2Heeldrive - Walk it off Wimp!

Snow still slows trail work at Rainier

Snow continues to hamper efforts to open trails at Mount Rainier National Park. Crews cleared just several miles of most trail before they ran into snow, said Carl Fabiani, trails foreman for the park.

“We’re behind where we traditionally are. Last year we had started crews in late March,” he said.

Much of the Wonderland Trail, the 93-mile route that circles the mountain, is under snow. So are most trails above the 3,500- to 4,000-foot level, Fabiani said.

It’s not just snow causing trouble. Last week’s warm weather created enough runoff that two footlogs were lost on the Nisqually and Carbon rivers.

The worst blow was the discovery of avalanche damage done to a new steel bridge on the Wonderland Trail in Stevens Canyon. A helicopter was used last summer to lift the $50,000 bridge into place.

At some point during the winter, an avalanche came down Unicorn Creek and sheered off the 3/4-inch bolts holding the bridge to the footings. The 24-inch tall steel I-beams were also bent in the middle of the span.

“That was supposed to be a bombproof bridge,” Fabiani said.

Re-printed from the Tacoma News Tribune

For online up to date trail conditions, visit Trail Conditions”
Seems the trail conditions page has not been updated in awhile