#Longmire Suspension Bridge

[mountrainiernps]

Mount Rainier National Park Archives Photo courtesy Phillip F Barrett of the Nisqually Suspension Bridge. A pedestrian bridge is faintly visible under the suspension bridge.

The Nisqually Suspension Bridge in Longmire is the only remaining timber-frame vehicle suspension bridge designed by the National Park Service. A pedestrian bridge had existed since 1911 but was replaced by a larger single-span suspension bridge in 1924 to connect Longmire to an area across the river that was developed as a campground. Superintendent Tomlinson described the newly completed bridge: “The bridge with its rustic towers supporting the cable suspension is a very fitting type of construction for a national park.” (HAER report No. WA-44).

The Nisqually Suspension Bridge was reconstructed in 1952 and 2005, using similar workmanship and materials to the earlier bridge. The Nisqually Suspension Bridge is a contributing structure in the Mount Rainier Historic Landmark District.

NPS Photos of the bridge in 1993 (top) and in 2021 (bottom).

The bridge is also part of the Longmire Historic Walking Tour. Stop in the Longmire Museum for a map of the walking tour or use the NPS App to follow the self-guided tour the next time you are in Longmire. Have you walked or driven over the Nisqually Suspension Bridge in Longmire?

[pacificnorthwestquest]

Mount Rainier, Park 3!

The hike back down our trail was foggy and as beautiful as the way up! We saw several deer and lots of grouse who took up plenty of trail for the their small size! We also hiked to both Myrtle and Narada Falls to take in more of the glacier river that also make up the park. Fun fact- the milky blue gray color comes from "glacier flour", the term for the finer than sand sediment that travels along when the ice melts.

On our way down Paradise Valley Road we stopped at several scenic overlooks. One in particular showed Nisqually Glacier and where it had reached historically. As early as the 1890’s the glacier was noted to be receding and between 1896-2015 it lost over 20 square miles. This glacier is one of 29 in Mt Rainier and all have receded due to a warming climate.

As we weaved our way down mountain roads we reached the historic Longmire area of the park. When Mount Rainier was established as a national park in 1899 the town became its headquarters. The museum was built in 1916 as a main office and today houses exhibits on the geology and wildlife of the park. What is now the Longmire wilderness info building was another main admin building and is from 1930. We also checked out the National Park Inn, general store and transportation station exhibit. Finally we rode over Nisqually Suspension Bridge and wrapped a wonderful, if rainy, day!

[gerry518]

Mount Rainier National Park

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range.  I finally had a chance to see this giant on May 31, 2019, when I drove for two-and-a-half hours from Vancouver to Mount Rainier National Park.  The park is huge, covering more than 200,000 acres, so I limited my visit to just the following few sites.

1. The Longmire area lies adjacent to the Nisqually River, about six miles from the park’s southeast entrance.  Here I found an old-time administration building, wooden suspension bridge and some great mountain views.

2. Narada Falls is at a higher elevation, along the Paradise River.

3. The park’s Paradise area is more than a mile above sea level.  Here I saw quite a bit of snow and ice on the ground, but the views were spectacular.

4. Inspiration Point lies on a road that had just been cleared of snow the week before my visit.

5. Reflection Lake is also on this same road.  During the months of July and August, when the lake has thawed, visitors can see Mt. Rainier reflected on the water’s surface.  Of course, when I was there, the lake was still covered with ice.

Below are ten photos from my day at the park.

[trailto50-tt50]

Wonderland Trail - Day 1: Maple Creek CG (mile 2.3) to North Puyallup CG (mile 32.2) . Section: 29.9m Time: 14:37 ↗️: 8,717' ↘️: 7,776' Weather: Temp 60-75(f). Slight warm breezes. Smoky . Total Trip: 32.2m Time: 15:25 ↗️: 8,904' ↘️: 8,208' . Bzzz. Bzzz. It's 5:45am already. I tossed and turned all night but am surprisingly wide awake. Weird morning light. We glimpse the mountain playing hide and seek, but she is spectacular nonetheless. The miles come easy but it is the first miles of the first day. Traverse past Paradise and Longmire. We run the first downhill with thoughts of averaging 20 min miles but slowly dismiss the idea and succumb to hiking everything. "Be sure to take the time to eat the wild blueberries!" We pass by bears we don't even know are there. Copious notes are taken on every person we pass. A picturesque scene among many picturesque scenes of a mountain cabin. Long switchback uphills followed by long switchback downhills lead to river crossings and creek crossings, some we hop, skip and jump over, some we cross by log bridges and 165' over the Tahoma Creek we bounced across the suspension bridge looking up toward the Success Cleaver and Divide. We skirt the southern Emerald Ridge and soak in southwest views of the impressive Tahoma Glacier before descending down the north side. By mile 20 the novelty of hiking is gone and instead we grind, although I'm still giddy and just grateful to be able to do what I am doing. My energy is not infectious. St Andrews Park and the west facing basin is glorious with wildflowers in the haze and we stop to refill and refuel with dinner at dwindling St Andrews Lake. A paraglider in the distance mesmerizes against the smoky backdrop while the fire orange sun slowly slips into obscurity behind the ever increasing smoke. Our senses peak as night engulfs us for the last hour as we yell at bears and mountain goats for the last 2 miles through the tunnel vision of our headlamps. Camp by 10pm. Alarms set for 5:15am. It's been a long day. . #WonderlandTrail #MtRainier #WA #PNW #MapleCreek #NorthPuyallup #Fastpack #UpperLeftUSA #PNWonderland #BlackBear #Bear #MountainGoat #Marmot #Wonderland #Rainier #Trailto50 #TT50

[chasedisgrace]

I cant believe there's a wooden suspension bridge at Longmire in Mount Rainier National Park. Had to walk across it to reach the trail yesterday. ..... #nature #outdoors #photooftheday #mountains #visitrainier #mountrainier #mtrainier #k5explore #nisquallysuspensionbridge #mountainlife #pnwdiscovered #pnwonderland #rei1440project #instagood #sawyersinstafilters #thatpnwlife #teamcanon #canon80d #livewashington #washingtonexplored #pacificnorthwest #king5 #positivevibes #naturephotography #picoftheday #mountrainiernps #cascademountains #hiking #k5summer #instagood10k (at Mount Rainier National Park)

[mysteryshelf]

BLOG TOUR - No Way Home

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

No Way Home by Annette Dashofy

Dashofy’s No Way Home is off the charts fantastic! Fantastic characters, fantastic mysteries, fantastic book!! Get your copy and hold on tight, it is going to be a bumpy ride as you find out if everyone make their way home. ~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

No Way Home is the best one yet. Great story that keeps you on the edge. ~Shelley’s Book Case

Make your way to No Way Home’s pages. You’ll uncover a wonderful addition to Zoe’s story, as well as a superb story in and of itself. But I definitely suggest reading the whole series. The more you read, the more you’ll find to love. ~Back Porchervations

A fantastic book that I loved reading. I couldn’t put the book down. It was great mystery that had me from the first pages. ~Books, Dreams, Life

Annette Dashofy has crafted a suspenseful and satisfying story in No Way Home; it’s possibly my favorite of the Zoe Chambers mysteries to date. ~The Girl with Book Lungs

No Way Home was a fast paced keep you on the edge of your seat Cozy read. No Way Home is a ‘stand alone’ book although be cautioned you’ll probably want to read the beginning of the series! ~The Journey Back

Annette is a great writer, providing the reader with such a mystery that you guess through out the book on the “who-done-it” and yet, even in the end you are surprised to see the actual suspect come to light. ~Bibliophile Reviews

I loved everything about this book. The characters are phenomenal and the mystery is so intense I couldn’t stop reading. ~Texas Book-aholic

Definitely great read for cozy lovers! ~Community Bookstop

No Way Home (A Zoe Chambers Mystery) Cozy Mystery 5th in Series Henery Press (March 14, 2017) Paperback: 256 pages ISBN-13: 978-1635111774 Kindle 9781635111798

Synopsis

A relaxing trail ride turns tragic when Paramedic and Deputy Coroner Zoe Chambers discovers the body of a popular county commissioner in her Pennsylvania woods. Inconsistencies surround the horrible accident, but before she can investigate further, she’s pried away by a plea for help from her best friend whose son has been deemed a person of interest in a homicide over a thousand miles away. When he vanishes without a trace, his mother begs Zoe to help clear him and bring him safely home. The task takes Zoe out of her comfort zone in a frantic trip to the desolate canyons and bluffs of New Mexico where she joins forces with the missing boy’s sister and a mysterious young Navajo.

Back at home, Vance Township’s Chief of Police Pete Adams must deal not only with the commissioner’s homicide, but with an influx of meth and a subsequent rash of drug overdoses in his rural community. Bodies keep turning up while suspects keep disappearing. However little else matters when he learns that half a continent away, a brutal killer has Zoe in his sights.

Books in the Zoe Chambers Mystery Series:

• CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE(#1) • LOST LEGACY (#2) • BRIDGES BURNED (#3) • WITH A VENGEANCE (#4)

Interview with the Author –

What initially got you interested in writing? I don’t ever remember NOT begin interested in writing. I assumed it was something everyone did. As a child I read and I wrote. It was simply another form of play. I also had imaginary friends, so I guess my mind just naturally tends to make stuff up.

  What genres do you write in? My books have been classified as “cozy” mysteries, but I think it’s more accurate to refer to them as traditional mysteries.

  What drew you to writing these specific genres? I’ve tried writing other genres, but keep coming back to this one. I love reading them for one thing. But I really enjoy creating a puzzle and keeping my readers guessing. Plus, killing people on the page can be very therapeutic! Just kidding. Sort of.

  How did you break into the field? While my passion has always been long fiction, my first publication credits were in magazine articles. I was a regular contributor to Pennsylvania Magazine for a time. I also had a number of short mysteries published in Mysterical-e and Spinetingler magazines. That gave me some experience and exposure. I had a couple of different agents for an earlier series that never sold. Then a friend introduced me to the editor at Henery Press who offered me my first three-book contract for the Zoe Chambers series. It actually sounds simpler than it was!

  What do you want readers to take away from reading your works? I hope they feel they’ve been taken out of their own worlds for a while and have enjoyed spending time with Zoe and Pete. I hope they feel that rush of “I should have seen that!” at the end if they haven’t figured out who-dun-it; and if they have, I hope they enjoyed the ride anyway. That tells me I’ve played fair.

  What do you find most rewarding about writing? Hearing from readers who tell me my stories have helped them through a rough patch, or have kept them up all night because they couldn’t put the book down. I love creating the stories, but I really love meeting and talking to my readers too.

  What do you find most challenging about writing? This has been a particularly hard year for me. My mom passed away in early January after being in failing health for almost two years. Staying focused and getting my pages done when everything else around me was falling apart…THAT was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.

  What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field? I have three things I always tell aspiring writers. 1.) Learn your craft. Go to conferences, take workshops, read how-to books. 2.) Join a writing organization. They’re great for everything listed under #1, but they’re also great opportunities to network. 3.) Never ever give up. You’ll deal with a LOT of rejection. Get used to it. But the only sure way to not get published is to quit trying.

  What type of books do you enjoy reading? Mysteries, of course. Especially those with a strong location. I love Craig Johnson’s Longmire series set in Wyoming and Julia Spencer Fleming’s Clare Fergusson series set in upstate New York. I love the feeling of having been taken someplace else.

  Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you? I’ve been called a Jack (Jill?) of all trades because of all the different jobs I’ve held. Most folks know I’ve been an EMT because that’s what led me to create Zoe as a paramedic, but I’ve also worked retail, pierced ears, been a wedding and portrait photographer, done farm labor including training horses, taught yoga, and sold Avon. Lots of fodder for stories and characters there!

  What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work? I invite you to check out my website (http://www.annettedashofy.com/) and sign up for my newsletter. You can also find me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/annette.dashofy/) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Annette_Dashofy)

About The Author –

Annette Dashofy is the USA Today best-selling author of the Zoe Chambers mystery series about a paramedic and deputy coroner in rural Pennsylvania’s tight-knit Vance Township. CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE, published by Henery Press, was a finalist for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel and for the David Award for Best Mystery of 2014. LOST LEGACY, was released in September 2014 followed in April 2015 by BRIDGES BURNED, which has been nominated for the Agatha for Best Contemporary Novel. WITH A VENGEANCE, the fourth in the series, was released May 3, 2016.

Author Links

website– www.annettedashofy.com

blog– http://annettedashofy.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/annette.dashofy

Twitter– @Annette_Dashofy 

Purchase Links Amazon B&N

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BLOG TOUR – No Way Home was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf

[mountrainiernps]

The historic Longmire Suspension Bridge is worth a walk any time of the year, but it is particularly picturesque in winter. The bridge stretches across the Nisqually River. Mount Rainier can be glimpsed from the bridge, or continue across and down the road to the Longmire Community Building, which has one of the best views of the mountain in Longmire. 

_________

NPS Video, filmed 11/26/19. Description: Snow falls lightly on a snow-covered wood suspension bridge surrounded by snowy trees. The bridge sways slightly as three people walk across. ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

“Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.” – Mary Schmich

As you pack your backpack and motor vehicle before heading out to the mountain, one thing to consider is sun protection.

Yes, it’s winter. The Pacific Northwest is known for its rainy, cloudy, foggy weather in the winter. That can be very true in the lowlands around the Puget Sound. But as you drive up into the mountains it can be a very different story.

Sometimes you drive up to Longmire and Paradise and you end up above the clouds. We can get a few winter inversions where it sets up sunnier up high then down near the Sound.

Paradise is also at a higher elevation, 5,420 feet above sea level. Your skin can be exposed to more solar radiation up here.

And one more thing, snow. Snow can be a great reflector of the sunshine.

So please, bring some sun protection. Sun screen, hats, sunglasses can be good options for protecting your eyes and skin.

What are some of your favorite sun protection options?

Is there something that you’ve found works great when you’ve spent a sunny day at Paradise?

Information on the 10 Essentials can be found on this website https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm  Park information on winter safety can be found here https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/winter-safety.htm 

These photos are from years past and do not reflect current conditions. NPS Photo. View looking down the Nisqually River from the Longmire Suspension bridge with snow covering the rocks and banks. Evergreens line the banks and Sawtooth Ridge is in the background. A few clouds in a bright blue sky. February, 2020. NPS Photo. Looking up across the upper parking lot at Paradise towards the Old Station, and Guide House. Snow covers the meadows and Mount Rainier in the background. January, 2022. NPS Photo. Snow covered meadows in Edith Basin with snowshoe tracks leading away. Tatoosh Mountain Range in background with bright blue sky.

[mountrainiernps]

Longmire has much to offer winter visitors to the national park. The Longmire Museum is open daily with staff available to answer questions. The National Park Inn offers food and lodging. Plus the Inn has a great view of Mount Rainier from the front porch on clear weather days. The gift shop, next to the Inn, offers supplies and souvenirs. Across the road is the Trail of the Shadows, a 0.7 mile loop which has a wonderful view of Mount Rainier from the spur trail in the meadow on clear weather days.

And there’s one more spot for a superb view of the mountain on clear days; across the river by the Longmire Stewardship Campground. Closed for camping for the winter, the campground is available for folks wanting a walk in the woods with a possible mountain view. There is no trail, but you can follow the road, both the plowed and snow covered sides. Stay alert for park vehicles and snow plows that come through occasionally.

Getting to the Longmire Stewardship Campground does take you off the main park road. When you drive into Longmire, turn right at the Administration building (the big stone building with a flagpole out front). There’s parking available on the road sides going past the Administration Building as it goes uphill through park housing. If the road is plowed, you can continue driving up through the housing, to the “S” curve and then over the wooden suspension bridge. It can be nice to park by the administration building because then you can walk over this wooden bridge and listen to the Nisqually River.

Once over the suspension bridge, follow the road downriver to the Longmire Community building. Conditions permitting, there may also be parking available here. From the community building, you can start into the Longmire Stewardship Campground that’s directly beside it. Exploring this wintertime wood is a nice adventure especially for groups with smaller children.

When was the last time you crossed the Nisqually River in Longmire to take in a view of our mountain? Have you strolled or snowshoed through the campground? ~ams

For more information about the Longmire area in winter, you can start with this webpage https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/explore-longmire-in-winter.htm . For hours and contact information for the Longmire Museum https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/hours.htm . Winter weather can involve ice. For more on winter recreation, weather and safety  https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/winter.htm .

These photos are from years past. NPS/Spillane Photo. View of Mount Rainier over a snowbank near the Longmire Community building and stewardship campground. March, 2021. NPS/Loving Photo. Snow covered road in campground leading through forest. March, 2016. NPS/Loving Photo. Person walking on snowy road leading to wooden suspension bridge. November, 2019. NPS/Loving Photo. Open creek flowing through snow covered forest in campground. November, 2019.

[mountrainiernps]

The historic Longmire Suspension Bridge is worth a walk any time of the year, but it is particularly picturesque in winter. The bridge stretches across the Nisqually River. Mount Rainier can be glimpsed from the bridge, or continue across and down the road to the Longmire Community Building, which has one of the best views of the mountain in Longmire.

_________ NPS Video, filmed 11/26/19. Description: Snow falls lightly on a snow-covered wood suspension bridge surrounded by snowy trees. The bridge sways slightly as three people walk across. ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

It's all a cycle: rain helps refuel rushing rivers that flow out to sea, where the water evaporates to fall again as rain. View a small part of the cycle from the historic Longmire Suspension Bridge over the Nisqually River.

NPS Video. Description: Rain falls on a river rushing beneath a wooden suspension bridge. ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

There’s river that runs through Longmire. Hidden behind the public buildings, staff residences, and maintenance yard, the Nisqually River rolls down its rocky channel on its way to the Puget Sound. The Nisqually River seems small but it’s forceful at times flowing with melted snow or glacier ice.

Across the river, is the old Community Building and the Longmire Stewardship Campground providing volunteers a place to stay during the summer.

The lone connection is a wooden bridge. Spanning from rock outcrop to rock outcrop, the Nisqually Bridge is a suspension bridge over chilly waters. A weight limit protects it from damage from heavy vehicles but you can stroll across it or drive in smaller motor vehicles. This historic bridge is a piece of history we can use and admire every day.

When was the last time you strolled across the Longmire bridge? ~ams

For more park history, visit https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/historyculture/index.htm

NPS/Spillane Photo. View from the Community Building looking up the Nisqually River to the Longmire Bridge. 2021. NPS/Spillane Photo. View looking across bridge. 2021. NPS/Spillane Photo. View looking upriver through parts of the Longmire Bridge at the Nisqually River. 2021.

[mountrainiernps]

Wishing you mountains of holiday cheer from Mount Rainier National Park!

__ NPS Photos. Description: Collection of winter photos, including the snowy peak of Mount Rainier, snow-covered rustic Longmire Administration Building with a flag flying in front, red Sitka Mountain Ash berries dusted in snow, snow-covered Longmire Suspension Bridge, a snowy Rampart Ridge, sunlight shining through frosty fir branches, Mount Rainier rising above a wintery White River valley, red alder branches in the snow, and a snowman wearing a ranger hat and tie. ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

Mountain Moment: Nisqually Snow

Winter is all about water in its many forms. From moisture-laden clouds, to falling snow that blankets the landscape, to the rushing Nisqually River.

_______ NPS Video, filmed 2/19/19 from the Longmire Suspension Bridge. Description: Snow falls onto a river that flows past snowy banks and snow-covered rocks.  ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

Landscape Language Midden (n) –a squirrel’s waste pile

Some may be familiar with kitchen middens, a waste pile of kitchen scraps, but at Mount Rainier a midden is a pile of cone debris left behind by a Douglas squirrel.  Douglas squirrels will frequently return to a favorite spot to enjoy a conifer cone. As the squirrel chews out the seeds from the cone, cone scales and debris falls around the spot, building up to form a midden. Typically Douglas squirrels choose a stump, snag, or rock for their snack spot – but they like any spot with a view, including fence posts and bridge railings. What other spots have you seen Douglas squirrel middens?

NPS Photo: Douglas squirrel midden on the railing of the Longmire Suspension Bridge. ~kl

[mountrainiernps]

Winter has returned in full. Snowshoeing anyone?

NPS Photo of Longmire Suspension Bridge taken today ~12:53pm. Description: A snow-covered wooden suspension bridge and snowy forest. -kl