Mt. Rainier gears up for summer, but read on for details
Posted by Terry Richard June 18, 2007 08:59AM
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High-country hiking above Sunrise at Mount Rainier will require a driving approach through Enumclaw, Wash., this summer.
From the National Park Service
Mount Rainier National Park’s Sunrise area opened June 15 . Normally this area opens the weekend prior to the Fourth of July. Because access to some areas of the park remain closed due to the severe damage from the November 2006 storm, the park opened the Sunrise area early. Interpretive programs will begin on June 22 at the Sunrise Visitor Center.
The snack bar at Sunrise Lodge will open on Saturday June 23.
The November floods also damaged sections of the Stevens Canyon Road that connect the east and west sides of the park. Barring any unforeseen problems, Stevens Canyon Road will reopen on June 22. At present, the Stevens Canyon Road is open on the west side to Reflection Lake and on the east side to the Grove of the Patriarchs. Once opened, traffic will need to alternate through a very short one-lane section located approximately 3 miles west of SR 123. Visitors will be able to access Stevens Canyon from the southeast via SR 123/US 12 and on the west side of the park.
White River Campground will open for the season on June 29. The White River Road to the campground opened in May providing early season access for climbers.
The Mowich Lake Road is also scheduled to open on June 29. At this time, snow remains on the roadway in some areas.
Due to extensive storm damage, the Carbon River Road will not be accessible by vehicles. Access will be by foot or bicycle only.
State Route (SR) 410 is open from the north park boundary east to Yakima.
State Route 123 is closed for repairs A contract was recently awarded to repair SR 123, also heavily damaged during the November 6-7 floods. Construction will begin soon with an anticipated completion date in early October, 2007. Consequently, a 10.9-mile long segment of SR123 from just south of Cayuse Pass (intersection with SR 410) to just north of the intersection with the Stevens Canyon Road will be closed for the duration of the contract, which will prevent visitors from driving north and south through the park.
For additional information visit the Mount Rainier web page at www.nps.gov/mora or call 360-569-2211.
Walls are going up on the new Paradise Visitor Center and chimneys and rock work are going back up on the Paradise Inn at the start of the second construction season on both in Mount Rainier National Park.
The upper parking lot remains closed for construction activities. To help alleviate parking congestion the free Paradise Shuttle System began operation on June 15, running through Labor Day, Sept. 3. The two shuttle routes will operate Friday – Sunday and Labor Day only. The shuttles will not operate Monday through Thursday.
New Webcams coming soon! Go to the park webpage www.nps.gov/mora to watch the construction progress at the new visitor center or to see the new, improved MountainCam. These new cameras should be operational in the next few weeks.
The park’s most popular road, the Nisqually Road to Paradise, reopened May 5 after a six-month closure due to flood damage. The gate at the Nisqually Entrance is open.
Lodging is available in the park at the National Park Inn, and visitors can get meals at the Inn or at the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise. Gateway businesses surrounding the park are also open. The following web sites offer information on lodging, food and activities surrounding the park: www.mt-rainier.com, www.visitrainier.com, and www.destinationpackwood.com.
The park received 18 inches of rain in 36 hours in early November, and roads all over the park washed out in numerous locations. Campgrounds, trails and utilities were also hit hard. Repair work in other sections of the park will continue this summer, with SR 123 and the Carbon River Road expected to remain closed all summer.
One consideration for Oregonians planning to visit the park’s Sunrise area is the summer closure of State Route 123, on the east side of the park between the Stevens Canyon Road and Cayuse Pass. The road has several major washouts that will take months to repair.
To reach Sunrise, the highest paved road in the state, visitors from Oregon and southwest Washington will need to approach from the north via Enumclaw.
Other recreation areas in the Northwest suffered similar damage, the extent of which may not be known until snow melts in the high country. Click at the link below the photo for more information.
Trail Damage Emerges as Snow Melts
April 12–Since torrents of rain water swept through the park in early November, park officials have been busy tallying up the damage and making repairs. Roads, utilities, campgrounds and buildings all suffered in the storm. But one of the big unknowns remaining in flood recovery is the status of backcountry trails. The full extent of damage to trails, bridges, and campsites is only now beginning to become clear.
The November flood took out many backcountry bridges and damaged trails along river valleys.
Two sections of the Wonderland Trail, a famous 93-mile loop of the mountain, will be unusable this year. On the Carbon Glacier Trail just upstream from the Lake James junction the Carbon River scoured away the trail and the base of the hill, leaving nearly vertical scree and bedrock. Repair will require a 1,500-foot reroute 50-100 feet above the original trail. During construction hikers will be rerouted across the Carbon River at the Lake James crossing then south along the Northern Loop Trail to the Carbon Glacier.
An earth slide in Stevens Canyon created a steep and unstable slope. The Wonderland Trail will have to be rerouted for 1,000 feet to bypass the slide scar. Until the trail is fixed Wonderland Trail hikers will have to walk along the Stevens Canyon Road for about four miles.
“Those planning their ‘once in a lifetime’ trip on the Wonderland Trail might want to postpone the experience until next year,” said park spokesperson Lee Taylor.
Trail crews recently discovered that a crucial trail to access the Emmons Glacier climbing route is also in bad shape. The Glacier Basin Trail was washed away by the flood and may be unusable this summer. “This is just the first of what will probably be many areas of damage we discover as the snow melts,” said Taylor.
With so many backcountry bridges out stream crossings will be an important safety concern this summer. Hikers can take these precautions to cross streams safely:
Whether you’re going to cross on a log, step from rock to rock, or wade, choose your spot carefully. Find an area where the water is slow and shallow. Look downstream: if you see logs or other debris that could trap you if you fall in, find a different place to cross.
Carefully assess the depth and speed of the water before deciding to walk across. If the water is up to your knees it’s too deep to ford. Drop in a stick and walk alongside it. If you can’t keep up, the water is too fast to wade.
Use a sturdy stick for balance while crossing. Always keep two points of contact on the ground. If you can’t see the bottom, probe with the stick before each step.
On log crossings staring down at the water can make you dizzy; try to keep your eyes forward as much as possible. And select a log that isn’t too slippery! If the log is stripped of bark or wet it’s likely to be slick.
When you’re ready to cross unfasten the belt of your pack so you can ditch it quickly if you end up in the water.
If you do fall in, try to point your feet downstream and keep your head up.
Never jump in to help another person–it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to offer any aid in the fast, cold water. Instead keep the person in sight and follow on the bank until you can safely attempt a rescue.
Use good judgment–if you have any doubts at all about the safety of a crossing, don’t do it! You can always go back the way you came.
“This summer it will be critical for visitors to get current information on trail conditions,” said Taylor. “Stop in at any visitor center or Wilderness Information Center for assistance.” Updated information and trail conditions are posted on the park’s web page at www.nps.gov/mora or call 360-569-HIKE.
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