Historic Camp Muir Area

Camp Muir Public Shelter in 1929.

Mount Rainier National Park Archives

The Camp Muir Area is located just below the Cowlitz Cleaver at 10,188 feet along the most traveled and direct route to the summit of Mount Rainier. Originally known as Cloud Camp, in 1916, The Mountaineers arranged to have the first shelter at Camp Muir erected, honoring the founder of the Sierra Club who had died two years earlier.

The area’s period of significance is from 1916-1936. In addition to being part of the park’s early master planning, the area is significant for its association with early recreational development of the park and its distinctive stone masonry structures in the Rustic style of architecture. The stone Guide Shelter at Camp Muir was designed by a member of The Mountaineers, Carl F. Gould. Today it serves as a ranger station. The park service added a second shelter, called the Public Shelter, to the site and two pit toilets, only one of which remains. The stone was harvested from nearby slopes, creating a camouflage effect, and the flat roofs kept the building profiles low. Structures in the Camp Muir developed area were originally listed in the National Register in 1991.

National Register of Historic Places: Camp Muir

 

Contributing Buildings

• Guide Shelter

  • Date Constructed: 1916
  • Builder: National Park Service
  • Architect: C.F. Gould

• Public Shelter

  • Date Constructed: 1921
  • Builder: National Park Service
  • Architect: Peterson

• Pit Toilet

  • Date Constructed: 1936
  • Builder: National Park Service/Civilian Conservation Corps
  • Camp Muir’s extreme location perched high on the slopes of Mount Rainier has had significant environmental impacts on the area’s buildings and structures. The original location for the toilet structures proved to be inadequate for harsh climate of Camp Muir. High velocity winds, heavy snow accumulation, and erosion impacted the toilet. The women's toilet succumbed to the environment and in an effort to retain the remaining men’s toilet, it was moved to a more stable site in 2005 where it could be used for storage.

 

Historic Camp Muir

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The Camp Muir Area is located just below the Cowlitz Cleaver at 10,188 feet along the most traveled and direct route to the summit of Mount Rainier. The area is part of the Mount Rainier National Park Historic Landmark District.

 

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