Two skiers at Mount Rainier in 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

If you’re looking to go somewhere for winter recreation that has jaw-dropping views and can take your breath away (or at least make you pant a little bit due to the altitude), try Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park.

Located on the south side of Rainier, Paradise offers a snow play area for tubers and plastic disc riders. Paradise also is a popular place for snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowboarding and even snow camping.

You can learn about Mount Rainier’s winter ecology by taking a ranger-led snowshoe walk and viewing the Jackson Visitor Center exhibits and film. The ranger-led snowshoe walks take place on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through March 23. You can sign up one hour beforehand inside the Jackson Visitor Center. Limit is 25 people.

If you choose to drive up to Paradise, bring tire chains and dress warmly.

As the State Digital Archives photo above shows, Paradise has been a popular winter recreational destination for many years.  This photo, taken in the early 1940s, shows a boy putting a female skier on his shoulder.

The shot is part of the Progress Commission Photographs collection, which consists of 500 black and white negatives created between 1937 and 1945, and used by the Washington State Progress Commission to promote tourism in Washington.

The Washington State Progress Commission was created in 1937. The commission’s functions were primarily promotional and informational in nature. In this regard, it was the forerunner of the Department of Commerce and Economic Development. The commission was abolished in 1945 and its functions were merged with those of the State Planning Council to become the Division of Progress and Industrial Development of the Department of Conservation. In 1957, the functions of the commission were transferred to the Department of Commerce and Economic Development.