If
you love hiking Mt. Rainer's Paradise in summer/fall, you'd enjoy the
beauty of its winter wonderland via snowshoeing. I go up to Paradise
for snowshoeing at least a few times during winter/spring, and today
(Dec. 28, 2013) was
my first for the season. The snow on trail often lasts through June in
Mt. Rainier, which continues to provide an opportunity for snowshoeing
well into late spring/early summer.
We left Seattle around 9am escaping from the lowland fog, and arrived in Paradise 11:45am with a clear blue sky. There was no wind and calm; the temp was 36 degrees at 5,400 feet....it felt rather warm. Due to icy road conditions, chains were required on all 2WD vehicles today, and all vehicles must carry tire chains during winter/spring months. The best way to check road conditions to Paradise is via Twitter. @MountRainierNPS tweets real-time updates daily.
Snow condition is decent overall, but snow depth is less than normal. So, pay attention to hazards such as tree tops and rock outcroppings, and protect the historic vegetation when you snowshoe. You can also inquire about snow/trail/avalanche conditions at Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise (open weekends only) or Longmire Information Center (open daily).
Trail is easy to follow...boot/snowshoe tracks generally guide you up toward Glacier Vista and Panorama Point. The steep uphill slope to Panorama Point was a little icy covered with crusty snow today, but many hikers seemed to have the guts to conquer the slope to reach Panorama Point....one step at a time - carefully.
Views from Panorama Point were crystal clear and spectacular with some of the prominent peaks of the Ring of Fire....Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and of course, Mt. Rainier. We took a short break for snacks and water as we soaked up the grand vistas.
I must say descending the steep downhill slope is more challenging and tricky, particularly when it's icy or slushy snow. Use extra caution to descend the slope, with or without snowshoes/crampons. The ability to self-arrest with trekking poles or an ice axe is recommended in case. If you are up for glissading, you can save your knees....enjoy the ride! Alpenglow on Mt. Rainier at sunset was stunning.
We left Seattle around 9am escaping from the lowland fog, and arrived in Paradise 11:45am with a clear blue sky. There was no wind and calm; the temp was 36 degrees at 5,400 feet....it felt rather warm. Due to icy road conditions, chains were required on all 2WD vehicles today, and all vehicles must carry tire chains during winter/spring months. The best way to check road conditions to Paradise is via Twitter. @MountRainierNPS tweets real-time updates daily.
Snow condition is decent overall, but snow depth is less than normal. So, pay attention to hazards such as tree tops and rock outcroppings, and protect the historic vegetation when you snowshoe. You can also inquire about snow/trail/avalanche conditions at Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise (open weekends only) or Longmire Information Center (open daily).
Trail is easy to follow...boot/snowshoe tracks generally guide you up toward Glacier Vista and Panorama Point. The steep uphill slope to Panorama Point was a little icy covered with crusty snow today, but many hikers seemed to have the guts to conquer the slope to reach Panorama Point....one step at a time - carefully.
Views from Panorama Point were crystal clear and spectacular with some of the prominent peaks of the Ring of Fire....Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and of course, Mt. Rainier. We took a short break for snacks and water as we soaked up the grand vistas.
I must say descending the steep downhill slope is more challenging and tricky, particularly when it's icy or slushy snow. Use extra caution to descend the slope, with or without snowshoes/crampons. The ability to self-arrest with trekking poles or an ice axe is recommended in case. If you are up for glissading, you can save your knees....enjoy the ride! Alpenglow on Mt. Rainier at sunset was stunning.
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