Snowplay area at Mount Rainier opens Saturday, so get your sleds ready
Let the sledding and sliding begin!
The snowplay area at Mount Rainier National Park will open Saturday, months later than usual.
Usually the popular sledding spot at Paradise opens by December and closes by mid-March, but the wonky winter weather delayed this year’s opening.
A minimum of 5 feet of snow is required for the snowplay area to open so that the grooming equipment does not damage plants growing in the area.
Snowmaggedon brought plenty of snow, but it also buried Paradise and the road leading to it.
It is now ready for visitors.
Crews are grooming runs and rangers are setting up safety ropes and installing signs, according to park officials.
Leave your hard toboggans and runner sleds at home. Only “soft” devices like flexible sleds, inner tubes and saucers are allowed.
The gate to Paradise opens each morning once National Park Service staff determine the road is passable. Visitors are usually allowed past the gate at 9 a.m.
The snowplay area closes at 4 p.m. The road to Paradise closes by 5 p.m.
There are also first-come, first-served guided snowshoeing tours at Paradise on weekends.
Walks start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Jackson Visitor Center. You can sign up an hour in advance at the information desk.
Each snowshoe covers just under two miles in two hours.
Snowshoers are asked to wear a hat, mittens or gloves, boots, sunscreen and sunglasses.
This story was originally published March 1, 2019 at 12:40 PM.
