Hiker Headlines: Big Four Ice Caves, Mount Pilchuck closures; Mount Rainier timed entry reservation system feedback

It’s Sept. 5. Join us at Trails and Ales in Cle Elum on Sept. 12. Be aware of some road and trail closures that might affect your hiking plans. Share your thoughts on the Mount Rainier timed entry reservation pilot season. And prepare for both hot weather and bugs this weekend! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Although some fall colors are popping up, summer temperatures are making a return this weekend. Photo by trip reporter austineats.

Trails and Ales: Join WTA and Dru Bru for Trails and Ales in Cle Elum from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12! Connect with fellow hikers at this free event and learn about ways to stay involved with WTA’s work ensuring Washington has trails for everyone, forever. WTA staff will provide updates about what’s coming up for trails in Central Washington and will share more about the ways you can get involved. Register online by Sept. 9.

Upcoming closures: Be aware of the following closures as you plan your next hike:

• The Big Four Ice Caves trail will be closed from 6 a.m. Monday to noon Friday between Sept. 9 and Oct. 31 for construction. The Forest Service also wants to remind the public to keep a safe distance from the ice caves at any time — conditions are particularly precarious right now due to the warming weather. 
• The Mount Pilchuck trail and the road to the trailhead past the Heather Lake trailhead (2 miles in) will be closed between Sept. 9 and Sept. 11 for construction. 
• The Denny Creek trail will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 6 for trail maintenance. 
• Highway 542, the Mount Baker Highway, will be closed from Snowater Road to Artist Point from 7 a.m. to noon on Sept. 15 for the Mount Baker Hill Climb. This will affect multiple trailheads and hikes, including Bagley Lakes, Ptarmigan Ridge and Picture Lake. At 9 a.m., the closure will move up to Canyon Creek Road, which will restore access to the Horseshoe Bend trailhead. 
• Highway 20, the North Cascades Highway, will be closed at Olson Creek (milepost 105) between Sept. 9 and Sept. 13 for construction. Travelers will be directed to a detour via signs along SR 530, Rockport Cascade Road and Cascade River Road. 
• Construction on FR 25 near Randle starts Sept. 9 and will continue through early November. Work will occur at milepost 22.35 from Sept. 9 to Oct. 3, at milepost 40.63 from Oct. 4 to Oct. 18, and at milepost 1.08 from Oct. 21 to Nov. 8. The road will remain open, but travelers should expect delays at these milepost markers on these dates between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The road will be fully open on weekends. Reminder: The road is closed between mileposts 23 and 27.25 due to a landslide. 
• Olympic National Forest has announced the seasonal campground closure dates for their campgrounds. Many campgrounds will close in September, while some will stay open until October.
• FR 9070 west of the Pacific Crest Trail near Snoqualmie Pass will be temporarily closed through Sept. 15. This closure does not affect any trails.

Share your thoughts: Mount Rainier National Park is wrapping up a pilot summer season of their timed entry reservation system for the popular Paradise and Sunrise corridors of the park. Park leadership wants your feedback on how the reservation system impacted your plans to visit the park. The park is accepting public comment now through September 15. 

Second summer: Although things were cooling down, summer is back this weekend! Expect high temperatures in the forecast across the state — reaching 3-digits in some areas like Central Washington — so be sun- and heat-aware while you’re out hiking this weekend. We’re also in bug season right now — so pack your bug spray, keep an eye out ahead of you (so you don’t end up with a face full of spider webs) and know what to do if something stings or bites you on trail. 

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