Hiker Headlines: North Cascades Hwy and Olympics Road Updates, Wildfires (Already) and Rainier Permits

It's March 28. Some roads are closed for roadwork; others are just starting to be cleared for the spring. Surprisingly, wildfire season has already begun. And if you want to backpack in Mount Rainier this summer, now's a great time to apply for a permit. 

Here’s some hiker news that you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Work on the Staircase Road in Olympic National Park will limit access to some trails in the area until May. Photo by terradactyl. 

Road closed: Work is beginning today on Staircase Road in the southeast corner of Olympic National Park. The road is closed to both vehicles and pedestrians at the boundary of the park, which is about a mile before the end of the road. The work includes improvements to the pavement, culvert replacement, paving of an overflow parking area and more. The road provides access to hikes, including the North Fork Skokomish River, Staircase Rapids and Wagonwheel Lake. The road will reopen by May 24 for the Memorial Day weekend. 

Spring clearing: Work began this week to clear the North Cascades Highway. Crews are working Mondays to Thursdays from the east and the west. During those times, the work zone is closed to the public between the gates on each side. On other days, the area is open for skiing, cycling or other recreation — although be sure to check out the avalanche danger. It’s also a good reminder that many roads are still buried under snow across the state, and that snow recreation can be particularly dangerous this time of year. 

Fire season: It’s hard to believe, but fire season has already begun in our state. There have already been 50 wildfires, 49 of them on the west side of the state. It’s early to be seeing so many fires — and a good reminder to be smart about fires on your outdoor adventures.

Rainier dreams: If you're dreaming of a summer backpacking trip to Mount Rainier, now's the time to get in your permit reservation request. All permit requests submitted by March 31 will be processed randomly beginning April 1. 

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