Tahoma News Summer 2019 | July 1 - September 2
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MountMount Rainier Rainier National National Park | Official Park Newspaper The Tahoma News Summer 2019 | July 1 - September 2 Preserving Paradise Maintaining historic buildings in one of the snowiest places on Earth is a mountain of a job! Welcome... ... to Mount Rainier National Park, a crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest and of the National Park System! We are proud to announce that the Paradise Inn Annex rehabilitation is Paradise has long been a destination for people Paradise Inn opened for business in 1917, complete and this National Historic attracted to Mount Rainier. In 1886, early providing an alternative to the rugged tent camps Landmark along with the rest of the Inn entrepreneurs began providing visitor services that existed at the time. The Paradise Inn consists is once again serving park visitors this at Paradise, including a coffee shop and a tent of two structures, the Inn and the Annex, which summer. We celebrate the efforts of all camp. The need for visitor facilities has grown are connected by the snowbridge. The Annex was involved in the specialized work required and changed over the years. With Mount Rainier constructed in 1920 and provides 79 guest rooms, to rehabilitate this important part of our established in 1899, an influx of campers and over half of all the overnight lodging in the park. heritage. sightseers sought out its highcountry meadows. Early visitors overwhelmingly chose to make Much of Paradise’s 1920s village-like development The renovation of the Paradise Inn Paradise either their destination or base of has changed throughout the years. Even so, in 1990, represents the kind of major investments operations. Thus, Paradise was established as the the roads, buildings and trails that remained were the National Park Service is making across center of visitor activity even before it could be designated a National Historic Landmark District. the country to preserve our heritage while reached by road. Continued on page 5 simultaneously reducing our maintenance backlog. This work is funded through a combination of concession franchise fees, park entrance fees, and congressional appropriations. As a result of these wise Inside The Tahoma News investments the Paradise Inn, which so many hold dear in their hearts, will be Exploring Mount Rainier Page 2 a part of memories of generations of Campgrounds Page 2 visitors to come. Visiting Longmire Page 3 We invite you to stop by the Paradise Inn Exploring Paradise Pages 4-5 Keep in Touch! for a night, a meal, or to find a memento Ohanapecosh Page 6 in the gift shop. If nothing else, wander Sunrise and White River Page 7 Mount Rainier National Park through the lobby, or sit for a while and Carbon River and Mowich Page 8 www.nps.gov/mora soak in the ambiance and rich history of this rustic landmark. Safety and Hiking Pages 9-10 Ranger-led Programs Page 11 Chip Jenkins How You Can Help Page 12 @MountRainierNPS Superintendent Explore Mount Rainier National Park Carbon River near Chenuis Falls JD Hascup photo At 14,410 feet high, Mount Rainier is the tallest Entrance Fees peak in the Cascade Range and an icon of the Admission to the park is $30 per private vehicle; Mount Rainier National Park Pacific Northwest. While the mountain's well- $25 per motorcycle; and $15 per person entering known profile is visible for many miles in every the park on foot or riding a bicycle. The pass can Superintendent direction, its alpine, glacier-clad slopes occupy be used for seven days. A Mount Rainier National Chip Jenkins only a third of Mount Rainier National Park. There Park Annual Pass is available at park entrance Mailing Address are as many different sides of the park as there are stations for $55 and is valid for a full year. Pay fees 55210 238th Avenue East views of Mount Rainier. Take the time to explore at park entrance stations or online at Ashford, WA 98304 the other two-thirds of the park, and discover what yourpassnow.com. Fees support projects in the E-mail lies within the shadow of the great mountain that park, improve visitor facilities, in part fund the [email protected] local American Indians call "Tahoma." education program, and pay for new exhibits in Park Headquarters visitor centers, on trails, and at viewpoints. (360) 569-2211 Whether you are looking for wilderness solitude Lost and Found or historical architecture, spectacular drives or Every year the National Park Service offers (360) 569-6608 challenging hikes, Mount Rainier National Park has entrance fee free days. For complete fee something for you. This issue includes information information, including Annual, Active Military, that will help you plan your activities and have a Senior, and Access passes visit https://www.nps.gov/ safe and enjoyable visit. mora/planyourvisit/fees.htm. How Far Is It? One Way There are five major visitor areas in the park: Driving Times & Distances • Longmire (southwest) Wise Water Use • Paradise (south side) Road Distance Time • Ohanapecosh (southeast) Mount Rainier and Washington State are • Sunrise/White River (northeast) experiencing drought conditions. Longmire to Paradise 12 miles 25 min • Carbon River/Mowich Lake (northwest) Paradise to Ohanapecosh You can help park water supplies last by 23 miles 45 min Parking can be difficult to find on sunny summer conserving water during your visit. via Stevens Canyon Rd weekends at Paradise, Sunrise, Grove of the Ohanapecosh to White 18 miles 30 min Patriarchs, and at trailheads between Longmire Make every drop count! River Entrance and Paradise. To avoid congestion, visit these areas White River Entrance to 13 miles 45 min on weekdays, arrive early, and carpool. Sunrise Please Drive Safely! If you are in the park on a busy day, you may want White River Entrance to Carbon River via 61 miles 2 hrs to explore less–visited areas to escape the biggest Park roads are winding, road shoulders Enumclaw crowds. In taking the extra time to seek out these are narrow, and the speed limit is special places, you can immerse yourself in an old- Longmire to Carbon River 35 mph in most areas. Watch for 80 miles 2.5 hrs growth forest, reflect next to a cascading waterfall, pedestrians, sightseers, bicyclists, and via Eatonville/Orting hike in virtual solitude, or just relax, take in the wildlife. Please be courteous and use Longmire to Mowich Lake view, and reconnect with nature. No matter where 89 miles 3 hrs pullouts to allow faster drivers to pass via Eatonville/Orting you go in the park you will find spectacular scenery you safely. and a multitude of recreational opportunities! Drive-in Campgrounds Campground Open Dates Elev. Sites Group Toilets Dump Maximum Sites Station RV/Trailer Length Cougar Rock* May 24 - Oct. 14 3,180’ 173 5 Flush Yes RV 35’/Trailer 27’ Ohanapecosh* May 24 - Oct. 14 1,914’ 188 2 Flush Yes RV 32’/Trailer 27’ White River June 21 - Sept. 30 4,232’ 112 0 Flush No RV 27’/Trailer 18’ Mowich Lake Primitive walk-in campground, tents only. 10 sites. No fee (must self-register at campground kiosk). Vault toilets, no potable water. No fires allowed. Elevation 4,929’; generally open July through early October, depending on road and weather conditions. Call 360-829-9639 for information. *Advance reservations are recommended for individual sites at Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh Campgrounds from June 22 through the night of September 1. These can be made up to six months in advance. Reservations for group sites are recommended and are available throughout the season. These can be made up to one year in advance. To make a reservation online, go to www.recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777. 2 | Mount Rainier National Park | Tahoma News | July 1 - September 2, 2019 Southwest: Visit Historic Longmire Deep in the valley of the Nisqually River, the village Rampart Ridge (Strenuous, 4.6 miles, 2.5 of Longmire preserves the history of the park’s hours round-trip) The Rampart Ridge Trail first settlement and headquarters. The Longmire branches off from the west side of the Trail of the Emergency Museum is the starting point for the self-guided Shadows, climbs steeply to the ridge-top, then Dial 911 from any phone walking tour of the Longmire Historic District, circles back to Longmire by way of the Wonderland where you can get a taste of early National Park Trail. The lower portions of this trail climb through located inside the park Service rustic architecture. Follow the Trail of the stands of ancient trees of various ages. Some Shadows to learn about the park’s first homestead Douglas-firs on the east side of the loop are around and resort, next to Longmire Meadow’s mineral 1,000 years old. springs. Between Longmire and Nisqually Entrance, walk the Twin Firs Trail to view lowland Eagle Peak (Strenuous, 7.2 miles, 5 hours Longmire Services and old-growth forest; picnic at Kautz Creek to view round-trip) Eagle Peak offers panoramic views of the aftermath of the 1947 mudflow; or drive to the Nisqually Valley and Mount Rainier. The lower Facilities Westside Road to see the dramatic results of portions of the trail climb steeply through stands Longmire Museum flooding and rockfall. For great views of lava layers, of ancient Douglas-fir and younger mountain (360) 569-6575 glaciers, and deep glacial canyons, stop at the hemlock trees. Open year-round viewpoints along Ricksecker Point Road, between Ranger programs, exhibits, information, books Longmire and Paradise. Carter Falls (Moderate, 2.2 miles, 2 hours July 1 - September 30 round-trip) Stroll along the Paradise River from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm daily Bicycle or Hike Westside Road A popular Cougar Rock Campground to Carter Falls.