Andrew Wagner, of Auburn, sleds down one of three runs at the snowplay area at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park on Monday afternoon.
Tim Melzer, of San Jose, Calif., takes a photo of his nephew, Keegan Buck, 6, and his sister, Ruth Lynam, of Lacey, as race down the sledding hill at the Paradise snowplay area in Mount Rainier National Park on Monday afternoon.
A photographer gets out of the way as Vance Latta, center, and Andrew Wagner, both of Auburn, bump into the wall of one of the sledding runs at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park on Monday.
Karen Latta, of Auburn, launches a snow ball at Vance Latta, center, and Andrew Wagner as they sled down one of three runs at the snowplay area at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park in January 2016. The area has not yet received enough snow to open this year.
The Tatoosh mountains are seen through light cloud cover on Monday afternoon at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park.
Snow-covered fir trees at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park are seen in this January 2016 file photo.
People play in the snow at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park in this 2016 file photo.
Visitors at Mount Rainier National Park took advantage of a little sunshine Monday to hit the slopes at the Paradise Snowplay area.
This is the first year since 2014 that the area has been open, with a lack of enough snow preventing an opening last year.
The Paradise Snowplay area is open from mid-December to late March, depending on seasonal conditions.
It is located north of the upper parking lot at Paradise. The Snowplay Area is the one established place in the park where sledding is permitted.
Only “soft” sliding devices such as flexible sleds, inner tubes, and saucers are allowed. No hard toboggans or runner sleds are allowed.
Plastic sleds are for sale at the Longmire General Store, open daily, and at the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise, open during the weekends and holidays.
Outside of the park, sleds and inner tube rentals are available at Whittaker’s Mountaineering in Ashford.
There is a National Park Service entrance fee for visitors to drive up to Longmire and Paradise. All vehicles are required to carry tire chains inside the national park during the winter season, Nov. 1 to May 1.
More information can be found online at www.visitrainier.com.
