Paradise, Washington
Encyclopedia
Paradise is the name of an area at approximately 5400 feet (1,645.9 m) on the south slope of Mount Rainier
in Mount Rainier National Park
in Washington, United States
. The area lies on the border of Pierce
and Lewis
counties and includes the Paradise Valley and the Paradise Glacier
which is the source of the Paradise River
. Virinda Longmire named Paradise in the summer of 1885 while she viewed the wildflowers in the alpine meadows there. Paradise also offers views of Mount Rainier and the Tatoosh Range
.
Paradise is the most popular destination for visitors to Mount Rainier National Park. 62% of the over 1.3 million people who visited the park in 2000 went to Paradise. The road from the Nisqually entrance of the National Park to Paradise (State Route 706
) is one of the few roads in the park open to automobiles in the winter.
Paradise is the location of the historic Paradise Inn
(built 1916), Paradise Guide House (built 1920) and Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center
(built 1966; replaced 2008; original building demolished 2009). The inn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
. The historic center of Paradise was designated the Paradise Historic District
.
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In 1931, a golf course was built in the area and in 1936 a ski rope tow
was installed. These were both added as facilities for use by the guests of the inn. From 1942 to 1943 the U.S. Army
used the inn to house troops training for winter mountain conditions.
The National Park Service
says that "Paradise is the snowiest place on Earth where snowfall is measured regularly." of snow fell during the winter of 1971-1972, setting a world record for that year. The minimum annual snowfall at Paradise was 313 inches (26 ft, 8.0 m) in the winter of 1939-1940, and the maximum snowpack was 357 inches (30 ft, 9.1 m) in March, 1955. No snowfall measurements were made from 1943 to 1946 as the road to Paradise was closed during World War II
.
The National Park Service undertook a two-year, $30 million project to perform renovations and structural work to allow the inn withstand a large earthquake and to replace the "flying saucer-shaped" Henry M. Jackson visitor center with a new building complementing the historic lodge. The inn re-opened in 2008, along with the new visitor center. The old visitor center was demolished in 2009.
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
in Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
in Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The area lies on the border of Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
and Lewis
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
counties and includes the Paradise Valley and the Paradise Glacier
Paradise Glacier
The Paradise Glacier is a glacier on the southeast flank of Mount Rainier in Washington. It covers and contains 0.8 billion ft3 with Stevens Glacier included. The glacier is bounded to the west by the Muir Snowfield, Anvil Rock and McClure Rock. There is a single extant main lobe of the glacier,...
which is the source of the Paradise River
Paradise River
The Paradise River is a small, short but swift river in Pierce County, Washington. It is the first major tributary of the Nisqually River. Located entirely within the bounds of Mount Rainier National Park, it is notable for its waterfalls, a total of eight....
. Virinda Longmire named Paradise in the summer of 1885 while she viewed the wildflowers in the alpine meadows there. Paradise also offers views of Mount Rainier and the Tatoosh Range
Tatoosh Range
The Tatoosh Range is a mountain range located in Mount Rainier National Park and the adjacent Tatoosh Wilderness in the state of Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The range runs roughly east–west, beginning with the southeastern Tatoosh Peak and concluding with the...
.
Washington State Route 706
State Route 706 is a state highway in Pierce County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends from SR 7 in the census-designated place of Elbe east to the Longmire gate of Mount Rainier National Park.The highway formerly was part of the Tacoma – Mount Rainier branch of Primary...
) is one of the few roads in the park open to automobiles in the winter.
Paradise is the location of the historic Paradise Inn
Paradise Inn (Washington)
Paradise Inn is a historic hotel built in 1916 at 5,400 feet on the south slope of Mount Rainier in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, United States. The inn is named after Paradise, the area on the mountain it is located. The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center and the 1920 Paradise...
(built 1916), Paradise Guide House (built 1920) and Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center
Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center
The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center is a day-use facility located in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park. The facility offers exhibits, films, guided ranger programs, a book store, a snack bar, and a gift shop, as well as public restrooms, and informational brochures and maps.The first...
(built 1966; replaced 2008; original building demolished 2009). The inn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The historic center of Paradise was designated the Paradise Historic District
Paradise Historic District
The Paradise Historic District comprises the historic portion of Paradise developed area of Mount Rainier National Park. The subalpine district surrounds its primary structure, the Paradise Inn, a rustic-style hotel built in 1917 to accommodate visitors to the park. The Paradise Inn is a National...
.
Ski tow
thumb|right|A rope tow or ski tow.A ski tow, also called rope tow or handle tow, is a mechanised system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill....
was installed. These were both added as facilities for use by the guests of the inn. From 1942 to 1943 the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
used the inn to house troops training for winter mountain conditions.
The National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
says that "Paradise is the snowiest place on Earth where snowfall is measured regularly." of snow fell during the winter of 1971-1972, setting a world record for that year. The minimum annual snowfall at Paradise was 313 inches (26 ft, 8.0 m) in the winter of 1939-1940, and the maximum snowpack was 357 inches (30 ft, 9.1 m) in March, 1955. No snowfall measurements were made from 1943 to 1946 as the road to Paradise was closed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The National Park Service undertook a two-year, $30 million project to perform renovations and structural work to allow the inn withstand a large earthquake and to replace the "flying saucer-shaped" Henry M. Jackson visitor center with a new building complementing the historic lodge. The inn re-opened in 2008, along with the new visitor center. The old visitor center was demolished in 2009.
External links
- Mount Rainier National Park - Paradise (U.S. National Park Service) - Paradise area of the National Park from the National Park Service.
- Paradise Construction Projects: Mount Rainier National Park - Construction at the Paradise Inn and the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center.