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| The Muir Snowfield as Viewed from Above Pebble Creek |
The route up to Camp Muir is melted out up to the Pebble Creek crossing, and the snowfield above is in generally good shape. There are medium-sized sun cups along the route, and the texture of the snow varies from soft to firm as you ascend. As the route continues to melt with sun exposure, expect to see an increase in icy patches and crevasses opening up on the snowfield below Camp Muir. Even if your objective is just to climb to camp and return, you may find it handy to bring some sort of traction device for your shoes to provide better footing if needed.
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| Trampled ground in Paradise - Make sure to stay on trail! |
In some areas on the upper snowfield, glissade tracks are in place which aim directly at rock outcroppings. Make sure to evaluate your path before committing to a track. Glissading climbers and hikers can pick up speed quite quickly! Below the snow line on the Skyline Trail and all throughout Paradise, climbers and hikers walking off track continue to have a huge impact on vegetation in Mount Rainier National Park. While the trails may feel crowded, we do ask that you remain on trail to help protect this fragile ecosystem. Stepping to the side may seem like the easier option, but the impact this has over time lasts far longer than your trip to the Park! All the patches of dirt by the trail you pass by would be covered in greenery if they hadn't been trampled.
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| Signage marking routes around new construction |
There are also some new segments of trail being constructed in Paradise, and some small older sections have been closed off to allow for this. Please make sure to follow any posted signage about these closures.
