Mount Rainier Access

Ron,

Thanks for the info and link.

I wonder if the park service would be able to offer a shuttle service from Longmire to Paradise on the weekends any time duriing the road reconstruction, like they offer to Longmire.  Probably wishful thinking however it would draw some of the hard-core backcountry skiers and no doubt bring a few dollars to the area.

Personally I would pay for such a service and it would bring together a great group of people.  Lets say they had a bus where you could reserve a seat for $15.00 x 20 skiers = $300.00 for example.  It might be worth the effort for a private company or perhaps the park service to do so.

I am sure they are plowing the road anyway.

Wishful thinking...

Sir Gauthier,
I swear there was an article in one of the big Seattle papers, in which it was explicitly stated that pedestrian access was being allowed to West Side Road. Is this wrong?

Don't hate me, everyone, but I'd be psyched to get on Mt Rainier and have the whole mountain to myself. It can get claustrophobic up there, you know?

Well, the rules as to what you can and can't do along the Nisqually to Paradise corridor, as well as the Westside road, continually change. For a while, they didn't want anyone along the road (safety reasons w/ all the heavy equipment.) Then they allowed people to walk/bike/ski the road... Then they limited the hours and days... Quite honestly, even I have difficulty keeping up with the new rules. The best I can say is that if you're serious about getting up on the mountain, drop me an email via the blog and I'll get you the latest info.

As I understand things now, they don't want you to walk along the Nisqually or Westside road (no foot traffic 200 feet from the centerline to be exact.) Well, except for a few special hours every Sunday, 1-5 pm... I know what you're thinking, WOW, what a gift. Carbon River road, and HWY 410, are considered open.

I wish I could pile all the skiers and climbers into my very cool government looking large white van and deposit you at Paradise... The snow, as you all know, has just been fab this winter, despite those long term predictions from the climate impacts folks...

www.mountrainierclimbing.blogspot.com

hey, c'mon, Gator, look at that truck... not a window anywhere in the back. You could carry a dozen or more skiers in there and no one would be the wiser.
Drop us off over in the corner of the parking lot and go about your business; piece of cake, eh?
If need be we could ski right to your cabin at Longmire for the transport out.
When it comes to doing something nice for the ski mountaineering community, I can't think of anything you could do that would be nicer.
Well, OK, except for hauling unfortunate folks out of crevasses and injured climbers off of elevated precipices (which we aptly acknowledge and appreciate). But this is different...
We really need a lift, here, Gator. We can be discrete, you know we can...
Whaddya say?

PM me when he sez yes!

An update at:  seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/299079_rainier10.html

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Mount Rainier National Park officially closed
Limited access allowed only on weekends