Changes at Mt Rainier -- road closed Tues, Weds

Gate did not open until 10:30 today.

Ha ! first LEO ranger there tried mightily to open the gate but had the wrong keys ??? He called for reinforcements with the magic key which took about another 10 mins . Meanwhile the the crowd tightened about him .

Seems the residents of Ashford Valley may be finally stirring it up...

twitter.com/MountRainierNPS/status/541261179155644417

Really a bummer...
I didn't ski today primarily because I wanted to go to Paradise but couldn't risk the 3hr drive to be turned back at the gate.
Their chronic gate delays and random closures have changed the risk/reward ratio so significantly that they are certainly driving down visits. I'm starting to buy into the theory that the park management seeks to sabotage year round access.

If the MRNPS was a publicly owned business there would be a serious shake-up of the management and lack of business plan. Oh right...it is owned by the people.

If the MRNPS was a publicly owned business there would be a serious shake-up of the management and lack of business plan.

I think MRNP does have a business plan, of a sort. It's called bait & switch!