Camp Muir and Camp Schurman update 6/14

Winthrop glacier from Camp Schurman

High camps were lonely this past weekend- and for good reason. An atmospheric river event slammed Mt. Rainier and Western Washington with an impressive moisture plume.

Radar image from Sunday night 6/13/21

Precipitation in the park is measured at Paradise, where the weather station recorded 2 inches of rain since Friday!

The freezing levels hovered between 9,000 and 11,000 feet during this storm. Winds were intense at both camps making travel on the upper mountain nearly impossible. Camp Muir felt the full force of this storm, being exposed to southerly flow. Sustained winds at Camp Muir exceeded 50 mph all day Sunday, and gusts up to 99 mph were recorded.

Check out the Northwest Avalanche Center website for real time weather data from the stations at Paradise and Camp Muir.

Camp Schruman after the storm broke Monday evening.

Looking forward, conditions will warm and dry by mid-week. This weekend will see temperatures rise and freezing levels climb above 13,000 feet. That's good news, certainly, but how will that affect climbing conditions?

All the precipitation from the recent storm fell as snow above 11,000 feet, or the level of Ingraham Flats. That means the upper mountain could have feet of wet, heavy new snow. Strong winds likely transported this new snow across the upper mountain and created fresh wind slabs that could be triggered by a climbing party. Teams attempting to climb this week must bring avalanche rescue gear- including a beacon, shovel, and probe for each climber.

Rising temperatures and the powerful June sun will slowly stabilize these avalanche hazards as we approach the weekend. However, dangerous avalanche conditions could linger near the summit into this weekend. Continually evaluate the snow conditions while climbing this week. A large drift of dry snow that sounds hollow or cracks when you walk through it should give you pause; and may be a reason to turn around.

Shooting cracks in a wind slab

For the most up to date weather information, check out the Mt. Rainier Recreational Forecast

The climbing routes up the Disappointment Cleaver and Emmons/ Winthrop have not changed much in the last week. Check out the links above for more detailed information.

Climb safely, and enjoy the sunshine this week!