With the onset of colder weather and the wrap up of guide service operations the number of climbers attempting the summit has dropped nearly to zero. The first half of October has been fairly active weather-wise and with the reduced temperatures we have received a fair bit of snow above Paradise. Rangers observed almost 2 meters of new snow at 8500' on October 19th.It doesn't take much snow for skiers to brave the early season conditions and tracks have been popping up on the snowfield fairly consistently. We urge people to exercise caution this time of year as many hazards exist under the thin snow pack. Trees, rocks and flowing creeks can all be lurking under the snow.
Construction for the ongoing paving project on the Paradise road is finished for the winter although a few crews are out working on small projects. The road remains open 24 hours a day but may close nightly due to weather. You can check @MountRainierNPS on Twitter for status updates.
It's a great time of year to enjoy Mt. Rainier. There are few crowds and when the skies are clear it's as beautiful as always. Be safe, enjoy the park and have fun.
