Park staff conducted multiple March search and rescue operations in challenging conditions.
Park rangers at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, are encouraging visitors to review current weather forecasts and guidance for a safe and enjoyable visit.
Longer days and rising temperatures can be misleading when planning a trip to higher elevations. For example, the park’s popular Paradise area sits at an elevation of 5,400 feet and maintains its snow cover until early summer. Trails there are typically covered with snow and ice into June.
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Visitors should review the Mount Rainier Recreational Forecast, check updated information about current conditions, and review spring hiking safety information as they prepare for a trip to the park. All vehicles are required to carry tire chains through Thursday, May 1.
Conditions in the park’s backcountry can change rapidly and without warning. Visitors should prepare for emergencies before leaving home. Bring proper equipment for avalanche conditions, gear for an unexpected night out, and a good plan you’ve shared with others.
Several incidents in March demonstrate the potential hazards of high-elevation activities and the complexity of search and rescue operations in the park. Rescue is not guaranteed.
A 30-year-old female skier was injured on March 8 after falling while skiing with friends near Panorama Point at an elevation of about 6,000 feet. Two rangers and four Mount Rainier Nordic Patrol volunteers assembled a ground rescue team and evacuated the injured skier back to Paradise using a litter.
A 62-year-old male snowshoer sustained injuries the same day at around 9,600 feet on the Muir Snowfield while trekking alone toward Camp Muir. Two climbing rangers successfully rescued the stranded hiker despite challenging conditions, including sustained winds exceeding 60 mph, freezing temperatures, and encroaching darkness.
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Park emergency medical technicians who had previously been at the Panorama Point rescue met the team at Paradise at approximately 3 a.m. on March 9 and, in coordination with Pierce County Fire District 23, took the individual to an area medical facility.
The Longmire-Paradise Road was closed to the public on March 9 due to the redeployment of the park’s limited resources to respond to these incidents. Mount Rainier National Park thanks the public for their support and patience during these emergencies.
The following weekend, park rangers were notified on March 15 that a 72-year-old male requested aid on a trail in the Narada Falls area. Park rangers and Tacoma Mountain Rescue volunteers located and assisted him to the trailhead, treated him, and issued a citation for camping without a permit.
Park rangers responded the same day to a 19-year-old male who suffered a medical issue on the Wonderland Trail and could not walk further. Park rangers, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, and Mount Rainier Nordic Patrol volunteers carried the man out on a wheeled litter.
A 28-year-old male was injured March 29 in a late afternoon fall near Panorama Point. Park rangers responded and carried the man out around midnight the same day.
