Glacier Vista Snowshoe — Friday, May. 4, 2007

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

We showshoed up from Paradise more-or-less to Glacier View on Park-Reopening day, (mostly) in the fog. All the trees were beautifully flocked from the Friday and Friday night snow showers, which left 6"" or more fresh white stuff (roads were fine). Although some folks were ascending far above Paradise by postholing, they were also leaving quite a number of deepish holes. Snowshoes or skis seemed to be a wise idea. No bare spots in the snow around Paradise, and little evidence that there will be any in the next week or two. Parking in the upper lot is very limited due to construction. We briefly poked around Narada Falls on the way down. A few bare spots appeared to be emerging at that lower elevation. The Park Service has started plowing the Stevens Canyon Road (and quite a few folks seemed to be walking along it above Narada). The wands which, during a ""normal"" winter, mark the route from Narada to Reflection Lakes along the summertime trail (and lead you to the lower start point for the Mazama Ridge route) were not installed, so people snowshoeing or skiing that route will have to do their own navigation (as well as traversing the plowed road).