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Ski Tour the Muir Snow Field

Ashford, Washington

Description

Added by Mitch Pittman

Distance: 9 miles roundtrip. Elevation gain: 4,700 ft. Skiing year-round. Easy access. Expansive views. You're on a VOLCANO.

What's cooler than skiing down a volcano? Nothing. Nothing is cooler than skiing down a volcano.

Even better, you can ski year-round at Mount Rainier! There are many areas on the mountain where this is possible, but none more easily accessed than the Muir Snowfield above Paradise.

Depending on the time of year, you can start on snow from the parking lot - or it might take a couple miles of hiking to an area called Pebble Creek. But the Muir Snowfield holds snow during all seasons and seldom becomes crevassed.

While skiing is always possible, you have to really earn your turns. To reach Camp Muir at 10,100', the highest you can go on the mountain without requiring permits for glacier travel, you gain 4,700 ft in elevation from Paradise.

Avalanches are possible in some areas, but the biggest danger on this route is navigation. It's a no-brainer in the sunshine, but weather can change quickly and several lives have been lost in white-out conditions when navigation becomes impossible.

Go on a clear day with a good forecast, enjoy a cold brew up top, and rip summer corn snow all the way down!

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Features

Snowboarding
Skiing
Adult Beverages
Bathrooms
Easy Parking
Scenic
Wildflowers
Wildlife

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Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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