MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK – Mount Rainier is shrinking! In the last few years, the highest peak in Washington state has dropped by about 10 feet, from 14,410 feet tall to 14,399.6 feet. The summit of the mountain has also shifted to a new location.
The new discoveries come from scientist and mountaineer Eric Gilbertson, according to Seattle Met. However, the new measurement is not official. That will have to be verified through The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and approved by Mount Rainier National Park. It’s not clear if plans are underway to re-measure the mountain.
Rainier’s previous high point is called “Columbia Crest,” but the crest is now 20 feet lower, according to Gilbertson. Now, the highest point on the mountain is a rocky section along the mountain’s southwest rim.
What’s causing the drop in elevation? A melting ice cap at Columbia Crest, likely due to climate change.
Mount Rainier’s official height of 14,410 feet was first determined in 1956.
