Glacier Vista Snowshoe, Panorama Point Snowshoe & Pebble Creek — Sunday, May. 7, 2017

Snowshoeing at Mt. Rainier! The mountain's still got tons of snow. The weather was perfect....sunny and warm. There were lots of skiers enjoying spring skiing, too. This is an epic adventure snowshoeing from Paradise to Muir Snowfield via Glacier Vista, Panorama Point, Pebble Creek and the Sugarloaf. I turned around at the Sugarloaf (7,800') as time was running out, or I would have kept the journey going up to Camp Muir. The condition in the snowfield was excellent with no wind and comfortable temperature. I always enjoy this "winter wonderland in spring" hike and of course, spectacular views of Mt. Rainier and other Cascades peaks including Tatoosh range, Mt. Adams, Mount St. Helens and Mt. Hood and beyond. The snow condition was excellent over all though it got slushy due to the warm weather. You may get by without snowshoes if you follow boot tracks with a slight chance of postholing. Descending from Panorama Point, it's better to take off snowshoes and trek down, or glissade if you wish. The road to Paradise is clear (required to carry chains) and the gates are open 24/7 now. I started late in the afternoon and the parking lot was completely full with overflow when I arrived. Check weather and avalanche conditions before you head up there. Be safe and have fun while the snow lasts!