Mount Rainier National Park News
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MPG V2.8, January 2012

News and Information
January 1, 2012

 The road (uphill) from Longmire to Paradise is controlled at the gate just east of longmire. The gate is closes 4-5 pm daily and opens in the morning between 8-11 am or remains closed for the day based on weather and road conditions. You can check the NP's Twitter page for the latest information about the gate and road.

As of December 1st all the winter closures and restrictions are in place throughout the NP including for the two eastside highways, 410 in the northeast from the NP boundary to the summit of Cayuse and Chinook Passes and 123 in the southeast from the NP boundary to the summit with highway 410. These highways are closed for the season by the Washington Department of Transportation.

January-February News:
The weather is winter at the all elevations with sunny and clear and periods of clouds or overcast with snow;
The day and night temperatures are consistently cold;
The people will be few in numbers except weekends and holidays.

Paradise snowplay and winter camping areas.-- The Paradise snowplay and winter camps areas will open when there is at least 5 ft of snow, check the NPS Web page for winter recreation. Winter camping is open where there is more than 2 ft of snow in the designated camping areas

All the trails have snow through the winter above 2,500 feet and for periods below 2,500 feet. You should always check the most recent trail conditions for the trails you're interested during your visit but still be ready for unexpected weather and trail conditions.

One important note. Please stay on the designated trails when hiking in open fields or across meadows and don't wander off because of bad trail conditions or to get some photographs. These areas are sensitive to damage this time of year and may not recover until the spring.

You can check the latest weather site data for weather and snow conditions and the Washington State Department of Transportation Website for road conditions.

This means you should still plan, get the most recent information, be prepared for quick and severe changes in the weather and conditions and be flexible with your plans and schedules, especially when and where the NPS issues advisories or implements emergency rules.

Advisories

Advisory about Guns.-- Beginning February 22, 2010, openly carrying guns in the NP is legal and concealed with a legal permit. However, there are a number of conditions, which you can find here with links to additional information.

It is illegal to carry a gun indoors and it is illegal to use or fire a gun anywhere in the NP.

This is especially important in the visitors areas, the campgrounds, on the trails, and in the backcountry. You can only openly carry a gun or concealed with the proper (state permit) and nothing else. You can not withdraw, use or discharge the weapon anytime or anywhere in the NP. The NPS has trained and instructed the park and backcountry rangers to treat all visitors as if they are carrying a gun unless it is clear the visitor is not carrying a gun.

Resources

The Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) has produced a geology guide with road trips for Mt. Rainier and vicinty, IC 107 by Patrick Pringle. You can buy or download it.

The NPS has open several proposed projects and planning efforts to public comment. You can get details and add your comment on their Public Comment Web page. Become a participant in your National Park.

The NP seasonal photo guide and new or updated area guides are forthcoming. Please read the latest NPS news release on backcountry hikes. The NPS is advising backcountry hikers to be prepared for extreme weather and trail conditions and ensure you don't extend or endanger yourself or your hiking party.

The expedition project continues with the initial Web pages along with Web pages for the first topographic map of the NP by the USGS in 1915. Check the table of contents for links to these Web pages.

Access

Additional current conditions and information about the NP is available from the NPS Web page and access Web page.

Resources

Foldout photography guide and maps are available for the southern and northern halves of Mt. Rainier NP, by Tom Haseltine, etal. Road Guide to Mt. Rainier NP, by Barbara and Robert Decker. This book (48 pages) is dated 1996 and some information isn't current.

More information at Mount Rainier Climbing, the climbers' Mt. Rainier blog, the NPS-USFS Outdoor Recreation Information Center and Yahoo Group on Mt. Rainier NP.

Please use the contact link to send e-mail.