Paradise Road Transitions to Nightly Closures for the Winter Season

Date: November 15, 2016
Contact: Kelsea Holbrook, 360-569-6510

Winter will officially arrive at the mountain tonight with snow forecast to the 3000' elevation. The road between Longmire and Paradise has officially transitioned to winter hours of operation due to expected snow accumulation.

Beginning immediately the road gate just above Longmire will close nightly to ensure visitor safety and the safety of park staff, including rangers and road crew. Prior to visiting the park check Twitter for gate status, possible opening delays, and other road condition updates (a Twitter account is not required to view). The road may close at any time, or may not open during the day, depending on conditions.

Longmire - Paradise Road Winter Gate Schedule:

• Gate Opens - 9:00 am, weather dependent
• Uphill Gate Closes - 4:00 pm
• Leave Paradise - 4:30 pm, it is recommended to leave Paradise half an hour before full gate closure to have time to return safely
• Gate Locked - 5:00 pm

Rangers and snow plow operators evaluate road, weather, avalanche, and staffing conditions every morning in making a decision on whether it is safe to open the Paradise road above Longmire. All times stated in this release are subject to change based on weather and road conditions. 
 
The entire park is open for visitor use throughout the winter season, including overnight winter camping with a valid permit seven days a week. The Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise is open weekends and holidays only, 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. The Longmire area remains open seven days a week, barring major storm events. At the historic National Park Inn, lodging, food, gifts, snowshoe and ski rentals are available. For reservations call 360-569-2275 or visit www.mtrainierguestservices.com. General park information, including winter activity guidance, backcountry permits, and books, and maps from Discover Your Northwest are available at the Longmire Museum, open daily 9:00 am – 4:30 pm.
 
Information on current park road closures and weather conditions can be obtained by calling the park at 360-569-2211 for recorded information that is updated regularly. Park information, announcements, and the Mount Rainier webcams are available on the park’s official website www.nps.gov/mora. Learn about the park by joining the Mount Rainier community on Facebook facebook.com/MountRainierNPS or on Tumblr mountrainiernps.tumblr.com/; find out breaking news and road status updates through Mount Rainier's Twitter feed twitter.com/MountRainierNPS; explore the park and behind-the-scenes operations with our videos on YouTube youtube.com/MountRainierNPS; and share your own photos of Mount Rainier on Instagram @MountRainierNPS or in the Mount Rainier Flickr group flickr.com/groups/MountRainierNPS.
 

www.nps.gov