Webcams in wilderness areas are not, in my opinion, desireable. Even though the tiny slice of land on which Muir sits is exempted from Wilderness designation, the area around it is official wilderness and my belief if that the Muir area should be managed to that designation as much as possible.
Current park management however, likes to spend lots of money on projects like this, then complain that their budget is inadequate to run a safe climbing ranger program and that becomes the red herring to raise fees, which they've now done two years in a row. I don't see any true need for webcams, private cell phone boosters, or Internet access for rangers at the two high camps. Revenues from the climbing program already massively subsidize the park radio system (along with capital expenditures all over the park that are entirely unrelated to climbing). And now they've closed Paradise to the public Tues-Wed all winter. Enough is enough.
If you want webcams and a known outcome, go to Crystal, Whistler, Stevens, or any of the number of places that offer amenities like webcams. Rainier is wilderness and should be treated as such.
Topic Author
