Mount Rainier National Park has announced its winter operations, in preparation for weather conditions and recreation opportunities the winter season provides for visitors. Though many park roads are closed to vehicle access for the winter, areas throughout the park remain open for recreation.

“Visitors can come have a great park experience during a time that offers incredible seasonal opportunities, if they plan ahead, prepare for changing conditions, and know their limitations,” Park Superintendent Randy King said.

The Longmire area will remain open seven days a week, unless major storm events require closure.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Longmire Museum provides general park information, winter activity guidance, backcountry permits and Discover Your Northwest books and maps for sale.

The historic National Park Inn provides lodging, food, gifts and snowshoe/ski rentals. For reservations, call 360-569-2275 or visit mtrainierguestservices.com.

At Paradise, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center is open weekends only, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with additional days of operation for the holidays on Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 23- Jan. 3.

The Paradise snowplay area is not yet open. A sufficient snowpack depth is needed before snowplay can be opened, for both visitor safety and to avoid resource damage to the fragile meadows below. Further updates will be announced, depending on conditions.

Ranger-guided snowshoe walks at Paradise are scheduled to begin Dec. 23 and run through March 27, 2016. The walks will be offered on weekends and holiday periods when the visitor center is open; they begin at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and last two hours each. Sign-ups are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and begin one hour in advance of each walk at the Jackson Visitor Center information desk. Participants should dress warmly (layers), have warm hats and gloves and wear appropriate footwear suitable for snowshoes. Sunglasses, sunscreen and water are also advised.

On Jan. 2, reserved snowshoe walks will begin for groups of 15 to 25 visitors, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Group reservations can be made by calling 360-569-6575 between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If the gate opening between Longmire and Paradise is delayed, snowshoe walk times may be adjusted or led from the Longmire Museum.

As in past years, the main gate at the southwest entrance to the park (Nisqually) will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week unless hazardous conditions require a temporary closure. The higher elevation gate, located on the road between Longmire and Paradise, is closed nightly to ensure visitor and staff safety, with uphill access closing at 4 p.m. to allow time for visitors and staff to exit safely. Each morning, rangers and road crew staff will evaluate road, weather and avalanche conditions to determine when it is safe to open the road above Longmire. The standard open hours of this road are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with daily road opening/closing updates posted to Twitter.

Follow the feed at twitter.com/MountRainierNPS.

The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

Though closed to vehicle access for the winter, these areas remain open for winter recreation, though temporary closures of areas may become necessary due to changing conditions:

• Carbon River Road

• Mowich Lake Road

• Paradise Valley Road

• Ricksecker Point Road

• Stevens Canyon Road

• Sunrise Road

• Westside Road

• White River Road

At this time, state Route 123 (Cayuse Pass) and SR 410 (Chinook Pass) remain open, but are dependent on changing weather conditions. The seasonal closures of these routes will be announced by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Visitors are reminded that all vehicles (including four-wheel drive) are required to carry tire chains when traveling in the park from Nov. 1 through May 1. Road conditions can deteriorate quickly at any time and mandatory chain use may be required for all vehicles. Tire chains are available at the Summit House in Ashford and at the National Park Inn in Longmire.

With a valid permit, overnight winter camping is allowed throughout the park; however, access is dependent on road conditions. Campers should plan their travel with an understanding of nightly gate closures. Overnight camping in vehicles is not allowed in the park. For winter camping reservations, call 360-569-6575 between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Backcountry travelers are encouraged to get updates on weather conditions, current and projected snow, and avalanche conditions before arriving at the park. Additionally, backcountry travelers must heed warnings and be prepared to survive winter conditions.

SIDEBAR

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, nps.gov/mora.

• Get additional information and updates by joining the Mount Rainier community on Facebook

facebook.com/MountRainierNPS

• Find 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

• Share your own photos of Mount Rainier with other visitors in the Mount Rainier Flickr group

flickr.com/groups/MountRainierNPS

ANOTHER SIDEBAR

Gateway community businesses also provide services throughout the winter. Check their websites for visitor information: www.visitrainier.com, www.mt-rainier.com, www.mtrainierguestservices.com, www.minerallake.com,www.staycrystal.com, www.discoverlewiscounty.com and www.destinationpackwood.com