Storm damage was tremendous at Mt. Rainier NP
I posted a story on this in November when 18 inches of rain fell. Since then the weather has continued very wet, and the full extent of the damage to the infrastructure is immense.
I can already see one political issue emerging. A large portion of the main entrance road washed away and is now the river. The build-around route would require construction in the Mt. Rainier designated wilderness. That would be clearly illegal under the Wilderness Act.
Story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. By Debera Carlton Harrell
Other national parks in Washington were damaged too. So was Glacier NP in Montana by the same storm.
Mt. Rainier NP flood page (a NPS web site).

Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Recent Posts
- Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands January 18, 2021
- An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit January 5, 2021
- Ochoco Forest Deceptions For Logging January 3, 2021
- Scientists Critique BLM Tri-State Fuel Breaks Proposal December 29, 2020
- Critique of “Fire Suppression” Mythology December 24, 2020
Recent Comments
- Paul Griffin on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Mexican wolf killings expose a dark underbelly of western culture
- Beeline on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Rich on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit
- Maggie Frazier on Does Cattle Grazing Preclude Large Blazes?
- Maggie Frazier on Does Cattle Grazing Preclude Large Blazes?
- Maggie Frazier on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Protect the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Wildlands
- Ida Lupine on Wolverine ESA Listing Effort Demonstrates Political Influence
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on Livestock industry’s campaign to get rid of wild horses is a scam to cheat the taxpayers
- Maggie Frazier on An open letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. proposed permit