Disasters Close MTTA's South District and Mount Rainier National Park
On November 5th and 6th, 17 inches of rain fell on the slopes of Mt. Rainier, resulting in a phenomenal surge in the Nisqually River. This surge washed away over 100 feet of approach to the 1-Road bridge which provides the only public access to MTTA's South District. It also washed away a quarter-mile of the Nisqually Road which provides access to the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park.
Nov. 20th Update: For some shocking images of the park damage, go to Images of the Flood 2006, then click on one of the "Slide Tour" options.
MTTA has been informed that, at the earliest, the 1-Road bridge will not be fixed until next fall. This means our South District will be closed until further notice. All overnight permit holders for High Hut, Snow Bowl and the Yurt will be offered a full refund, and will have a first shot at any remaining Copper Creek hut reservations.
Is it Important to fix the South District Access?
With flooding damage throughout the state, state officials may question how important it is to fix the 1-Road bridge. It is critical that they hear from you. Please see How can I Help Restore Access to the South District.
A Silver Lining: Expanded Operations in MTTA's North District
The closure of Mount Rainier National Park and MTTA's South District is expected to affect many hundreds of winter fun seekers. Fortunately, MTTA's North District is still open, and the MTTA Board has approved expanded operations to handle a potentially large increase in visitors:
Expanded Parking. MTTA has committed extra plow truck hours to keep the upper North District Sno-Park open and to maximize the plowed road width. This should nearly double MTTA's North District parking area without increasing the distance to Copper Creek hut. In years with normal snow pack, the upper Sno-Park is used only early and late in the season.
Please note that during periods of heavy snowfall, available parking spots may be reduced and visitors may need to park lower down the road.
More Grooming. MTTA will re-deploy South District grooming equipment and volunteers to add more groomed trails in the North District. We were really fortunate that our equipment had not yet been moved from our summer maintenance area up into the South District! The new grooming plans include:
Keeping the Puyallup Ridge Lookout Trail open throughout the season.
Please note that grooming may be impacted by severe weather, equipment problems and/or volunteer availability.
Stay tuned for a new North District Trails webpage with pictures and improved descriptions! (It's now online - see Go North!.
A New Trail. MTTA Nordic Patrollers will attempt to keep a ski trail open to the Volcano Vista destination. This trail will provide Copper Creek Hut overnight guests with a beautiful day-trip option, with the destination being a high ridge with spectacular views of Mount Rainier. Previously, this destination required backcountry navigation skills and the ability to break trail in deep snow.
More Pre-Season Coverage. We will ask our Nordic Patrollers to increase grooming and patrol coverage from now through December 28th. Please note that all patrollers and groomers are volunteers, and this early season coverage depends on their availability.
We Need Your Help.
The expanded North District operations will help with an increase in visitors, but it will not replace the donations and reservation fees lost due to the closure of the South District. More than ever, MTTA needs your help. Please consider an online gift and check out other ways to help MTTA. We appreciate your help in this time of need.
With Mount Rainier likely to remain closed through Christmas, we need to get the word out that our North District is open for winter fun! Please tell all your outdoor friends and spread the word at outdoor club meetings (the Mountaineers, etc.). Another idea is to stop by your favorite outdoor gear shop and let the snowshoe/ski sales persons know about MTTA!
Come on Out!
Rainier and our South District may be closed, but our North District is still open! And it will soon have expanded parking, grooming and trails to make your winter adventures all the more fun. Come explore our backcountry. We hope to see you soon!
