New Record for Mt. Rainier?

Another Monday, another closure; another Tuesday, another closure; another Wednesday, another closure; and so it goes with MRNP.

In terms of rejecting the tram idea -- It was proposed -- but it was proposed along with a lot of other baggage

In February 1954, Joseph C. Gregory announced in The Washington Motorist that the Automobile Club of Washington was launching a campaign for the full development of Mount Rainier National Park. The club claimed to have polled its 43,000 members and found a mandate to "change the thinking of the NPS." According to the club's polling, an overwhelming majority of club members favored the construction of a complete, all-year resort at Paradise. The club's essential program called for (1) all-year accommodations, (2) all-year road access, and (3) all-year uphill transportation (either a chair lift or tramway). After devoting the whole February issue of The Washington Motorist to Mount Rainier, Gregory kept up a drumbeat of criticism of the NPS in subsequent issues. In his most strident articles, Gregory demanded a modern hotel at Paradise with swimming pool, tennis courts, and spacious green lawns. He also lambasted the NPS for not yet completing the Stevens Canyon Road and objected to its charging of fees for use of the Eastside Road.

A lot has changed since 1954 and perhaps tram (not chair lift) access to Paradise should be revisited -- but as an environmentally friendly, low CO2 emitting alternative to keeping the road plowed in winter and having personal vehicles driving to and parking at Paradise both summer and winter.

From a tourist perspective -- I'll bet the view from the tram while crossing the Niqually could be quite a draw.

Fancy!, looks expensive!

Fancy!, looks expensive!

That last box, "Any other dangerous mitigating factors?" seals it. It's so vague ('high' winds?) that they can use it to keep the road closed when they want.

I don't think the road should be open in conditions where slides are a significant threat ON THE ROAD, but keeping it closed to protect people from their own stupidity irks me. "You might get lost", "You might go onto avy terrain and get the chop", etc. are not valid reasons to bar access.

It's a dormant 14,400' volcano, not a Disney amusement park. There are ALWAYS "other dangerous mitigating factors".

.... "You might get lost", "You might go onto avy terrain and get the chop", etc. are not valid reasons to bar access....

I agree it is irritating -- but the idiot factor of people visiting MORA is pretty high and I'm unaware of any method for filtering idiots from non-idiots at the Longmire gate and allowing Darwin to do his job isn't NPS policy.

I agree it is irritating -- but the idiot factor of people visiting MORA is pretty high and I'm unaware of any method for filtering idiots from non-idiots at the Longmire gate and allowing Darwin to do his job isn't NPS policy. 

Why, I've been told by NPS  LEOs that it is park policy to leave it to beaver in the Wilderness--they are not supposed to provide things like marked snowshoe trails in the winter, people are supposed to take the risks.

I do know of a way to filter idiots from non-idiots; not a 100% effective but it is called a permit or license.  To get a driver's license you must pass a test. To get a hunting permit you must take a hunter safety course.  Why not have a winter bc permit that requires a minimum set of demonstrated KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities) and equipment (like bike riders and motorcycle riders are required to have helmets, motorcyclists must have brakes, turn signals, lights, etc.).  I wouldn't mind seeing winter mountain road driving permit either.  The Mountaineers requires certain training of their trip leaders and even of participants in hikes, climbs, and skis.   Why, the park wouldn't even have to get out of their desk chairs--they could leave it to the Mountaineers Courses available now and other formal groups as well as self-testaments.  The real idiots wouldn't even apply.  Of course, the Park caters to the real idiots in the snowplay area and guided snowshoe hikes and fireside chats and hokie visitor center displays.  You didn't know about this?

When I studied Outdoor Recreation (really! it was once a science) in college, we were taught that OR and National Park mission in particular is people management, simple.  But this park has shown a real aversion to people management and a real affinity to racking up volunteer hours, tour bus visitation (Ron Jarvis "What this park needs is more Japanese tour buses"--for real), and massive expenditures on ill-conceived and ill-designed visitor centers and Inn Repairs (there are some real horror stories there).

Oh, and I am sure that RMI, IMG, AAI, would gladly due driver training and exams for a fee, just like the fee the park charges to enter.