Summer skiing is alive and well on Mount Rainier, and a new video from Rise & Alpine shows exactly what that looks like on one of the mountain’s most famous features, the Muir Snowfield.
The trip began with a border crossing from Canada into Washington before the pair made their way to Mount Rainier National Park. After a foggy start at the Paradise parking lot, the skiers geared up and began the roughly 1,400 meter climb toward Camp Muir, the popular staging area for climbers attempting the mountain’s summit.
Conditions On The Skin Track
Fog hung over the lower Skyline Trail for much of the morning, but the skies cleared as the pair gained elevation. Along the way they passed climbers, hikers and even families pushing strollers up the trail. Ski tracks were visible scattered across the mountain well before the group reached the snowfield itself.
Skiing The Muir Snowfield
Once at Camp Muir, the pair clicked into their skis and dropped in. The snow ranged from soft corn to rockier, more variable terrain lower down, with the skiers noting the conditions shifted noticeably as they descended. Despite some rocky sections and sun cups, both skiers were able to link long, satisfying turns down a run that stretched for thousands of vertical feet, a rare opportunity in the middle of summer.
A Rare July Descent
The video captures a run that isn’t guaranteed every year. Snowfields like Muir depend heavily on snowpack totals from the prior winter, and skiable conditions can vary widely from season to season. This year’s coverage allowed for a long, connected descent from Camp Muir back toward Paradise, something they stated was better than expected given the time of year.