Just a Reminder

Just a quick reminder that several updates will be available over the next week or so. I'm rewriting the winter photography Web pages, both the description, which will be expanded, and the map, with new resources from the description page. Second the November news, conditions and reports Web pages will be on-line replacing the October ones. And third, many Web pages will have cosmetic changes to correct for errors, update seasonal information and other things from the recent review.

The winter pages will have more specific information about rules and locations in Mt. Rainier NP during the winter as there are several areas open to winter visitors, most of whom go to Paradise, some to the Carbon River and Mowich Lake area and a few who access the White River and Steven Canyon areas. November 1st is the date the NP closes many entrances no matter the weather and access is by hiking, snowshoeiing or cross-country skiiling.

Highway 123 and 410 on the eastside of the NP will remain open until the Washington State Department of Transportation closes both for the season usually in December or the first major snow storm which will last until the spring snowmelt in the April-May timeframe. Highway 167 is generally kept open due to local traffic but it's not always cleared quickly after winter snowstorms. Highway 706 (Ashford to the NP entrance) is generally kept open year around and only rare snowstorms closes it for short periods.

And lastly, I will be adding a place names Web page for those interested in the history behind the names of the places. This will be an evolving Web pages, from the obvious to the obscure and over months adding and researching the placenames. Right now it's just an idea as I work on the outline and start the list of initial placenames.

That's it for now. More to come.