Sunrise ski resort free#

8 mile nearly level Silver Forest Trail provide mouth-dropping views of the entire length of the Emmons Glacier from Mount Rainier’s 14,411-foot summit to its terminus at the White River Valley below. The trails range from short and easy to challenging and exhilarating. They continue to be among the most popular in the park allowing visitors easy access to alpine meadows and spectacular views of some of the massive glaciers on Mount Rainier’s north face. The one near Shadow Lake was rehabilitated into a much smaller walk-in campground (perfect for first time backpackers and children) and the campground near the visitor center was converted to a picnic area (with some of the finest views within the park).ĭuring the 1930s and 1940s the park service with help from the CCC developed an extensive network of hiking trails radiating from Sunrise. The campgrounds at Sunrise were eventually closed, too.

They weren’t structurally fit for Sunrise’s harsh weather weren’t popular and weren’t compatible with the fragile high elevation environment. But by 1943, the park service removed the cabins and sold them for emergency World War II housing. In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) developed a campground at Sunrise and one near Shadow Lake, cradled on a ridge overlooking the thundering glacial-fed White River 2,000 feet below. The Sunrise Lodge offered bathtubs, showers, and laundry facilities as well as sold groceries and offered dining. The Sunrise cabin operation was managed as a Dude Ranch, where visitors could partake in horse trips. But even with the completion of SR 410 over Chinook Pass that summer allowing visitors to now arrive at the park from the east, Sunrise never did overtake Paradise in competing for visitors. And for three weekends that summer, Sunrise exceeded Paradise in visitation. To take visitor pressure off of Paradise, a road to Sunrise was opened in 1931 along with the Sunrise Lodge containing 215 cabins. Over the years attitudes changed on what types of developments are compatible within the national park, forcing park officials to reassess their impacts on this fragile alpine environment. And remnants remain of past structures and facilities that once stood here. Like Paradise, Sunrise also has an interesting history. And at the center you can also use one of several mounted telescopes to take in close-up views of Rainier’s impressive glaciers.

Sunrise ski resort free#

The center also offers book sales and free ranger hosted programs and guided walks. The national park service maintains an excellent visitor center here too, complete with exhibits on Rainier’s geology and the park’s natural and cultural history. There is no lodging at Sunrise like at Paradise, but Mount Rainier Guest Services does run a snack bar serving hot meals at its day lodge at Sunrise. Typically, park officials open the 16 mile paved road leading to Sunrise from SR 410, from late June until early October with the visitor center open from early July to early September. However, owing to its lofty elevation, Sunrise is buried in snow for most of the year limiting its opening. And situated in the park’s drier northeastern corner thanks to Mount Rainier’s rain-shadow effect, Sunrise as the name suggests is also one of the first places in the park to capture morning’s early light. With close-up views of the massive Emmons Glacier, and hundreds of acres of meadows bursting with wildflowers Sunrise rivals the more popular Paradise when it comes to scenic splendor. Sitting at an elevation of 6,400-feet in the parkland meadows of Yakima Park, Sunrise is Mount Rainier’s highest visitor center. Road Conditions Get the latest updates on road conditions throughout the Mt.NOAA Weather Forecast for Mount Rainier.This Quest will help you experience the wonder and pristine scenery of this snowy world.

Kids’ Quest for Snow Mount Rainier offers easy access to snow for much of the year.

Experienced skiers are drawn to the expert runs comprising nearly half of the terrain and the 1,000 acres of skiable backcountry areas.

Skiing at Crystal Mountain Crystal Mountain is a world class ski resort, rated by SKIING magazine as the #7 ski resort in North America.