Only a few days are left to weigh in on the issue of whether the venerable Rainier Mountaineering Inc. will continue to be the sole provider of guided trips up Mount Rainier.

The National Park Service, through its proposed Commercial Services Plan, prefers to see RMI and two other guide services equally share clients. RMI would no longer be king of the mountain.

Founded in 1968 and now owned by Lou and Peter Whittaker and Joseph Horiskey, RMI has understandably argued against this approach.

The Park Service is acting in the wake of a 1998 federal law that encouraged increased competition in the parks rather legal monopolies. At stake is an estimated $3 million in business.

In 2001, about 4,150 commercially led climbers took the Muir route to the peak. The preferred alternative would allow 4,000, although one alternative would allow twice that many with one concessionaire.

Under the preferred alternative, fewer routes would be available for commercial users during the summer, reserving for independent climbers Liberty Ridge, Sunset Amphitheater, Sunset Ridge (including Puyallup Glacier), Tahoma Glacier and South Mowich Glacier.

There would also be commercial-free times, with no Friday and Saturday night stays on Emmons and Kautz routes. Single-trip guides can bring 90 more climbers to the mountain.

"The park service is inclined to allow three concessionaires to guide anywhere on the mountain," said Chris Jones, concessions management specialist for the National Park Service at Mount Rainier.

"The advantage is that it would offer a greater variety of services, different types of trips and different styles of guiding. The downside is that it would have a negative impact on the current concessionaire," he said.

Climbing guides have worked on the mountain for more than 80 years, and guest services date back to 1900 when the Longmire family ran a guest house and bathhouses.

RMI had exclusive commercial climbing rights from 1968-97 when the door was opened a bit for other climbing businesses.

"We’ve had comments for a number of years indicating that people wanted more choice in way of guiding services," Jones said.

The public can comment on the alternatives through Nov. 25. To see the entire proposal, go to www.nps.gov/mora/current/park_mgt.htm#projects.

To comment, e-mail mora_commercial_services@nps.gov, or write Superintendent, Mount Rainer National Park, Commercial Services Plan, Tahoma Woods, Star Route, Ashford WA 98304.

After assessing the comments, the Park Service will make decisions and implement the plan in 2005.

The plan also addresses commercial use for alpine wilderness tours and many day-use options that would control the numbers of road tours, day-hiking guides, guided winter activities, bike tours, photography courses and mountain circumnavigation trips.