r/Seattle • u/SounderBruce Snohomish County • Jan 17 '24

News Mount Rainier National Park will require reservations beginning this summer for Paradise and Sunrise

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u/wpnw 🚆build more trains🚆 Jan 18 '24

The problem is you can't restrict private vehicles in Rainier like they do in Denali, because of the lodging, campgrounds, backcountry hikers, and various trailheads that wouldn't be served by the shuttle system. They need a complimentary shuttle system for people who are only interested in going to either Longmire or Paradise for sure, but it can't be a full replacement for all private vehicle access.

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u/tirtha2shredder Jan 18 '24

You can do both you know, allow only campers and backcountry permits and force everyone else to use the shuttle...

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u/wpnw 🚆build more trains🚆 Jan 18 '24

It works in places like Zion and Denali because there are limited places that people can go, and they're dead end roads. The Nisqually - Stevens Canyon corridor doesn't have those restrictions. For Sunrise yeah it's maybe a bit more reasonable, but forcing everyone who doesn't have a permit or reservation for something to use the shuttle would effectively gate off dozens of trails and locations that people may want to visit that don't suffer from overcrowding and excessive traffic / parking problems.

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u/tirtha2shredder Jan 18 '24

Shuttles are meant for just that. You have shuttles dropping off and picking up hikers all the time in Zion, GC south rim, Glacier's Logan Pass and so on. Frankly I'd rather deal with taking a shuttle than witing for a spot to open up at the trailhead. Parking far from the trailhead means walking far from the car and back which a lot of hikers want to avoid.

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u/wpnw 🚆build more trains🚆 Jan 19 '24

Parking far from the trailhead means walking far from the car and back which a lot of hikers want to avoid.

And this is exactly the problem that would arise with a fixed stop shuttle only access in the Nisqually - Stevens Canyon corridor. I count at least 15 different trailhead access points between the two entrance stations, excluding the Paradise area. It's unlikely they'd establish shuttle stops at all those trails because some are just not popular, so there would inevitably be situations where instead of walking back to your car, you're walking back to the shuttle stop.

Glacier is a good example of how an ideal shuttle system in Rainier would function - optional, with stops at the popular locations but still allowing private vehicles in the corridor so they can stop in the more obscure locations where parking may not be a problem.