Friday, May 17, 2019

Ingraham Direct - 05/17/2019

Storms stacked up across the Pacific Ocean. Photo: NOAA

After an exceptionally dry and sunny period in early May, the weather and snow conditions on Mount Rainier have returned to a more typical pattern for this time of year. The upper mountain has received well over a foot of new snow in the past few days. Guides and the Northwest Avalanche Center have reported significant wind slab and storm slabs above Camp Muir. In fact, no group has gone above Ingraham Flats in the past few days due to this increased avalanche hazard. It may take some time after these storms for the snowpack instabilities to stabilize. 

Visibility has been fair-to-poor for most of the week and navigation has been challenging, even on the Muir Snowfield. There are no wands on the snowfield and the bootpack has been frequently obscured by new snow. If you are planning a trip up the snowfield, be prepared with a GPS and knowledge of how to use it before you leave the parking lot. It is easy to get disoriented on the snowfield, especially on the descent, and many parties have become lost in similar conditions in the past.

Remember to check the Mount Rainier Recreational Weather Forecast and the park webcams as part of your planning process before coming to the mountain.