Mount Rainier National Park

Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. A lifetime of discovery awaits.

Weather & conditions

Weather patterns at Mount Rainier are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and elevation. The climate is generally cool and rainy, with summer highs in the 60s and 70s. While July and August are the sunniest months of the year, rain is very likely in spring, fall, and winter. Visitors should be aware that mountain weather is very changeable. In the higher elevations, like Paradise, winter can last from November to May with many feet of snow on the ground.

What this latitude gives you

From 46.9° north, anything above declination +43.1° is circumpolar here: it never sets, so it is available on every clear night of the year. Anything below declination -43.1° never clears the horizon at all.

Full astronomical darkness survives the summer here, but the window is narrow around the solstice. From late August the nights lengthen quickly.

We do not hold a measured Bortle class for this site, so treat the sky as unknown until you have taken a reading of your own.