Nisqually River Crossing

Mount Rainier up the Nisqually Valley

A bit more than a mile from Carter Falls the trail crosses the Nisqually River.  The Nisqually River originates from the base of the Nisqually Glacier on Mount Rainier. 

The Nisqually Glacier is one of the largest glaciers on Mount Rainier, and is easily viewed from Paradise.  The glacier, advancing at up to 29 inches per day, is constantly melting filling the river with cold rushing water.  It is also the source of many floods over the years, the latest being in November 2006, where 18 inches of rain fell at Paradise within 24 hours and the flooding destroyed roads, trails and campgrounds. 

Nisqually River Crossing

In the second photo, you can see the method of crossing the river.  This is similar to most river crossings on the trail, needing to be taken out during the winter and replaced the next spring. 

Notice the white colored water on the second picture.  This is called glacier flour and is rock scraped from the mountain by the glacier.  This material is then suspended in the ice and when melted, is carried by the river downstream.  In the final picture, you can see how fine this sediment is. 

Glacier Flour

Early explorers always knew if a glacier was close if they came across a lake and it had an opaque turquoise color.  That is due to the glacier flour being washed into the lake from upstream.