Well, yes, late, very late for July, but the news and access and conditions Web pages along with the monthly report are on-line on the photo guide. All the roads, facilities and campgrounds are open for the summer.
So, what's the news for July? Well, two things. First, snow, lots and lots of it still there, now at and above 5,000 foot elevation. The snow will melt through the rest of July and into August with the last of the snow being gone between 5-6,000 feet around mid-August, earlier in the open areas.
The second is wildflowers. If you're interested in wildflowers, they're only just starting to bloom in the lower elevation meadows (under 4-5,000 feet) and along side the roads above 5,000 feet. The majority of the alpine meadows will bloom early-mid August until mid-late August.
The Burke Museum has published a book, Alpine Flowers of Mount Rainier, see news story. I haven't found a copy yet to review, so I'll keep you posted but it's more than likely a must buy for visitors and photographers.
Other news? Well, the NPS at Mt. Rainier NP has a Twitter Account where you can get the latest information.
And the NPS has installed a new Webcam at Camp Muir. It was installed in May and operational this month.
That's it for now. Enjoy the summer in the NP.
