Lately, we have been getting some good heavy snowfalls in the mountain regions of the Puget Sound area. Today we were excited to set off for Paradise (Elevation: 5400 feet), on Mt. Rainier, for a play day in the snow. Do some snowshoeing, perhaps even build a snow cave or even an igloo.
The drive to Paradise isn’t too bad if the road is clear. You enter the Mt. Rainier National Park though the Longmire gate entrance. However, with the recent snowfall, and then having the temperatures rise back up a bit, plus you add some rain and you have a great situation for avalanches. The park service is pretty good at keeping the road closed if it should be closed (due to dangerous conditions). The National Park Service (NPS) also requires you to have tire chains even if you have a vehicle with all wheel drive or four wheel drive.
We were just outside of Elbe, when we decided we had better check the National Park Service’s Twitter feed and discovered that the road to Paradise from Longmire was closed. Oh well. Drive an hour or so to discover you can’t get into Rainier National Park. But then again, that is the nature of winter weather.
We are hoping to return to Mt. Rainier National Park over the next few weeks if possible.
Kevin Hellriegel's Blog of Worthless Advice 
Sorry your trip was a bust. Hope you get an opportunity for snowboarding and igloo building soon.
Thanks! We have made it twice up to the mountains this year but we were looking forward to visiting Paradise this time around. Maybe next week…
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