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Gwen
LO Girl-of-the-Month
Joined: 14 Feb 2010
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Gwen
LO Girl-of-the-Month
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 Wed Jan 17, 2024 2:48 pm |
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| Quote: | | Many Mount Rainier National Park visitors will need reservations in summer 2024
Temporary reservation system designed to reduce crowding, environmental damage in the Paradise and Sunrise Corridors
Subscribe RSS Icon | What is RSSDate: January 17, 2024
Contact: Terry Wildy
Mount Rainier National Park visitors will need a reservation to enter the park through the Nisqually, Stevens Canyon and Sunrise/White River entrance stations during peak hours during Summer 2024.
“In recent years, it’s been too common for visitors to sit in idling cars for a couple of hours at the entrance stations and then make laps through the parking lots hoping for an empty parking space,” said Superintendent Greg Dudgeon. “We are testing a system that will spread visitation out throughout the day and season to reduce crowding.”
Park visitors will need a reservation between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.:
Enter the Paradise Corridor from either the Nisqually Entrance via State Route 706 or Stevens Canyon Entrance via State Route 123 May 24 through Sept. 2.
Enter the Sunrise Corridor at the White River Entrance via State Route 410 July 3 through Sept. 2.
Reservations can be made using Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Dates through July will be available on Recreation.gov beginning Feb. 21, 2024, for the Paradise Corridor and April 1, 2024, for the Sunrise Corridor. Reservations for dates in August through Labor Day will open on May 1. In addition to the reservations available up to three months ahead, a block of reservations will be released each day through the summer at 7 p.m. for use the following day.
Each reservation is for one personal vehicle and will cost $2. The reservation will provide a two-hour entry window. For instance, visitors with a 9 a.m. reservation could enter the park between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. There is no required departure time.
No reservations are required for entry before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Visitors with in-park reservations for lodging or camping in one of the two corridors will not require an additional timed entry reservation and can enter that corridor any time after 1 p.m. the first day of their reservation and throughout their stay. Other permit holders may enter the park without reservations as outlined in their wilderness permit, special use permit, research permit or commercial use authorization.
The park has grown in popularity in recent years, with visitation growing from just over 1.1 million in 2013 to about 1.6 million in 2022. Most of those visits occur between July and September and are concentrated in a small number of destinations, including Paradise.
The National Park Service has been engaged in a visitor use management planning effort focused on the Nisqually-Paradise Corridor. During the planning process, the public also raised concerns about congestion in the Sunrise Corridor. A draft environmental assessment was shared with the public in April 2023 and identified reservation systems as a preferred approach to address the overall visitor experience.
This pilot reservation system is a key part of evaluating what type of system will provide a more enjoyable experience for visitors. The system isn’t expected to reduce overall visitation, but rather spread it out throughout the day and season to reduce crowding.
Detailed information on both the pilot reservation system and park fees is located at https://go.nps.gov/MORATimedEntry.
Visitors with questions about the park’s timed entry reservation system can contact the park at MORA_Timed_Entry@nps.gov or by calling 360-569-6249. Reservations may only be made at Recreation.gov. For information about Recreation.gov, call 877-444-6777 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Pacific Time. |
https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/news/many-mount-rainier-national-park-visitors-will-need-reservations-in-summer-2024.htm
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
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Location: Issaquah |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
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Wed Jan 17, 2024 2:56 pm |
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These changes seem mostly good. Especially since they still allow reservation-less admittance before 7AM. And some reservations are only released the night before.
| Gwen wrote: | | Each reservation is for one personal vehicle and will cost $2 |
Booze Allen is salivating 
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
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Location: Issaquah |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
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Wed Jan 17, 2024 6:40 pm |
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contour5
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Joined: 16 Jul 2003
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contour5
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Wed Jan 17, 2024 10:27 pm |
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The people with the best phones and the fastest, fanciest satellite connections will get all the good spots. Or, rather, their personal assistants will do it for them. Private security will handle the rest. Move along.
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:10 am |
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 🤔
 Magellan, rossb, Foist, ChinookPass, zimmertr  Downhill, ozzy, Kascadia, jditty, ale_capone, Anne Elk, day_hike_mike, idoru, Schroder
Magellan, rossb, Foist, ChinookPass, zimmertr Downhill, ozzy, Kascadia, jditty, ale_capone, Anne Elk, day_hike_mike, idoru, Schroder |
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ChinookPass
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Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 145 | TRs | Pics
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Note reservation not needed for entry via walking or biking. This is in the FAQ.
Josh Journey, RumiDude
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idoru
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Joined: 02 Feb 2023
Posts: 127 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland-ish |
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idoru
Member
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:21 am |
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| zimmertr wrote: | These changes seem mostly good. Especially since they still allow reservation-less admittance before 7AM. And some reservations are only released the night before.
| Gwen wrote: | | Each reservation is for one personal vehicle and will cost $2 |
Booze Allen is salivating |
I always appreciate the moments where my penchant for hitting the trailhead early gives me yet another opportunity to spite Booz Allen.
| Cyclopath wrote: | | I guess KOMO's photographer couldn't get a reservation to get a picture of Mount Rainier. |
Almost makes me think this was put together by someone in a Sinclair office somewhere outside the state, especially since the article was written by "KOMO News Staff". I'm mostly joking, but...
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bullfrog
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Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Posts: 87 | TRs | Pics
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bullfrog
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:54 am |
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They should have chosen the alternative plan with shuttle buses leaving from the Cougar Rock campground area. Shuttles work well at Yosemite and Zion, allowing access to popular portions of these parks. Instead, the park system will be denying access to thousands of visitors who can't plan their vacations so far ahead.
I also fear that since the reservations only cost $2, some tech savvy visitors will book weeks of reservations in the 9-11 am slot in the spring and then decide at the last minute which ones to use.
uww, ChinookPass, RumiDude
uww, ChinookPass, RumiDude |
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kiliki
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Joined: 07 Apr 2003
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kiliki
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 10:07 am |
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| Quote: | | They should have chosen the alternative plan with shuttle buses leaving from the Cougar Rock campground area. Shuttles work well at Yosemite and Zion, allowing access to popular portions of these parks. |
That only served campground visitors. They explicitly said there was no room for public parking in the campground. A shuttle from the campground would have been a lot of cost to serve a tiny number of people. I love the idea of a shuttle from Ashford, but not from Cougar Rock.
I am very much in favor of timed entry--maybe I'll actually start using the Nisqually corridor again. It will be interesting to see how much this helps. A 2 hour window to use the reservation, plus only a 7 hour period when its required, makes me wonder just how much it will cut down on lines (for instance if everyone shows up at 9). I hope a lot; all those cars idling and polluting as they waited in line for 2 hours at the entrance were terrible.
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thunderhead
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Joined: 14 Oct 2015
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The obvious solution is to book a few weekends during prime spring corn season, and use the ones on good weather days. It will be really nice to show up at 9-10 and know i have a spot. Plus you are not screwing anyone over... that empty spot on a bad weather day is going unused anyways.
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carlb328
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Joined: 28 May 2007
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carlb328
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 10:27 am |
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So, if I am driving from Tacoma to White pass through the Steven's canyon area would this apply??
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Stefan
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Stefan
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Thu Jan 18, 2024 10:51 am |
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Get there before 6:00am. You will have no problems.
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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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Same arguments on this page from last April. But hey, it's fun to sit back on a cold wet day and re-hash.
Perhaps some folks will have some new thoughts.
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Sore Feet
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6304 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out There, Somewhere |
| carlb328 wrote: | | So, if I am driving from Tacoma to White pass through the Steven's canyon area would this apply?? |
Yes, but the detour down Skate Creek Road through Packwood is probably faster anyway if your goal is to get to White Pass.
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16112 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
I see even longer lines at the North side entrances. Arches has timed entrances and long lines even for folks with reservations. I would love shuttles for thru hikes have used them in Yosemite where you can shuttle from Mammoth or June Lake.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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