This is a photo I took -- while stopped -- as my family and I left Mount Rainier National Park on Tuesday. This was taken on the road from Longmire to the Nisqually entrance.

Jeffrey P. Mayor
The snow in the foreground is on the hood of our SUV and came from the 11 inches that fell Monday and Tuesday morning.

If you are thinking of heading to the mountain this weekend, call ahead or check the park's Web site. Based on Webcam views this morning, getting to Paradise could be a bit dicey. In the last 24 hours, nearly a foot of snow has fallen at Paradise.

A few minutes ago I called the park and the advisory said the road to Paradise would be closed all day. Visitors should watch for crews removing snow and trees on the stretch from the entrance to Longmire.

The next razor clam dig will open as scheduled on Thursday. Officials with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife made the announcement this morning.

Four evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks
from Thursday through Jan. 11, while Long Beach is scheduled for three days of digging, Jan. 9 through Jan 11.

Digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight.

Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, said the best time to start digging at all beaches is an hour or two before low tide.

The evening low tide times for this dig art:
Thursday: 4:13 p.m., -0.2 feet
Jan. 9: 5:07 p.m., -0.8 feet
Jan. 10: 5:58 p.m., -1.1 feet
Jan. 11: 6:45 p.m., -1.2 feet

Because the low tides are happening late in the afternoon and into the evening, Ayres reccommends diggers take lights or lanterns. It also is a good idea to place some sort of light in your vehicle so you can find it when you are done digging.

Diggers also should check weather and surf forecasts at the National Weather Service Web site before heading out. Ayres recommends people consider staying off the beach if swell heights reach 12 feet.

Click here for an updated coastal forecast.

Because of poor weather conditions during previous sig, harvest data shows there were enough clams on the four beaches to offer additional digging opportunities, Ayres said.

"We had some rough weather during the fall openers, which prevented
some people from getting out," Ayres said in a news release. "The good news is there are plenty of clams to harvest. Now we just hope the weather cooperates."

A February digs has been tentatively scheduled for: Feb. 6-8 Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks and Feb. 7-8 at Long Beach.

Kalaloch Beach in Olympic National Park is closed, but may open in the spring if clams there grows to harvestable size.