September at Mt. Rainier National Park is the warm color season. The fall colors will spread across the landscapes and closely surround Mt. Rainier like a new coat. Autumn comes to Mt. Rainier National Park in September on its own time schedule and will normally stay into the month of October. The weather and the temperatures are the key factors that will determine the arrival of the “Fall Colors”. The color displays are different each year. The length of time the display lasts, how showy it is and whether it peaks in September or October is all dependent on the Pacific Northwest mountain weather.  Check out the Fall Photos in the “Sally’s Photo Section.”

Tanna Osterhaus, who owns and operates Jasmer’s Rainier Cabins along with her husband, Luke, is often asked by guests for the best time to see the Fall Colors. She responds by telling her guests the colors will come in September……… “after three consecutive nights of hard frost and then ten days or two weeks after those frosty mornings the colors will appear to brighten the hills, valleys and decorate the roads with reds, yellows, oranges and browns inside Mt. Rainier National Park.” 

The fall foliage lights up like electric Christmas lights on bright sunny days. But under the clouds, the bushes and hillsides show more distinctive hues of yellow, orange and red. In September after a morning frost, round balls of melting water form on leaves that sparkle like rhinestones in the light. The month of September is a quiet month inside the park without as many visitors and without the buzzing bugs. The wildlife seems to come into the open more often as they hurriedly get ready for winter. September, in my opinion, is a very special month in Mt. Rainier National Park.

Just a reminder the book for sale here online, Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE, (click on the book name for sample pages inside the book) is a complete visitor guide book for both sightseeing and day hiking with a special Fall Colors section. This book has two maps specifically for locating the best fall viewing places inside Mt. Rainier National Park. Buy this book here “ONLINE” (click the online link for the store) or in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store.  Not sold inside Mt. Rainier National Park.

As always, if you’re interested in specific information for visiting Mt. Rainier in the month of September, feel free to email with any questions you might have! sallysphotos@comcast.net . Otherwise for complete information, do purchase one of my guide books online so you can fully enjoy a visit to Mt. Rainier National Park. Check the LIVE WEB CAMS above in the green section (once they go back online) to see Mt. Rainier, the parking lot at Paradise and the Tatoosh Range view from the Paradise Visitor Center. Also, check out the WEATHER DATA INFORMATION at Paradise to track temperatures and the seasonal weather changes. 

Thanks for reading!……….Sally Johnson

Member of : Mt. Rainier Visitor Association  - Visit their website for Lodging, Restaurants and Services in Ashford which is outside the Nisqually entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park!  WWW.MT-RAINIER.COM

Artist Pool

Check out this link for flower photos in the “Sally’s Photos” section:  Mountain Flowers

Here are some things to remember when you’re visiting Mt. Rainier. In August the bugs come with the flowers, so pack the bug repellent. The sun is intense in the mountains so also pack sunscreen and make sure you have sunglasses. Sturdy shoes are most helpful if you plan to hike on any of the trails. A backpack with the 10 essentials should always be carried when hiking anywhere at Mt. Rainier. Lastly, if you really want to experience and explore Mt. Rainier National Park, you should  purchase the visitor Guide Book I wrote here ONLINE using one of these links I’ve embedded for you. Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE – A Visitor Guide Book  

Just a reminder – this book is the ONLY tourist or visitor guide book specifically written for the west Nisqually entrance where lakes, waterfalls, rivers, forests and mountain meadows with wonderful views are all easily accessible. This Longmire & Paradise side of the mountain is the most popular because of the variety of things to do and see. (Click this link to see inside pages of the book) Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE visitor guidebook is NOT SOLD inside the park! If you’re visiting Mt. Rainier and are interested in exploring MORE than just the two main tourist areas of Paradise and Longmire, this book has been written for you! Crowds of people frequent both Longmire and particularly Paradise during July and August. This book will help you navigate through these two main crowded tourist areas so you know where to spend your time rather than getting stuck in the parking lots. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book has maps and descriptions of many unmarked sightseeing places, short trails, longer day hiking trails and picnic areas all with colored photos to help with decision making choices. Special favorite places are marked for experiencing the quiet solitude of the Mt. Rainier environment where there are opportunities to listen to the music of the Paradise River or see wildlife in its natural surrounding. The book has a whole section of itinerary suggestions for all the different weather conditions. Tourists without this specific information can be disappointed with their Mt. Rainier visit when the weather is cloudy or nasty at Paradise and they don’t know all the other places to go. The park gives out a map upon entering but it’s just a general map of the whole park without specific places of interest marked. The rangers will give out maps to hiker but this visitor guide book, unlike the park information, both has a map for directions to the point of interest and a trail or sightseeing map with colored photos and descriptive information. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book also becomes a valued photo souvenir after a visit.

Buy this book here ONLINE or buy in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store before you go into the park!

Some more information for this exciting month at Mt. Rainier National Park:

• There is a Visitor Center in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store. Stop in for any last minute supplies for hiking or anything you forgot plus get the latest information from the Visitor Center attendant before entering the park.
• If you want to take a shuttle into the park, there are shuttles leaving from Whittaker Mountaineering Store almost hourly for Longmire and/or Paradise with a few other options in between.
• August 14th & 15th are FREE ENTRY DAYS INTO THE PARK!

Now I want to repeat what I said in July about visiting Mt. Rainier from Seattle…….. If you didn’t see this last month and are planning to visit Mt. Rainier from Seattle – please read this important information.

Note to tourist coming for a day to Mt. Rainier from the Seattle area: 

If you drive from Seattle to visit Mt. Rainier in one day you can’t possibly experience the beauty of this unique park and properly see this majestic mountain in such a short amount of time. It takes about 2 ½ hours to drive one way to this national park from the Seattle area. During the months of July & August there is often a wait at the entrance gate and there are crowded parking conditions. There is a shuttle bus boarded in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store that will take you into the park to Longmire and Paradise with some extra stops along the way. But doing all of this in one day and then going back to Seattle in the evening makes your day visit a long day of driving. Check out the affordable lodging in Ashford or check into staying inside the park. But, make your visit enjoyable and stay awhile to experience the wonder and beauty that is Mt. Rainier National Park and our treasure here in the state of Washington! 

Lodging & Restaurants & Services =  www.mt-rainier.com

As always, if you’re interested in specific information for visiting Mt. Rainier in the month of August, feel free to email with any questions you might have! sallysphotos@comcast.net  Also check the previous blog postings in the green area on the right because I’ve talked about many of the lower elevation hikes and places to go in both the May & June recent posting with links embedded in each posting with more information from previous years. Otherwise for complete information, do purchase one of my guide books online so you can fully enjoy a visit to Mt. Rainier National Park. Check the LIVE WEB  CAMS  above in the green section to get a peek at what’s happening at Paradise. Also, check out the WEATHER DATA INFORMATION at Paradise so you’ll know how to dress and then look at all the other Live Cam views  and the Climbing Blog here on this website!

Thanks for reading!

Sally Johnson     

When will the wildflowers appear?? Is there still snow?? Read all the way down for information for the month of July. Find out about Sunrise on the east side and learn what to see and where to go during the month of July. Check out the new August posting.  June’s posting is still quickly available on the right in the “Recent Posts” section with a Cougar Rock Campground link and information for what to do and see in the lower elevation at Mt. Rainier.  The weather and the mountain conditions will be very different from the first part of the month of July to the last part of July!  During the 4^th of July weekend the snow will still be present in the higher elevations at Paradise and on the trails at 4500 feet elevation. Generally, at the beginning of month, it’s cold making camping only for the hardy. With all the snow melt flowing in the creeks and rivers, this first part of July is a time to be cautious and concerned about staying safe while hiking the trails. For the first few weeks snow will cover routes in the upper elevations and hikers that venture upward need to have navigational skills and carry an ice axe for steep slopes. Most visitors don’t realize during the first part of July Mt. Rainier National Park is  experiencing summer like conditions ONLY in the lower elevations and NOT at the prime upper elevation sightseeing and recreational areas inside the park. The real summer time at Mt. Rainier for the whole park is during the month of August.  However, summer like conditions will appear some years early in mid July but other years it comes as late as the first week in August.  I can’t make a prediction as to when the mountain will have warmer weather because our Pacific Northwest weather has been very strange.  Once the summer weather comes the wildflowers will begin their renewed growth all in their specific order.  The mountain mosquitoes and biting black flies will also accompany the flowers but will be noticed mostly around the alpine lakes, rivers and streams. Therefore, at the Paradise area, the beginning of the month of July is normally characterized by snow and melting snow. Then in contrast to the beginning of the month, from mid July to the end of the month, the summer season will hopefully start marked by the wildflowers that will eventually replace the snow making colorful displays all around Mt. Rainier. 

Early Avalanche Lilies

Cow Parsnips-Nisqually Rd

Continue reading further if you’re interested in specific information for visiting Mt. Rainier in the month of July and feel free to email with any questions you might have!  sallysphotos@comcast.net  Also check the previous blog postings in the green area on the right because I’ve talked about many of the lower elevation hikes and places to go in both the May & June recent posting with links embedded in each posting for more information from previous years.   Don’t forget to check the LIVE CAMS and the  MELTING SNOW DEPTH at Paradise here on the right side of this posting!       

Just a reminder that the ONLY tourist or visitor guide book with detailed maps specifically written for the west Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park is NOT SOLD inside the park!

Visitor Guide Book

If you’re visiting Mt. Rainier and are interested in exploring more than just the two main tourist areas of Paradise and Longmire, this book has been written for you! Crowds of people frequent both Longmire and particularly Paradise during July and August. This book will help you navigate through these two main crowded tourist areas so you know where to spend your time rather than getting stuck in the parking lots. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book (click book link name for page details) has maps and descriptions of many unmarked sightseeing places, short trails, longer day hiking trails and picnic areas all with colored photos to help with decision making choices. Special favorite places are marked for experiencing the quiet solitude of the Mt. Rainier environment where there are opportunities to listen to the music of the Paradise River or see wildlife in its natural surrounding. The book has a whole section of itinerary suggestions for all the different weather conditions. Tourists without this specific information can be disappointed with their Mt. Rainier visit when the weather is cloudy or nasty at Paradise and they don’t know all the other places to go. The park gives out a map upon entering but it’s just a general map of the whole park without specific places of interest marked. The rangers will give out maps to hiker but this visitor guide book maps both how to get to the point of interest and maps specific trails with trail information, colored photos and descriptions. This book also becomes a valued photo souvenir after a visit.

Buy this book here using this  ONLINE link or buy in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store before you go into the park!

SUNRISE – July marks the opening of the east side road to Sunrise at elevation 6400 feet. For information about the east side click on the following link. The East Side of Mt. Rainier

Note to tourist coming for a day to Mt. Rainier from the Seattle area …………If you drive from Seattle to visit Mt. Rainier in one day you can’t possibly experience the beauty of this unique park and properly see this majestic mountain in such a short amount of time. It takes about 2 ½ hours to drive one way to this national park from the Seattle area. During the months of July & August there is often a wait at the entrance gate and there are crowded parking conditions. There is a shuttle bus boarded in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store that will take you into the park to Longmire and Paradise with some extra stops along the way. But doing all of this in one day and then going back to Seattle in the evening makes your day visit a long day of driving. Check out the affordable lodging in Ashford or check into staying inside the park. But, make your visit enjoyable and stay awhile to experience the wonder and beauty that is Mt. Rainier National Park and our treasure here in the state of Washington!  Lodging & Restaurants & Services =  www.mt-rainier.com

 Sally Johnson

Reflection Lake in June

July Visitor Information is posted!  The June 5, 2010 News Brief about the Large Avalanche near the top of Mt. Rainier.     June 8, 2010 Follow Up Newspaper article.      The Stevens Canyon Road was opened May 28th!    This is a Cougar Rock Campground Link for camping visitors!    New photos from Paradise taken on June 13th at the bottom of the posting.     June is a transition month at Mount Rainier.  There is deep snow at Paradise at 5400 feet elevation but elsewhere in the park at lower elevations spring renewal has begun along with the hiking season.  Most trails head upward so hiking in June often becomes sloshing through wet snow as the route gains elevation.  Snow will begin to cover and hide the trail once at the 4500 foot elevation mark.  So, for avid hikers who need to reach a destination, June is often a frustrating month.  However, I love the month of June because of all the melting water music that can be heard everywhere. I always enjoy the new spring green growth as the mountain snow season leaves and the park transitions to summer.  The early flowers begin to sprout upward along the lower Nisqually Road and parts of the Stevens Canyon Road foretelling the arrival of more to come once the weather warms.  June is a time to refresh memories by doing some sightseeing trips to places closed for eight long months during the winter.  A trip through Stevens Canyon is always an annual June event to see whether winter left behind damage. June is peak waterfall time so we rush to see our favorite rivers and streams filled to capacity with melting water crashing over waterfalls with a vibrating pounding deafening roar.  Silver Falls and Falls Creek are two of our favorite waterfalls that are both accessed from the Stevens Canyon Road. Water is everywhere in June rushing down the hills making new small streams and waterfalls and lots of mountain music.  

1. If you want to hike, go back to May’s blog posting titled “May Melting Snow at Mt. Rainier National Park” for information about lower elevation hiking places. You can easily click on May’s blog post on the right side in the green section under “Recent Posts”.  Also, the summer visitor guide book,  Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE for sale online here at this website is a complete guide with maps, descriptions and colored photos of all the day hikes on the west Nisqually side of Mount Rainier.  The park gives out a very basic map at the entrance gate, but it really doesn’t give much information and doesn’t relate the hikes to their location on the Nisqually Road. The rangers can give you specific trail maps at Longmire and Paradise but the book has both location maps and trail maps with comments and colored photos.  This book is not sold inside the park so purchase it here ONLINE or stop at Whittaker Mountaineering Store in Ashford near the park entrance. (For hikers there are also links below that might interest you.)
2. June sightseeing is wonderful with a variety of unique mountain seasonal conditions to see that only the month of June can offer. Paradise at 5400 feet elevation will still have its snow! Paradise is a must see place so enjoy seeing an up close view of  Mount Rainier with snow surrounding the mountain for a special June sight.  Check out the new Visitor Center for displays and information. Then head to the Stevens Canyon Road to drive 19 miles one way through dramatically beautiful surroundings with mountain views. There will be early flowers, melting water that will rain on your car as you drive alongside the steep cliffs of the canyon and waterfalls alongside the road.  At the road’s ends on the eastern side of Mt. Rainier, the Ohanapecosh River winds through the Grove of the Patriarchs which is where huge 1000 year old trees block the sunlight. There is a short self guided trail through the Grove of the Patriarchs so you can stretch your legs. The Ohanapecosh River with its turquoise green/blue water crashes over the spectacular Silver Falls near the Grove of the Patriarchs.  All of these and more sightseeing places are mapped and described in the summer visitor guide book sold here online.                                 
3. Viewing all the different waterfalls inside the park will keep you busy during a June visit. You probably won’t be able to see the most famous Comet Falls that drops 320 feet and is the longest waterfall inside Mt. Rainier National Park if your visit is during the first half of the month. The trail to Comet Falls has dangerous snowy conditions necessitating an ice axe until there is significant snow melting.  But, there are many other waterfalls just as worthy to see that will slow to a trickle in July and August.  Again, the summer visitor guide book both maps and locates the major waterfalls and tells where to watch for some hidden ones along the Stevens Canyon Road.

Lastly, if you’re not visiting in June go back to May’s blog posting where I’ve listed the mountain seasons so you’ll know what conditions to expect during your visit. The May blog posting is located on the right in the green section under “Recent Posts”.  Scroll down to about the middle of the May blog post for a month to month listing of the mountain seasons.  Check the “LIVE CAMS” and the snow depth at Paradise with temperatures and hourly conditions. Both the cams and weather data links are all in the green section on the right under the “Recent Posts”.  It’s great fun to watch the snow melt using the Live Cams and monitor the weather data at Paradise. I use the cams to decide which days I will drive to the mountain because the local weather can be very different from the mountain weather.  If you need more specific information or just have questions, please feel free to email me at: sallysphotos@comcast.net. Thanks for reading! Hope you can visit Mt. Rainier National Park in the month of June!

Sally Johnson    

This is a photo of  Paradise at 5400 feet elevation in the month of May. Make sure you scroll down to read the rest of the comments describing the May park conditions for both the lower elevations inside the park and the higher elevation areas for this May in 2010. 

If you’re visiting Mt. Rainier National Park, this is the time to order the Summer Visitor Guide Book at the ONLINE STORE here on this website. This guide book is not available inside the park for your purchase. It’s available, however, at Whittaker Mountaineering Store in Ashford and at several lodging establishments. The map the park gives you upon entering is very basic without the many attractions and trailheads mapped and described in the book. I wrote both the summer and winter books simply because this information was not readily available to visitors and tourists. So purchase a guide before you visit or pick one up on your way through Ashford before going into the park.  

No….the snow is not going to totally melt away from Paradise at 5400 feet elevation during this month of May. But, the warmer temperatures in May push the melting process forward so that the snow depth continues to lower making way for the late June mountain summer season. The melting will continue steadily providing the weather doesn’t change back to winter like cold temperatures repeating what happened during the first two weeks of this last April. Oh dear – update from 5-2 – 2010 We’re getting another cold front coming down from Alaska just like we did during the first part of last April. Presently, the temperature has dropped and the snow level is predicted to go down to the 2500 foot level (meaning Longmire area) tomorrow as three days of more storms  pile up more snow. Yes, in the year of endless snow of 2008, the Paradise area received lots of snow in the month of May with more snow during the first week of June. But this year, I have high hopes that our Pacific Northwest weather will warm and keep the melting process going so perhaps the slopes of Paradise will appear green with patches of white snow by mid June. At least this is my hope along with many other anxious hikers wanting to see their favorite higher elevation trails after 8 or 9 months of being under a snow blanket.     

Paradise Inn

The snow depth at Paradise has gone down from its high in April of 181 inches total to about 157 at the end of April. (May 5th – Snow depth is back up to 172 inches – ugh!) With any luck the snow depth will be  down under 100 inches by the end of May. (Sadly – the snow depth on May 24th is 145″ total.)  Check the lower right side link box on this blog page to see the exact snow depth data and temperatures at Paradise. It’s labeled “Northwest Weather & Avalanche Information – Paradise”.  Also check out the parking lot live cam at Paradise and note the snow banks where the plows piled the snow high and keep track of how these snow banks get smaller. Watch for the tops of trees to reappear on the Paradise slope from the live cam facing the mountain that is mounted in the new Visitor Center. These live cam links here on the blog are most useful to monitor before visiting for updated information. From the weather link on the Paradise data sheet look at the top left side for a mountain forecast that can also be utilized for trip planning.     

View from Kautz Creek

The situation in the lower part of the park at Longmire and below are different from past years during this 2010 month of May.

Even though snow fell in April, most of the 5 feet of the snow that fell landed above the 4,000 foot elevation level. Therefore, by choosing some of the trails or areas to explore in the lower park, there is plenty of hiking that can be done in the month of May. Normally, this is not the case and the Longmire area at 2700 feet elevation still has snow making it difficult to find trails. But during this “El Nino” year there was no snow in the lower elevations of the park until April! So, this was a special year that offered, for the first time I can remember, the ability to both snowshoe and hike in the winter months at Mount Rainier. As the month of May progresses more and more hikes will become accessible but not up as high as Paradise until late in June. If visiting come prepared to be flexible and get updated condition checks if you plan on hiking. I’m happy to answer questions so feel free to email me at sallysphotos@comcast.net.   The May Memorial Day holiday at the end of the month usually marks the opening of the Stevens Canyon Road which travels 19 miles to the east side of the mountain. Yes – the Stevens Canyon Road will open as scheduled on Friday, May 28th. One of the first attractions off of this road is Reflection Lake which will probably still have snow covering it. But check out the turquoise melting ice that is always a treat to see with a nice view of the mountain on clear days. The Stevens Canyon Road goes lower into the canyon toward the east so after leaving Reflection Lake area there won’t be snow when traveling on the Stevens Canyon Road.  Most importantly, May is the time to hear the mountain snow melting music from water melting off the cliffs, down the hills and, most enjoyably, over the many fantastic waterfalls inside the park. This is the month to travel through the lower part of the park with the windows of your car open listening to the rushing water music. Hopefully you can come and visit Mt. Rainier National Park during this month of May,  hear the snow melting music while you travel up the Nisqually Road to Paradise at 5400 feet elevation, play in the snow at Paradise and see the up close view of Mount Rainier on clear days. 

Again this month I’m posting my interpretation of the mountain seasons so you’ll know what to expect if you’re visiting.

Spring Snow Melting = (This year) May & June & probably early July

Summer = (This year)  Hopefully – Late June in some areas & July to August -  (This year) Flower Season should be mid July and early August

Fall = September & October

Early Winter = November to December

Winter = January to April or May

Here are some lower elevation suggestions of places to check out in Mt. Rainier National Park.  All this information below is mapped with photos and described in detail for you in the summer visitor guide book for sale online here at this website.

Westside Road Waterfall

1.   After entering the park, the Westside Road on the left is a nice place to stroll along as far as you want. Destination places are Round Pass and Lake George.  The first gate across this road should be opening in May so it’s possible to drive 3 miles up to another gate if desired.   

2.  Kautz Creek picnic area and trailheadis located after 3 miles from the entrance where you’ll see a large parking lot and pit toilets. If the weather permits this is the first peek at the mountain along the Nisqually Road.  

Kautz Creek

The Kautz Creek Trail located across the road from the parking area is a nice flat walk for a mile along the Kautz Creek. Then after a mile log bridges take you across the creek and up into a rejuvenating lush green old growth forest. The trail climbs upward another 5 miles into Indian Henry Hunting Ground but soon snow will stop your ascent. There are lots of trilliums along this trail after the log bridges.    

Twin Firs

3.   Next comes Twin Firs after 4.4 miles from the entrance on the left side of the road. There is a four tenth of a mile loop trail that climbs up through this area where huge massive old growth trees stand tall. Too bad this delightful place is often missed from visitors rushing up to Paradise.

4.   At 6 miles the Longmire complex with the National Park Inn, a small store, park offices and employee housing appears on the right. There is a nice meadow area across the road from the inn called the Trail of the Shadows that is a self guided loop with lots to see. Rampart Ridge trail is accessed here from the Trail of the Shadows trail off to the left across a small bridge. The Rampart Ridge Trail is a five mile loop trail which will have some snow on the top of the ridge during May.

Eagle Peak Trail

Through the employee housing the road will take you across a wooden bridge over the Nisqually River to where the Eagle Peak Trailhead is located. This is a 3.6 mile climb up to a saddle area but snow more than likely will turn you back after about two miles. However, it is a lush green environment with a rushing stream and well worth the hiking exercise upward.

These are the trails and places where I know are safe presently as I make this posting for the first part of May. Other trails will open but for now I won’t list them until I confirm that they are free of snow and safe for hiking.

Come Visit MOUNT RAINIER! 

Sally Johnson – Other postings for the month of MAY from other years. 

5 – 1 – 2009 May Day at Paradise

5 – 7 – 2008 The Year of Snow & More Snow

5 – 9 – 2008 A May Report on Conditions

5 – 16 – 2008 Photos of the Paradise Inn Re-Opening

5 – 23 – 2008 Silver Falls – Ohanapecosh River

6 – 6 – 2007 Silver Falls

5 – 5 & 5 – 6 – 2007  Mt. Rainier Re-Opens after 6 Month Closure

5 – 13 – 2007 Walk the “Wild” Westside Road

5 – 23 – 2007 Trail of Trilliums & Flood Devastation

5 – 29 – 2007 Head to Mt. Rainier National Park

April Snowshoeing at Paradise

For updated conditions – check the “Recent Postings” on the right side. The winter snow remains at Paradise at the 5400 feet elevation in Mt. Rainier National Park. At the beginning of April the Pacific Northwest region continued to be influenced by “El Nino” weather making both the flowering trees and spring flowers bloom early in the cities around the mountains. A lack of snow in the lower elevations has been the impact of the “El Nino” weather in the mountain regions. There hasn’t been any snow in the lower elevations at Mt. Rainier since before January of this year. Therefore, hiking has been accessible in the lower elevations when normally the trails are under a fairly good snow cover until late in May. The snow depth at the beginning of April was measuring between 120 inches down to 100 inches depending on the weather temperatures. However, all that changed quickly and drastically after the first week in April! The temperatures all over the Pacific Northwest region dropped and winter came in the spring month of April. Cold stormy weather dropped heavy layers of snow in the mountains making it difficult for Easter travel across the mountain passes. Skiers rushed back to the ski areas for more winter skiing and snowboarding and at Mt. Rainier National Park five feet of snow piled up quickly making the snow plows work extra hard to keep Paradise open. The snow depth at Paradise rose to a high for the year of 181 inches or 15 feet. As of April 17th, the snow depth has gone down to 157 inches or 13 feet at Paradise and now there is snow along the roadside before Longmire. At Longmire there are slippery snow patches as deep as 4 inches covering trails just enough to make it difficult to navigate the route or find the trail.  Hiking in the lower elevations is now questionable with the April winter snow that has fallen.   

During the months of April and May the snow can be somewhat unstable due to the warmer temperatures so avalanche danger becomes a factor to address when planning a snow excursion at Mount Rainier. Check the Northwest Avalanche Center link below the Live Cam links on the right side of this posting. It’s possible to click into a mountain forecast telling avalanche information along with the hourly weather data listed for Paradise. It’s amazing to see the snow totals and temperatures here in April!

If you have any questions about Mount Rainier, please feel free to email me with your questions. I’m always happy to help! sallysphotos@comcast.net

Again on this posting, I will list my interpretation of the Mount Rainier seasons for your planning convenience.

 Fall = September & October

Early Winter = November to December

Winter = January to April or May

Spring Snow Melting = May or June & Early July

 Summer = Late July to August         

It’s vacation planning time so make sure you order your Summer Visitor Guide Book to help you plan your vacation. All the colored photos will help you decide what you want to see and all the maps will show you how to get there.  There are itinerary suggestions for all kinds of weather – even rain. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book is HERE in the ONLINE STORE! 

This El Nino year had opened opportunities that are not normally available in March. Hopefully, those opportunities will still be available in April and May. From Longmire down to the park entrance there was no snow which meant hiking was open for those interested as long as the trail destination was below 4000 foot elevation.  The Rampart Ridge Trail at Longmire had a bit of snow on the ridge in March.  However, it was easy to complete the loop walking through the snow that was packed on the trail. Now there is snow as soon as you start climbing and the snow is knee deep on the ridge. We use our rubber studded shoe tracks on our hiking boots to navigate through snowy areas. With trekking poles and the rubber foot tracks attached to hiking shoes, the footing is much more secure. The other trick we’ve learned is to use a shoelace to tie the tracks onto the hiking boot. Otherwise, the tracks sometimes pull off in places of deeper snow. Eagle Peak Trail at Longmire was also partially accessible except for the last snowy section up near the saddle area. Again there is snow as soon as you start to climb but in patches.  The trail will get harder to find as the snow gets deeper.  You should still be able to  hike to Cougar Rock Campground alongside the Nisqually River from Longmire thanks to this El Nino year.  Another lower elevation place to visit is Twin Firs which is located 4.4 miles from the park entrance before Longmire. Experience this “short” loop trail that goes up the hill to a small footbridge and through the old growth forest of HUGE trees. The pull out is usually unmarked during this off season so look for a pull out on the left side of the road before Longmire. Kautz Creek Trail is located 3.3 miles from the park entrance and is accessed across the street from the large parking area and restroom.

Kautz Creek Trail beyond Bridges

This trail is flat for the first mile until it crosses a couple of footbridges. Then the trail climbs upward steadily for 5 more miles up into Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground above the 4000 foot elevation level. I’m not recommending going that far! But, hiking across the footbridges and up another mile is a great lower elevation experience where you might see the forest rejuvenation with trillium flowers heralding in the new growth. After the two footbridges is my favorite old growth forest section where the spongy mossy undergrowth with all the different ferns is absolutely beautiful under the cover of the huge trees. Lastly, for a nice park hike near the entrance to the park, try the Westside Road. Walk the road as far as you wish watching for the roadside waterfalls along the way. There is a hidden one that you will hear that is another one of my favorite things to see.

At Paradise in April

Back up in the higher elevations at Narada Falls, the snow remains to be enjoyed through the month of April. At Paradise, which is the highest place open all year, the snow will stay through the month of May and possibly into June depending on the weather. This year the El Nino weather has provided a lot more choices for fun in Mt. Rainier National Park. Hope you can come and enjoy this special April here in the Pacific Northwest.

Written by: Sally Johnson

  Here is another April posting from last year :  April at Paradise 2009

Barn Flats Meadow below Paradise

Maps & Winter Trail Book

If you landed here & want updated conditions at Mt. Rainier – check out the latest blog posting on the right side under “Recent Blog Postings”.

March is still a snowy month at Mount Rainier National Park. After an unseasonably warm January and February, cold storms have dropped over two feet of new snow in the second week of March changing the snow depth total at Paradise from 112 to 140 inches of snow. With all the warm temperatures for the past two month there is little or no snow in the lower elevations this year. Therefore, Mt. Rainier National Park is presently offering people two mountain outdoor experiences. Hiking in the lowlands and snowshoeing or skiing in the upper elevations. It is a unique opportunity to be able to do some hiking in March! Since I’m talking about snow conditions presently at Mount Rainier, for those of you planning vacations, remember that the mountain seasons are different from the city seasons. During June there is normally a fair amount of snow at Paradise at the 5400 feet elevation. Snow still partially covers Reflection Lake on Fourth of July. The flower and summer hiking season is in full swing late in July and through the month of August. This is how I describe the seasons at Mount Rainier.

Fall = September & October

Early Winter = November to December

Winter = January to April or May

Spring Snow Melting = May or June & Early July

Summer = Late July to August

 For more explanations about the seasons at Mount Rainier, read the information I have written under the Mount Rainier Photo Calendar section on the store page. Here is the link:  Photographing Mount Rainier for Calendars . 

Barn Flats Meadow

This year all the March snow is again framing Mount Rainier into a beautiful winter picture postcard. The trees are dressed in their white robes bending gracefully under the snow weight while the mountain appears taller and brighter with all its new snow layers. The Paradise sledding hill is beckoning to families and children who have missed their snow play in the city and snowshoers, skiers and snowboarders are enticed to plow through all the untracked snow. March is also the end of the free Ranger led snowshoe treks at Paradise that travel to an up close view of the Nisqually Glacier. Normally March 31^st signals the end of these winter excursions held only on the weekends. The sledding hill will also lose its weekend supervision from a Ranger but the snow depth remains good so more than likely the hill will remain open unsupervised for another month or so.        

Barn Flats

March, April and May can bring avalanche danger around the Paradise area. This recent heavy snowfall increased the danger immediately to the level below “Extreme” for a day or two. The Pacific Northwest Avalanche Center link on the right side of this blog page is definitely helpful.  It’s possible to click into the mountain forecast and read the predicted mountain weather along with the avalanche danger information from this link. Don’t miss the updated snow depth, temperature and wind at Paradise on an hourly basis also from this link.  Enjoy the pictures of the Barn Flats area which is below the main parking lot at Paradise. Barn Flats is a snowy meadow area below Paradise that can be a great alternative for winter snowshoeing or skiing when the exposed slopes of Paradise are too windy or cold. There are both mountain views and views of the Tatoosh Range so the mountain scenery is not missed when in the Barn Flats area.

Summer Visitor Book

Don’t forget that I have a great Summer Visitor Guide Book for sale online here. The book discusses what to do and see during all kinds of weather and gives important information to make your trip more enjoyable. The photographs in the book allow you to plan ahead and decide what sights or hikes you would like to see or do. It’s now summer vacation planning time, so place an order if you are visiting Mount Rainier National Park.

 Sally Johnson

 I am happy to answer any questions you might have concerning Mount Rainier.   Email me at: sallysphotos@comcast.net

Barn Flats

Book of Winter Trails & Maps

February has brought warm sunny weather to the Pacific Northwest. The same unusual spring weather that has been causing havoc at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C has caused the crocus flowers to bloom and put new buds on all the flowering trees here in Washington. With this spring like weather in February what better place to soak in the sun than at Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park!  At 5,400 feet elevation at the base of Mount Rainier the winter sun is intense against the white sparkly snow under a cloudless blue sky. 

For any questions you might have about Mount Rainier, please email me at sallysphotos@comcast.net.  I am always happy to help!

For anyone reading the blog postings this year, it is important for you to know this 2010 winter at Mount Rainier is unusual. There are three winter years of postings on this blog that will verify how strange this weather has been. Normally winter cold weather and storms put snow on the ground from Ashford, outside of the national park, all the way up to Paradise. If you look back in the blog to the winter postings you will read about snowshoeing or cross country skiing on Westside Road near the entrance, Kautz Creek, Longmire and Cougar Rock Campground. (See posts in pull down Archives labeled – 2008 Snow.) This year you drive past Longmire and there is absolutely no snow on the ground yet. There is not enough snow for cross country skiing or snowshoeing until the Narada Falls area. From Narada Falls, Reflection Lake or a climb up to Barn Flats and higher to Paradise are popular destinations. But in the lower elevation cars are parked at the trailheads and people are hiking in February! However, the snow from Narada up to Paradise and farther up the mountain is great with a nice snow depth of about 112 inches measured at Paradise at the time of this posting. Therefore, by spending time at Narada Falls or Paradise, it’s a PERFECT YEAR for snowshoeing or cross country skiing with nice weather. 

Panorama Point

NOTE: Check out the Live Cams & Weather Information at the right in the green section of this blog. The bottom right thumbnail photo is a link into the weather at Paradise. It will tell you the temperature, snow depth and wind if blowing. We use the cams regularly to decide when to head to the mountain. We check out the parking lot at Paradise for a visual of the conditions and always check to see if the mountain is visible. In the mountain view cam, you will see poles and sometimes heads of people standing near the sledding runs. All the cams are worth checking before a trip to Mount Rainier National Park.

     Written by: Sally Johnson

Winter Snowshoe & Ski Ashford & Mt. Rainier National Park has maps and information about the places to snowshoe or cross country ski this year at Mount Rainier. In blog postings recently, I have written about snowshoeing in Edith Creek Basin and Deadhorse Creek Basin and this blog about Skyline Trail all at Paradise. These places and more are mapped for you along with details which will make your winter experience at Mt. Rainier more enjoyable. Purchase a book here online and receive the information in three to four days. 

   $15.00

     $15.00                                            

There are still Mount Rainier Photo Calendars available for 2010. Hurry and get yours before they are all sold out!   

This is Deadhorse Creek Basin on another day when it was sunny.

If you are visiting Mt. Rainier check out the other journal postings with photos for the season you plan to visit. There are blog postings that date all the way back to May of 2007. Feel free to email with questions.

This photo shows Deadhorse Creek Basin area at Paradise but on a NICE DAY last year in February. As you read this posting you will realize that the mountain was hidden so I posted this old photo.

Saturday – February 6th……………

Hoping to see a nice mountain view after several days of pleasant weather in the city, we drove to Mount Rainier National Park on Saturday for a day of snowshoeing at Paradise. The journey to the mountain was damp and cloudy and, unfortunately, there was rain in the lower elevations as we traveled upward on the Nisqually Road. Past Narada Falls the rain finally changed to light snow. The mountain along with anything in the distance was hidden in a heavy cloud cover as we arrived at the foggy white Paradise parking lot. Greatly disappointed over the weather, we flipped up our hoods to protect against the snow and headed toward our destination Deadhorse Creek Basin. Our neighbors joined us for this trip so we guided them up toward the Nisqually Vista trail where we normally cut off to the right and snowshoe into the basin.

There was two to three inches of new snow partially hiding the snow trails but we found a trail after the weather station which is part of the ranger led tour through this area. We could see this trail had been traveled prior to the overnight snow so Tom, my husband, led the way making new tracks in the heavy wet snow.

At first this was fun since it was a different route for us. It was a gradual climb that went into the trees alongside a ridge. The visibility was poor so the trees were a welcome sight.

However, after a long slow slog upward through the trees, they disappeared and a steep ridge hill stood directly in front of us to climb unless we wanted to turn back. Deadhorse Creek Basin had to be directly over the ridge hill, so we slowly climbed up the hill stopping and sometimes gasping for air. Thank goodness Tom and I were correct and the basin was below or our credibility with our neighbors would have been lost. Everyone asked me whether I snapped any pictures while ascending the steep hill and I laughed in response because I couldn’t have balanced the camera at that angle. We stood on top of the ridge looking down into the whiteness of fog and the basin. There were several snow camps with tents but the visibility in the distance was still a blur.

Coming down through the heavy snow off of the ridge was just as exhausting as the climb upward. Looking toward the mountain with nothing but more climbing, we decided to call it a day and head back down to the car. We worked our way to the opposite side of the basin toward the sledding area above the new Jackson Visitor Center. There was nothing soft and fun about the descent. Our feet were tossed and turned by the heavy snow making for a bumpy uneven walk down. The snow had finally stopped by the time we arrived at the parking lot and the weather hinted at clearing.  Despite being dead tired and disappointed with the weather, we had a great time working off the lunches we ate sitting at the community center located across the wooden bridge at Longmire. 

Note: The weather has been unseasonably warm this winter in the city. And there is no snow in the lower elevations at Mount Rainier National Park. BUT…. Narada Falls and Paradise have plenty of snow and more snow piles up regularly. Therefore, this is a GOOD winter for snowshoeing and cross country skiing between Narada Falls area and upward to Paradise.  The roads have been easy to drive so come enjoy Mount Rainier in the winter!!

Written by: Sally Johnson

Winter Books for Snowshoeing & Cross Country Skiing are available here online at: www.mtrainierphotos.com or in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store.  $15.00

Also it’s not too late to get your 2010 Mount Rainier Calendar online here for $15.00

Photo from last  February climbing out of Deadhorse Creek Basin up higher toward the mountain.

Edith Creek Basin

On this nice day in January without heavy clouds covering the mountain, we drove up to Paradise at 5400 feet elevation to spend a day snowshoeing in the Edith Creek Basin area. There is plenty of snow at Paradise where the park has made two fast sledding runs and a shorter run for the children located on the slope above the main snow entrance. However, this year – so far – this winter is quite different from the previous past two winters with not a patch of snow seen at Longmire at elevation 3,200 feet. The first significant snow we saw was past Longmire at Cougar Rock Campground where we have often enjoyed snowshoeing or cross country skiing in and around the five campground loops among the old growth trees. However, this year, there were only patches of snow at the campground. There was plenty of snow at Narada Falls higher up the Nisqually Road closer to Paradise. Lots of people have been skiing or snowshoeing to Reflection Lake from Narada Falls.

 On this mild winter day it was thirty seven degrees at Paradise without a hint of a breeze. The sun was shinning but high clouds prevented one of the special winter blue sky days. The snow was soft, light and nice for snowshoeing so we quickly forgot about seeing the deep blue sky. Edith Creek Basin area is off to the right after going up the main snow path from the parking lot. Since it hadn’t snowed recently there was a well worn snow trail to follow that went in front of the closed Paradise Inn and around the corner heading toward the mountain and the bridge across Edith Creek. This area is wide open and when it snows or there is a low cloud cover it’s easy to get disoriented with few trees and white in all directions. Therefore, this day was perfect for enjoying the easy trek through the basin under mostly clear skies. The views are unique here with graceful rolling slopes in front of Mount Rainier softly framing it. This is a place to wander away from the snow path and enjoy untracked snow or travel back to the steeper slopes surrounding the basin. The steep hills are often not safe to climb due to avalanche danger, so unless experienced in avalanche awareness, do not climb. Simply enjoy the beauty of these high ridges in Edith Creek Basin. When the skies are clear, Edith Creek Basin offers strikingly beautiful views of the Tatoosh Range to the south and Mount Rainier in all its glory to the north. This scenery will quickly clear your mind of city stresses and transports you into a peaceful winter wonderland. I hope you will enjoy the photos posted from this trip and will be able to experience Edith Creek Basin for yourself this winter.

Written by: Sally Johnson

For more winter information the book:

Winter Snowshoe & Ski Ashford & Mt. Rainier National Park

is available for purchase here in the ONLINE STORE!

This book is also available at Whittaker Mountaineering Store in Ashford!

Whittaker Mountaineering Store RENTS Quality Snowshoes or Cross Country Skis & Poles at very reasonable prices!

It is not too late to purchase a 2010 Mount Rainier Calendar!

VISIT THE ONLINE STORE!