Rainier Route Conditions

Rainier Update 06/29/2007
Conditions on Mount Rainier are rapidly changing from spring to summer. Most of the snow is melting at Paradise (5,400’) and the meadows are beginning to emerge. The established trail up to Pebble Creek (7,200’) is turning from snow to dirt, and it will not be long before the permanent snowline is at Pebble Creek.
Temperatures have been below average the last several weeks, with the snow level for the most part staying below 9,000’. This cooler trend will help keep the upper mountain frozen and in good shape as the summer climbing season progresses. Freezing levels are forecasted to rise to above 13,000 next week.
Snow conditions on the Muir snowfield are still good for boarding and skiing. In fact, several inches of fresh snow fell last night providing “fresh pow pow” for summer sliding. The ridge at Camp Muir (10,000’) is also emerging as the winter snow pack begins to recede. From Muir to the Ingraham Flats (11,000’), several small crevasses are beginning to open up on the Cowlitz Glacier. Cathedral gap is all rock and scree. The approach onto Disappointment Cleaver is in good shape, and the traverse to the Nose and climb up the Spine is all snow. From the top of the Cleaver, the route traverses north to the Emmons Shoulder and a series of switchbacks ascends the Emmons to approximately 13,000’. The trail then heads back on a long ascending traverse across the Ingraham and on up to Columbia Crest.