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| New snow at Camp Muir |
Camp Muir has received a few inches of new snow in the past
two days. In fact, a dusting of snow fell as low as Pebble Creek on Monday! While it’s not enough to smooth out the snowfield for skiing, it is
enough to thinly cover open crevasses and make them difficult to identify.
There are a few such holes between 9,500’ and 8,800’ that are certainly large
enough to fall into. These are especially difficult to see in flat light or whiteout
conditions.
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| Fresh snow starting to obscure crevasses on the snowfield |
As the summer season winds down, so does the amount of
traffic on the Muir Snowfield. Expect the trail to become less obvious (or totally obscured by new snow) and to
see fewer people out and about. Travel conditions above Pebble Creek have become quite firm and additional traction is recommended—many people are
opting for crampons. Be prepared to do all of your own navigation and decision-making.
Carry and know how to use a GPS, since it is very easy to get lost on the
snowfield in whiteout conditions.
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| Whiteout conditions below Camp Muir |
Be sure to check the weather forecast and park webcams before your visit, since conditions change rapidly this time of year.
