Hiker Headlines: WTA is Hiring, Artist Point and Cascade River Roads Closed, Chilly Weather is Here

It’s Oct. 26. Next Tuesday is Halloween; we want to see your costume hikes in trip reports! It’s trail and road closure season, so get ready to plan around some closures that may affect your hikes. Olympic National Forest wants to hear from you about the future of Klahanie Campground. It's Seattle Forest Week, there's cold weather on the way, and we're hiring!

We want to see your costumed hike photos! File a trip report with the hashtag #HalloweenHikes for a chance to be featured on the website. Photo by trip reporter telluckc. 

Now hiring: WTA is hiring for a full-time multimedia content coordinator! This position will contribute to WTA’s communications work by collaborating across teams to develop creative, engaging content while coordinating WTA’s photo contest and asset management system. The position is based in WTA’s Seattle office. The priority deadline for applications is Nov. 12. 

Happy Halloween! Next Tuesday, Oct. 31, is Halloween. What better way to celebrate than hiking in costume? Post a trip report of your hiking crew in costume with the hashtag #HalloweenHikes in it by Oct. 30 for a chance to be featured in a trip report roundup we'll publish on Halloween.

Closing Time: It’s winter closure season on roads and trails around the state. Be aware of the following current and upcoming closures: 

• In Mount Rainier National Park, White River Road to the campground is closed for the season. Longmire to Paradise Road is open but is subject to closures due to weather or road conditions, so check the road status before heading out. 
• Cascade River Road in North Cascades National Park is closed at the Eldorado Peak trailhead (milepost 20), about 3 miles from the Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm trailhead. If you are parking at the closure gate, take care to not block the road or gate. 
• The road to Artist Point is closed for the season at the Bagley Lakes trailhead, 2.7 miles from Artist Point. This restricts vehicle access to various trailheads, including those of the Fire and Ice, Lake Ann, Artist Ridge, Ptarmigan Ridge, Chain Lakes Loop, Table Mountain and Wild Goose trails. 
• The road to Climbers’ Bivouac at Mount St. Helens will be closed soon due to snow — hikers planning to summit Mount St. Helens will need to start at the Marble Mountain Sno-Park, which requires a Sno-Park parking permit. Starting Nov. 1, summiters will no longer need climbing permits and just need to fill out a self-issued permit at the trailhead.
• Yakima Sportsman State Park is closed in its entirety for the winter season and is slated to reopen on April 16, 2024.
• Seaquest State Park is closed temporarily due to repairs. The Homestead Trail at Lake Sammamish State Park is closed until further notice because of a washout.

Share your thoughts: Olympic National Forest (ONF) is asking for the public’s input on the future of Klahanie Campground — near Forks — which is currently unusable as a campground because of public safety concerns. ONF wants to hear about the public’s recreation experiences and interests near the campground to help create a plan for the campground.

Seattle Forest Week: Oct. 28 through Nov. 4 is Green Seattle Partnership’s third annual Seattle Forest Week! It’s a week to celebrate our urban green spaces and a great time to spend some time in our local forests, enjoying nature and working on rehabilitation projects. Check out some of the activities running during the week, which include planting trees at Jefferson Park, the Urban Forestry Symposium at the University of Washington and a BIPOC affinity forest and beach walk at Discovery Park Beach. 

Chilly weather in the forecast: Even though it’s not technically winter yet, much of the state is going to be experiencing some cold temperatures this weekend — around or below freezing in some places — so get ready to layer up if you’ve got hiking plans! Snow has appeared in the mountains at elevations as low as 2,600 feet, so check trip reports to read up on road and trail conditions and prepare to hike as if it’s already wintertime. 

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