Hiker Headlines: Sunrise Road closed for winter, Forest Service hiring freeze, once-in-a-lifetime comet show
Be aware of some closures, including Sunrise Road, which is closed for the winter. The U.S. Forest Service announced significant cuts to its workforce — including not hiring seasonal staff next year — due to a budget crisis. And this Saturday, a comet will be visible in the night sky.
It’s Oct. 10. Be aware of some closures, including Sunrise Road, which is closed for the winter. The U.S. Forest Service announced significant cuts to its workforce — including not hiring seasonal staff next year — due to a budget crisis. And this Saturday, the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet will be making its closest pass to Earth. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.
Sunrise Road at Mount Rainier is closed for the season. Photo by trip reporter FuchsMedia.
Sunrise Road closed: Sunrise Road in Mount Rainier National Park is closed for the winter season. Most other roads with seasonal closures in the park — including Paradise Valley Road, Stevens Canyon Road, Mowich Lake and the road to the White River Campground — are estimated to close Oct. 14. Cayuse and Chinook Pass are estimated to close mid-November.
Forest Service hiring freeze: Recently, the U.S. Forest Service announced significant cuts to its workforce — including not hiring seasonal staff next year — due to a budget crisis. This will have major negative impacts on recreation in 2025, including many of Washington’s most popular recreation areas. WTA has officially asked the Chief of the Forest Service to adjust his hiring policy, and we are talking with Congress about the core budget issue. Join WTA’s Trail Action Network to learn more about this situation and advocate for trails when Congress reconvenes after the upcoming election.
State park trail repairs: The Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail between Mirabeau Park and the Trent Avenue Bridge will be closed periodically due to utility repair work.
Sno-park closures: This winter, 14 motorized sno-parks will be closed: Echo Valley, Skate Creek, Bethel Ridge/Soup Creek, Crow Creek, Cloverland (which may affect access to the difficult-to-reach Wenatchee Guard Station cabin), Elk Heights, Fish Creek, French Cabin, Nile, Taneum, Reecer Creek, Crawfish, Nine Bark and Clear Lake.
Comet appearance: Comet A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, will be making its closest pass to Earth this Saturday, Oct. 12. Weather-permitting, the comet should be visible — if not to the naked eye, then with a telescope or binoculars — about an hour after sunset to the west. Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was discovered last year and makes it way near Earth once every 80,000 years.
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Comments
Christy on Hiker Headlines: Sunrise Road closed for winter, Forest Service hiring freeze, once-in-a-lifetime comet show
Thank you for your lobbying efforts re the USFS. I wrote my elected officials (federal). The freeze means there will essentially be NO USFS presence in our national forests at all--it was seasonals who were boots on the ground.
Posted by:
ChristyRB on Oct 11, 2024 09:14 AM