The snowplay area at Paradise is scheduled to open today.

While the opening is often delayed by a lack of snow, that is not the case this year. A powerful storm Monday brought more than 40 inches of new snow to the Paradise area, pushing snow depths over 110 inches.

If anything, this year might be a case of too much snow. With snow in the forecast all week, park crews might have trouble clearing the road from Longmire to Paradise.

Call 360-569-2211 or go to nps.gov/mora for road conditions.

Just above the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, the snowplay area is the only place in Mount Rainier National Park where sledding and sliding are permitted. Trees, tree wells and cliffs make other areas dangerous.

The park’s rule requires visitors to use “soft” sliding devices such as flexible sleds, inner tubes and saucers. No hard toboggans or runner sleds are allowed.

There are groomed, longer runs and a smaller area for young children