Forum Index > Trip Reports > Paradise Valley - Mazama Ridge Loop, MRNP 1-21-2004
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Alan Bauer
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Alan Bauer
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 12:02 am 
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004 - PARADISE VALLEY / MAZAMA RIDGE LOOP MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK A day planned weeks ago...and the weather we got for it today! Craig Romano strode on by my Fall City dwelling, hopped in the rig with me and we were off for the Paradise area of MRNP in thick fog but knew we'd have the full glory of sunshine on The Mountain! Mount Rainier....it is indeed one of the most massive units of our earth to see "in whole". Arriving at the Paradise lot in pure April-like sunshine, only 4 other cars around, and silence. I was simply blown away to only wear one next-to-skin layer all day and stay warm enough. No jackets, no out layers. Is this mid-January we're talking about? And The Mountain...oh how huge it was, how rippled with snow, slides, curves, and whiteness that isn't seen in the grand flower-filled hikes of summer when the snow is already "dirty". Craig and I headed down the Paradise Valley, hit the road down low to cross Paradise Creek (main way to cut over to Mazama Ridge isn't marked now and we believe this bridge crossing was victim to the fall 2003 floods), and then quickly onto the road that loops back up the Paradise Valley. Leaving thoughts of doing the popular Reflection/Louise Lakes area for another time we continued snowshoeing up the road and soon hit the way-trail to gain the ridgeline on the southern Mazama Ridge. This was really the only area it felt "cold" and had we not been going uphill I might have needed to find more to cover the hands and head with. We then did the full length of Mazama Ridge and oh what views. Did I remember to say "blue sky and The Mountain"? Oh my....and from the ridge we poked east in many areas to view ripple-laced snowfields leading to views of the stunning mountains south of Reflection Lake. It was fun to see Pinnacle Saddle/Plumber Peak that I just sat atop last September! Here yes we noted incoming clouds and felt "well, now we'll have flat light the rest of the day but still see The Mountain". I was very surprised how at about 4:00pm the clouds just blew over/away, even what appeared to be incoming low clouds! Sunset on Mount Rainier was simply a magic show of long shadows on the glaciers cast from the rocky ledges. The depth of field that Rainier took on for 15 minutes was humbling. I just stood and watched. But backing up a bit....Mazama Ridge was a playground for us to explore as we gained elevation to the north. Craig's back was killing him but he managed to make it (crazy guy still headed out with me after almost having had a broken back 2 weeks ago!!). Gray jays flocked us at our one stop to fuel up---great photos! The drop down to Paradise Creek and the road from the ridge made me feel like a 6-year old kid on Christmas morning. Massive jumps and steps in fluffy snow, sometimes sliding down 6-8' and just gave me the giggles. That 600' of elevation took hardly any time and then it was the slog up the road back to Paradise. That's the time the sunset on the mountain was starting. It felt great to be back down and heading back to the Paradise parking area---Mazama Ridge seemed to grow about two miles longer as we snowshoed its full length. No wind. And....no people. Craig was speechless---he has snowshoed this vicinity over a dozen times on weekdays in all weather and this was the first and only time he did it and not see a soul. I fully expected dozens of parties to somehow have found a way to get to Paradise on Mount Rainier to take advantage of one of the rare days of mid-winter glory in these conditions. But I too was wrong. I shot seven rolls of slides and we just coasted on down from the alpine magic into the darkness of sunset and the drive home. Upon getting home and seeing the star-filled sky I could only just now go outside again and think of those same stars over The Mountain and the quiet that we had all day that remains behind us. Better than any first-rate day could be!! Alan L. Bauer 01/21/2004

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JimK
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 8:56 am 
Alan, I was fortunate enough to have a nearly identical day last February. There was an inversion which left Paradise warmer than a stagnant, smoggy Seattle. Last February only had about half the snow though. You might want to compare some of my photos with what you saw. Sun In Paradise

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Slugman
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 8:59 am 
I'm hoping for that kind of weather there this Sunday, but no way are we getting that kind of solitude! Great report.

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Alan Bauer
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Alan Bauer
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 10:22 am 
Slugman, I thought of you yesterday knowing you were going to be heading up there soon. I hope dry cold air moves in for you to have the clear sky! The only thing that could have been better for my day was if the thin cloud layer didn't pass through for those 2-3 hours of prime-time up on Mazama Ridge. It was still sunny, but the blue sky was hidden to a flat white color for awhile. But I won't complain as it had to have been 40-45 degrees out for part of the 1-3pm timeframe (while COLD down in the Paradise Valley area). JimK--things looked pretty similar to yours but again this snow is what has fallen in 4-5 weeks less time. There actually isn't all that much snow as there could be for this time of year and hardly anything since Jan 4-7th storms. But the snow was wonderful with 6-8" of fluff on top of consolodated stuff for great snowshoe travel. Of course last weekends packed trails are all there if you want hard pack travel. I'd guess there was 2-3' more snow than your photos show. I'm beginning to think that unless February and March are huge dumping machines of snow we surely won't enter the summer 2004 hiking season with anything over 100% snowpack. About 3 weeks ago I was afraid of a 1998/1999 repeat where snow was still 6' deep at 3900' in places...on July 22nd!

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