Permanently Closed Areas

Crystal Mountain’s Permanent Closures—Rockface, The Waterfall and Kemper’s—are areas of such unique and unanticipated hazard that this special designation is warranted. Regulations of the U.S. Forest Service—our landord—allow the closure of these areas at all times to everyone. These places are deceptiviely attractive, with dangers that will not be appreciated until it is too late to turn back. Experience has shown that expert mountaineers, skiers and snowboarders will be maimed, killed and potentially harm others below, who they cannot see from above.

Anyone found in these areas will be (ejected) from Crystal Mountain for at least one year; those attempting to return within that time will be arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

Before entering these areas potential violators are encouraged to consider that if you survive, you may be liable for criminal reckless endangerment charges, including the possibility of civil liability and prison time.

Kemper’s Permanently Closed Area
Explanation

Kemper’s is a large avalanche path in Mount Rainier National Park, adjacent to the top of the High Campbell chairlift. It has produced significant avalanche events—including climax avalanches—over the years, destroying many acres of mature timber and covering State Route 410, 4,000 feet below.

In the past, the avalanche hazard in Kemper’s was mitigated by the use of explosives and compaction by ski and snowboard traffic. Even with explosives use and compaction, several near-miss accidents occurred there through the years.

In 1986 the portion of the Park adjacent to Crystal Mountain was designated a “Pristine Wilderness Management Zone” which carries with it certain criteria regarding how the area must be managed. These include providing opportunities for solitude, infrequent encounters with other visitors, few campsites, no designated or marked trails, or other evidence of human influence such as damaging trees to facilitate skier traffic, as well as the use of explosives—an unnatural influence of humans.

However, explosives use continued sporadically until the winter of 2005-2006 when Mt. Rainier National Park requested that Crystal Mountain no longer conduct avalanche control in the Park. Crystal Mountain’s compliance with federally mandated wilderness management policies necessitates that Kemper’s be permanently closed to skiing to help prevent avalanche fatalities and reduce risk to Crystal Mountain and Mount Rainier National Park personnel responding to avalanche victims. Entering Kemper’s will result in loss of Crystal Mountain skiing privileges for at least a year.