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Season closures coming to Sunrise
The News Tribune
Last updated: September 4th, 2008 01:13 AM (PDT)
Operations at Mount Rainier National Park are slowly shifting to the fall schedule. The Sunrise Visitor Center and the day lodge will remain open through 5 p.m. Sunday, then close for the season, said Sandi Kinzer, interpretive operations manager.
The road to the Sunrise area is scheduled to stay open through 5 p.m. Oct. 13. However, the road may be closed due to snowfall and unsafe roads depending on the weather.
Vault toilets near the Sunrise Day Lodge will be open, and visitors are advised to come prepared with their own drinking water and food. Roving interpretive rangers will be in the Sunrise area daily to provide visitor information and orientation.
ROAD WORK
Highway 123 through the park is now closed Mondays through Thursdays, after crews began work on Tuesday.
Park, state Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration officials said the road will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for paving, according to a park news release.
The closure area will be from Cayuse Pass, at the intersection with Highway 410, to just north of the intersection with the Stevens Canyon Road.
Depending on the weather, the work is scheduled to be done on Sept. 18.
Work will be done on almost 6 miles of Highway 123 from 2 miles south of Deer Creek Bridge to the intersection of Highway 410 at Cayuse Pass and 1.5 miles of Highway 410 from 1/4 mile north of Cayuse Pass, east towards Chinook Pass to the first major switchback. The rehabilitation project will cost $6.07 million, said the release.
The work includes improving drainage; excavating, stabilizing and reinforcing failing subsurface material; repair/stabilize historic rock retaining walls; and resurfacing with new hot-mix asphalt. Work also involves replacement of the failing stone/timber fence in the Tipsoo Lake area with a border rock edge that will withstand heavy snow loading experienced in this area, the release said.
During the temporary closure, visitors should expect 20 minutes delays on Highway 123 on Fridays, as well as the section of Highway 410 adjacent to the intersection with Highway 123 at Cayuse Pass Mondays through Fridays. The road will be down to one lane on Highway 410 at mile post 73, about 5 miles east of Chinook Pass due to damage from last winter’s avalanches.
Updated information on this project may be obtained by calling Mount Rainier National Park at 360-569-2211, Ext. 2166. Information on this project, as well as general park information, is also available on Mount Rainier National Park’s Web site at www.nps.gov/mora.
PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Park staff is compiling a list of volunteer projects that will be held on National Public Lands Day, Sept. 27. Kevin Bacher, the park’s volunteer coordinator, said there will be several projects to chose from, mainly in the Longmire area of the park.
In addition, the Washington Trails Association will be continuing is work on the Glacier Basin Trail in the northeast corner of the park.
Later in the day, a picnic open to all volunteers will be held.
Visit rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com for details.
Originally published: September 4th, 2008 01:13 AM (PDT)
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