The extreme rainfall this week has triggered washouts and landslides that have damaged the Palouse to Cascades Trail. WSDOT posted a photo of a significant slide that has destroyed at least a dozen feet or so of the trail and damaged the hillside below it. Because it is relatively near I-90, WSDOT is monitoring the slide.
According to a post on the Washington Hikers and Climbers Facebook group, the slide is west of the Mount Washington Trailhead, which would put it about halfway between the Ragnar and Garcia railroad signs. More heavy rainfall is on the way, so hopefully the damage does not get even worse.
Meanwhile, a post on the NWHikers forum by user Randito shows a significant washout on the trail, which they wrote is on the east side of the pass between Hyak and Keechelus Dam. It looks like the birth of a new mountain stream, right across the trail. Washington State Parks posted a notice that the trail is closed from Hyak to Easton: “Near Hyak and Cabin Creek on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, there has been wash outs cutting through the trail. The trail will be closed from Hyak to Easton until we can repair the trail and safely reopen.”
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I will update this post if I learn more about these closures.
The storied trail was initially built as a railroad 110 years ago and is now a highlight of the Great American Rail-Trail.
With more rain on the way and lots of other more pressing flood damage across the region, it is too early to fully assess the damage to the trail. However, at first glance it doesn’t look like an inexpensive or easy fix. Slide areas can become recurring problems once they begin and can be difficult to shore up.
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There is likely more damage on this and other trails in the area, so please use caution. Do not mess with fresh slide areas, as they can be delicate and can widen with little warning. Don’t try to hike or bike around one. If a slide blocks your way, you just need to turn around and go back. Likewise with flooded trails.