We finally got out for a day of snowshoeing while the skies were blue.  We were not the only ones at Paradise on Mt Rainier, but there was plenty of room for all.  For the most part we took the paths less traveled and even found some patches of snow to put down new tracks.  Wonderful day!

Notes:  A quick note on the road thru the park.  It's mostly clean and dry, but there remain a few icy patches.  Just be careful.  The main trails were firmly beaten down and could be navigated without snowshoes.  Off trail it was crusty, older snow, but relatively firm underneath.  Avalanche danger was low and will probably remain that way until we get a fresh dump of new snow. There were a couple of older debris fields, the largest one being on the east side of Alta Vista point down into the Edith Creek valley.

Route:  We started up the Skyline Trail but soon wandered off to the west and followed the tree line along the Nisqually Glacier valley.  It was chilly in the morning.  As we got higher, and the slopes were more open, the wind could be quite cold.  We found a nice tree protected spot above Alta Vista point for lunch before continuing up to Glacier View.  There was a line of people climbing higher still, heading for Panorama Point.  Instead of following them we cut to the East down what the map labeled as the "Edith Creek Ski Route," which took us down into the upper creek valley and to the Golden Gate Trail.  We crossed the bridge over Myrtle Falls and then back to the parking lot.  Alltrails tracked 3.6 miles and almost 1000 feet of gain.

Impressions:  It was a truly great day despite the cold winds.  We saw the forecast and came prepared for the cold, so we were able to enjoy the beautiful mountain and abundant snowpack (the ranger told me it was 12 feet deep). I especially liked that I could find places where I could put down new tracks.  Snowshoeing is hard work going up or breaking trail, but then it can be really fun plunging back downhill.  That loop into Edith Creek basin was a nice way to experience new terrain on the way down.  It got us out of the wind, too.  Great day and great company.  Looking forward to more snow and more snowshoeing.  

Hiked 5/20/2023. A gorgeous sunny day. Trail is fully covered in snow. The NPS has clearly marked out the Edith Creek crossing, which is now down to the wood bridge. It is much safer to cross here at the bridge rather than further up in the basin - as the snow bridge over the creek may break through at any time.

The Myrtal Falls viewpoint is not accessible / dangerous to try to access at this time ... for safety, wait for the snow to melt! 

I hadn't planned to hit Paradise, too much snow, but the mountain truly was calling. I arrived at the Jackson Visitor Center at 7:45 on a beautiful Saturday morning. There was still parking in the main lot and a lot of parking in the back up lot. After talking to a ranger I chose the Edith Creek Basin Route. That early, it was still icy. I donned my spikes on my trailrunners and baskets on my poles. I followed the orange poles to the bridge over Myrtle Falls. The falls lookout is not accessible right now and the trail to the bridge is steep and slippery (this is the preferred route for visitors). Once the poles ended, I shifted left to the Golden Gate trail. I've been on it so many times, but never on the snow. I saw a couple marmots. I could see the Alta Vista waterfall and hear a lot of water running under the snow. I steered clear of the valley. I made it half way up Golden Gate before I turned around. The sun was blazing and the steep slopes whispered threats of avalanches (along with the ranger who did not whisper the threat). In the short time it took to make it a mile and a half, the snow was already super slushy. I was sliding and sinking in. The views were outstanding. The mountain was wagging its tail and totally showing off this morning. I said a big thank you and happily got off the snow. In the patches of melted snow, wildflowers are starting to bloom. I'll try again in a couple weeks. For now, it's not super fun on that kind of snow at this time of year. Stay safe, bring poles and the right gear. 

Set out for Rainier on a day when the road conditions, weather, and avalanche forecast all converged in our favor. From the Paradise parking lot headed up the Skyline trail, ended up partially following the Dead Horse Creek trail, then cut to the right before Glacier Vista and headed up the steep (35-45 degree!) slope directly to Panorama Point. Incredible view! Adams, St. Helen's, and Hood were all visible, and the pure white snow added to the stunning vastness. From the top of Panorama Point headed to the right into the basin below the summer route and cut south over Edith Creek. Met up with the Golden Gate Trail and essentially skirted the summer route for a bit - the downhill slope near Golden Gate Falls was a bit treacherous, but we started out cutting our own switchbacks and then decided to glissade from about halfway down when we could see that the basin we were heading into was flat and fairly safe. From there, followed Edith Creek/Golden Gate Trail over Myrtle Falls and back to the parking lot. All told, the loop was around 3.5 miles and about 1400 feet of gain, which my friend's snowshoeing book described as the "most challenging" difficulty level. A fabulous winter day. 

Took a mental health day and decided to snowshoe since the weather looked promising. I used snowshoes the entire time. The snow is melting fast and is pretty slushy closer to the parking lot. Lots of people have gone up to Alta vista with just shoes, so the trail is full of post holes. This was a fun loop if you have the gear and expertise. Only saw 3 other people and two groups practicing self arrest near Glacier vista. A few tents set up had me jealous I wasn’t camping too!