Mazama Ridge Snowshoe — Saturday, Dec. 8, 2001

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

It felt good to be out snowhoeing -- our first time this season. From now on, it looks like there will be many snowshoe trips. Mazama Ridge has always been one of my favorites, especially when you start early and beat the crowds. Breaking trail is a small price to pay for solitude. We were the first ones to get up on Mazama Ridge but were able to follow old tracks part of the way. It was just mere seconds, though, before the skiers materialized out of the foggy gloom to join us. It would have been a good day for black and white film since the whole mountain seemed to be in black and white. Even the evergreens looked black against the white snow. The Mountain stay hidden from view all day and a stubborn cloud hung around on our way up and our way back. It was very still, not even the chatter of birds to break the silence. Too cold to linger, though, especially without the Mountain or the Tatoosh to focus on. It was good ""getting lost"" weather, the kind of weather in which you COULD get lost easily. And lots of snow. As of last Saturday 85 inches or so at Paradise and much more by now. Met a group of Mountaineers going up as we were coming down -- they, like ourselves, were having a fine time. It's just good to get OUT even when the weather isn't so great. We met several skiers coming down the Paradise Valley Road as we climbed back to the car. Stopped at the Longmire Museum on the way out and saw all sorts of interesing things on the way home. Stopped at an artist's gallery (it's actually his whole yard) -- the guy's name is Kleppart or something like that -- he makes wonderful sculptures out of junk, machinery, bones, old wood. The display is quite amazing and worth a stop. It's near Elbe and believe me, you can't miss it. We also followed our curious noses to the old town of Mineral where we had never been before. Gosh, you'd never know it was there. A quiet little mining town tucked away about 3 miles from Elbe. Found an abandoned house/trailer with some fascinating stone towers with lanterns, almost hidden by brush. And, of course, on our way back to Eatonville the stubborn cloud lifted and The Mountain came out and as always, it was astoundingly beautiful, especially with alpenglow. As for Mazama Ridge it's a good, moderate snowshow (or ski tour)and makes you work hard enough to have earned a gooey dessert somewhere on your way home. There's several ways to get to the ridge -- go down the Paradise Valley Road from the parking lot then climb up to the ridge after crossing the Paradise River, or go up from Paradise Lodge and cut across above the road. Or come up from Narada Falls, Reflection Lakes and make a loop. Look at the map (Green Trails Mount Rainier East) which will suggest many possibilities. As for the long drive, it's always worth it and only takes 2 hours to get to Longmire from Seattle, even in winter.