Muir Webcam and Road Access

Warmer days and some sunny spring weather have made it possible to get some much needed work done.  Plows, loaders, and chainsaws are busy clearing roads around the park.  Every year fallen debris like trees, rocks, and yep, lots of snow, takes workers several weeks to clear for safe travel.  For the most up to date road conditions around the park go to the Park Access tab above and check out the links to Mount Rainier's Road Conditions site and Washington State Department of Transportation's site. 


In other news the Camp Muir webcam is back online! Once again you can see where your going before you get there. Always a helpful tool when planing your trip. Remember to always travel prepared because conditions can change, even on a sunny day.

Don't forget about the other webcams around the park as well. To view a list of all the available webcams go to the camera view selection site. If you want to see what is going on right now at Camp Muir follow this link: Camp Muir Webcam.

Also, our blog is starting to take shape again for the 2016 season.  We're revamping the route condition beta with new photos taken on 04/18/2016.   If you want to see older photos, please check out the archive on the conditions page in the lower right hand corner.  These older posts can shed light on what the route of your choice might be like in August or September if that's when you're planning on climbing.

We're looking forward to another awesome season on the mountain! 

2016 Climbing Permits: Walk-up Only

Due to a "critical failure of the park's existing reservation system during a recent storm event" the park will not be accepting nor processing reservations for any wilderness permits this season.  

Wilderness Camping to be First-come, First-served

This means only walk-up permits will be issued for climbing on Mount Rainier this summer.  Any reservations already received will be returned unprocessed and fees will be refunded.  Please see the press release above for more details.

In the past we've recommended reserving a permit for parties who don't have flexible travel dates and want particular sites during popular times (weekends in late-July and early-August).  This year, since reservations are not a possibility, here are some recommendations:

- Add an extra day to your trip so that your climb could start either a day ahead, or a day behind the original start date of your climb and thus opening up more possibilities to fit your party in.

- Register (must be in-person) as early as possible for your climb.  The Climbing Information Center in Paradise is open from 7:00 to 4:30 this summer and the White River Ranger Station will be open from 7:30 to 5:00.  Permits can be issued up to one day before the start of your climb. 

- Be familiar with the different camping zones up high on the mountain so you can make alternative plans if your first choice of camping location is full. 

Endless Winter

March 12th

Winter has made a strong come back the past few days at Mount Rainier National Park. The series of frontal systems impacting the area are forecast to continue for the next several days as well, leaving up to 2 feet of snow in the Paradise area by Monday! It is not time to put away the skis or snowboards just yet!

Snow Profile results from Alta Vista 3-12-16

With all that new snow comes excellent skiing conditions, as well as the threat of avalanches and getting disoriented above the tree line in wintery conditions. Climbing Rangers were out and about today assessing conditions and digging a test profile to see what was happening in the snow pack. For those of you who follow the Northwest Avalanche Center, it was nothing that the forecasters have not been saying for several days now. The profile revealed a series of crusts, interspersed with melt forms and rounded grains. This comes as a result of various warmer periods and rain events, along with a few colder snow events. The one thing of note in the profile, was a strong crust approximately 16 cm below the surface. This surface was quite hard (knife hardness for you avalanche aficionados out there), and the snow on top of it was quite soft. The good news is that the current storm came in with cold temperatures, and the snow fall started gradually. Tests showed very little re-activity, and the fluffy and cold surface snow simply sluffed off, stopping quickly and did not entrain deeper snow.

All of that said, the forecast for the next several days includes a winter weather advisory, with significant snowfall amounts and moderate winds. What does all of this mean? Well, tomorrow, Sunday the 13th, the avalanche danger rating is moving to high for the near and above tree line zones. A high avalanche danger day means that natural avalanches are likely, and human triggered avalanches are very likely. Much of the problem over the coming days will likely be storm slab avalanches and wind slab avalanches on aspects that are leeward to the prevailing wind direction. All of this information may seem like a bit of "doom and gloom", but fear not, good skiing and snow shoeing can be had even on high avalanche danger days with proper terrain selection and careful travel.

So pack those winter clothes, map/compass/gps, skis or board as well as your avalanche rescue gear and come on up for some winter fun while it lasts! Spring is just around the corner, and soon will be the days where we are all dreaming of powder skiing. So come take advantage of this seemingly endless winter here at Mt. Rainier!

-Peter

Sunshine and Avalanches

February 24th

Note the clean crown line,
indicative of slab avalanches .

After a wintery weekend at Mount Rainier, the clouds parted and the sun came out yesterday. However, along with the sun came strong easterly flow, producing moderate winds in the Paradise area. The temperatures stayed low yesterday, and the weekend snow was still quite soft, allowing it to be transported by the wind. Climbing rangers were out doing snow observations yesterday and noted blowing snow, and wind transport onto west and southwest aspects. The wind can provide for dramatic effects on avalanche conditions, scouring some places, and leaving large depositions in others. These depositions can be quite firm, and create the potential for slab avalanches.

Red pin near the "n" in Point
 is the avalanche location.
Brown switchbacking line is
common skin track up
Panorama Point

Yesterday, and today's NWAC avalanche forecast called for this possibility. Wind loading is a common occurrence around here in the winter time, with the typical wind flow for this area coming from the southwest, which transports snow to north-southeast aspects. One can almost set their watch to it if a windy storm passes through. Yesterday's occurrence is a little more rare, wind slab formation on west-southwest aspects. Today while out patrolling the Paradise area, climbing rangers noted a substantial wind slab avalanche on a west facing aspect, at approximately 6,800 feet. While this avalanche was not likely to bury anyone, had it gone slightly farther, over another roll over, it could have been much more disastrous. And an unsuspecting skier or snowshoer in the wrong place at the wrong time certainly could have been injured by this avalanche.   Similar aspects or wind loaded features should be suspect, and avoided while traveling in the backcountry until the wind slab problem has had a chance to settle. 

Just remember, when coming up to go for a ski or snowshoe,
not only check the current forecast but go back a few days to find out what conditions have been occurring on the mountain recently. While the current forecast is valuable, knowing the history of what has been affecting the snowpack and conditions can be equally important. The link to the Northwest Avalanche Center, above, is a great resource for mountain weather and avalanche forecasts. They do great work! The sun should be out tomorrow with spring like conditions, so grab your sunscreen, avalanche gear, skis or board and come on up for some winter fun!

-Peter

Wintery Weather Returns

After all that nice sunshine a few weeks back, old man winter has made a return to Mount Rainier National Park. Bringing snow and rain, even up to Paradise.
While this is certainly welcome in mid-January, it is both a blessing and a curse. While we are still stacking up needed snow pack, in the higher elevations, the storms we have been receiving over the past few days have been coming in fairly warm, meaning heavy snow. All of this heavy snow has been falling onto a weak layer of snow that developed last week, known as surface hoar. Surface hoar, once buried can create a persistent weak layer in the snow pack, meaning a layer prone to avalanches. Rangers have been out in the Paradise area, digging avalanche assessment pits, and noting that this layer has been fairly reactive to tests. This falls in line with what the Northwest Avalanche Center has been seeing and saying as well. In addition to this avalanche problem, loose wet slides have been occurring in the lower elevations, as the snow gets rained on. What does all of this mean? It certainly does not mean that there is not still fun to be had! It means that when choosing to come for a visit to ski or snowshoe at Mount Rainier, you should check the daily weather and avalanche bulletin before you come. And be prepared for all weather conditions, as well as with all of the appropriate avalanche gear.
On days that the road from Paradise to Longmire does not open, there is still plenty of snow shoeing and even ski touring that can be done out of Longmire. So come on up and enjoy the winter season in your park!

Northwest Avalanche Center, for your forecasting and avalanche bulletin needs: Avalanche Forecast

The Sun is Shining to Start 2016

Happy New Year!

After relentless snowfall over Christmas week, the clouds have departed, leaving behind plenty of bright sunshine and snow!

It appears that we have settled into a substantial high pressure system here in the park, with clear skies, cold temperatures, and relatively strong east winds. This pattern looks to be continuing through the weekend. The skiers, snowshoers, sledders, and snow lovers are have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather over the holiday weekend. Snow play, for those interested in sledding, is now officially open and has been a hit. If you are skiing, however, please follow the signs, and do not cross through the snow play area.

Rangers were able to make it up to Camp Muir earlier in the week as well. The conditions were highly variable, ranging from deep powder to glare ice, to breakable crust. The strong east winds have now blanketed much of the Paradise area with a substantial wind crust in many places. With that said, skiers and backcountry travelers should use caution. With high winds, and the soft snow available for transport, rangers noted wind slab activity on west facing slopes. There have been several, both natural and skier triggered, wind slab avalanches on west aspects over the past few days. The slab is ranging from 20-40cm in places, depending on the local aspect. And for all you avalanche aficionados out there, the slab is varying from 1F-P when looked at in an avalanche test pit. Rangers also found that when cutting blocks for a snow test, the blocks fractured when cut, before tests could be conducted. Take home message, use caution on west facing aspects, and have a shovel, beacon and probe.

Come on up to the park to kick off 2016, and the National Park Service's 100th anniversary and enjoy some sunshine and lots of snow! As always, if you plan to camp or climb please come prepared for winter conditions and get a permit from the Jackson Visitor Center on the weekends. Or self register at the Old Station before heading out.