Mazama Ridge Snowshoe

I drove up through the clouds to Paradise at Mt Rainier National Park to snowshoe up to Mazama Ridge (4 miles round trip with 1,000 ft overall gain). I was happy to have a view of Mt Rainier at the Parking Lot. This view was soon covered in clouds. Today I saw two skiers up on Mazama Ridge, and then 2 skiers and 2 snowshoers as I came down from Mazama Ridge.

When I reached the closed Paradise Valley Road, the snow was soft and sloppy, so I put my snowshoes on. There were lots of clouds with the sun trying to break through as I headed to 4th crossing.

view of Paradise River downstream from the bridge at 4th Crossing

view of Paradise River upstream from the bridge at 4th Crossing

The clouds started to lift as I headed up Mazama Ridge. Runnels along the hillside along with evidence of recent avalanches.

Beautiful blue sky and Mt Rainier as I continue up Mazama Ridge.

For a short time the clouds revealed the top of the Tatoosh Peaks while I was up on Mazama Ridge. So beautiful!

Lots of clouds over Stevens Canyon to the east.

For a while, I was snowshoeing into this gorgeous view of Mt Rainier.

This is my favorite snowshoe that I can easily drive to for a day hike.

zoom of Little Tahoma

Panorama of this winter wonderland up on Mazama Ridge

For a while the clouds came in an obstructed the views, the skiers headed back down, but I continued to my favorite lunch spot and was rewarded with mountain views while I took a break. There was no one here but me, so serene!

It wasn't long before the clouds returned.

It didn't look as if the clouds would lift for some time, so I followed my tracks back down the trail.

With no mountain views, I noticed the beauty in the shape of the slopes with the runnels making patterns in the snow.

The clouds lifted enough for good visibility, but no more mountain views while I was here.

Lovely view of the winding Paradise River in the valley below as I headed back up the Paradise Valley Road to the parking area.

 

Mazama Ridge

Drove up to Paradise at Mt Rainier NP to hike up to Mazama Ridge. A beautiful sunny day, the snow was well packed down, so I used micro spikes and did not need to use snowshoes. Overall 4 miles with 1,000 ft of gain. Loved seeing the pattern of runnels at the far end of Paradise Valley with the Tatoosh Range to the south.

zoom photos of runnels on Alta Vista to the west as I continued walking along the Paradise Valley Road to 4th Crossing.

view of Mt Rainier part way up Mazama Ridge

Lots of tracks up on Mazama Ridge from hikers/snowshoers from the past several days. Looking south to the Tatoosh Range, from here, I turned around and continued north along what would be part of the Paradise Glacier Trail.

I was up here by myself enjoying this view of Mt Rainier. I only saw 5 other hikers all day along this route.

View to the southeast from my favorite winter lunch spot (Mt Rainier is behind me). Interesting to see this crack on the cornice. Behind the Tatoosh are Old Snowy, Mt Adams, Mt Hood and further to the west Mt St Helens

zoom of Old Snowy in the Goat Rocks

zoom of Mt Adams

zoom of Mt Hood, which looks like a shadow of one of the Tatoosh Peaks

zoom of Mt St Helens

The runnels running down the hills make interesting patterns in the snow.

Another view of the Tatoosh Range, Mt Adams and Mt St Helens as I head back to Mazama Ridge

Looking back at Mt Rainier and Little Tahoma

Continuing down to Mazama Ridge, love hiking into the views of the Tatoosh

View from the east side of Mazama Ridge

I spy someone's snow cave

entrance to the snow cave

snow cave with a view of Mt Rainier up on Mazama Ridge

I love this framed view of Mt Rainier as I start down off of Mazama Ridge

View of the Tatoosh Range along the closed Paradise Valley Road as I near the parking area

zoom of the Castle, Pinnacle Peak and Plummer Peak

 

Mazama Ridge Snowshoe

We drove up to Paradise at Mt Rainier today to snowshoe up to Mazama Ridge, what a beautiful day. Such a change from the low cloudy covered day yesterday. We did 4 miles round trip with 1,100 ft of gain. We didn't see any other people on Mazama Ridge until we were coming back down. And there were more than 20 empty parking spaces at the upper lot when we left in the early afternoon. 

View of Paradise Inn and Mt Rainer as we started down the closed Paradise Valley Road.

View of the Tatoosh from the north end of Paradise Valley

It was nice to be able to go up the fresh tracks we made coming down from Mazama Ridge yesterday. And today we had glorious blue skies and views of the mountain.

Part way up Mazama Ridge, looking over at Paradise Inn where we began today.

Animal tracks heading up in the snow

Beautiful snowy trees

Remains of an igloo from the weekend. Wish they had completely demolished it, as it can be a hazard when it is buried in fresh snow, creating unsuspected sink holes. Lovely view of the Tatoosh Range.

We continued going north up Mazama Ridge with gorgeous views of Mt Rainier, fresh snow over last weeks ski and snowshoe tracks. The snow is quickly melting off the trees from today's sunshine.

We continued on going up towards the "Paradise Glacier Trail". Here we broke trail.

Looking back at the Tatoosh Range

zoom of Mt St Helens south of the Tatoosh

We took a long lunch break on my favorite little hill. Beautiful cornices with views of the eastern Tatoosh Range and Mt Adams in the distance. Overlooking Stevens Canyon

zoom of Mt Adams beyond the Tatoosh

Our lunchtime view of Mt Rainier and Little Tahoma, we saw no other people while we were here. It was so quiet and serene.

Watching the clouds gather behind the Tatoosh as we snowshoe back down.

Looking back at our tracks going up and back from my favorite little hill.

The narrowest part of Mazama Ridge in the snow. Fabulous views of the Tatoosh here.

Clouds were gathering over Mt Rainier as we were heading back down.

View of the Paradise River as it meanders down Paradise Valley.

Barely able to see Mt Rainier behind Paradise Inn when we returned to the parking area, what a change a few hours makes.