Muir Peak by Camp Muir of Mount Rainier perches above Cowlitz Glacier and Muir Snowfield. At the same time, it ranks #3 on the Mount Rainier Massive after Little Tahoma. The touristy Paradise, Washington, offers the most direct and safest way to the peak.
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Muir Peak at a Glance
Environs = Anvil Rock + The Sugarloaf + McClure Rock + Panorama Point + Alta Vista
周圍地區=鐵砧峯+糖麵包+麥克盧爾岩+全景點+阿爾塔維斯塔
Access: Henry M Jackson Visitor Center
Round Trip: TBD
Elevation Range: 5400′-10188′
Gear: none
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
The Preface
I had planned on climbing Liberty Cap this year. The approval for a solo permit came last week, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. So I decided to acclimate by visiting Camp Muir and Muir Peak this weekend.
The pups hiked yesterday and stayed home since they couldn’t go up with me. In the past, I’ve started to feel sick above 10,000 feet. Despite having a prescription for altitude sickness, I wanted to feel fully prepared.
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Camp Muir and Muir Peak
I last hiked up to Camp Muir seven years ago. Then in 2016, I visited Muir Snowfield with several Mountaineers folks, hoping to make it to the camp. But we turned around midway after someone in the group felt ill.
This time, I wanted to include nearby high points to make the long drive worthwhile. They are only bumps on the ridge, minutes from the beaten path. So going over them on the way down would also be a breeze.
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Paradise, Washington
The Paradise visitor center parking lot was 50% full at 8 AM, misty and damp. But the full-on forecast had me think that we were under a cloud layer. Then I left the car with a full pack as my training weight.
I brought microspikes for the trip. But as it turned out, several defined paths over the snowfield had deemed the gear unnecessary. I also carried snowshoes to veer off the main route or if I stumbled on fresh snow.
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Muir Snowfield
I chatted with several people along the way as views improved with every bit of altitude gain. As the mists dissipated, I suddenly saw more people on the slope. “Oh yes, the Mount Si of South Cascades,” I thought.
The heavy foot traffic helped me move through the snowfield quickly. Sometimes, I’d turn around to see Mount Adams poking out of the clouds. Before long, I found myself in the upper basin trudging up the final 1000′.
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Muir Peak Summit Views
Two dozen or so people were lounging around Camp Muir when I arrived. I walked past the crowds to find peace behind the buildings. Then I checked out Cowlitz Glacier and the snow conditions before heading toward Muir Peak.
A guy came down from the top as I walked up the piles of scree. So I hugged east of the narrow, crumbly ridge to be clear of his way. After a few sketchy moves over loose rocks, I was on top, looking down at the snowfield.
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Outro
Since I haven’t been to the lower high points by the Snowfield, I went over them on the way down. They were all easy walk-ups and a stone’s throw away from the main path. Anvil Peak was the last place with blue sky before returning to the mists.
Soon, I went through The Sugarloaf, McClure Rock, Panorama Point, and Alta Vista. Glad I felt over this time and didn’t get sick like the first time at Camp Muir. So I hope it’ll be smooth sailing on Liberty Cap.
See more trip photos here.