Planning a trip to Washington 4th of July week. Was planning on hitting up Mount Rainier and Olympic.

Was planning on doing Tolmie Peak, but I just saw on the NPS site that the Morwich Lake road is closed with a target opening date of July 12th.

Roads to Sunrise may not open till July 4th? Which I believe would mean no Fremont lookout either.

My questions are as follows:

1. how accurate are these estimates usually? Any chance they open earlier?
2. was this a heavier than normal or lighter than normal winter season?
3. If I land at SEA June 29th and was planning on heading straight to the park, would my only options be Paradise area? And do the Skyline trail. Should I consider skipping Rainier this year and just plan to come at a point later in the summer?

I don’t want to be snowed in as it could be the only chance I get to come ? I know this far it’s been less snow than avg. should paradise be fully clear early June

Is hiking Shriner Peak for sunrise a good idea? I’m not worried about the length or elevation gain but more worried about is it safe to do in the dark? any advice?

I am currently in Port Angeles, was thinking of taking a day trip over tomorrow morning but i see some closures. Not familiar with the area so i dont know whether its worth it. Someone let me know, thanks

Hi everyone, I’m going to Seattle for the first time and going to be spending two days in Mount rainier hiking.

What are some good trails you recommend? I plan on spending pretty much the full day at the park. I expect it will be pretty cold as well.

Any tips and recommendations for a first timer would be appreciated?

Hello all!

Did you obtain a Wilderness/backcountry permit from Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, or Olympic National Park during the 2023 season? If so, I would be greatly appreciative if you would complete my survey below. Your responses will be reported directly to park managers and will be of great importance adding to the discussion around backcountry permitting and the limited amount of research done on the topic during the Recreation.gov era (survey link at the bottom of this post).

My hope for this research is that it will help park managers improve their permitting processes, and in turn help improve the user experience participating in these programs, expand access to those hoping to recreate in the national parks (including underserved demographics), and simplify the permitting program process for both recreationalists and park employees who regularly participate in the permitting process.

If you have any issues with the survey or any questions about my research, please don’t hesitate to contact me (rumseyb2@wwu.edu). Thank you in advance to those who take my survey and to the group administrators for allowing me to post it here!

https://wwu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV\_7WYMpbAsNrKh542

Hi all!

I’m from way out of state. What kind of a winter has Rainier had this year from the winter of 2023/2024?

Lots of snow, little snow, lots of melting, etc etc??

Thanks!

I'm looking to stay in late August and I was wondering when new reservations get released. I thought I read somewhere that some are released 6-months in advance but can't seem to find that info anywhere. If possible, I'd like to know the specific time they become availible because they seem to fill quite quickly. I've been looking on the website but can't find the info. Thanks!

Does anyone know where this exact location is in Mt Rainier NP? I know it is somewhere at sunrise but not sure about the exact trail and location. Thank you.

https://preview.redd.it/h0pb0oh58gic1.jpg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7367cec7a9d9cf45ef5282c4c15c38bfe0ead04

I’m looking for an easy to moderate hike up to a fire lookout in the area. I know there are few. My brother and I are planning a day hike this spring after the melt but we have, admittedly, not been hiking in a decade. Any recommendations welcome

Hey everyone! My friends and I will be visiting WA for the 3rd time in July, but it’s going to be our first time in Mt. Rainier. All of the campgrounds in the park are booked (we prefer to book in advance rather than FCFS). What are your favorite campgrounds in the surrounding state parks, national forests, etc. to stay at? We’d prefer a campground with toilets, but can do so without if need be. TIA!

Wanting to hike in peak season either lake August or early September later this year & don’t think I would be granted a solo permit bc I don’t have enough true glacier experience. And I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to pay a guide when there’s tons of other neat stuff for next to nothing. Would there be a way for me to find a group to follow along with? I’m an out of stater and don’t have any friends that are into mountaineering like that so i’m kinda in a pickle. I’d have all the correct gear and have plenty of elevation experience with 14ers and snow but I know glaciers are a bit different. Any advice would help

Hello, my friends and I are planning our first-time hike to Mount Rainier in June. Despite having minimal experience, we're young and seeking a fun challenge with beautiful scenery. We're interested in tours and wondering which one you all would recommend. Additionally, we plan to stay in an Airbnb around Mount Rainier and are keen on being picked up from our location to explore the mountains with a professional tour guide. We're open to going with a group or meeting up in Seattle if that's an option. If you can please provide information on pricing, payment methods, and details about the tours. Thank you! I think our price range is 100-250. I don't care much about stopping for food and stuff and I just want something that's safe and will guide us to explore the mountains. Please let me know if you stayed at any nice Airbnbs for 3 people and other places in Ranier that you liked

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Hello,

I am trying to plan my first trip to Mount rainier for September 2024. I am interested in hiking the Skyline loop trail but I definitely want to go to a swimmable lake as well, and to my knowledge there is not one on Skyline loop. Is there any easy way to get to Snow lake from the Skyline loop trail somehow? Or would I have to finish and then drive to a different trailhead?

Also is it unrealistic to want to swim in Mount Rainier on a hot day in September?

Hello! I’ve got a group of 4 planning on traveling from outside of Washington to climb mt rainier in about 3 days one weekend between May-July. Does anyone know the success rate of getting the climbing pass in person 24 hours before the hike? All of the reserved climbing passes have been taken for the entire season. I’m trying to gauge if it’s worth showing up in person and planning flights around that or if we should wait till next year to get a reservation

Hi,

We are looking at 2024 travelplans. We want to see both Olympia and Mount Rainer.

Does it make sense to use olympia as “base” For these national parks?

Thx in advance

Hi, I’m driving up to mount rainier and I see the requirements of tire chains or spikes. My car doesn’t have any and when I’m looking online I see individual spikes on the tire and a chain that you wrap around the wheel like this

Will these ones work and do I need to have them on when entering the park?

I’m planning to go to Mount Rainier on December 28-30 and I’m wondering how snowy or icy the roads will be. I’m from Florida and I’ve drive on a little bit of ice in Zion national park. Do the roads have a lot of snow or ice on them?

FINAL ALERT/UPDATE - Tuesday, November 14: Due to the continued snow and ice fall, SR 410 Chinook and SR 123 Cayuse Passes will remain fully closed for the winter season. The passes typically reopen around Memorial Day weekend. See you then!

A picture of thick snow along with snowy weather along State Route 410 near Chinook Pass in Mount Rainier National Park.

A picture of a National Park Service Park Ranger vehicle parked in thick snow along with snowy weather along State Route 410 near Chinook Pass in Mount Rainier National Park.

ORIGINAL ALERT - Monday, November 13: Heads up! Since Friday, Nov. 10, SR 410 Chinook and SR 123 Cayuse Passes through Mount Rainier National Park are closed for the safety of crews and travelers due to icy and snow-covered roads/inclement weather. SR 123 Cayuse Pass southbound traffic is closed at milepost 57 on SR 410, at Crystal Mountain Blvd, 8 miles prior to the summit. Northbound SR 123 traffic is closed at milepost 5.5, Stevens Canyon Road, 11 miles south of the summit. SR 410 Chinook Pass eastbound traffic is closed at milepost 57, Crystal Mountain Boulevard, 12 miles west of the summit. Westbound traffic is closed at milepost 74.5 Morse Creek, 5 miles east of the summit.

A reopening date is weather dependent, but as of 2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, we have no ETA for that. We hope to know more later this week about a reopening if it's possible for one or both passes. There is a possibility if weather remains bad they will both remain closed for the season. Chinook Pass received over 2 feet over the weekend with more on the way. These mountain passes typically close for the winter sometime in mid-November each year due to hazardous driving conditions. We will provide updates when we can.

A webcam still photo from Mountain Rainier National Park shows a heavy amount of snow near State Route 410 in Mount Rainier National Park. Photo Courtesy: Mount Rainier National Park

I recently came back from a week out in the Olympic peninsula and around Rainier. I’m from the east coast and this was my first time out west, specifically in WA. Without fail, I felt some indescribable energy in the woods. Like I was being watched constantly. Even during the day, it felt so incredibly eerie and the vibes were so intense. I’ve scoured Reddit looking for answers but can’t seem to find anyone relating to what I’m trying to convey. I need locals to let me know what’s up, especially deep in the Olympic woods (hoh specifically). I need any history or sightings anyone has. As overwhelming as they are, I’m addicted to the feelings out there and would love to know more.

Going to Seattle Nov 9th weekend. Heading to Olympic NP in the end of the week, but wanted to do some hiking around the area of Seattle. I don’t mind driving out a bit. Average hiker with group, we all have microspikes! I know Ranier will be bad that time of year, but any suggestions for around it? We don’t mind snow as long as it’s doable. Thanks!