Bad news on GrayLine Tours; I checked their site. It seems they won't take hikers to/from Mt. Rainier. Evidently it detracts from the tour "experience." Must be the BO. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />However, see this thread on nwhikers.net started by someone with a similar problem. It looks as though there are quite a few people in the Seattle area offering to help out! If you were planning to hike the Portland area at a time I'm here, I'd be quite willing, too! But I'm a long way from Rainier and will (I hope) be gone most of late July and August.

If you're coming by train, note that the Coast Starlight is always late, often by many hours. I used to take it coming back to Portland from Seattle (where the southbound train originates) and it was always a couple of hours late getting into Portland. It's a nice train, though, and by taking the train you don't have to worry about having to check your pocket knife or trekking poles or leaving your stove (or at least your fuel) behind as you do when traveling by air.