Mt. Rainier Longmire Gate Schedule for winter 2024-2025

[Bronco]

Mount Rainier National Park announces winter recreational access for 2024-25 season

Paradise Road open to vehicles Fridays through Mondays starting November 12

 

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Date: October 30, 2024
Contact: Mount Rainier Press Information Line, 360-569-6510

 

 

ASHFORD, Wash. – Mount Rainier National Park announced updates today to the winter 2024-25 recreation access schedule. Beginning Tuesday, November 12, the park will open vehicle access to the Paradise area four days per week, Fridays through Mondays. 

The road will be closed to public vehicle access Tuesdays through Thursdays. Park staff will continue to revisit the Paradise access schedule should staffing levels change during the winter season. The Longmire area will remain open seven days a week barring any major storm events or emergency situations.  

Winter camping at Paradise will be available Friday through Sunday nights only, conditions permitting. The sledding runs at Paradise will not be open for the 2024-2025 winter season, as available staff members will be focused on plowing roads and parking lots to maintain access into the area. Sledding is not permitted elsewhere in the park. More information about Paradise winter access is available on the park website. 

Winter recreation access in the rest of the park remains unchanged. Annual winter season closures of State Routes 410 and 123 will be enacted soon at the northeast, east, and southeast park boundaries. The east side of the park is open for visitor use throughout the winter, including overnight winter camping with a valid permit.   

Information on the status of the gate to Paradise can be found on the park’s Alerts section of the website. The National Park Inn and Longmire General Store remain open daily for equipment rentals, food, and beverages. The park website provides information on winter activities within the park and at nearby areas outside the park. Staff and visitor safety goals are outlined in the 2018 document “Longmire-to-Paradise Winter Road Opening Matrix” on the park’s website. 

For more information about Mount Rainier National Park, please visit www.nps.gov/mora.  

[olyclimber]

No sledding in the park!!!??!!  This is fascism! 

[Fairweather]

This was a topic worthy of discussion. Your dismissive reply makes such a discussion much less likely.

[olyclimber]

1 hour ago, Fairweather said:

This was a topic worthy of discussion. Your dismissive reply makes such a discussion much less likely.

What the hell are you on about?

[JasonG]

Wait, no sledding???  Sheesh.

[olyclimber]

Earlier this year it was about the park people screwing the RAMROD folks out of their ride, which has been done for many years.   The folks in the cycling community are pretty connected and have a pretty loud voice.

http://www.redmondcyclingclub.org/RAMROD/RAMROD.html

[JasonG]

I really wonder why NPS continues to be so lame.  Serious question, even if poorly worded.  I don't think you can blame it all on staffing.  There appears to be a significant cultural shift in the agency over the past 30 years.

My boys don't need big brother (or even dad) telling them where to sled.  Might they get hurt?  Sure.  That's nature for you.  They could very well not be smart enough to reproduce, but I don't need NPS telling me that. 

Maybe we shouldn't let people climb the mountain?  Seems dangerous.

[Fairweather]

Exactly right, Jason.

[AlpineNinja]

Is their reasoning really that too many people are getting injured sledding?

[Alisse]

Was this meant to imply it won't open before November 12? They've kept the gate closed Friday, yesterday, today...

[JasonG]

5 hours ago, AlpineNinja said:

Is their reasoning really that too many people are getting injured sledding?

I've heard from rangers that this is part of it, but mostly they feel that they can't have sledding without ranger supervision.  And since they don't have enough staff in the winter to "supervise" visitors adequately, no sledding for anyone.

Because, you know, us serfs aren't to be trusted.  We might destroy "park resources" and hurt ourselves without big brother's protective gaze upon us at all times.