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First - the Public Shelter at Camp Muir remains CLOSED. It will remain closed until the Park Service can finish up the remodel and get the equipment out of the structure. In the case of an emergency, please call 911 and access can still be granted for emergency situations.
Conditions on the upper mountain have changed - a thin blanket of new snow now covers the skeletal glacial ice and rocky ridges above high camps. Unsettled weather for the next couple days will continue to add snow to the upper mountain and make conditions difficult for any summit attempt. During this winter off-season there are virtually no other climbers on the mountain. Guide services ceased operations weeks ago, and rangers are only sporadically staffing high camps for end-of-season projects.
Any summit attempts this time of year should be considered a serious venture - it's definitely not the time of year for parties to attempt the mountain for the first time. All parties who climb this time of year should be self-reliant and carry extra equipment so that they have contingency resources.
ALL CLIMBERS MUST:
1. Pay the climbing fee
2. Obtain a climbing permit
You can pay the fee online at Pay.Gov and you can obtain a permit via self-registration at Paradise and at the White River Ranger Station. Please remember to check out after your climb by submitting your climbing permit back at the ranger station after your climb. See the blog post below for more details on registration now that it's the "winter" season.
These moments of transition from late summer to the start of winter add extra hazards. Thinly covered crevasses, new avalanche problems, longer storm cycles and colder temperatures can all add up to dangerous conditions. Please use extra caution in any winter climbing or skiing attempt. And, while it can be rewarding to have solitude up high on the mountain, please do it safely!
Have a great winter and see you next spring!
