Mount Rainier's Climbing Fee to Increase in 2013

Date: October 24, 2012
Contact: Stefan Lofgren, Mountaineering District Ranger, 360-569-6642

Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Randy King announces that the climbing cost recovery fee will be increased by one dollar for the 2013 calendar year. This increase applies to both the youth and adult passes. Adult passes for those 25 and older will be adjusted to $44 and youth passes for those 24 and under will be adjusted to $31. 

The fee is currently $43 for adults 25 and older and $30 for youth 24 and younger. The new fee for 2013 climbing passes will go into effect on December 1, 2012.

This climbing cost recovery fee is a special use fee that supports climbing management and services on Mount Rainier. The fee was first implemented in 1995, and was last increased in 2011 following a series of public meetings held in Seattle, Tacoma, and Ashford. Minor shortfalls in fees collected as well as inflation over the past two years necessitate the nominal fee increase in 2013. 

Each year, around 10,500 people climb the mountain. The climbing cost recovery fee is a special use fee that offsets some of the costs involved in managing and supporting climbing on Mount Rainier. All funds generated by the cost recovery fee are used to support climbing and climber services, including:

1. Keeping the mountain clean - by processing and removing over two tons of human waste from the climbing high camps and other climbing-related locations around the mountain, and promoting "Leave No Trace" practices.
2. Staffing the mountain - with experienced seasonal and permanent climbing rangers to manage, supervise, and staff the high camps, contact and brief climbers, and perform patrols on the different climbing routes- as well as perform rescues on the upper mountain and provide emergency medical services.
3. Staffing the climbing information centers - at Paradise and White River to register climbers, share route and weather condition reports, update the web-based climbing blog, and answer climbing-related questions on the phone, by email, and in person.
4. Provide gear, equipment, training, and supplies to perform the above tasks.

For more information, please contact Stefan Lofgren, Mountaineering District Ranger, at 360-569-6642. Detailed information on Mount Rainier's climbing program, services, staffing and annual budget can be found at on Mount Rainier's park planning page.

-NPS-