11
A rock slide closed the main trail near Mount Rainier last month
I was hiking the Skyline Trail loop and saw fresh cracks in the cliff face above the path. Park rangers had to block it off three days later when a big section of loose basalt came down. It's a good reminder to always check for unstable rock, especially after heavy rain. Has anyone else seen recent slide activity in the Cascades?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
sarah_patel2521d ago
The Skyline Trail slide was actually over two months ago, mid-May. I remember because it happened right before Memorial Day weekend. Rubysingh is right that slides can happen anytime, but the rain we had that week definitely played a bigger role than thaw. The ground gets so saturated it just lets go. Rangers told me basalt columns are tricky because they can look solid but have hidden cracks water gets into.
6
rubysingh21d ago
Funny enough, I used to think those warning signs were just for show. Changed my mind after seeing a whole slope of scree just give way on the way to Lake Serene last fall. It wasn't even raining, just a warm afternoon that must have thawed something loose. Now I give any crumbly looking cliffside a wide berth.
-1