[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E313-E314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

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                           HON. JENNIFER DUNN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 1999

  Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, today I come before the House of 
Representatives to wish a happy 100th birthday to Mt. Rainier National 
Park in the 8th Congressional District in the state of Washington. Like 
many others from Washington, I am tempted to say ``my mountain'' 
because that's how we all feel about Mt. Rainier--it belongs to each of 
us. It also gives the 8th district distinction as the most beautiful 
district in the nation.
  Mt. Rainier National Park was established March 2, 1899 as our fifth 
national park. The park itself encompasses 378 square miles. At its 
highest point, the mountain is 14,411 feet, so it's not surprising that 
more than 2 million people visit the park each year to enjoy its moist 
rainforest, giant old growth forests, subalpine meadows, and glaciers.
  But Rainier is more than just a national park. It is an integral part 
of the network of communities that surround its boundaries and form a 
gateway that visitors pass through when visiting the area. These 
communities support the park and the park supports them.
  It would be hard to imagine many people in Washington who can't go 
through their personal or family photo albums and find pictures of 
themselves with friends or family during a visit to the mountain. And 
every one of those

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photos tells a story. It is so with my family. Our family and friends 
all grew up in the shadow of ``our'' mountain spending time in a cabin 
near Greenwater and venturing into the park many times during every 
season.
  It was always amazing to me that for all the trails we hiked, streams 
we crossed, picnics we enjoyed, glaciers we climbed, it was new and 
different every time. We never tired of ``our'' mountain. I can't 
imagine I ever will. As a Member of Congress, I have been given the 
opportunity to see the park and mountain from a different vantage 
point. Rather than just a visitor, I am now an active partner in 
helping to maintain the park and protect it for future generations.
  The theme of the centennial celebration is ``A Century of Resource 
Stewardship.'' To underscore this theme, the park has undertaken a 
series of signature projects. These include the Sunrise Ecological 
Restoration Project, rehabilitation of the White River Patrol Cabin, 
and completion of the last mile of the Wonderland Trail.
  In February, Northwest Airlines began airing a special video about 
the Mt. Rainier Centennial that airs on international flights landing 
at Sea Tac Airport. Today, the celebration begins with a birthday cake 
and a ceremony to announce a collectible cancelled stamp at Longmire in 
the park. I am honored to participate in this ceremony kicking off the 
official celebration.
  Throughout this year the centennial committee has planned exciting 
projects and activities to celebrate the park's 100th birthday. For 
instance, the Tacoma/Pierce County Visitor and Convention Bureau and 
the gateway communities have joined together to host several special 
weekends of festivals and activities, and renowned mountain climber, 
Lou Whittaker, is leading a special ``Centennial Climb'' to the summit 
of Mt. Rainier. Lou's climbing group will include international 
mountain climbers as well as celebrities who have climbed with Lou in 
the past.
  My colleagues, if you haven't made vacation plans or visited Mt. 
Rainier National Park before, this is surely the time to come to 
Washington and join us in our celebration. And, perhaps on your way up 
to the park or while you're enjoying a latte somewhere in Seattle, you 
will have that special experience that separates us in Washington from 
the rest of the world. You or someone you're with may look South to the 
horizon and say, ``Look! The mountain is out today!''

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