This winter, are you considering visiting Mount Rainier National Park? If you are not well prepared, you may want to reconsider.
According to personal injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates, the park is the second-deadliest national park to visit in the winter.
The lawyers examined death data from the U.S. National Park Service to identify the deadliest U.S. national parks. They examined fatal events that occurred from 2007 to 2023 between November 1 and February 28 (or February 29 if it was a leap year). After calculating the average number of visitors over the studied period, the parks were ranked according to the highest number of winter deaths per 10 million visitors.
For this analysis, national parks with fewer than 10 million visitors between 2007 and 2023 were excluded.
These were the top five most deadly national parks in the United States, per the study:
However, why is Mount Rainier National Park the second-deadliest in the United States?
The popular active stratovolcano Mount Rainier is the name and home of Mount Rainier National Park, which is situated southeast of Tacoma.
It’s easy to be amazed by the mountain’s immensity and splendor on a clear day. No matter the season, the 14,411-foot summit of Mount Rainier is always covered in white snow, however the amount of snow rises in the fall and winter when winter weather arrives.
According to the Mount Rainier Institute, Mount Rainier attracts around 1.75 million tourists annually who wish to get a close-up look at the mountain because of its immense size and varied landscape.
Although it is essential to visit MRNP if you reside in or are visiting Washington, it can be risky to do so in the winter because the park is situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet at its lowest point and more than 14,000 feet at its highest.
According to the NPS, a number of park roads, including White River, Sunrise, and Route 410/123, close throughout the winter. During the winter, park roads that are open are typically coated in snow or ice, thus visitors are advised to check the condition of the roads before entering and must bring tire chains.
The park’s website states that through June or July, winterlike conditions may be experienced on trails at higher elevations.
Nevertheless, even in the winter, a lot of individuals choose to travel and complete the hazardous walk to the top of Mount Rainier.
According to the study, the park sees 8.55 winter deaths per 10 million park visitors, which is 191% higher than the national average. Six of the 19 deaths that occurred during the period under analysis were caused by falls, making them the most common cause of death.
The challenging climb attracts thousands of mountaineers each year; however, it requires a high level of skill due to the elevation and weather conditions, notes the study.
The NPS advises park visitors to be mindful of the following safety precautions:
Rapid change in mountain weather can turn into a survival ordeal, and it can be difficult to navigate in harsh winter conditions.
You shouldn’t anticipate traveling as far as you would in the summer because winter days are shorter.
Make sure you know which roads are open and that you are prepared to travel on snow roads. Many roads close in the winter, close early, or are only open on certain days.
Use traction devices such as shoe chains to avoid slipping or falling when roads, sidewalks and trails are icy.
Avalanches in the park are most common after storm avoid camping or traveling near an avalanche zone.
Avoid walking near anywhere that you may hear running water as you can fall through thin snow bridges.
Avoid stepping onto ledges of snow that overhang an edge because they could collapse.
Avoid getting too close to trees as you may fall into loose snow which can cause an injury.
Being exposed to cold temperatures may result in hypothermia, so wear appropriate clothing that can help retain body heat and protect against the wind and rain, eat frequently, avoid exhaustion and seek shelter.
Here are winter essentials backcountry skiers, snowshoers, and campers should be equipped to survive nights out, according to the NPS:
A shovel to dig a snow cave; full length insulated sleeping pad; stove and fuel; heat packs; goggles and wool hats; at least three layers of gloves; avalanche transceiver; avalanche probe, which is a metal rod used to locate victims; and map, compass and GPS. Also, visitors must be able to assess mountain weather and avalanche hazards.
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