The park is 150 miles from Portland and is easy to find due to the frequent signs to Mount Rainier N

Snowshoeing reservations with american airlines Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park to Reflection Lakes is a prime winter activity as Mount Rainier has many trails available for enthusiasts with varying experiences. Mount Rainier National Park is well known for its dense forests, waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and of course its vast snow fields and icy glaciers. The mountain, at 14,410 feet, is the highest peak in the Cascade Range and from various regions of the park you can see four other Cascade volcanoes: Mount St. Helens, reservations with american airlines Mt. Adams, reservations with american airlines Mt. Baker, and Glacier Peak. Outdoor activities are endless, with opportunities for scenic reservations with american airlines driving, bicycling, hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing. The most prominent hiking trail is the 93-mile Wonderland Trail which circles Mount Rainier and offers the most diverse scenery as it traverses many ridges and valleys throughout the park and takes you though lowland forests to subalpine reservations with american airlines meadows.
Offering recreation all-year, winter camping is allowed almost anywhere in the park as long as snow depth has reached 5’ at Paradise and 2’ elsewhere in the park. My friend Christian and I thought that a 5-mile roundtrip snow shoe to Reflection Lakes and an overnight camp at the lake was a good choice as I have read that a trek to Reflection  Louise Lakes is a quintessential Mt. Rainier snowshoeing reservations with american airlines experience. Reflection Lakes received its name from a near full reflection of Mt. Rainier and has become one of the most photographed reservations with american airlines locations in the park. As it freezes over in the winter months, you will not see the reflection, but rather a view of the beautiful frozen lake frozen reservations with american airlines covered with snow. Always up for a good snow camping adventure, we headed out to Mount Rainier with the goal of spending the night at Reflection Lakes.
In winter the only two park entrances open are the Nisqually Entrance, in the southwest corner of the park, and the Carbon River Entrance, in the northwest corner of the park. Driving from Portland, we entered through the Nisqually Entrance on Highway 706 and drove the plowed yet icy road to Paradise reservations with american airlines and checked in at the Jackson Visitor Center for our backcountry permit. After signing in and checking our gear, we headed from the overnight parking lot to the orange and black poles marking the trail to Reflection Lakes. At this point we had the option of shoeing down on the Narada Falls trail or taking the longer way by staying on the Paradise Valley Route which during winter months is a primary avalanche danger area. With the avalanche forecast low, we continued on the Paradise Valley Route for 1.8 miles until we reached pole markers for the way up to Inspiration Saddle. The 1.8 miles to this junction was easy since it was moderately downhill in grade and a clear route to follow. The 0.3 mile up to Inspiration Saddle was significantly more strenuous since it was steep, switch backed a few times, and with our 45-pound packs on our backs, they took their toll. Once we reached Inspiration reservations with american airlines Saddle and took in an expansive view of Mount Rainer, we reached the markers leading the 0.4 miles down to Reflection Lakes. reservations with american airlines This part of the trail descends greatly and was a nice reprieve.
Once we were near Reflection Lakes we had a clear view of the surrounding area and made our own trail a few hundred feet and set up our camp between a snow bank and a few large trees to offer some protection from the possible wind whipping off of the meadow. After setting up our tents, it was getting late in the afternoon, approximately 4:30 PM, and my thermometer reservations with american airlines read 21 degrees. After a snack on some peanuts and a couple of bottles of Deschutes reservations with american airlines Black Butte and Jubelale, I shoed a little bit around the area to take some photographs. Initially, reservations with american airlines I was disappointed with the current weather as the light was not right and clouds were rolling in and obscuring the tip of Pinnacle Peak. Finally, as the sun went down, the clouds parted and unveiled Pinnacle Peak with a violet glow and I was able to take a decent shot (see photo).
After coming back to our base camp, my friend and I dug a couple of snow lawn chairs, lit the Duraflame logs we carried on our backs and made dinner while listening to music as we had brought some battery powered speakers reservations with american airlines and an iPod Nano. We ate lasagna with red meat sauce, drank some Jim Beam, and at around 8:30 called it a night. reservations with american airlines Before I went to bed it was 18 degrees out, but absolutely zero wind, and I was quite warm with all my gear and my bag. Around Midnight we heard quite a bit of noise at our camp and something was walking around inspecting our tents. It was very loud; my tent moved (twice) and I lay there motionless until whatever came to visit apparently lost interest with us after a few very long minutes.
Safe and sound, I woke up around 7:30 AM and put on my frozen reservations with american airlines boots, packed reservations with american airlines up my gear and waste, and helped my friend tidy up our camp before we headed back on the trail. reservations with american airlines We made it back to the junction with the Paradise Valley Route. Instead of taking this same route to our car, we decided to take the Narada Falls trail which was noted by another set of orange and black poles in the snow. This trail was certainly a much more scenic route and also shorter at 0.60 miles. However, it was very steep and on portions of the journey it felt like I was climbing rather than shoeing. Thankfully, the distance was short and overall it was a rewarding workout. We made it back to the parking lot and warmed up for a bit at the visitor center and then drove home to Portland.
Mount Rainier National Park opened up my eyes to all of the outdoor hiking and photography opportunities in Washington. I was impressed by the beauty of the mountain and the pristine reservations with american airlines nature of the surrounding trails. My snowshoe trip to Reflection Lakes lives up to the recommendations I have read and I am pleased to add my own experience for fellow outdoors enthusiasts to read. I encourage you to explore Oregon and make your own adventure.
The park is 150 miles from Portland and is easy to find due to the frequent signs to Mount Rainier National Park. From Portland, take Interstate 5 to Highway 12. From the town of Morton, take Highway 7 to the town of Elbe and take Highway 706 to the Nisqually Entrance and follow the road to Paradise.
Be sure to visit the National Park Service website for Mount Rainier National Park to read and understand the park’s regulations, guidelines, and current road status and weather. Many of the trails we were on to reach Reflection reservations with american airlines Lakes were not marked with signs naming the trail and at times, made route finding difficult.
Posted in Mount Rainier National Park | Reflection Lakes Tags: backpacking , camping , hiking , Mount Rainier , Mount Rainier National Park , Mt. Rainier , Nature , outdoors , Pacific Northwest , photography , photos , pictures , Reflection Lakes , snow camping , snowshoeing , Washington , Wilderness
Oregon State Parks Grant’s Getaways — Eagle Convocation If you can’t make it to the The Cove Palisades for this weekend’s Eagle Watch (Feb. 22-23), you could take a drive to the central Willamette reservations with american airlines Valley near Tangent for an eagle convocation that attracts up to 100 raptors each evening.  Make a day out of it and swing by Thompson’s Mills State Heritage Site for a […] Gather with the raptors at Eagle Watch Feb. 22-23 celebration honors eagles and other raptors at Lake Billy Chinook The 19th annual event in Central reservations with american airlines Oregon explores the natural and cultural significance of the birds via an “Eagle Village” at Round Butte Overlook Park and guided viewing sessions at both Round Butte and The Cove Palisades State Park. “The eagle holds a […] Where can you smoke outdoors in Oregon state parks? The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission recently adopted new rules that spell out where you can smoke outdoors in Oregon’s state parks. Richard Walkoski, communications and research specialist, says that under the new rules smoking is allowed in: personal vehicles, tents and recreational vehicles in accordance with other laws governing smoking in ve [ ] Oregon Outdoors An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later. Travels With Terry Federal recreation fees waived Monday, Jan. 21, on Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Unfortunately, reservations with american airlines this particular fee waiver comes at a slow time in the Pacific Northwest and benefit to the public is minimal (it does not include winter recreation parking). There will be waivers on busier reservations with american airlines days to come, though. Lonely Planet s Best Trip road adventure series visits Pacific Northwest, world Lonely Planet provides reservations with american airlines motivation for a road trip with a 368-page full-color book that describes the best trips of the region, from the edges of Alaska to California and the Alberta prairie. Forest fire season reservations with american airlines officially begins in Washington woods; expect Oregon cautions, too During fire restrictions, campfires may be prohibited outside designated campgrounds. Campfires may be allowed in approved fire pits, but land managers can put additional restrictions in place when necessary. U.S. government agencies announce national service pass to recreation lands Beginning on Armed Forces Day on May 19, active duty service men and women can obtain the new military version of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass. Travel Oregon s chief executive helps direct National Travel and Tourism Strategy The strategy reflects input from local government and business leaders, including the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board chaired by Oregon Tourism Commission chief executive Todd Davidson. Tents for Troops offers free camping for active duty military The 40-state program, called Tents for Troops, was started by Charlie Curry, a camping park owner from Castle Rock, Wash. Flood potential will be high in Oregon mountains; Wallowa-Whitman forest reservations with american airlines advises caution Warmer temperatures, rain and melting snow in higher reservations with american airlines elevations can create flood conditions in a short period of time. Eastern reservations with american airlines Oregon sees its highest rainfall from April to June and a