This week, I took my mountain bike and headed up the Westside Road in Mt. Rainier. Because of a washout, the roadway has been closed to vehicles since 1986 and has become a bit of a park-ghost. It's very remote and hardly anyone uses it anymore. It's a lot of climbing either by foot or bike to even arrive at trailheads (for more climbing). Anyway, my goal was to get back to Klapatche Park on the Wonderland Trail to see for myself just how much snow lingered in the backcountry. I was simply blown away by the amounts! To give you an idea of what August normally looks like up there- check out these pictures. The first one posted here was taken on my recent trip on August 1st, 2011. The second one was also taken on August 1st, only in 2002. Both were taken from near the same spot. Crazy right?
Signs of life near the trail!
The road is gated where it is closed to vehicles.
Washout over Fish Creek.
The road feels oddly creepy- like the people just up and disappeared. There are still signs everywhere that are decrepit, forlorn and weathered.
St. Andrews Creek made me happy. Between the fresh signs and the patrol cabin, I felt people had been there recently.
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