Is Mount Rainier, shrinking? Researcher Eric Gilbertson, with Seattle University is, not only is proving that, he's trying to figure out "how much."
Is Mount Rainier shrinking?
Researcher Eric Gilbertson with Seattle University is not only proving that, but he's trying to figure out "how much."
For decades, Columbia Crest, an ice-capped point, was considered the summit of Mount Rainier, measured at about 14,411 feet.
But as temperatures have warmed, that ice has been melting away. Columbia Crest has lost about 24 feet of elevation since 1999 -- enough that it's no longer the mountain's highest point.
The true summit is now a rocky point along the southwest crater rim, measured at about 14,399.6.
And Gilbertson's latest temperature readings from the summit show just how often melting conditions can develop up there: From mid-June through August 20, temperatures climbed above freezing on 29 days -- almost half of the days measured -- with a summer high of 41 degrees.
Per Gilbertson's findings: "The melting of Columbia Crest has accelerated in recent years as temperatures have warmed, and I estimate it will disappear completely within the next 20 years if current trends continue."
