Backpacking the Northwest

Timeline 5000 B.C. – 1800s

For thousands of years, Taidnapam, Upper Cowlitz, Yakama, Nisqually, and Puyallup tribes live in the foothills of the mountain they call Tahoma. They fish, hunt, and gather berries and herbs on its lower slopes. However, because they have a great reverence and awe for Tahoma, they never go near its summit. In the 1700s, European and American newcomers bring diseases that decimate the tribes. Only small groups remain when American settlers homestead near the peak in the 1800s.

1792
British explorer Captain George Vancouver names the mountain Mount Rainier for his friend Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. (Rainier never visited his namesake peak.)

1833
Dr. William Tolmie, a Scottish physician at nearby Fort Nisqually, organizes an expedition to gather medicinal herbs. Guided by five Native Americans, he is probably the first white man to venture into what is now the park.

Late 1850s
James Longmire, an early Washington Territory settler who farms near Yelm Prairie, establishes the rough-hewn Packwood Trail. He guides many aspiring mountain climbers on this route from the Pacific Coast to Mount Rainier’s slopes.

1857
Army lieutenant August Valentine Kautz and his party travel for eight days to climb the summit. His Nisqually guide becomes snow-blind, his companions give up, and despite his perseverance, he is just 400 feet shy of the summit. However, he proves that Mount Rainier can be climbed.

1870
General Hazard Stevens and Philemon Van Trump make the first well-documented ascent of Mount Rainier. For more information on that intrepid group, click here.

1883
At age 63, James Longmire climbs to the summit with Philemon Van Trump and George Bayley. On the trip, Longmire’s horse wanders from camp to a mineral spring on Mount Rainier’s south side. When Longmire discovers his horse, he decides then and there to return to the idyllic spot. In 1884, he and his wife build Mineral Springs Resort, Mount Rainier’s first hotel.

1890
Fay Fuller, a schoolteacher from a small town near Olympia, becomes the first woman to climb the mountain. As visitation rises, a campaign is led to protect Mount Rainier by establishing it as a national park.

1899
Led by local communities and supported by scientific and conservation organizations, including the National Geographic Society, the campaign triumphs. President McKinley establishes Mount Rainier as the the nation’s fifth national park.

1911
President William H. Taft travels to Paradise in the first automobile to reach the area. (The auto has to be towed by horses the last several miles.)

1916
A trail system encircling the mountain, known today as the Wonderland Trail, is completed.

1929
“The Greathouse Accident” occurs when an entire six-person climbing party falls into a deep crevasse after sliding down Mount Rainier’s upper slopes. Ranger Charlie Browne leads efforts to save the injured climbers and recovers the bodies of a guide and client. He is awarded the first citation for heroism ever given by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

1930s
The Civilian Conservation Corps builds and repairs many park buildings, trails, and bridges, which are still used today.

1940s
The U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Ski Division trains on Mount Rainier during World War II.

1962
Mount Rainier is the training ground for the successful American expedition to Mount Everest.

1981
Project Pelion, a large group of climbers with disabilities, sets out to climb to the summit. It includes 7 visually impaired members, 2 hearing-impaired members, a one-legged Vietnam War veteran, and an epileptic member. Of the 11 members of the group, 9 reach the summit. The highest death toll in U.S. climbing history occurs when an ice avalanche on Ingraham Glacier kills 11 members of a 29-member climbing party.

1990
8,335 climbers attempt to reach the summit of Mount Rainier, and 4,534 are successful. “The Mountain” continues to be a mecca for climbers and sightseers from around the world.

2006

The Great Flood — A deluge dumps 36 inches of rain on the park, causing almost $40 million in damage.

2007

Mount Rainier National Park celebrates its 108th Anniversary.

Highlights:
Busy trail used by hikers, bikes, and horses. Pretty waterfalls and nice camping

Summary:
Siouxon Creek is well known in the area for having easy access, miles of nice trails, good camping spots scattered along the trail, and many options to make side trips. There are many spots to sit and reflect on the beauty around you as you are swayed by the music of the river. Be careful on the upper end of the trail as steep switchbacks make it a little risky for children. Bugs can be a problem in the summer. Make an overnight adventure for you and your friends, and explore the many side trails. Hikers be aware the many mountain bikes use the trail as well, so be advised. I like the early springtime the best as there are no bugs, and no people.

Trailhead:
Drive either north or south along Hwy 503 to the small town of Chelatchie, and turn East onto NE Healy road. Follow this route for 9.2 miles, and turn left on Rd. 57 After another mile or so, turn left again onto Rd. 5701, still following only the paved road to the trailhead in a little more than 4 miles. (Lat:45.94618 Lon:-122.17826) Some Reviews of his hike
Reviewed by Pat on 9/27/2007
Took my wife a ways up the trail. No other hikers today. Had a good time and she wants to go back.
Reviewed by Anna37 on 7/26/2007
This is a 1.5 hour drive from Portland, and can be hard to find. Once you pass Calamity Peak, it’s still a good half hour drive down 57 to the trailhead. Seems desolate at first, but we passed several couples and mtn bikers during the course of about five hours. It’s just beautiful here. The river runs all along the first few miles, with gorgeous waterfalls and swimming holes to cool off in. The trail is good for running and hiking, and is by far one of the better mountain biking trails on the area. I didn’t do this whole trail, but am excited to return and get farther out to the views of Mount St Helens. With so many options, it’s a bit like spending the day at an outdoors-themed fun park. Amazing experience.

Reviewed by Kristen on 6/25/2007
For horse users, stay at the first parking area! The second one is too narrow and almost impossible to get turned around (especially if cars are there). Also, first parking lot will only fit 3-4 rigs. Trails were okay, some creek crossings, some steep slopes on one side of the trail dropping off to the creek. Trail guide describes bridge but its for foot traffic only (not horses) and you come to it right away. Trail was a little narrow in a few spots (for horses) but in most places okay. Trails were cleared of logs and such. Lots of pretty waterfalls. Water was crystal clear. Lots of hikers on the trail. Trails were fairly well marked. Quite a bit of tree cover.

Reviewed by RT on 10/2/2006
Forest service road was being paved today (Oct 2nd). Took an hour before I could get through. Also, made it to a waterfall lookout and had something growl at me…Couldn’t see what it was, possibly a coyote??? Other than that, a peaceful hike. Tried to get up Horseshoe Ridge but it was too strenuous for me…Nothing gradual about that trail! Maybe next year!

Reviewed by tz on 8/18/2006
Great for camping with kids. It is a short hike in (about a 1/2 mile) to a place to pitch a tent. Then you can hike, swim and explore with the kidlings. This was the first backpacking trip we took our baby (6 months) on, and is a good trip for first time packers–short but big trees, a creek, waterfalls, and a sweet bridge to jump off of into icy water.

Reviewed by Zack on 5/17/2006
Me and my friends first came here on a day hike, and we’ve gone back since to camp, and just recently (5/15/2006) to do some mountain biking. Beautiful surroundings and views of Siouxon Creek as the trail snakes along the water’s path. There are several great spots to take an icey dip to cool off and eat a little snack as well!

Reviewed by Rema on 4/3/2006
What a great hike! I think my dog loved it as much as I did. Not crowded at all, only saw 4 other people. I have no complaints! Directions were good, trail was nice and all one could hear was the sound of flowing water. I will definitely return and try going further, or attempt Horseshoe Ridge. Waterfalls were very pretty!

Reviewed by Jim on 1/16/2006
Nice teaser! Limited on time, we went only two miles in from the TH to the second bridge. The hike took a mix of experienced and novice hikers less that 90 minutes roundtrip. Winter allowed us to have the extremely accessible trail virtually to ourselves. This also provided us a short, picturesque drive to and from the TH. My sister lives in Amboy so we will be back.

Latourell Falls is a wonderful introduction to the many waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge. It is a plunge falls with a height of 249 feet. You can access the main or lower falls from the parking lot in the Guy W. Talbot State Park; this falls on Latourell Creek is named after Joseph Latourell, a prominent Columbia River Gorge settler. It is on the Historic Highway, 3.4 miles west of Exit 28 off I-84. It’s a short walk from the park’s picnic area to the viewpoint. The upper Falls is also a plunge falls with a height ranging between 75-100 feet. You can get behind the falls if you choose to cool off on a hot summer day. In winter the ice forms thickly and makes for beautiful pictures. To get to falls, travel another 0.8 of a mile along the trail from Latourell Falls (above). Continue on the trail to finish the loop back at the parking lot.
Trailhead:
You can get there from I-84. If you’re coming from the west, you can exit at Troutdale (Exit 17), Lewis and Clark State Park (Exit 18), Corbett (Exit 22), Bridal Veil (Exit 28 or Dodson (Exit 35). If you’re coming from the east, you can exit at Dodson [Exit 35], Bridal Veil [Exit 28] or Corbett (Exit 22].
(Lat:45.53882 Lon:-122.2177)

Some reviews of this hike

Reviewed by Jennifer on 12/17/2006
This is a spectacular set of waterfalls. The lower falls were roaring with all of the rain and snow that we’ve been having here. A breathtaking 250 ft. plunge. The upper falls are well worth the hike. A roaring two tier plunge that I had all to myself. The approach to the base of the falls was extremely slick and icy so you cannot approach the base in the winter when it’s really cold. One note: The trail loop to the upper falls has exposed cliffs and dropoffs that are very dangerous. Near the top of the lower falls there is a fence. For the love of God to not go past this fence. It is EXTREMELY dangerous. Some fools have bushwacked a trail to the cliff. If you slip it’s 250 feet to your death over the waterfall onto the rocks below.

Reviewed by Steve on 9/14/2006
The waterfalls on this hike are very pretty and I mean gorgeous. The rest of the scenery was rather disappointing for the gorge, lots of brambles and brush, not many views. The trail to the base of the falls is paved and easy. The trail to the upper falls is really steep to start with, no matter which way you walk the loop. The eastern side of the loop has some nice side views of the lower falls, the west side is boring, regrowth maple forest. The upper viewpoint of (Lower) Latourell Falls (off the main trail) is VERY dangerous and I recomend staying on the trail. If you’re a waterfall freak, don’t miss this one. If you’re looking for old growth or scenic vistas, it’s not that great.

Reviewed by Geoffrey on 11/2/2005
Initial elevation change a little rough for the little ones, I had to lie to my 5 year old a bit more than usual to coax her along. The lower falls standard water falling off a cliff is juxtaposed against a pretty unique upper fall geometry, I’ve some photos available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ludt/ in the “search by tag” search box enter “latourel falls”

Reviewed by Sherrie on 6/21/2005
I took my mom on this hike – it’s easy and beautiful, and if you want a nice beautiful hike without having to take all day, this is a great one! Not far away is the Vista House which is a nice stop-off. For more Photos click here: http://photobucket.com/albums/y152/Tanapics/Latourell%20Falls/

Reviewed by PK on 4/20/2005
It is a nice trail for a leisurely hike. The views from the top of the Columbia River below are very nice. The downside of the trail is that it can be pretty crowded on a nice weekend.

Reviewed by Jodi S. on 8/29/2003
Very good, maintained trail. Start out from the parking lot and climb the asphalt trail is the best way to view the falls. After viewing the falls, there are numerous trails that go in different directions, the first part of the trail that V’s out, stay to the left ( going uphill ) will actually take you back down to the parking lot.

I think these tips apply to all of us who are Endurance Hikers / Backpackers too!

( I know this is from the Powerbar website, and I am not trying to plug them on purpose, but hey its good info so I left it intact..)

By: Fiona Lockhart, CTS Pro Coach

An abundance of information exists for endurance athletes; sometimes too much. It can become quite difficult to figure out exactly what you should and shouldn’t do in training because many sources have conflicting information. Below are some of the myths that seem to be perpetuated over and over again, even though the scientific research doesn’t back it up.

1. There’s no point in doing high-intensity workouts if you’re training for a long-distance event, like a marathon, since you’ll never be going that hard during the event.
   No matter what the event you are training for, it’s useful to change up the intensity of your workouts to make sure you work all your physiological systems, as well as to prevent physical and mental staleness. Research has shown that athletes who perform sprint workouts were able to improve their longer-term endurance performance. That doesn’t mean that you do high-intensity intervals, like sprints or hill repeats, all the time, but adding them to your total training mix will make you a better athlete.
2. If you want to lose weight, go out and ride or run for long periods of time without eating. If you train in the morning, don’t eat beforehand.
   No, no, no, no, no. Your body needs fuel in order to perform at its best. If you try to train without sufficient fuel stores, not only will you wear yourself out in the long run, but your immediate workout will have only a fraction of the quality it should have. Consume gels, sports drinks and/or bars to maintain a steady supply of carbohydrate during your workout. Make sure you also take advantage of recovery nutrition, like the POWERBAR® Recovery shake, within 30 minutes of the end of your training bout; this will maximize those glycogen stores so you can come back and train hard the next day.If you train in the morning, have something to eat before you start out. Your body burns through glycogen while you are sleeping; and your training will suffer from reduced fuel stores in the morning if you don’t refuel. If your body doesn’t tolerate solid foods before early-morning workouts, try a POWERBAR® Endurance sport drink.If you are trying to lose weight, think about cutting calories at times away from your training, not near to or during it.
3. Losing weight will always improve your performance.
   While a light, lean body is certainly a benefit for endurance events, don’t overdo it. Just because someone else can perform effectively at a given weight doesn’t mean you should be at that same weight. If you’re trying to lose weight, do it slowly and gradually so that you can continue to fuel your body sufficiently to support your training. If your weight is going down, but your power output and performance are diminishing as well, you may very well be too lean for your own good.
4. When doing strength training, always do lots of repetitions so that you don’t bulk up.
   In order to reap the most gains from a strength training program, you need to lift a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time. After you have done a few weeks of light weight, moderate repetitions (i.e. 12-15 reps) to allow your tendons, ligaments, and muscles to adapt to the rigors of strength training, you will need to raise the amount of weight and lower the number of repetitions in order to maximize your strength gains. Don’t worry; unless you’re spending 5 days a week, 4+ hours in the gym (and you shouldn’t be, if you’re an endurance athlete), you won’t get “muscle-bound”!
5. To really be competitive, you need to train more than 15 hours a week.
   If this were the case, there would be very few competitive athletes over the age of 30. Let’s face it, with work, family, and other obligations we contend with as we get older, it can be difficult to find many hours of training time during the week. But that’s okay, because you can still train effectively with limited time.With fewer hours available to work out, establishing a structured training program becomes of paramount importance. Figure out how many hours and days you can train, and then set specific goals for each training day (i.e. lactate threshold workouts, sprint intervals). Then be consistent with that schedule. Not only will you continue to get stronger and faster, but you may also find that your performance gains are even greater than when you had more training time, because you are now forced to work with a specific plan.

I love these snowshoes, despite their price. This is the third winter I’ve used them. The winter season is ending so look for these snowshoes on clearance. These snowshoes come in two sizes, 22 and 25 inch. Everything is a compromise and snowshoe size is no exception. In many parts of the country the snow can be wet and heavy and these snowshoes excel in those conditions. If you travel in deep powder often then you would probably want the longer model.

I’ve used several brands of snowshoes, including rawhide snowshoes, which have an aesthetic appeal. I’ve made my own snowshoes out of pvc pipe and inner tubes for the do-it-yourself appeal.

I have the 25″ model and the actual weight is 3# 4.5 oz. In contrast, I have a 30″ pair of Yakima snowshoes that weigh 5# 3 oz.

I look for snowshoes to be rugged and reliable. Pay close attention to snowshoe bindings. If any one part of the binding breaks or fails, can you still make the binding serviceable? Are there enough straps so that if one breaks can you still walk back out to the trailhead? The MSR snowshoes are well constructed and thought out. The binding is the best I’ve seen on the market. With winter gloves on, you can get in and out of the bindings. You can also undo the two bootstraps and step out of them then later step back into them without having to readjust the heel strap. The bindings are sturdy and wet snow doesn’t stick to the bindings and decking.

These snowshoes offer great traction on almost any surface. You’ll appreciate the small amount of snow the tails kick up as you walk. As with any snowshoe, care should be taken when walking over rocks because that will dull the points. The points on these showshoes can be easily sharpened with some filing.

Weight is an important factor if you intend to walk more than a couple of miles a day. Think of strapping a can of green beans to your feet and walking around all day. Now think about two cans of green beans on each foot. That can be the difference between brands of showshoes. Lighter is supremely better.

When you strap your feet in, they stay where you put them and don’t slip sideways in the bindings. The binding pivot is limited enough so you can step backwards, but you do have to pick your feet up a lot. The snowshoes are sturdy enough you can jump off across ditches without warping the snowshoes.

These bindings also allow you to side-hill without your foot twisting or the snowshoe trying to match the angle of the slope. The teeth all around the snowshoe hold fast in all but loose snow on steep hills. The aluminum and synthetic decking material combine to provide a fairly quiet backcountry experience. Compare these to snowshoes with plastic decking on icy snow for noise level. Also beware of bindings that may squeak during use.

The only wear I can see is the exterior paint finish is chipping off in places but this doesn’t decrease the functionality of this snowshoe.

Switchback Steve

Sedentary life ’speeds up ageing’

Leading a sedentary lifestyle may make us genetically old before our time, a study suggests. A study of twins found those who were physically active during their leisure time appeared biologically younger than their sedentary peers.

The researchers found key pieces of DNA called telomeres shortened more quickly in inactive people. It is thought that could signify faster cellular ageing.

The King’s College London study appears in Archives of Internal Medicine.

An active lifestyle has been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

However, the latest research suggests that inactivity not only makes people more vulnerable to disease, but may actually speed up the ageing process itself.

The King’s team studied 2,401 white twins, asking them to fill out questionnaires on their level of physical activity, and taking a blood sample from which DNA was extracted.

They particularly focused on telomeres, the repeat sequences of DNA that sit on the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage.

As people age, their telomeres become shorter, leaving cells more susceptible to damage and death.

Examining white blood cells from the immune system in particular, the researchers found that, on average, telomeres lost 21 component parts – called nucleotides – every year.

But men and women who were less physically active in their leisure time had shorter leukocyte telomeres compared to those who were more active.

The average telomere length in those who took the least amount of exercise – 16 minutes of physical activity a week – was 200 nucleotides shorter than those who took the most exercise – 199 minutes of physical activity a week, such as running, tennis or aerobics.

The most active people had telomeres of a length comparable to those found in inactive people who were up to 10 years’ younger, on average.

Direct comparison of twins who had different levels of physical activity produced similar results.

Impact of stress

The researchers suggest that physically inactive people may be more vulnerable to the damage caused to cells by exposure to oxygen, and to inflammation.

Stress is also thought to have an impact on telomere length, and the researchers suggest people who exercise regularly may help to reduce their stress levels.

Writing in the journal, the researchers said: “Our results show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals.

“This conclusion provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potential anti-ageing effect of regular exercise.”

In an accompanying editorial, Dr Jack Guralnik, of the US National Institute on Aging, said more work was needed to show a direct relationship between ageing and physical activity.

He said: “Persons who exercise are different from sedentary persons in many ways, and although certain variables were adjusted for in this analysis, many additional factors could be responsible for the biological differences between active and sedentary persons.

“Nevertheless, this article serves as one of many pieces of evidence that telomere length might be targeted in studying ageing outcomes.”

by Rich Kassel
December 2007

Earlier this month, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the “REI of Canada,” pulled its Nalgene bottles from its shelves, citing concern over potential health risks. It seems that those iconic bottles (Neat colors! Cool graphics! Originally used in laboratories!) that are ubiquitous in backpacks, dorm rooms and office refrigerators are made of a type of plastic that has been linked with infertility, lower sperm counts, enlarged prostrate glands, pre-cancerous lesions in breast and prostate tissue, and other symptoms of hormone disruption.

How many New Yorkers carry a Nalgene bottle with them wherever they go because they want a reusable, environmentally preferable alternative to bottled water? How many New Yorkers carry a Nalgene bottle for their children wherever they go because they fear that softer plastic baby bottles will leach hormone-disrupting phthalates, especially when filled with acidic juices? How many New Yorkers carry a Nalgene bottle wherever they go, just because the bottles are nearly unbreakable and are really colorful?

And, reading this now, how many New Yorkers suddenly feel like Charlie Brown does, whenever Lucy pulls the football away from him, one more time? Like Charlie Brown, how many Nalgene-carrying New Yorkers will learn about this latest health risk and want to shout ‘Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!”

The Polycarbonate Problem

Before you fill your Nalgene bottle with cement and jump in the Hudson River, here are some basics:

Most Nalgene bottles are made from polycarbonate. (You can distinguish polycarbonate from other plastics because the polycarbonate bottles have the number 7 in the little recycling triangle on the bottom). Polycarbonate is a form of plastic that is comprised mostly of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor that mimics the female hormone, estrogen. In animal studies, BPA has been associated with the abnormalities listed above, as well as with obesity and insulin resistance – a condition that commonly precedes the development of diabetes. If all that wasn’t bad enough, BPA also has been shown in animal studies to cause changes in behavior. (Could it have been his Nalgene bottle — and not the steroids — that caused an enraged Roger Clemens to throw a broken bat at Mike Piazza during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series?)

Not surprisingly, industry-funded studies have failed to find these same effects. And, the jump from animal studies to human impacts is an imperfect one, so there is a lot of controversy around the toxic effects of BPA. Although we can’t say with certainty that BPA causes the same problems in humans as it does in the laboratory animals, the weight of scientific evidence should prompt us to err on the side of caution and avoid BPA exposures where possible.

We also know that more than 90 percent of the general population carries residues of BPA in their bodies. How is that possible? After all, not everybody drinks from Nalgene bottles. But the BPA chemical is ubiquitous. Epoxy resins containing BPA line the cans of tomato sauce and leach into the sauce, thanks to the acidity of the tomatoes. It lines the insides of your Coke and juice cans—whoops, there’s that acid-enhanced leaching again. Canned fruits? Yup, you’ll find BPA in those cans too. Here are some other BPA sources: the insides of the cans of infant formula, some dental sealants and even that polycarbonate pitcher that came with your Brita filter.

What You Can Do

Eliminating exposure to BPA is probably close to impossible, given its ubiquity. But reducing exposure to this chemical makes sense, especially for children (their developing bodies are especially prone to the health impacts of endocrine disruptors like BPA). Avoiding polycarbonate bottles is one step in reducing exposure to endocrine disruptors. (An important note here: Although Nalgene has become the “Kleenex” of the polycarbonate world, all polycarbonate bottles contain BPA, so you should avoid bottles with that little “7″ in the recycling triangle, whether they come from Nalgene, Starbucks or your Brita filter system.) If you use these bottles, recognize that high temperatures (e.g., your dishwasher), acidic liquids (e.g., juice), and any discoloration or cracking due to age are all likely to increase BPA leaching.

There are better options for storing drinks: an unlined stainless steel container (e.g. Klean Kanteen) or another type of plastic container, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which doesn’t contain BPA. (Look for the number 1, 2, or 5 in the recycling triangle on the bottom of the container.)

Second, recognize that more of our collective exposures are likely to come from BPA in cans especially if the contents are highly acidic such as a tomato-based product or soda. San Marzano tomatoes may be the best for cooking, but buying them in glass or those milk carton-like boxes will keep BPA out of the sauce. Likewise, canned pineapple may have been the only way to eat that fruit when we were kids, but now buying fresh is the BPA-free way to enjoy it.

Want to find out more? The Environmental Working Group, California, and a group called Environmental Defence in Canada all have good information on their websites.

ASHFORD, Wash. — Mount Rainier National Park rangers used DNA testing to convict an elk poacher.
Rangers found a kill site on Nov. 6 well within the southeast corner of the park. They found hunters camping three days later just south of the park boundary.One hunter, 48-year-old dean Douglas Harriman of Arlington, said he had killed an elk in the White Pass area. He refused to let rangers take a blood sample, so they took samples of blood splatters in the camp and blood drippings from sacks of meat hanging in the trees.

The Fish and Wildlife forensics lab in Ashland, Ore., matched it to blood from the kill site in the park.

The Park Service says Harriman pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally taking wildlife. He was fined $500 and ordered to pay $2,500 restitution.

Posted by The Associated Press December 20, 2007 07:54AM

Categories: Breaking News, Outdoors

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK — High avalanche danger and poor visibility have hindered search teams looking for a snowshoer missing in Mount Rainier National Park after an avalanche.

Park officials say the 22-year-old Lynnwood man disappeared during a day hike on snowshoes.

Kirk Reiser and his hiking partner 23-year-old Troy Metcalf left Paradise on Tuesday morning for a snowshoeing hike to Camp Muir. Park officials say they turned back because of poor visibility, heavy snow and high winds.

Along the way, Reiser disappeared in a snow slide. Metcalf looked for him for several hours but was unsuccessful. At dusk, he returned to Paradise and a search was launched Wednesday morning.

With more snow falling and high avalanche danger, a park spokesman says today’s search is likely to be limited.