A WINTER TRIP TO PARADISE.

There is a good old fashioned winter in progress in MT. Rainier National Park. Five feet of snow lies on the ground as this is written and the deep drifts that have been thrown up by the snowplows all but obscure the eves of the new administration building porch. At Paradise Valley the snow is from 12 to 15 feet deep at the present time and high winds have driven it about until, a few days ago, Ranger John Davis and the writer had no difficulty snowshoeing to the level of the dormer windows of the hotel and looking into its interior.

You who have seen Paradise Valley in the summer with all its countless wildflowers will agree that this is certainly a study in contrasts. In the Public Camp Grounds we snowshoed up to a Mountain Hemlock and pulled off a few cones for botanical specimens -- and these cones are found on the upper branches of these trees. Yet with all this snow on the ground, and more driving in our faces, we heard the cheery "doo doo" of the Oregon Chickadee and saw several Blue Jays. The presence of a Fox and several Coyotes was reported although we did not actually see them and in the woods along the trail Pileated Woodpecker was observed tearing large chunks from a half rotten Hemlock snag.

Narada Falls was almost completely covered with a crust of ice and only the muffled notes of falling water were audible while both Madcap and Carter Falls had, from all intents and purposes, "hibernated" for the winter. Even the vigourous Nisqually had partly succumbed to winter for it prattled along between tall palisades of snow that had pushed in from the banks. The four hour hike over this 6-1/2 mile winter trail reveals many interesting things that are sharply contrasted to the same region during the summer months.

HATS OFF TO THE "SNOW MEN!"

This is addressed to the readers of Nature News Notes who are able to visit Mt. Rainier in the winter. The next time you are driving in and you pass one of the snowplows it would be well to politely lift your hat to the men in the cab. For, unless you like to get up in the morning -- early in the morning -- during the winter and shovel snow you will appreciate the size of the job these fellows are handling. They, too, get up early in the morning and keep plugging until late at night -- sometimes around the clock -- to buck the snow that IS snow so that you may drive with with comparative ease and safety to Longmire Springs where a galaxy of winter sports await you.