Hiker Headlines: Mount Rainier fire ban, thunderous forecast, share your take on forest roads

It’s Aug. 15. We’re halfway through Hike-a-Thon — there’s still time to join in on the fun! Wildfire season continues across the Pacific Northwest. Thunder is in the forecast this weekend. Lake Sammamish State Park is piloting a program that offers the public use of a multi-terrain accessibility chair. And WTA wants to hear how forest road conditions have affected your hikes. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

We want to know how forest roads have affected your hikes. Photo by trip reporter Paris Doll.

Hike-a-Thon is in full swing! We’re halfway through August, and deep into Hike-a-Thon. Hike-a-Thoners have hiked over 3,000 miles with over 510,000 feet of elevation gain as of the start of this week! There’s still time to join the fun — just register for Hike-a-Thon and log miles any time before Aug. 30. 

Wildfire season continues: Mount Rainier National Park has banned all fires in the park. The park-wide ban includes all campfires, fire pits, fire pans and grills, and is also in effect in White River, Ohanapecosh and Cougar Rock campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves that use fuel and can be turned off are still allowed. Please be responsible when recreating — the Forest Service has predicted that wildfire season will persist until the Pacific Northwest gets heavier rain in the fall.

Thunderous forecast: If you love a good thunderstorm, get ready for this weekend! There’s potential for thunder and lightning in various places both east and west of the Cascades. Know how to stay safe, warm and dry if you're in the mountains during a lightning storm. 

New accessibility chair for park use: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Outdoors for All Foundation have worked together to offer an Action Trackchair — which allows hikers with mobility needs to travel across a variety of terrain — for the public to use at Lake Sammamish State Park as a way to increase park accessibility. The chair will be available during this pilot season on a first-come, first-served basis until Sept. 30. 

Take the survey: WTA wants to hear how road conditions affect your hike — take our 2-minute road survey! We are creating a report on our state’s forest roads that are most in need of maintenance and most important to hikers. We'll use the report to advocate for increased federal funding to fix forest roads. We need these roads to ensure access to hiking opportunities and for climate resilience, providing safe exits during natural disasters and facilitating fire response.

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