Expect the Unexpected at Paradise
by Nancy Covert
No matter how many times a person visits “the mountain” there’s always something different to see. Take the late May snowfall, for example.After being closed for a major makeover, the Paradise Inn reopened May 16 for its 2008 season.
During the gala opening/benefit held that weekend the mountain donned its spring finery and showed off her new look. Three days later her sunny disposition disappeared, and the mountain dumped six inches of snow on visitors’ cars. .
At the time of this writing, the Inn was swaddled in approximately 212 inches of snow.
Fortunately for inn guests, a recently graduated mechanical engineering student from Singapore shoveled snow from cars of a couple departing guests and earned some welcome spending money. Daniel and his classmates from China are working at the lodge during the current season, filling out the ranks of the household staff, as they combine work with sightseeing this year.
During its 2-1/2-year closure, the national park experienced higher than normal snowfalls (about 900 inches total), severe flooding; even avalanches, according to Ken Hardy, general foreman for Watts/Korsmo—the contractors who combined talents for the renovation/restoration work at the historic structure. Despite the climactic and structural challenges, the workers “soldiered on.”
According to Hardy, the construction crews faced numerous challenges, ensuring that the historic lodge materials were preserved at the same time they were modernized by contemporary techniques
Restoring three mammoth stone fireplaces was a particularly large project. Masons numbered each stone before dismantling the towering fireplaces. While dining at a table next to the fireplace in late May, faint chalk numbers could still be seen on some of the stones.
Hardy estimated that around 2,000 yellow cedar logs were used in the inn’s construction. The original wood came from a stand of Alaskan yellow cedars that grew on the mountain near Longmire. According to one story, the forest was almost destroyed in the late 19th century, after one of James Longmire’s sons attempted to eliminate an infestation of hornets that annoyed visitors to the area, setting off the conflagration. The fire scorched many of the trees. Fortunately the wood was salvageable, and used to construct Paradise Lodge.
Changes to the 90-year-old structure, reportedly finished in eight months’ time—“more like two years,” Hardy speculated—include creating footings for the upright pillars, replacing all the flooring, and renovating the gift shop. Seven handicapped-accessible guestrooms were created in the former Glacier Bar space, and original upstairs guestrooms were remodeled. To take an insider’s tour of the renowned lampshade garden, ask for complimentary copy of the guide at the registration desk.
Visit www.korsmo.com and access the Paradise project link to view those and other changes, including progress on the adjacent visitor center set to open in October
There’s lots more to discover at Paradise, from dinner music to good food, even a glimpse of a resident fox.
Be advised, however, that while the calendar says it’s spring, expect the unexpected when it comes to weather. One guest was grateful to find a long-neglected pair of REI hiking boots stashed in a corner of the car trunk. What a difference those boots made when it came time to tromp around the vehicle to scrape snow from the windshield and roof!
After that unexpected thrill, it was all down hill.
Note: Complimentary shuttle bus service is back in service this year. Buses depart from Longmire every1-1/2 hours. Service is expected to be extended, later this summer, to include a stop at Ashford.
Reservations for the lodge’s 2008 season are filling up quickly. Room rates range from $99-$228. Phone 360-569-2275 or http://rainier.guestservices.com to reserve one.
Optional lodgings around Mt. Rainier range from campgrounds to cottages, from cabooses to castles. Check the Mt. Rainier website for details.
