Concerns Regarding Rainier Caches

[+Team Jac'd]

Hey all, me and the geokids took off on a trip around Rainier, with the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad as our destination. As we were driving along the 410, we saw sign after sign that said that the areas were closed to all recreational activities, so we steered clear.

 

In the one case where we didn't see signs, just as we got back to the car, there was a nice lady from one of the organizations that were taking care of the area, and she told us that she had taken down our licence plate and they might take action against us. This was in an area where there wasn't good signage about it being closed, forget about an area where there was good signage.

 

Did we do the right thing? We noted a couple of people logging caches in those areas, and not sure how to feel about those. In general, what should we, as a geocaching community do about those caches? Should we temporarily ask the owners to disabled them until the ban is lifted?

 

cheers,

Poppa J

[+FluteFace]

Nice lady? Really?

 

This is interesting. We'll be in the Silver Springs area in a week and a half. I wonder how things will be then.

[+Team Jac'd]

Nice lady? Really?

 

This is interesting. We'll be in the Silver Springs area in a week and a half. I wonder how things will be then.

 

Actually, she was a nice lady doing a job. She wasn't rude at all, and very polite about letting us know we were in an area that should be off limits.

 

More concerned with other people getting hit with some fine... she wasn't sure if I was either. She was just supposed to take down plates of any one in the area. I explained we didn't see any signs, and she did note that down.

 

We'll see...

 

Poppa J

[+LandRover]

I did see on the news yesterday that there is a new fire in the White River area so that may have something to do with the reason the area is closed.

 

We went up to Ipsut Creek & Mowich Lanke on Saturday and although the road was open the area alongside the road within a mile of the Park entrance was closed to camping and stopping.

[+WATreasureHunters]

My daughter and I went caching up along 410 on Saturday, and as I noted in my Peace and Tranquility log, that area is closed to all recreation. We didn't notice the sign there until the way out. The new fire up there wasn't reported until Sunday, we were actually up at Sun Top and "helped" report it. My guess is that these areas will be closed until we get some rain...

[+Kiersolvd]

I'm just curious which organization closed the area? Looking at the Forrest Service website, they don't mention closing any areas. Could it be that Weyerhauser is closing their land?

Edited September 7, 2006 by Kiersolvd

[+Bull Moose]

I'm surprised she said anything for fear she might provoke a violent confrontation in the wrong person.

As for doing the right thing if you didn't see any signs, you didn't see any signs.

As far as I'm concerend this whole state has a problem with proper signage.

[+Bluesman63]

As far as I'm concerend this whole state has a problem with proper signage.

 

With the Columbia Complex Fire, we have BIG baricades blocking the roads with the more major ones being manned by either state troopers or game agents making sure nobody enters.

[+Right Wing Wacko]

I was up in the Rainier area today so I checked on the restrictions.

 

US Forest Service: Some areas restricted, some campgrounds closed. Fires prohibited everywhere.

Hancock Timber - All areas closed to public access.

Weyerhaeuser - Most areas closed to all recreational access.

 

Hancock seems to be posting guards at many of the Entrances to their timber areas.

 

Note that in the Mt Rainier area, there is much more Hancock land than there is Weyehaeuser land.

 

Hopefully the rain we are supposed to get this coming week will help

Edited September 9, 2006 by Right Wing Wacko