Mount Rainier National Park News
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MPG V2.5, March 2009

Current Season Conditions and Photo Opportunities
March 2009

The purpose of this Web page is to provide some general monthly and seasonal conditions in Mt Rainier NP. It's not meant to necessarily completely accurate or updated, see the other news and access Web pages for that information. It is meant to be a general guide to help you visit to the NP. Much of the information has been gleaned from a variety of sources, often from trip reports, conversations with experienced people, Websites, news stories, etc.

Conditions

I have added a Web page for winter photography in the NP which offers some suggestions for your winter visit. In addition, you view conditions at Paradise with the NP Webcams.

March is the start of the transistion when the snowpack peaks a lower elevations while still increasing into April at the upper elevations, and temperatures begin to change from winter to spring at the lower elevations. March is also one of the most unpredictable and variable months, with winter to spring conditions in the NP occurring anytime during in the month, even at the lower elevations.

Currently the NP is under winter and storm rules and has experienced damages to roads, trails, etc. All the entrances are closed except the Nisqually Entrance which is open daily from Longmire to Paradise after checking for snow conditions and for snow removal. The Jackson Visitors Center is open weekends and holidays providing the road is open from Longmire.

So if you love snow and cold, and lots of white, you're in luck. This means to come and be prepared for whatever you wish to do, and be flexible with your interests and schedule. And always check ahead.

Photo Oppoortunities

Photographic opportunities can be put down to one idea, winter. If you enjoy the winter and like be out and photographiing in the winter, you'll be fine. There are lots of excellent seasonal nature and landscape scenes when and where there are far fewer people. The open tourists areas are far less crowded as are the trails in those areas, namely Paradise as the other are closed or only open to walk-ins.

This is also the time you can get the snow scenes if the freezing and snow levels accommodate or you're willing to do some snowshoeing into the higher elevations. The seasonal snow is dependent on the seasonal weather and storms, which can easily melt in hours as the freezing level rise about 4-5,000 foot elevation.

In addition, a good destination photo hike are the four fire lookouts in the NP along with two just outside the NP on the south and north sides. You can get a description of them and locate them on a map. They provides excellent vista of Mt. Rainier and the entire 360 view of the NP and area. The problem is all of these have snow at and on the trail to them, so you have to be prepared with gear and clothing.

Prospects

If you plan a trip to Mt. Rainer NP in winter, it's fair to say for now, to plan for variations in weather, see the historic range, for warm to hot days (our peak temperatures) and cool to cooler nights with the normal rain and rainstorms. In short, be prepared.

If you plan to hike into the backcountry, the NPS has issued an advisory on the backcountry and especially the Wonderland Trail, see Press Release. This year the high elevation trails are in snow and the weather is cold. It's the same adage about the NP, be prepared.

You can can get reports for previous months here.

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