In this September 2012, file photo, a cloud hovers over Mount Rainier at sunset in a view from Klapatche Park Camp at Mount Rainier National Park, Wash. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, according to the National Parks Service.
The National Park Service is waiving gate fees to parks inside Washington, including Mount Rainier, on Friday, in recognition of Veterans Day.
A press release from the National Park Service noted that the United States military has strong ties to National Parks dating back more than a century. Prior to the creation of the National Park Service, the U.S. Cavalry operated as the first park rangers at many locations around the country.
During World War II, the 10th Mountain Division conducted training exercises inside the Mount Rainier National Park boundaries and today units from Joint Base Lewis-McChord support joint training exercises and offer assistance with search and rescue missions.
In recognition of that connection, active duty military members and their dependants are always eligible to receive a free annual pass, and a free lifetime pass is available to disabled veterans. Those passes are honored at more than 2,000 national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, and other recreational areas. Additional information on the free passes can be found online at www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm.
General information on Mount Rainier National Park can be obtained at the Longmire Museum, which is open daily from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. The Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise is open only on the weekends, but the National Park Inn and Longmire General Store remain open year-round.
As of Nov. 1, all vehicles have been required to carry tire chains when traveling within the park boundaries. That stipulation extends to four-wheel drive vehicles as well. Mountain weather conditions can change rapidly and park officials remind visitors to always travel prepared for possible storms.
