Culverts, Press, and Poetry

Isn't this cool? Check out these very, very, large metal culverts right next to the road at Kautz Creek. Now try to imagine the road going OVER these culverts (they're supposed to handle future Kautz floods). BTW, this photo partially explains why the official word on the road to Longmire states, "probably [open] in early May." If you are wondering, there are less specific dates for Paradise. Also, news about the park reopening is gaining attention from the New York Times; they discussed strategies to fix the mess (but the story hasn't changed).

Recently, the Seattle Times waxed eloquently about the exclusivity of sleeping in the National Park Inn (NPI) at Longmire this winter. According to the author, visitors with highly coveted reservations at the lodge will be staying at

"one of the most exclusive hotels in the world, the 25-room National Park Inn... this is the only place for a traveler to sleep and enjoy indoor plumbing in the park's largely unpeopled wilderness."

The article goes on to slightly glorify the privilege, but this is not quite as exclusive as the paper might have you believe. As it turns out, climbers have been on the mountain too, a subtle revelation that is slowly spreading across the Puget Sound area. It all started when a few local pilots noted larger teams on the Muir Snowfield and at Camp Muir while zooming by the peak! Then there were rumors of guided clients who made it to Ingraham Flats... (Seattle IS a small town you know). So the word is out: those who booked trips with a concessioned guide service for this spring will be shuttled into the park like the visitors to the NPI at Longmire.

Post climbing ranger "employment:" On the creative writing front, our very good friend and poet, Mimi Allin, was buzzed by the Seattle Times and KIRO Radio. Mimi (former Camp Schurman climbing ranger) has been implicated as the Poetess at Green Lake! Those who walk, run, skip and/or bike around Green Lake may have laid eyes upon her little desk labeled P O E T (look for the red umbrella when it's raining). The desk (and Mimi) can be found every Sunday (since last July) on the NW corner of the lake from 9 to 5. At this very desk, Mimi channels artistic discussion around creative poet vortices (or something like that). Unlicensed and unpermitted, the Poetess at Green Lake has a poem for you..Techncial Sidebar: Mimi walks 4 miles each way to her post. She has only left early once, due to a snowstorm. If you're in Seattle, achieve a creative boost to your life by visiting with Ms. Mimi Allin.