A snowy 3 day weekend provided great conditions for cross-country skiing and snow shoeing across fresh powder around the southeast portion of Mount Rainier National Park. Coming in from the Nisqually entrance, the park had lightly plowed winter road access to the Longmire National Park Inn, and access was permitted with tire chains further on toParadise and the new Jackson Visitor Center. Beyond that point, the upper elevations were all snowed in. Good for cross-country skiing!
We snowshoed and hiked along the Wonderland Trail from Longmire on our first day, wandering through forest that skirted the banks of the Nisqually River. Coming back to our cozy Maple cabin at Mounthaven that night was very relaxing. The hosts were very pleasant and the well appointed cabin by a running stream provided a great setting for hanging out, playing games, and cooking up vittles.
We put on the chains and went to winter’s road end at Paradise the next day. From theJackson Visitor Center and the seasonally closed inn there, we cross-country skied into Paradise Valley along the deeply buried Valley Road. The road loops in a U shape around the valley, with views of the Tatoosh Mountain Range along the way. There were avalanche zones in the immediate area, so be informed of routes and conditions there.
After backtracking, we headed down the other side of Paradise Valley along Narada Falls Trail. The trail was steep in places, but it was nice to have the forest to ourselves. Views opened up into the valley, and there were open meadows to play around in for breaking new tracks across fresh powder.
On our third day, we changed plans after getting caught in a cold driving snow storm at higher elevations, so created a Plan B and nordic skied up the gated-off Westside Road (which was closed in the winter). Fortunately a couple hardy people had bulldozed some tracks for us earlier that day. The road meandered upwards through tall forests along Tahoma Creek, where the snow formed big white Candy Land gumdrops atop each rock above the flowing water.
Cross-country skiing into Paradise Valley at Mt Rainier National Park
Paradise Valley, looking through the snow across to the Tatoosh Mountain Range
Skiing down the Narada Falls Trail within Paradise Valley
Making new cross-country ski tracks across a freshly powdered meadow, Narada Falls Trail
Snow and icicles at Mt Rainier’s Christine Falls
We played with some long exposure flashlight photography outside our cabin…
Multiple personalities talking to each other 🙂
Inner turmoil, fighting inside 🙂
Cross-country skiing up Westside Road at Mt Rainier National Park
Rest break by a small waterfall coming out of the snow along Westside Road
Goofball skier