Home > Trip Reports > January 3, 2015, Mt. Rainier, chains required

January 3, 2015, Mt. Rainier, chains required

1/3/15
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
7265
7
Posted by Chamois on 1/6/15 6:37am
Well this has all changed over the past couple days.  We debated about the Tatoosh but from the Navrada Falls lot some of the basins looked pretty rocky, so we went up to Paradise. 

Fluff in the trees was replaced by suncrust and windpack going up to Golden Gate.  Atop Mazama Ridge was more of the same.  The best snow was the bowl leading to the road bend that is the main uptrack.  We should have just lapped that but optimism got the best of us and we went exploring to find most of the same elsewhere. 

One note of caution - we saw several disappointed Subie drivers turned around at a checkpoint past the Longmire gate because they were not carrying chains.  We had to do show-and-tell and were passed along.
PSA (paradise subie advice): Les Schwab sells nice chains which, if unused, are returnable in April. Also, Goodwill/Value Village frequently have chains for cheap; just make certain they fit your tires. Using wrong-size chains to pass a checkpoint is lame and won't encourage NPS to open the road.

We skied tatoosh on saturday.  There were some pockets of fresh hidden in the trees, but everything open was crusty.  One of my bindings decided not to return to ski mode, so I had an interesting descent and we called it an early day.  The view from the saddle between pinnacle and castle made the trip worth it, with adams, st helens and hood all visible with a yellow backdrop.

Let's hope for some more snow soon.

With dedicated snow tires, do you need chains? I know a lot of checkpoints are either / or (chains OR dedicated snow tires).

author=dfhkvs link=topic=33346.msg138243#msg138243 date=1420598236]
With dedicated snow tires, do you need chains? I know a lot of checkpoints are either / or (chains OR dedicated snow tires).


"All vehicles are required to carry tire chains when traveling in the park during the winter season (November 1 - May 1). This requirement applies to all vehicles (including four-wheel-drive), regardless of tire type or weather conditions."  http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/tire-chain-faq.htm

Speaking of chains, saw the following conversation in the Paradise Parking lot on Saturday:

Helpful guy watching a tourist spin their tires pointlessly in the paradise parking lot: "Is your car rear wheel drive?"
Hapless tourist: "Um..yes."
Helpful guy: "You might benefit by moving the tire chains to your rear tires then."
Hapless tourist: "Oh."

Skid several laps on the happy side of Mazama ridge. No wind, occasional sun, temperatures right around freezing. Great day!

author=Charlie Hagedorn link=topic=33346.msg138235#msg138235 date=1420586742]
Using wrong-size chains to pass a checkpoint is lame and won't encourage NPS to open the road.


This implies that everyone carrying correct size chains does encourage NPS to open the road, which obviously isn't true.  Just don't drive like a moron if you carry wrong-sized chains.  Considering how finicky they are about opening the road, there is about a 0.0001% chance that an AWD vehicle and about an ounce of brains wouldn't be able to get you up and down from Paradise.

3 notes:
1. Chains (or socks) can be required for 4wd's. It's rare, but could go into effect while you're at Paradise, stranding you there. The most the rangers will do for you then is to call a tow truck to bring you chains, upping the cost considerably.

2. The gift store by the Inn in Longmire sells chains and will take them back for a full refund if unused. It's a service the concessionaire has agreed to provide to visitors.

3. Echo JPH that if you're not the Lowest Common Denominator driver, you'll get back and forth ok with AWD, but refer to Note 1. Snow chain carry is state law, get 'em!

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Chamois
2015-01-06 14:37:18