Mt Rainier Winter Climbing... How to in 2007

The park IS open, sort of. If you'd like to walk (or bike) a few extra miles (6-17 to be exact), you too can attempt the summit this winter. The obvious benefit to this twisted scenario is that you'll have almost no competition for high camp permits! The downside is that you'll have to carry a few extra things (food, fuel, other supplies) to make your (longer) trip possible.

If you're climbing on the south and west side of the mountain (via Paradise and/or the Westside Road), get your permit during business hours from the rangers at the Nisqually Entrance. If you'd like route, permit and parking information, please drop me a note. If you're headed up the Carbon or White River drainages, you can still self register.

More soon about how to volunteer or donate to Mount Rainier's flood recovery efforts.

Happy Holidays

I hear that visitors with reservations to the National Park Inn (in Longmire) will be granted access to Longmire over the holidays. The inn will be responsible for shuttling them into and out of the park. I don't think this shuttle system will be available to general park visitors however... In the meantime, the NPS is working on a plan to allow public access to the mountain via the Westside Road. More on that when the details are ironed out.

If you're interested in climbing routes on the westside, like Tahoma Glacier, you may have a reasonable shot at that summit this winter! This access, btw, may be the shortest distance to the mountain when compared to HWY 410 and Carbon River Road.

My updates have been limited, b/c I've had little access to the internet. More when I return to the Pac NW!

Happy Holidays everyone.

Access is difficult

I reported that Paradise would open late this winter and that prediction is spreading. The News Tribune now says March... They also increased the estimated cost to date: $791 K. As noted earlier, the repairs at mileposts 5 and 9 will each take a minimum of 1-2 months The question is, can those repairs take place concurrently? I also wonder about the difficulty of doing such work in the middle of Mt Rainier's winter. Dare we say...???

Over the next few months, there will be a number of events around the Puget Sound (and maybe beyond) to raise awareness to Mt. Rainier's flood and recovery work. They are a great opportunity to reconnect with the park and discuss what's happening on the mountain. My first scheduled talk/show is on Jan. 19th at the Mountaineers Clubhouse in Tacoma. I'll put more information up about the program when the details settle.

The suggestion to access the mountain from Highway 410 was well intended, but we've since learned that the state doesn't allow any parking along HWY 410 near the park boundary. You either have to have someone drop you off, or [READER CONTRIBUTED UPDATE] park in the small pullout on the right, which isn't always plowed, as you turn onto Crystal Mountain Blvd.

Speaking of intrepid climbers, a few showed up at Nisqually Entrance wanting to hike the Nisqually Road to Paradise. The road corridor, however, remains closed. There is some talk of allowing access to the westside road or Longmire, but those issues are still up in the air and largely depend upon the repairs at Sunshine Point and Kautz Creek. Stay tuned.