Mount Rainier Elevation Survey 2024
Eric Gilbertson, Larry Signani, Kathryn Stanchak

TL;DR
Recent ground surveys and LiDAR data reveal that Mount Rainier's highest point has shifted from Columbia Crest to the Southwest Rim, with a new elevation of approximately 14,399.6 feet NGVD29.
Contribution
This study provides the first updated elevation and summit location of Mount Rainier since 2010, using multiple ground survey methods and corroborating historical data.
Findings
Columbia Crest has lost 21.8 feet of elevation since 1998.
The summit has shifted from Columbia Crest to the Southwest Rim.
The new summit elevation is approximately 14,399.6 feet NGVD29.
Abstract
The elevation of Mount Rainier was last surveyed in 2010 by the Land Surveyors Association of Washington. More recent LiDAR data and observational reports have indicated that the historical highest point on the mountain, Columbia Crest, has lost a significant amount of elevation and may no longer be the highest point. This report documents the results of multiple ground surveys conducted in August and September 2024 to determine the current elevation of Columbia Crest and the current elevation and location of the summit of Mt Rainier. On August 28, 2024, a Promark 220 differential GPS unit was used to measure the elevation of Columbia Crest and the Southwest Rim, two recognized historical local maxima on the rim of the summit caldera. Columbia Crest is a year-round ice-capped locality, while the Southwest Rim melts to rock each summer. Measurements were corroborated with Abney level…
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Taxonomy
TopicsRangeland and Wildlife Management · Water Quality and Resources Studies · Engineering and Material Science Research
