April Update

Update.--Obviously a few days has passed. I apologize, it wasn't an April fool's joke. Life got away from me and I, while I had the new updates written, I hadn't transcribed them to the Web pages. It was a series of unexpected events, like a broken water heater in the back of the storage closet among others, and unintended extra work, like working on some music files for a friend and preparing my camera equipment for sale (14 cameras, 41 lenses and other stuff). Anyway, I should get the updates done soon.

The April update for the news, access and conditions Web pages will be a few days late this month. I got caught up in some other work, some I chose to do and miscalculated the time, and some which chose me and had to interrupt work on the former, and also the Mt. Rainier NP photo guide work. It's the reality of being a one person life, work and business - or what seems like a business to me, but really isn't, just projects.

April is also the month when things begin to change in the NP, the weather, the snowpack into snowmelt, the access, the roads and trails, and almost everything. It's when springs starts in the lower elevations and proceeds through the month into May to the higher elevations. This is especially true this year with the 70-75% snowpack and warmer weather, although late March and early April hasn't been warm, the continuation of March adage, "In like a lamb out like a lion."

That aside, I will get the Web pages updated soon, probably by early next week. Overall now though, the lower elevations are good to visit and hike. The trails are clear up to 4-4,500 feet before snow. That means the Carbon River trail is good for most of the distance to the Ipsut Creek Campground. The Longmire area is open for the local trails.

The weather, however, will be totally and quickly dynamic, from warm and sunny to cold and snowy, or the other way, so plan and prepare accordingly. Paradise is still snow, and lots of it, and winter operations as is the whole east, north-central and south-central part of the NP. Only the west side is really available.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted here on the progress of things and yes, the photo guide too.