Overnight Parking at Paradise

I'm sure this has been discussed, but I'm not very good at fine-tuning search functions (i.e. before you post reminding me of the search function, I get it).

What is the policy for overnight parking at Paradise (times specifically are this weekend)? And in addition to that, what if that overnight car had a person sleeping in the back? I'm not able to find an answer to this directly on their web page, and I haven't been able to get a human at the park on the phone.

Appreciate any beta.

Here's some info:

mountrainieraccess.blogspot.com/

Overnight Parking

Parking incorrectly can severely effect snow removal operations and delay road opening times. Please park overnight only in designated areas!

Primary overnight parking is offered at Paradise between the Paradise Inn and Paradise Old Station, facing towards the meadows, not the inn.

Secondary overflow parking will be offered in the lower part of the lower parking near where the old visitor's center was located. Turn into the parking lot, drive to the horseshoe corner and then look for the designated winter parking signs.

You must have been issued a backcountry permit to have permission to park overnight at Paradise.

Please obtain a backcountry or climbing permit from the Longmire Museum.

I could be wrong, but I have been told by LEOs that you can not sleep in your car in parking lot--you have to be camping 1/4 mile from a trail with a wilderness permit.

Acarey is right; they take a dim view of sleeping in vehicles.  I'm also sure it's often done successfully with a bogus permit; just stay out late & start very early.  You can always plead equipment or medical problems.  "My snow cave collapsed" has worked in the past.  If you can't outwit a ranger, maybe you deserve a ticket?   

I've known locals who would sign out for a Tatoosh overnight & sneak into the comfortable Narada warming hut after the man was gone.  Just be prepared at dawn for the road crew firing up their equipment stored in the sheds next door.

Have a great weekend!

There are a new crop of winter rangers down at Rainer this season -- they seem pretty cool actually -- But remember they are federal employees.   They might personally support you "car camping",  but they could put their jobs (and pensions) at risk if they blatently fail to enforce the rules. 

If you register for a backcounty camping permit and park in the designated area and sleep in your car in a stealthy manner so that you aren't detectable to the rangers (and other park users)  you'll likely be fine.

Part of the nightly "sweep" that the rangers do is to check every car in the lot to verify that is registered with a backcountry camping permit -- so your car will be checked and if your plate isn't in the permit list -- then the rangers have to assume you are lost or hurt and initiate search procedures -- which is a lot of work for them.   When they check your car, if you've got visible lights and the stereo going -- well your going to be talking to the ranger.    If they didn't enforce these rules the Paradise lot would end up being packed with RVs every weekend.

Also be aware that there are a small number of rangers that are housed in the Paradise area -- so you might also get a ranger visit later in the evening -- so stealth is the key.

Here is the info sheet from the park service: www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/winter_group_camping.pdf

Overall -- since snow camping is permitted right behind the Paradise Inn -- only about 50 yards from the parking lot  -- it's probably easier to just to bring a large winter tent and set it up there, than to play games with the rangers.  Too bad nobody makes a "Logan style" tent anymore.

Super feedback, thanks folks. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for.