Hiker Headlines: WTA is Hiring, Sunrise Rd. Closed, Annular Eclipse on Saturday

It’s Oct. 12. WTA is now hiring for next year’s Lost Trails Found trail crew. Last call for photos for the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest! Sunrise Road in Mount Rainier National Park is closed for the season, and there are other closures upcoming. Share your experience with and thoughts on the future of Seward Park. And this Saturday, there’s an annular eclipse that Washington will be able to see at more than half-fullness — if you’re hoping to have some fun afterward, the Goldendale Observatory is celebrating its 50th anniversary that afternoon! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

An October 9, 2023 view of Rainier from the Sunrise area at sunrise by WTA trip reporter and member, Leap.

Now hiring: WTA is hiring for next year’s Lost Trails Found professional trail crew! The crew will work in backcountry locations on national forests throughout the state, focusing on a broad variety of backcountry projects restoring lost trails while primarily working an 8-day hitch schedule. The priority application deadline is Nov. 1.

Last call for Northwest Exposure photo contest: There are only a few days left to enter the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest. Get your photos in before the contest closes on Oct. 17!

Mount Rainier seasonal road closures: Snow is here in the mountains, and Sunrise Road is now closed for the season. Additionally, expect delays on SR 123/Cayuse Pass between Panther Creek and Laughingwater Creek — just south of the junction with Stevens Canyon Road — between Oct. 16-20 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for construction. Other roads are expected to close for the season soon as well, depending on weather:

• Mowich Lake Road is estimated to close Oct. 16.
• Paradise Valley Road is estimated to close Oct. 16. 
• Ricksecker Point Road between Paradise and Longmire is estimated to close for the season Oct. 16. 
• Stevens Canyon Road is estimated to close Oct. 16. 
• White River Road to the campground is estimated to close Oct. 22.
• Westside Road near the park’s Nisqually Entrance is estimated to close Nov. 6. 

Mount Spokane State Park road closure: Summit Road at Mount Spokane State Park is closing for the season on Sunday, Oct. 15. This will not impact access to any trails but will require hikers to do a road walk to get to the top. Once the snow hits, this is a great — and steep — snowshoe hike!

Share your Seward Park experiences: Seattle Parks and Recreation is hoping to learn how the public uses Seward Park and their thoughts and ideas on the future of the park. The results will help inform a management plan for the park. A survey will be open through the month of Oct. 

Annular eclipse on Saturday: An annular ("ring-of-fire") eclipse is happening this Saturday, Oct. 14, and most of Washington will be receiving 70% of the full eclipse — the path of the full eclipse goes through approximately the southern half of Oregon. There’s a high chance of cloud cover throughout the Pacific Northwest this weekend, but if you’re hoping for the best and looking for places to view the eclipse, we’ve got some tips. If you’re planning to travel to Oregon, be aware that many others share the same plans, so make extra time for travel and be prepared for heavy traffic (both vehicular and pedestrian). 

Happy golden anniversary, Goldendale Observatory! This Saturday, Oct. 14, is the 50th anniversary of operations of the Goldendale Observatory. Celebrate the anniversary with Washington State Parks at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the observatory at a family-friendly free event. There will be speakers, educational activities and opportunities to see the sun through the solar telescope and replays of annular eclipse through the solar telescope. 

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