Mount Rainier Closed by Flooding
According to KING-5 News and the News Tribune, Mount Rainier National Park has closed at the Nisqually entrance due to flooding of Kautz Creek. Park officials report that flows over the Nisqually Road are more than 6 inches, making travel unsafe.
More rain is expected across the Cascades and Olympics today, and a flood warning is in effect for most of Western Washington.
High waters along the Skykomish River caused evacuations of homes near Sultan and Gold Bar. Flooding on the Puyallup and Carbon Rivers resulted in evacuations there as well, and the Carbon River entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is also closed and evacuations in that region are underway. The Tolt and Snoqualmie Rivers are also at flood stage.
Obviously, you should restrict travel and avoid trying to get to mountain hikes today. Try an urban walk or a place like Ebey's Landing if you need get out for a hike today. (FYI, Ebey's Landing is celebrating its 30th anniversary this week).
Comments
updates from the Park Service
The Nisqually entrance remains closed.
Route 410 is open through the park. The Stevens Canyon Road was closed for the season earlier this month.
The park reports the Carbon River Road experienced yet another major washout, with a 200-foot section gone that is 10 feet deep. Numerous foot bridges are out; the Carbon is unsafe to hike at this time.
The park also reports that the trail bridge to Grove of the Patriarchs is washed out (again!) and the trail is closed to hikers.
Posted by:
Andrew Engelson on Nov 14, 2008 02:52 PM