Mount Rainier Superintendent Randy King advises that entrance fees into Mount Rainier National Park will be waived Monday, January 21 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday.
At Mount Rainier, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center will be open Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as well as the Paradise snowplay area.
Public snowshoe walks are offered at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. A sign-up sheet is available at the Jackson Visitor Center information desk one hour before each walk. Walks are limited to 25 people, eight years old or older, on a first-come-first-served basis. A $4 donation from each participant helps defray the cost to repair and replace snowshoes. Visitors should dress with layers of warm clothes, hats, mittens, suitable boots, and have sunscreen and sunglasses. The walk is 1.2 miles and lasts about two hours.
The National Park Inn at Longmire is also open daily and offers lodging, dining, a general store/gift shop, ski and snowshoe rentals and tire chain purchases. Lodging, food, gifts and other amenities are also available in the gateway communities surrounding the park.
Visitors planning to come to the park should check for current weather and road conditions. Recorded information is available by calling 360-569-2211 or via the park’s social media pages at:
http://facebook.com/MountRainierNPS
http://twitter.com/MountRainierNPS
http://youtube.com/MountRainierNPS
http://flickr.com/groups/MountRainierNPS
Join the Mount Rainier community on Facebook, find out breaking news and road status updates through Mount Rainier's Twitter feed, explore the park and behind-the-scenes operations with our videos on YouTube, and share your own photos of Mount Rainier with other visitors in the Mount Rainier Flickr group."
If you’re planning on going into the backcountry wilderness or climbing, be aware that winter camping and climbing are much more demanding and hazardous than in summer. Don’t venture out when storms are expected and get updates on avalanche conditions at the Northwest Avalanche Center web site - www.nwac.us before going out.
Park visitors are reminded that all vehicles are required to carry tire chains when traveling in the park during the winter season (Nov 1 - May 1). This requirement applies to all vehicles (including four-wheel drive), regardless of tire type or weather conditions.
Other fee free days at National Park Service areas in 2013 will include: National Park Week (April 22-26); Great Outdoors Day (June 8); National Park Service Birthday (August 25); National Public Lands Day (September 28); and Veterans Day weekend (November 9-11).
