Sally's Mount Rainier Blog

2-1-2012 Mt. Rainier February Ski, Snowshoe & Sled

January 28th, 2012

Planning a trip to Mount Rainier National Park??

TRIP PLANNING LINK for a Mt. Rainier VISIT! This link above has important information needed for visiting Mt. Rainier with links to WILDFLOWER & FALL COLOR photos from last year’s blog postings.

A TRIP VISITING GUIDE by Month! This is a quick reference monthly guide.

Coming APRIL 28, 2012 = Third Annual SPRING WINE FESTIVAL in Ashford

Mt. Rainier TWITTER

FEBRUARY & WINTER at MOUNT RAINIER

Mt. Rainier is a great place to snowshoe, x-ski or sled in the winter! In fact there is no other place I can think of that provides a better play ground for winter activities. Both the National Park & the town of Ashford have top rated areas for snowshoeing and x-skiing with a sledding hill surrounded by absolutely stunning views on clear days. But the best winter recreation place here in the state of Washington is not open and available all the time. The winter weather which can be severe or spectacular and in between at times dictates whether you will be able to do what you’ve planned!! Mt. Rainier, which often makes its own weather around it, will determine what’s available to visitors especially during the long snow months. The snow months start in November and December and then January through April can have periods of severe wind and snow storms that make it impossible to keep the Nisqually Road up to Paradise at the elevation of 5400 feet safely open to the public all the time. When there is severe weather the Nisqually Road past Longmire is not the place anyone wants to be traveling! Usually during the snow months of May and June the mountain weather moderates with the storms becoming less severe and shorter. However moderate temperatures and storms continue to present avalanche danger along the road to Paradise and on the slopes at Paradise. Since weather during the snow months is extremely unpredictable people planning to visit Mt. Rainier hoping for a spectacular winter blue sky day and sparkling snow, should read some of these suggestions:

Make a winter snow trip to Mt. Rainier a WEEKEND GET AWAY! The month of February with the 3 day holiday weekend is perfect for staying either right outside the National Park in Ashford or inside the park at Longmire’s National Park Inn. So if the weather is not good and Paradise is not accessible then the trip is not wasted when staying for the weekend. There’s an excellent variety of accommodations available of which my favorite is one of the delightful cabins for rent. Restaurants are open making an evening out in the mountains a nice weekend adventure. WWW.MT-RAINIER.COM

Next……..do your HOMEWORK before coming to the mountain in the WINTER. Check the Local Weather Report, the LIVE CAMS here on this website and the Data at Northwest Weather & Avalanche Center at Paradise (below the LIVE CAMS on the right in green) for recent snowfall information, recent temperatures and wind. Also look at the LIVE CAMS here in the green on the right side so you can see the conditions for yourself! I particularly like the parking lot CAM because I can tell a lot from the visibility and what people are wearing. Call and gather the Park Road Conditions Report updated daily by phone at 360 569 2211 and/or right before you come check the park’s TWITTER for tweets updated daily for information about the Nisqually Road opening time at Longmire for travel upward to Paradise.
Pack your CAR with the ESSENTIALS for winter travel and HAVE CHAINS and KNOW HOW TO USE THEM! All vehicles including 4 wheel drive must have chains and are required to use them when conditions warrant! There is a chain check point at Longmire!
Along with packing the ESSENTIALS for winter travel in your car, PACK WINTER ESSENTIALS in a BACKPACK to be carried. We have a small shovel scoop we hang on our packs in case we get in the way of an avalanche and we need something to use for digging.
Then visit Whittaker Mountaineering Store for quality RENTALS at affordable prices. Whittaker’s Store rents chains and snowshoes, x-skis, boots and poles and makes renting and drop off a breeze with a special 24 hour drop off box. They also have the best sliding tubes for the sledding hill for rent.
Lastly, in my opinion, purchasing the WINTER GUIDE BOOK for snowshoeing and x-skiing written specifically for Ashford and Mt. Rainier National Park here on the website should also be an essential tool. It gives information as to the best places to snowshoe or x-ski and alternative places to go when Paradise is too windy or visibility is not good. Therefore, the guide adds a safety factor to your winter trip.

When Mt. Rainier clears during the winter months, its beauty is unsurpassed. Snowshoeing or x-skiing or sledding on the slopes at Paradise is an awesome experience! But, please don’t expect the mountain to always cooperate for the time you plan to visit. You MUST respect Mt. Rainier and its winter weather conditions. A visit in the winter can be visually magical while sliding or walking through untracked snow or a winter visit during severe weather will keep you away from enjoying the snow at Mt. Rainier. Plan a WEEKEND trip during the winter and discover the Ashford area along with Mt. Rainier National Park.

Here are ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS for FEBRUARY:

The town of Ashford presents a romantic winter get away for Valentine Day. The lodging choices are many and the restaurants are prepared with special dinners for the occasion. Visit www.mt-rainier.com for details.
This is a great time to experience the MTTA Trails in the hills behind the town of Ashford with wonderful views of Mt. Rainier along the way. Visit http://skimtta.com for more information.
Sledding at Paradise is great fun for family members of all ages! The hill is groomed and supervised on the weekends. The best ride down the hill will be on one of the super big tubes rented from Whittaker Mountaineering Store. This store rents any other winter recreation equipment needed including the required chains to enter the park.
Snowshoeing with the Ranger at Paradise is a perfect way to become comfortable for newbies to snowshoes. Sign up at the Visitor Center on the weekends for the hour walk. Go to the Park Winter Recreation Page for more information.
Snowshoe, Ski or Snowboard on the slopes of Mt. Rainier at Paradise! Absolutely spectacular on blue sky days. It’s definitely an experience in “Paradise”!!
Purchase the Winter Guide Book Online here at this website. It has MAPS for Snowshoeing or Cross Country Skiing for Paradise, Longmire, Cougar Rock Campground, Reflection Lake, Barn Flats and other Trails in the lower elevations depending on the snow level. The book identifies each area as best suited to x-c skiing or snowshoeing. Here is a link to Winter Snowshoe & Ski Ashford or Mt. Rainier National Park.