July Reports

The July news, access, conditions and prospect reports are now on-line at Mt. Rainier NP photo guide along with the new Webcams at Sunrise added to the Webcam Web pages. The news for July is two related things, snow and wildflowers.

The higher than normal snowpack and later than normal snowmelt is coming to an end at all but the upper elevations, above 5-6,000 feet and even then above that for many areas in the NP, which means by late July almost all the trails will be snow-free, but the weather will still be cool in the upper elevations, so be prepared.

This leads to the second, wildflowers. They've already started the season in the low-mid elevations meadows and open areas around the NP, and from mid July to early August the season will begin in the mid-upper elevations. So it's go time for wildflowers.

You can check the NPS' Mt. Rainier Twitter and Facebook accounts for the latest news and information.

Other news? Well, the Steven Canyon Road (highway 706) is undergoing repairs at both ends between the intersection of highway 706 and the Paradise road on the western end and the intersection of the highway and the Ohanopecosh entrance at highway 123. These repairs will cause up to 30-minute delays at each of the two sites.

Elsewhere it's the peak season in the NP through the Labor Day holiday weekend. Go and enjoy.