I had my second very positive experience with RMI this past month. The biggest takeaway is that…read morethis is a service for people who are seriously prepared for an enormous mental and physical challenge - if you're looking for something wild to do without months of preparation, regardless of the trip you choose, you might feel a little put off with RMI. Rainier IS something you can do with no previous climbing experience, but that doesn't mean you can just show up the day-of and expect to be fine. "No experience needed" doesn't mean no training is required. They make it clear that you need to be in the best physical condition of your life to execute these trips. I am someone who wants to pursue mountaineering as a lifelong hobby but doesn't have a climbing community of my own to go with. As a result, finding a Rainier concessioner was a natural choice. And even though it's nerve-wracking to climb with a bunch of pro guides and strangers, I felt like I found the type of community I've been dreaming of! I'm a female climber and my first experience was less positive because I didn't feel very included as a woman, but this second trip was amazing. I think inclusivity can often depend on the attitudes of the guides. Shoutout to Dominic, Sam, Marissa, and Rylee for making sure I felt strong and capable. No notes. I had the BEST time with them! There are other Rainier vendors (or guide services for other mountains) that are known to be a bit more gentle and flexible in their approach and pacing of their trips. Consider those alternatives if you're not craving absolute grit. No judgement, it's a personal preference. All in all, putting on multi-day climbs with clients of all backgrounds and dangerous terrain is no small feat, but I believe RMI does an incredible job at this. For as long as I'm climbing and able, I will choose RMI again.

I've had much better guiding experiences elsewhere. I did not finish Ranier. Although I was working…read morehard aerobically, I turned around mostly due to anxiety. I did not feel safe with my guide Hannah. For example, I asked for 30 seconds to breathe and she denied it and we kept going. We were not in a dangerous area. So, I decided to turn around. After about a minute of waiting for another rope team to go down I felt ready to keep going. I was not gassed at all, but I did not safe continuing with a guide who completely stonewalled the requests of her clients. I am very frustrated because I did not give it my all. I had plenty of gas left in the tank unlike others who turned around and were stumbling down. I just felt so demoralized by the continued emphasis that it only gets harder and we cannot slow down or stop for even a second that I chose to turn back. I feel confident I could have summited with another guiding company. I have done enough mountains (10+ guided summits including 7k meters) to know that that the pace we were going did in fact have time for me to take a 30 second breath break. Another option could have been to start one hour earlier to go 10% slower on the route--other guided climbs I have done choose starting time based on client pace as well as conditions, rather than rigidly holding to pace policy. I feel like this is the cattle car company that just wants maximum throughput booking trips and rental gear, and if you're not completely on their pace there is no flexibility to even breathe for 30 seconds. I did not feel looked after as an individual, just as one more unit in their system. I have never before wanted a refund on a guided climb, even when I didn't summit before (food poisoning). This experience makes me wish for one for the first time ever. I had a much better experience with Alpine Ascents International a month ago on Mt. Baker. They set a pace appropriate for the group and had empathy and responsiveness when another two clients on a rope team near mine were struggling. I recommend looking at that company as an alternative as they have a concession on Ranier as well. Update to add: I spoke to an AAI guide at camp after coming down. They left an hour earlier than our team did and their climbers came down after ours. So presumably a more manageable rate.

Opal Meadows offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. This quaint Farm allows you…read moreto experience one-on-one interactions with Farm animals all while learning about animal husbandry. The animals are very friendly, so flipping cute, and their personalities are absolutely endearing. This establishment is by appointment only so you aren't competing with spectators to get a chance to interact with each animal. Some of the animals you will see are goats, pigs, lambs, chickens, ponies, bunnies, horses, mini donkeys and more! In talking to the owner they offer tailor-made tours to fit specific needs of those in your group. This makes this the perfect experience if you have family or friends with sensory needs or special accommodation requirements.

In all honesty, I just looked up the Foothills Trail and did not realize how big it is! I started…read morewalking with a mom's club recently after my best friend got me into it, and we meet at this trail from time to time. We meet at the Puyallup portion, so I can't speak to the entirety of the trail. In Puyallup, this trail is definitely popular amongst parents, bikers, skaters, and just people looking to get their steps in! It's conveniently located to a rather populated area. There's lots of parking around to be able to hit this trail, and there's even a couple of bathrooms along the way too (not just porta potties, either). The portion that I've been on seems to be pretty well-maintained. I've never seen anything crazy overgrown and I haven't really seen any trash either. Overall this is a great paved trail to get your steps in and get some fresh air.

The Historical McMillan Bridge was built in 1934 and was the only one in the world that was built…read moreout of concrete. The bridge still stands strong and intact. Amazing! This trail is near my home. It's a great trail for walking or biking. You can walk down to the river. This trail goes all the way down to Enumclaw or Buckley. Lots of beautiful scenery, flowers in bloom and majestic views of Mt Rainier. I have yet to do the full trail. I will as soon as I get my Ebike LOL! I often walk this trail to walk Havanna my grandfur baby. It's always enjoyable.

Ghosts ,ghosts, ghosts, phantoms. Good place to eat. As long as your girlfriend likes it.read more

The best kept secret in pierce county. Finding parking will be difficult on a nice day. We parked…read morenear the bridge but others will park near Fairfax trail. It is about A 2 to 5 mile loop. So if you were to do a round-trip it could be up to 4 to 10. Well you walk around you'll see beautiful foliage, rivers, trees, and scary abandoned ghost town relics of buildings. There are some who criticize this nonexistent town but if you have some patience you will see a lot of the structures. Or even the foundations of them. It is very dog friendly. However there is no water for them so please bring your own. The ground is not very smooth so be careful of their paws. There are no garbage cans so pack it out. There are many locals hiking and walking. They are very friendly.

I've been taking my boat here for five years and these people are fantastic. Always super…read moreinformative, great communication, and great at what they do!

7/10 on communication but 11/10 on service and in person customer service! These guys are fantastic…read moreand helped me fix my super old boat in a timely and cost efficient manner. Will definitely use them again for years to come.

GPS to Bud Blancher Trailhead. Plenty of signs and parking. If you park at Pack Forest you will hit…read moreup the "back nine" parking to Bud Blancher parking. The entire trail is 3 miles.

Sandra (owner), Amanda (trainer), and all their volunteer team are surely incredible! Her ranch is…read morebeautiful and their clients are so kind and eager to learn. All the horses have A plus personalities. So, If you're looking for a wonderful, local therapeutic program or just a fun place to volunteer with horses, Changing Reins is well organized and very welcoming.

My almost soon-to-be 2 year old is registered for their 45 minute Tiny Star class. The classes are…read moredone once a week for four weeks. I love that they offer a free (trial) class from the get go as this helps families like myself determine if this is an activity my child will like or not. My daughter absolutely loved her first class. In fact, she asked me more than once about gymnastics. She woke up the next morning asking if we were going back that same day. The classes, as mentioned, is 45 minutes long. As the kids are very young, the obstacles are suited for their age. To parents, it is easy to do, but for the young ones, a bit challenging. We have since signed her up for the classes and once the full session is complete, you will be automatically charged for the next 4 week session unless you notify staff. As the Little Stars session are for littles, one parent is able to supervise on the floor.

Ascend Gymnastics-DuPont is the Best!! We have nothing but great things to say about this gym! We…read morestarted at Ascend Gymnastics-DuPont about 2 years ago. Our daughter has attended both south sound preschool and pre-k and we have absolutely loved our experience with the school. As well as how she has grown academically. The preschool director and teachers are amazing, they're the reason why we kept our daughter enrolled after moving from DuPont to Lacey. Everyone is truly so welcoming from the front office staff, teachers, instructors and the owner; the gym has become our second home. Both our daughters attend gymnastics classes (tiny stars and mighty stars) and they love it, the instructors are awesome, extremely patient! Coach Maddie and Cailin are the best! If you're looking for a great safe welcoming gym/preschool for your kiddos this one is amazing!