Driving a 27ft Class C in Mount Rainier NP

[AnneM]

Background: We're a family of four, well versed in road tripping in the US and Canada (a total of more than 10 months on the road in two separate long road trips). Currently planning for the summer of 2015. The general plan: Seattle to Alaska and back (10 weeks).

I am the designated driver :C . I've driven all over the place, including some of the more challenging mountain passes of the West, but this was all in a minivan. I've never driven an RV in my life, but we do have this fantasy/plan to buy an RV when we retire and travel some more in North and Central/South America (probably 10-15 years from today), so I'm looking forward to finally experiencing driving and living in an RV.

For the long term "plantasy" I have my sights set on a truck and a 5th wheeler. For now however, we're going to rent, and the only thing we can rent is a motorhome. I'm thinking 23-28 feet class C motorhome should be within our budget.

And now, to my current question. I was thinking of starting our trip with a visit to Mount Rainier. We've already visited Washington and spent time in Olympic NP and other wonderful places, but never in Rainier. Looking at the park map, looks like the Wonderland Trail (park road) is a winding road with lots of switchbacks. I would absolutely relish driving this in a minivan, but I'm not at all sure about a motorhome? What's mountain driving like with a motorhome of this size? Should I skip it and wait for when I've had more experience driving it?

[j-d]

National Park Service is very good about warnings of which roads should not be driven by RVs. All I could find is this about SUNRISE ROAD
^^^
Estimated to open July 3, weather dependent.
For safety reasons, bicycling and hiking on the road prior to its opening to vehicles is allowed only when the road crew is not working on the road. Please check the signs on the gate before heading up the road.
Note: Due to the steep, narrow, and winding nature of the Sunrise Road, it is recommended that RVs and vehicles with trailers longer than 25 ft. LOA not travel up the Sunrise Road beyond the White River Campground intersection.
^^^
This is Rainier's park homepage