Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Mount Rainier National Park has proposed requiring reservation for vehicles to enter the park at popular entrances. The change would limit access to beloved trails that are close to major population center. Washington Trails Association is concerned about this proposal and we’re asking our community to speak up about it by June 26.
Mount Rainier National Park has proposed requiring a reservation for vehicles entering the park at several popular entrances. If implemented, this change would limit access to beloved trails that are close to major population centers in Washington.
Washington Trails Association is concerned about this proposal, which would create inequitable changes to how people can visit the park. We’re asking our community to speak up about this proposal by June 26. Keep reading for our concerns — and for information on how to share your thoughts with park officials.
The proposed reservations would limit access and create new barriers
WTA is committed to reducing the obstacles that prevent people from hiking and enjoying time in nature. Mount Rainier National Park has legitimate challenges managing its most popular areas, but the proposed online reservation system would make visiting the park harder for everyone.
Getting to the park would be even harder for anyone who can’t plan ahead, doesn’t have a regular schedule, isn’t familiar with public-land systems, does not speak English or who doesn't have easy access to technology. Researchers have studied reservations systems at other national park sites similar to Mount Rainier. They have found that visitors tend to be wealthier and less racially diverse at sites that require online reservations compared to sites that do not.
There are already many existing barriers that make visiting iconic landscapes like Mount Rainier inequitable. The National Park Service should do more to make visiting parks more accessible, and this proposal unfortunately does the opposite. In fact, Mount Rainier National Park’s 2002 general management plan included other strategies that the park has not yet tried.
These strategies, including adding shuttles, could address some of the park’s congestion concerns. Adding a robust shuttle system could allow new connections to transit systems, reduce climate impacts of visitation, increase the public’s ability to enjoy point-to-point hiking and improve visitor education. The park should center equity as a way to improve the overall park experience.
Visitors can enjoy iconic views of Mount Rainier from trails, roads and parking lots within the park. Visitors to Reflection Lake pass through the Nisqually or Stevens Canyon park entrances and would be impacted by the proposed timed reservations. Photo of Reflection Lakes by trip reporter Lisa Elliott.
Sunrise and Paradise have developed trails systems that limit impacts to natural resources
The Paradise and Sunrise areas of Mount Rainier are beloved alpine environments. They have staff and volunteers available for education and enforcement. Visitors are concentrated on developed trails systems, including paved trails, which reduces impacts to natural resources. This infrastructure and park resources support high visitation during peak times.
Wildflowers and mountain views at Mount Rainier National Park make it a popular destination for summer visitors. Access to places like Silver Forest trail would be limited by reservations at the park’s White River entrance. Photo by trip reporter jennaoutside.
Let’s push for transportation solutions and a genuine commitment to equity
The park’s plan emphasizes limited parking and congestion on park roads. The proposed limitations on visitors are heavily influenced by parking facilities. If the park intends to limit the number of private vehicles that can drive to Paradise, Sunrise or other popular locations, then Mount Rainier National Park should provide alternatives for visiting these places — namely park shuttles. The park included shuttles in one management alternative of the recent plan. However, it is not the park’s preferred alternative and would only connect Cougar Rock campground to Paradise.
WTA staff met with the superintendent of Mount Rainier and expressed concerns about the proposed restrictions on visitation and treating parking spots as the limiting attribute in determining park capacity. We know that something like a shuttle can be a challenge for the park to implement, but WTA is committed to supporting the park in creating true transportation solutions.
We want to see shuttle systems on both the Nisqually and White River entrances to accompany any reservation-based changes to park entry. We want people to be able to continue to experience Mount Rainier National Park without a reservation.
Speak up
We encourage you to voice your concerns about requiring a reservation to enter Mount Rainier National Park. Submit your public comment by June 26 to let the park know that we should provide new ways for people to discover, enjoy and experience Mount Rainier. Ask the park to develop an alternative with a comprehensive shuttle system and to reduce the weight given to parking when determining appropriate levels of visitation.
- You visit Mount Rainier National Park with family and friends, youth or community groups in multiple vehicles. In the proposed system, you would likely be required to acquire a separate reservation for each vehicle.
- You have a work schedule or other limitations that would make it difficult for you to plan in advance to get a reservation.
- You don’t have a vehicle and do not currently have the ability to use transit to visit Mount Rainier.
- You live close to the park and tend to visit on a regular basis with little planning.
- You have had a hard time using Rec.gov or similar online systems to get permits to visit public lands.
- You have other ideas of how the park could address vehicle congestion.
Comments
Christy on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I'm so disappointed you've taken this position and have encouraged us to lobby the park to support your view. It's a fact that vehicle lines at Paradise have reached 2 hours long. It's a fact there are more vehicles entering the park than parking spots, and that actual fistfights have broken out over parking spots. Shuttles from outside the park are a great idea, but NPS budgets have been hugely slashed, and they don't have a fraction of the money needed. It is also not true that "the proposed online reservation system would make visiting the park harder for everyone." I no longer go to Paradise or Sunrise because of the long lines and potential lack of parking once in. I feel that I no longer have access to those places. Having a reservation would give me access again.
Posted by:
Christy on Jun 13, 2023 05:50 PM
B-dog the trail runner on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I support WTAs concerns and encouragement to support speaking out against permit requirements.
Mt Rainier is my backyard. I have experienced life-changing moments there. Where the medical community has failed, regular visits to Mt Rainier have healed me physically and emotionally. Because I live so close I am typically on trails out of Longmire at sunrise.
I have experienced the nightmare logistics of trying to make advanced online reservations at other National Parks like Glacier. Don't bring that nightmare to Mt Rainier.
Posted by:
B-dog the trail runner on Jun 13, 2023 07:13 PM
Cloudtrekker on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I echo WTA's opinions and concerns; I have already sent several comments to the NPS, and have been involved since day one of this process. The NPS has ignored several other issues and alternatives suggested by professionals and the General Public during the NEPA process. As an environmental professional, I have been involved in several EIS and NEPA projects. It is common for these studies to miss the mark during completion; this study is a good example. This EIS should have focused on how to provide better access for visitors to MRNP and the trail system, and to do this in an ecological, and environmentally-sound manner. Instead, this EIS basically focuses on Parking Lot Management. It doesn't address trail maintenance, Ranger patrols, and natural and human resource management. These issues are critical to hikers and backpackers; a majority who are local Washington State trail-lovers. These problems are part of a larger, but related, problem of Park Management. Funding woud be much-better spent by remediating HOW the park is used, not just how it is accessed. Am I supposed to make a reservation to access the Westside Road and Summerland trailheads? The reservation system has been a disaster in other National Parks; it is the wrong alternative. Can you imagine the pressure this will put on the Carbon River (Mowich) entrance? The NPS has chosen the "easiest" solution which is not an equitable one to those of us who actually love the Park, and who respect and cherish the opportunity to experience the unparalleled wonders of MRNP, and experience the Ad hoc joy of getting up and going hiking. This EIS needs major revisions and other alternatives studied, including perhaps reopening some of the Parks closed roads.
Posted by:
Cloudtrekker on Jun 13, 2023 08:42 PM
surrational on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I haven't seen a reservation system implemented really well, but I don't know what the alternative is. At some point, vehicle and foot traffic has to be regulated to so that visiting the Park can be an enjoyable experience.
With the reach the WTA has, they could focus on "encouraging positive visitor behavior" if they really wanted to, but they don't. They're much more concerned with signing up as many members as possible and promoting trip reports above anything else, which leads to the overexposure and overuse of wilderness areas by people who couldn't care less about leave no trace principles and the preservation of pristine wilderness areas.
I will be submitting a comment in favor of a reservation system, while expressing concerns about how any proposed reservation system is implemented (and no, my concerns are not based on race because that by definition is racist).
Posted by:
surrational on Jun 13, 2023 10:41 PM
TSvens on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
After I submitted my comments to the Park Service,I tried to share your blog entry on the subject to my FaceBook page, but your link on the blog entry did not work. Please fix it so I can share your concerns.
Posted by:
TSvens on Jun 13, 2023 11:22 PM
markvather on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I welcome the addition of a reservation system, currently the lines are 2+ hours long with no certainly of having a parking space. This is challenging for anyone that is trying to plan a trip from further away, additionally it adds to unnecessary driving, carbon emissions, and strain on the infrastructure. It would be extremely beneficial to have this system improved with a reservation system.
Posted by:
markvather on Jun 14, 2023 08:41 AM
Washington Trails Association on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts about this complex planning process.
The link to provide public comment to the park is down (as of this morning, June 14), but the park reports it will be working again at 10 a.m.
Posted by:
Washington Trails Association on Jun 14, 2023 08:46 AM
BigPantsTrekker on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I head to the park at least a couple times each summer. As visitation has increased and lines have gotten out of hand, I often visit mid-week - and still try to get there very early to beat the crowds. Not everyone has the leisure to do that.
The park is still considering shuttles as an option, and I think that should be the top focus here. In my dream world, there would be hop-on/hop-off style shuttles every 15-30 mins at all major trailheads. For example, if there was a shuttle at Sunrise and White River, you could do a through-hike without bringing two cars.
I wish your position emphasized what they should do instead of what they shouldn't. My comments to the park encouraged them to add a reservation system now, and start working on the shuttle service because that will take longer to implement.
Posted by:
BigPantsTrekker on Jun 14, 2023 09:29 AM
Christy on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
The language used in this article is borderline untruthful and meant to alarm people. There's no "quota system" proposed for Sunrise and Paradise, or "permits for entry" in the park as the headline says. The proposal is a timed entry system for the most congested spots, the places where people are facing hours long lines, during peak times. You'd still be able to go up to Paradise or Sunrise early or late; you can still access any of the spots along 410, at Ohanepecosh or Tipsoo Lake, without even paying an entry fee, or at Mowich Lake or Carbon River without a timed entry. I expected better from WTA.
Posted by:
Christy on Jun 14, 2023 10:31 AM
TransitTrekker on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I can't read the full research cited because it requires a subscription. I doubt that the researchers figured the transit-accessibility of the campgrounds, which could have an enormous impact on whether or not a reservation system is the actual underlying cause of the inequity WTA cites here since affluent people are much more likely to own a car or be able to drive to begin with and thus their access to such campsites is quite easy. Overlooking the role of transportation could easily be a confounding variable and undermine the conclusion of the researchers.
And: so many things in life require reservations that it is hard to believe having to reserve a slot ahead of time is any kind of significant barrier to access compared to the lack of access to mobility to actually reach our national parks and other outdoor destinations. I appreciate WTA's prompts around transit and shuttles here. But the assertion about equity vis a vis a simple reservation system for cars doesn't hold up to scrutiny IMO.
Posted by:
TransitTrekker on Jun 14, 2023 01:03 PM
Buzzy on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
As a frequent visitor over many years to Mt. Rainier National Park (MRNP) and a volunteer at Paradise, I can attest to the congested parking areas. Weekends in summer are particularly busy, and it can be almost impossible to park at Paradise or even Longmire if you arrive much past 8 a.m. I have gotten to Paradise at 7:00 a.m on recent Saturdays to find the main parking area almost full. On a Saturday afternoon around 2:30 last summer I was leaving the Nisqually entrance and clocked a 3-mile long line of cars waiting to get in - no exaggeration.
I agree that everyone should have equal access to all our National Parks. However, I do not agree that a shuttle system is the solution. MRNP is fairly isolated; the closest large city is Olympia at 62 miles one way to the Nisqually entrance, and Seattle is over 80 miles to the Park boundary. A shuttle service to and from those areas would likely cost visitors quite a bit. There is no mass transit to get people closer to the Park in order to catch a shuttle into it. Obviously, that means cars have to be left somewhere near a shuttle. Currently, there is nowhere near enough public parking at either the Sunrise or Nisqually entrances for the large number of cars that visitors would have to drive to a shuttle site close to an entrance. Yes, there are a few small towns that could possibly create enough room (e.g. Eatonville, Elbe, Ashford). But there are questions of cost, the impact on those communities, and whether they would even want to do so.
And how large would shuttle buses have to be in order to make a difference? Should there be charter buses that hold around 60 people? Or smaller vans to take a dozen at a time? And what about people flying to WA from other parts of the world or other states? They would have to also incur the cost of car rental, then the shuttle cost.
In a nutshell, I believe the shuttle idea is good but too simplistic. MRNP should prioritize other options, such as timed entry. Timed entry will also create problems, but might be the best alternative to shuttles.
Posted by:
Buzzy on Jun 14, 2023 01:04 PM
soundeziner on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I think a timed entry or reservation system is an excellent idea and long overdue. Many of our National Parks are overcrowded with visitors, making simple visits a nightmare. I’d love to go to MRNP, but but find myself avoiding for all the reasons everyone has mentioned above: long lines, crowded conditions, angry visitors, and more
When I go a National Park, I seek a moment of tranquility, not stampedes of angst. I want to enjoy quietude, not idling cars. I crave nature without being jostled aside by yet more day-hikers and trail-runners blasting radios. As a result, I’ve found myself avoiding Tahoma for all 20 years I’ve lived in this area. I look forward to the day that I can can make a reservation to visit and experience with the kind of serenity I can find in any of the other surrounding parks and forests. If that can’t happen because I can’t plan far enough ahead to make a reservation, that’s okay. I’ve lived 50 years of life without a visit to Longmire or Paradise; for the sake of the health of the Park’s ecosystems and emotional health I think I can wait another few. In the meantime, I’ll take another quickie trip to the North Cascades or Quinalt or Ozette or Adams or…
Posted by:
soundeziner on Jun 14, 2023 03:33 PM
Tom Slocum on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
WTA has concluded that a shuttle service is a more equitable solution to the problem of overcrowded parking lots at Paradise and Sunrise during the summer, so it would be helpful to think through the details of this alternative. Where are park visitors expected to board the shuttle buses? Certainly, we do not favor building large new parking lots in Greenwater and Ashford. Ample weekend parking already exists at WSDOT and Sound Transit park and rides along the I-5 corridor. They are far from the park but the vendors who run the service could cover their costs through fares. Equity would be ensured so long as all visitors equally were required to use the shuttle service. A remote shuttle service also would sharply reduce the number of visitors to the park, because it would be so unpopular. So, it would likely have the same end effect as requiring on-line reservations, but it would be more equitable and would have the added benefit of eliminating the carbon footprint of many thousands of individual, long car trips. It's a pretty good idea, but maybe not what WTA intended.
Posted by:
Tom Slocum on Jun 14, 2023 07:30 PM
OVhiker on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I do not support WTA's position on this subject at all and I hope that all the negative comments will cause a re-thinking. The current system with several hour waits at entry points and difficult parking discourages all groups from going to the park, as well as damaging the environment from vehicle fumes if nothing else. I lead hikes for a minority group and until several years ago, we used to hike on Rainier, but stopped when the wait times and parking difficulties became too extreme on summer weekends. I also strongly dislike WTA only encouraging comments to the NPS that agree with its position. A reservation system with several tiers of advance times for making reservations, as exists elsewhere, could facilitate both visits planned well in advance as well as more spontaneous ones, from ALL groups.
Posted by:
OVhiker on Jun 14, 2023 07:44 PM
Buzzy on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
The more I think about it, the more I say nix the shuttle idea. Sure, shuttle operators (companies) will recoup their expenses with the money they charge riders. It won't be cheap, especially from distant cities like Seattle. Think: fuel; maintenance; wear & tear on vehicles; insurance; taxes; driver salaries; administrative costs; possibly fees to park the vehicles at pick up/drop off locations outside MRNP; unexpected expenses; they will all be paid by riders. Not to mention shuttle business profits. Or would they be non-profit entities - highly doubtful. How much will it benefit those who do not have much disposable income? If shuttle riders have an annual or lifetime pass, would they be able to ride for free? Is the federal government willing and able to subsidize shuttle services? I could go on. That said, I cannot figure out how a "robust shuttle" system would make access to MRNP equitable.
Posted by:
Buzzy on Jun 14, 2023 09:41 PM
argosinu on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I strongly support a broad approach to limiting access, including transit and some version of access planning.
Would WTA publish whatever discussion the Board may have had to reach any of its conclusions? Granted, any pre-requisite is a burden on somebody. Roads and road maintenance are one of the highest costs in most parks. It is somewhat ironic that WTA's Board lists "separate reservation for each vehicle" as an OBJECTION when the entire proposal is to reduce vehicles in the park. Owning a vehicle and work schedules are lifestyle choices. It is difficult to see "live close to the park" but hare unable to plan ahead as a major reason to object to this proposal. I did, however, include a suggestion that the park's plan include a limited number of "walk-up" entrances to allow this. Rec.gov has worked very well for me, including for Yellowstone.
Posted by:
argosinu on Jun 14, 2023 10:45 PM
dex3703 on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I find WTA's alarm bizarre. Cars are killing us, and we must begin restricting them in every way possible. As others have noted, there is already insufficient parking, and lines are ridiculously long. Bus service from Seattle, Tacoma, and other populous launching points should be instituted, along with shuttles. Although even shuttles should be de-emphasized, with incentives for bringing your bike. Shuttles should serve the disabled foremost.
Poors don't have cars, or time off to visit parks like Rainier. Your mission would be better served by doing what you can to eliminate as much car use as possible.
Posted by:
dex3703 on Jun 15, 2023 10:28 AM
theirongoat on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Having worked and lived in the park I think the solution is simple. We need a park service operated monorail. I know some folks are laughing because this sounds like a joke but I'm serious!
Posted by:
theirongoat on Jun 16, 2023 07:38 AM
Cougarridge on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Like many Washington State locals, I'm a frequent visitor to Mount Rainier NP. I feel conflicted regarding the proposed timed entry system. However, I'm a realist regarding the choke points at the entry gates during peak tourist season. I understand the desire to take action to reduce the long wait times. A shuttle system within the park can help with parking at Paradise, but that won't get people past the gate any quicker. Perhaps timed entry is going to be the selected alternative but it's a difficult change for us frequent visitors. I find this proposal to be particularly unattractive because of the limited winter access implemented by Mount Rainier NP last year. Stepping back and putting this timed entry proposal in context of the calendar year, MRNP would be limiting access for many months of the year when combined with winter weekday Paradise closure. My frustrations aside, I recognize the physical barriers at the entrance gates and understand that timed entry is, perhaps, the most reasonable solution to address traffic backups. That said, it really pains me on the heels of what MRNP has already done by limiting weekday winter access to Paradise. I would feel better about summer timed entry if MRNP would restore winter access to Paradise (weather permitting) as has been the policy for many years. I'm a huge fan of MRNP and national parks in general. I even called the volunteer coordinator at MRNP and offered to serve as a volunteer in the park. I left a detailed voice message on his phone and never received a call back. Go figure. Management frustrations aside, MRNP is a place of extraordinary beauty and I feel lucky to live close to this unique and dynamic landscape/ecosystem.
Posted by:
Cougarridge on Jun 16, 2023 08:59 AM
CarlWen on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
As has been commented on by others, your “request for action” is at best disingenuous and at worst outright deceptive. Your attempt to spur comments through establishing an emotional connection without presenting a full range of facts should be below you, but apparently is not.
The first fact, for anyone who has attempted to access the park Friday through Sunday is that unless you arrive at dark thirty there will be a two hour plus wait to get to Sunrise or Paradise. If you do manage to get through the gate from 8:30am up it is unlikely there will be parking available.
Your continued assertion of “inequity” is insulting. Is it your assumption that only wealthy white people possess to capability to effectively manage their time or use technology to schedule? Believe it or not, poor and middle class people have for many years been scheduling appointments and figuring out how to schedule their days. These classes of people could just as easily navigate a reservation system.
Finally, when it comes to the actual plan, honesty and a complete presentation is important. It is abundantly clear that there is an access problem which needs to be addressed. Whether a reservation system is the best answer remains to be seen. Factually, however, the proposed reservation system potentially is in effect for limited hours and on limited days. A family could avoid the need for reservations simply by arriving ahead of the assigned hours. In addition, a reservation system would be reviewed through adaptive management. That means park staff will be able to analyze the effectiveness and modify the plan appropriately.
The WTA shuttle plan has geat allure until you delve deep into it. The length of a shuttle ride does not seem to be the issue as a car ride up to, say, Paradise, also takes time. Instead, the frequency of shuttles is at issue. Would your shuttle plan have shuttles every hour? Every half hour? Such a plan would be extremely costly in both equipment, fuel and driver capacity at a time when park budgets are being reduced, not increased. Where would the initial funding for shuttles come from? Where would the ongoing costs of operation come from? Would you propose that users pay for the service? Would you propose that other services are reduced to free up funds for your shuttle idea?
The concept of a shuttle system is a good one until costs come into play.
Please, present facts instead of emotional pleas.
Posted by:
CarlWen on Jun 16, 2023 10:12 AM
Mark from the Internet on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I am a long-time WTA supporter, but I too am disappointed by WTA's overall stance on this.
First, let me say that I hate the general concept of a reservation system. In a perfect world, we should all be able to enjoy these parks at any time.
BUT I also believe it is an approach that would have an immediate impact on the quality of the visitor experience to the park (though there will likely be some unanticipated negative impacts even with this plan). It's also a solution that is easy to tweak in real-time, with minimal costs associated with those changes.
The lines at entrance stations on a typical summer weekend are ridiculously long. That's not good for the environment or the visitors. Additionally, it can be dangerous as people unexpectedly decide to turn around.
I acknowledge that there may be equity issues here, though I think some of the ones WTA has listed are quite a stretch. I suspect a far larger issue is the per-car cost to enter the park. So whatever actions are being done to address that issue (free passes to community centers/libraries, etc.) can most likely be incorporated into the new reservation system.
I would LOVE to see hop-on/hop-off shuttles within the park boundaries. But that doesn't really resolve the core issue that the NPS is trying to address in this proposal. Visitors would still need to get to the park. And shuttling from a nearby community like Ashford doesn't seem like it would really help either. Who is going to drive from one of the major metro areas like Seattle or Tacoma, then switch to a shuttle that will then have to wait in a long entrance line to get into the park? They'd have to make the shuttle mandatory, which isn't possible for a number of reasons. So conceptually yeah, shuttles sound great. But when you think through the implementation details you'll see that they'd have a whole new set of challenges to overcome and would add significantly to the cost.
IF there were some robust statewide transit options in place that would transport people from more heavily populated areas to a location near the park, then perhaps an external shuttle might have value. But that's a thing that won't happen in our lifetimes and is not something NPS can control.
So while I don't like the idea of the reservation system, I think it's the best available option at this time. And I've shared that feedback with the NPS.
Posted by:
Mark from the Internet on Jun 17, 2023 06:31 PM
ugie52 on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
I used the reservation system for my visit to Arches and Yellowstone parks. While it is a pain in the butt to try to plan on when you can visit the park, it does keep the crowds down so you can find parking and actual see the sites. We were in Yosemite last year and it was so crowded that just finding parking took forever.
Posted by:
ugie52 on Jun 19, 2023 09:46 AM
J Em on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Wow are some of these comments depressing (and can't believe someone actually busted out the 'talking about race is the real racism!') Yes, a reservation system would actually make visiting the park harder for everyone because the data has ALREADY SHOWN THAT IT DOES. Especially for locals looking for an impromptu visit. I wonder if those who are pro-reservation have ever had to use the system outside of their fancy 2-week vacations. The extra fees don't even go to the parks & Recreation.gov is awful. Parks like Zion already use a shuttle system. It's not like it hasn't been done.
Posted by:
J Em on Jun 20, 2023 09:10 PM
Molodoy on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
Silly me, I did not realize that time management, planning, and using the internet are skills reserved for wealthy white people. What a ridiculous post. OF COURSE you wont be able to make impromptu visits anymore, that is the whole reason we are having this debate in the first place.
Posted by:
Molodoy on Jun 23, 2023 07:09 AM
Steve from Olympia on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS PROPOSAL, whatever your views. There are missing bits to the WTA article and to the discussions. Clearly the Park needs more funding- contact Sen. Cantwell, she sits on an Interior Dept. subcommittee.
As important, the Park is being trampled and loved to death. A focus of this proposal is to address the overcrowding at Paradise. Last August on a weekend day there were over 625 hikers passing a single point on the upper Skyline trail in a single hour. Similarly there were over 610 hikers on the trail near Myrtle Falls during a one hour span. This is causing negative impacts from over use, it's easy to see the scars of off trail use ("social trail" is a misnomer). This proposal intends to address both parking and visitor use in excess of area capacity. The belief that professional staff, volunteers, and advocacy groups like WTA to prevent area damage without a reduction in visitor numbers is truly a pie in the sky pipe dream. The Park must meet its mission to protect the resource!
Electric bus shuttles are an available resource with very low operating and maintenance costs. Several municipalities around the country have electric bus fleets. Ashford or Elbe, and Greenwater or Enumclaw could be excellent gateway portals.
The Park could adopt an interim solution by temporarily instituting timed entry quotas (yes they are quotas for the 7a.m. to 5 p.m. timespan) as it develops an equitable and viable long term solution that better serves the community of visitors that love this place.
PLEASE COMMENT (both to the Park and to WTA). If you're not at the table, you're on the menu.
Posted by:
Steve from Olympia on Jun 25, 2023 01:16 PM
norseman27 on Speak Up About Mount Rainier's Plan to Require Permits for Entry
After reading the Park's proposal and the various WTA comments, I decided to support the reservation system as a needed first step at making the park more accessible. I also suggested further study of shuttle and funding options. I don't think it is helpful to oppose the reservation system absent a shuttle, which wouldn't happen for a few years even if money became available. From an equity standpoint, there are many barriers (mostly financial) to people having access to the park. Having a (free) reservation for a time slot will actually help everyone plan their trip better. Believe it or not, most lower income and racially diverse visitors actually know how to use the Internet and highly value their time. As a note, the example cited by WTA regarding the equity effects of reservation systems is not very relevant, since it referred only to online campground reservations that can carry a substantial cost. I also suggested discounting entry fees during off-peak days as an incentive. Regarding a shuttle, I certainly support an in-park shuttle (likely free), although it will be very difficult to provide additional parking either at Longmire or within the White River entrance. I doubt a shuttle from external locations would be viable primarily due to costs (paid for likely by users) and availability of parking.
Posted by:
norseman27 on Jun 26, 2023 02:00 PM