muir hut

When is the best time to do the Muir snow field? What are the chances of getting hut space? I am getting older and want to to this ski....any ideas? thanks stevo

When the road opens...then anytime the weather looks acceptable to you. My favorite for skiing is April/May. I would recommend picking a good weather window and taking a tent. The hut has been re-furbished, but it is busy and noisy. It is pretty small. With a shovel and lightweight tent you will be fine in all but really bad weather, and if that happens, you can probably retreat into the hut. Weekdays better than weekends. If it was me I might camp ~ 300 feet lower near Anvil rock to get away from it all a little, which I think is permitted with the appropriate permit (not dead sure). Don't forget to blue bag if you are camping away from the Muir potties. Camping up there has its pluses and minuses from my ancient experience. For me it is high enough that after a quick trip from sea level, I didn;t sleep well, and I was a lot younger then. Just 1000 feet lower at the Adams lunch counter I sleep fine.

man, that first Saturday after the road opens, the herds of day-trippers going up to Muir is gonna be like the line going into a Gorge concert...  : 

Muir snowfield is typically good except for July-Sept. Most people do it as a day trip. A good pace can get you to the hut in 3 hours. Longer for slow people. I like to have a GPS for Rainier in case the weather rolls in. This is not much of a problem on a day trip, if you turn around when you see the weather getting crappy. The hut is not too bad early/late in the season, especially midweek. What is the status for the Paradise road? I assume it will be awhile before it opens?

If you are older (like me), then give yourself lots of time to get to Muir.


July camping at Anvil Rock, Muir is tucked away near the center of the pic.  OMG was it cold at night!



Here is an April pic of some guys camping in a re-used snow pit just above Panorama Point.  Getting some wind protection is a real plus.  Hard enough to sleep on the snow.  The wind beating up your tent all night is unpleasent: