She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain

Day 332: It started out like any other Botany Friday, if perhaps a bit smokier than usual. My botany partners got up at 2 AM in order to make the long drive to pick me up at 5:30 (I got up at 3:30), and if we hadn't been delayed by road construction, we'd have been at Sunrise at 7:30. The air seemed to grow thicker with smoke as we progressed eastward, but thinned as we gained altitude. It was less smoky at Sunrise (6420') than it had been in the valley, and as we climbed up to Frozen Lake, we noticed a slight improvement in air quality. However, by the time we were ready to return to the car, more smoke had moved in from the east, thick enough to smell and taste. In the distance, we spotted the billows of a rising cloud in the vicinity of Packwood, and later confirmed that it was in fact the smoke plume from the 150-acre Goat Rocks Fire (update 6 AM 10 Sept. - fire is now at 1200 acres). Meadow Rovers were recalled from duty due to the rapidly rising air quality index shortly before we arrived back at the car. Not long afterwards, an alert went out from area cell towers saying that a Level 3 evacuation order had been issued for Packwood residents, "Leave now!" Highway 12 was closed from Skate Creek Road to White Pass. We figured we could still come back through the Park, but found Hwy 123 closed at Cayuse Pass. Our only option at that point was to complete a full circle around the Mountain in order to get me back home, adding roughly 100 extra miles to my botany partners' driving day. Did we find any new and interesting plants? Nope.

A Bit On The Wet Side

Day 116: Murphy's Law went into effect right at the start of the current round of torrential rain. I joke that my pluviometer drowned, but I think at 25+ years old, the sensor simply decided to retire from service. It had certainly performed its job admirably, but its timing could have been better. Fortunately, I had a cheap plastic replacement stashed for just such an eventuality, although this means that whatever the weather, I will be obligated to empty it manually and on a daily basis until I can find an affordable replacement.

That said, it's wet. Above me, Hwy 706 is closed at Kernahan Road following a landslide and water over the roadway at Copper Creek. Below me, the ditches are running over their banks, leaving cars and trucks to hydroplane through several inches of runoff. Before it could get any worse, I made a dash for the library and the grocery store, otherwise stopping only to take a few photos. The Nisqually has spread at the east end of Alder Lake, although it's still within its banks; the Mashel in Eatonville is raging and turbid. I'm safe, but the Park is closed due to landslide threat, and friends upstream of me where the valley narrows and runoff is greater are undoubtedly much concerned as to what may happen if the rain continues.

Border Security

Day 123: Whether clueless, curious or defiant, the number of people who think these signs do not apply to them have necessitated the stationing of a State Patrol officer at the junction of SR 706 and Hwy 7 in Elbe. I got out just fine, but in order to return home, I had to show identification before I was allowed up the road. SR 706 is a mess of limbs and trees fallen like jackstraws, downed power lines and work crews labouring valiantly to restore power and phone service to residents of the upper Nisqually Valley. Hwy 7 has its share of trees across the road, but the major obstacle there is an accident involving multiple semis which has yet to be fully cleared away. That said, my portion of the road is clear. My power has stayed on, although it's fluttered a few times (probably as crews change over the service from one line to another). I still have internet. And I have enough milk to last me into the next decade, thanks to Kevin and another friend who, lacking any connections, didn't get my morning message. A new supply of cat food has been laid in for the Fussy Eater, and my library book stack has been replenished. If the snow flies again as well it may, I'm ready.

Rockfall

Day 357: During the merry month of May, Mount Wow decided it was time to shed part of its geologic skin, and cast several sizeable chunks of rock onto the hikers' parking area near Dry Creek (Westside Road, Mount Rainier National Park). No one was around to witness the event, but it was not without effect. A visitor's truck was parked in the line of fall, and was totalled when it was struck. The road was closed as soon as the rockfall was discovered, and a team of geologists was sent in to assess the potential for reoccurrence. It was determined that the rocks had been loosened by the natural cycle of freezing and thawing; in other words, Mount Wow was simply eroding as mountains are wont to do.

I hadn't had a chance to get up the Westside Road this year, and because I'm feeling a bit poorly, I didn't hike beyond Ground Zero. I just wanted to see the damage before the road crew makes little rocks out of big ones with some well-placed dynamite. The rock I'm leaning on was by no means the largest. Note that it has barely dented the road. The one on the righthand side of the photo left an impact crater more than three feet deep!