives is watching the sun come up from when it’s pitch black until after official sunrise time. It’s one thing about this lookout that really has stuck with me - the way the light changed in front of us was too beautiful to describe without photos (and lucky for you and me, there are a ton of photos in the post!).
We started our day out at about 4:30am (which means I got up at 2:30am so I could drive into the park from my hotel, haha) and drove up to the trailhead. It was pitch black, about 40 degrees out, and there were only a handful of other hikers out at the time. We all put on our headlamps and started on the trail! The entire hike took about 45 minutes, but we stopped enough times on the way up to turn off our headlamps, look up at the sky, and turn around to see the sun coming up over the horizon that it was around an hour altogether. Something I need to do more is to stop and look around me when I’m hiking because if I hadn’t turned around on this hike, I would never have seen the punchy orange filling the eastern sky!!
Once we got to the lookout, we put on some warmer layers (we were definitely sweating on the way up, this hike will get your blood pumping!) and started to get ready for their ceremony. These two wanted to keep things simple and didn’t change out of their hiking clothes for their wedding because they both are avid outdoors people and felt it fit them perfectly! Plus, carrying an entire outfit up a mountain isn’t for everyone, lol.
Once we looked at Rainier and saw the alpenglow illuminating in beautiful shades of pink, orange, and purple, they knew it was time for the ceremony. We walked down a hill closer to the mountain and they got started with their vows and ring exchange. I couldn’t even hear their words to each other, but I cried through the entire thing. I could feel the love they were sharing in one of their favorite places and if you didn’t know this about me, I’m a crier.
We stuck around after the ceremony for champagne, climbing up the stairs to the fire lookout, and taking in the 360-degree view of light and Mount Rainier National Park around us. Once we got back to the car, we all headed to their campsite where they were staying for a few days and got to know each other better, looked at Rainier from a different perspective, and they made coffee for each other.
What an incredible day led by an even more incredible couple.
So, are you totally sold on eloping at a fire lookout at sunrise?
I have a great blog post that goes over how to elope in Mount Rainier National Park and it goes over everything from what permits you’ll need to where you can stay before and afterward! Don’t miss it:
Your Complete Guide to Eloping at Mount Rainier National Park
