I drove up to the Narada Falls parking lot hoping yo snowshoe out to Reflection Lakes and back via Inspiration Saddle (this route is marked and does not go through avalanche terrain). Because of the deep fresh snow and short time, I ended up only getting a bit past Inspiration Saddle. I did not see any other people until I returned to the Narada Falls parking lot today. Overall I snowshoed about 3.5 miles with 650 ft of elevation gain. View of Mt Rainier from a pull out along the road.
View of Paradise River from the bridge before the Comfort Station and Trailhead.
There were no cars when I arrived at the trailhead and no tracks in the snow at the trailhead or anywhere along my route today.
The Paradise River was beautiful with all the fresh snow from earlier this week.
After the trail joined the closed Paradise Valley Road, I headed out a short ways on the Stevens Canyon Road towards Inspiration Saddle for a view Mt Rainier.
With an avalanche risk of considerable at treelike and above, moderate below treelike, but reports of avalanches on low aspects, I opted to not take the route to Reflection Lakes via Inspiration Point and Stevens Canyon Road, but turned back at this sign. I returned and headed up the closed Stevens Canyon Road for about 0.3 mile to the trail heading over Inspiration Saddle.
view of Mt Rainier along the way
Sun trying to break through the clouds
I saw lots of these prints in the snow. They were bigger than weasel prints and claw marks were visible.
Another view of Mt Rainier as I neared Inspiration Saddle. I continued a short ways beyond the saddle and found the snow even deeper. I decided by the time I reached Reflection Lakes I would might not return in time for the early closing of the gate at Longmire as breaking trail where I was sinking 6-12" in snow was very tiring .
my track
I stopped at this view for a break on my way back down from Inspiration Saddle.
another view of Mt Rainier along the route
zoom of Pyramid Peak seen to the west
Heading back down the closed Paradise Valley Road
zoom of a Tatoosh Peak
Before returning to the trail back to Narada Falls, I went to the bridge above Ruby Falls for this lovely view of the Paradise River.
Ruby Falls below the bridge
Once back at the trailhead, I went down to the view of Narada Falls.
Lane Peak as seen above Narada Falls
I drove up to the Narada Falls parking lot hoping yo snowshoe out to Reflection Lakes and back via Inspiration Saddle (this route is marked and does not go through avalanche terrain). Because of the deep fresh snow and short time, I ended up only getting a bit past Inspiration Saddle. I did not see any other people until I returned to the Narada Falls parking lot today. Overall I snowshoed about 3.5 miles with 650 ft of elevation gain. View of Mt Rainier from a pull out along the road.
View of Paradise River from the bridge before the Comfort Station and Trailhead.
There were no cars when I arrived at the trailhead and no tracks in the snow at the trailhead or anywhere along my route today.
The Paradise River was beautiful with all the fresh snow from earlier this week.
After the trail joined the closed Paradise Valley Road, I headed out a short ways on the Stevens Canyon Road towards Inspiration Saddle for a view Mt Rainier.
With an avalanche risk of considerable at treelike and above, moderate below treelike, but reports of avalanches on low aspects, I opted to not take the route to Reflection Lakes via Inspiration Point and Stevens Canyon Road, but turned back at this sign. I returned and headed up the closed Stevens Canyon Road for about 0.3 mile to the trail heading over Inspiration Saddle.
view of Mt Rainier along the way
Sun trying to break through the clouds
I saw lots of these prints in the snow. They were bigger than weasel prints and claw marks were visible.
Another view of Mt Rainier as I neared Inspiration Saddle. I continued a short ways beyond the saddle and found the snow even deeper. I decided by the time I reached Reflection Lakes I would might not return in time for the early closing of the gate at Longmire as breaking trail where I was sinking 6-12" in snow was very tiring .
my track
I stopped at this view for a break on my way back down from Inspiration Saddle.
another view of Mt Rainier along the route
zoom of Pyramid Peak seen to the west
Heading back down the closed Paradise Valley Road
zoom of a Tatoosh Peak 
Before returning to the trail back to Narada Falls, I went to the bridge above Ruby Falls for this lovely view of the Paradise River.
Ruby Falls below the bridge
Once back at the trailhead, I went down to the view of Narada Falls.
Lane Peak as seen above Narada Falls
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