September 2, 2026
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ISSUE 36
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Tourism Officials Clarify Mount Rainier Closures Before Labor Day surrounding area, including the ridge between Lane Peak and Foss Peak. Stevens Canyon Road remains open. Visitors can still reach Longmire and Paradise through the Nisqually entrance near Ashford. The Stevens Canyon entrance and Stevens Canyon Road also remain open, along with state Route 410, the Chinook Scenic Byway and U.S. Highway 12 over White Pass. Visit Rainier said some travelers have mistaken the northern closures for a shutdown of the entire park or region. “There has been some confusion about the scope of the closures,” the tourism organization said in a written response. “We are actively emphasizing that the current closures do not mean the entire park or region is closed.” Visit Rainier is directing travelers to official National Park Service updates and encouraging them to check conditions before leaving home because fire and road conditions can change quickly. Most questions the organization has received concern air quality and visibility. Visit Rainier has also seen increased interest in its wildfire update page and other visitor information as travelers search for current conditions and alternative itineraries. Some businesses have felt the effects of the fires and closures, Visit Rainier said, but the organization does not yet have enough information from lodging operators
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT
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ildfires have closed large portions of Mount Rainier National Park’s northern backcountry for Labor Day weekend, but much of the park remains open and tourism officials are urging visitors not to cancel trips based on the northern closures. The National Park Service reported several new fires in the northern portion of the park Aug. 27, adding to the Grand Park 2 Fire. Officials have grouped the fires under the name Wonderland Complex and expanded closures around Sunrise, White River and portions of two major backcountry trails. The park has closed Sunrise Road and White River Road from state Route 410 until further notice. The closure also includes trails originating from those roads and trails throughout the Grand Park area. The Garda Falls Fire, part of the Wonderland Complex, has closed the Wonderland Trail between the Carbon River Suspension Bridge and White River Campground. The park has also closed Dick Creek, Mystic Lake, Granite Creek and Sunrise backcountry camps. The Northern Loop Trail is closed between Berkeley Park and its junction with the Wonderland Trail near the Carbon River. Yellowstone Cliffs, Lake James, Fire Creek and Berkeley Park camps are also closed. Farther south, the Plummer Peak Fire has closed Pinnacle Peak Trail and the
to quantify cancellations or rebookings across the region. Labor Day weekend marks one of the final major summer travel periods for the Mount Rainier region. The holiday typically brings strong demand for lodging, restaurants and other visitor services while coinciding with several community events. Mount Rainier recorded 941,265 recreational visitors in 2025, according to National Park Service statistics. When people traveling through the park on state
routes are included, total visitation exceeded 2.4 million. Visit Rainier has adjusted its Labor Day messaging to emphasize current conditions, accessible destinations and activities elsewhere in the region. “We want visitors to understand that they can still have a great experience in the area while making informed decisions based on current fire and road conditions,” the organization said.
RAINIER, 5
After Nearly 20 Years, New Bethel High Opens Doors By Avery Goodstine
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he brand-new Bethel High School welcomed students and staff on August 31 for the first day of the 2026–2027 school year. The opening culminated a nearly twenty-year process to replace the original building constructed in 1952. At 281,723 square feet, the two-story building has a capacity of 1,800 students and 145 staff members. Four planned portables could accommodate an additional 200 students. The new Bethel has thirty more classrooms than the old building, ten open shared areas, ten small-group rooms and four Pierce College classrooms. It also includes a 500-seat auditorium with an orchestra pit, a dedicated welding classroom and a large industrial kitchen for culinary classes. Principal Christy Rodriguez said she is looking forward to students having wider hallways, more bathroom stalls and no longer relying on portables. “It’s really difficult for teachers to collaborate when they’re in very separate locations like that,” she said. “To have them in the same hallway now is an incredible opportunity for them to work together.” The building also includes the Casey Crate Memorial Plaza, honoring U.S. Air Force
Current and former Bethel School District administrators and faculty cut the ribbon and unveil the new school to the community at the grand opening event on August 21 Staff Sergeant Casey Crate, a Bethel High graduate who was killed in Iraq in 2005. The Crate family sold the district some of the land on which the school was built. Sara Coccia, director of construction and planning for the Bethel School District, said
the search for a building site began in 2007. The school, located at 7718 224th Street East in Graham, was delayed by Growth Management Act requirements associated with its rural location and by significant changes to Pierce County’s stormwater manual after an earlier plan had been submitted. Construction on the new building began in March of 2024 and was completed on schedule and within budget. The project was funded by the 2019 School Construction Bond. Coccia described the school as “a pretty awesome building” with modern facilities designed to create inspirational spaces and expand learning opportunities. “We have a lot of different opportunities for students to thrive,” Coccia said. “It’s not
just your traditional environment where you just have a building full of classrooms and a gym. Flexible student learning areas equipped with tables, chairs and televisions allow small groups to collaborate outside their classrooms wile remaining visible to teachers through interior windows. “So many teachers have just sent kids into the hallways in the past to work together, to have some quiet time, to work on a project, or to the library,” Rodriguez said. “And now, to have that right next to the classrooms is just a great opportunity.” A main corridor connects the classroom areas and provides views into many of the instructional spaces. Rodriguez said the “learning on display” concept can expose students to different subjects and potentially introduce them to career choices. The old Bethel High School will serve as temporary home for Cedarcrest Middle School for approximately two years while its existing campus is rebuilt or replaced. That project is also funded by the 2019 bond. No school redistricting occurred, and all students who attended the former Bethel High will continue at the new school. The community toured the brand-new building during an August 21 dedication ceremony, which Coccia described as “amazing.” “It was a huge investment for our community, and we’re just very proud, not only of the building, but what we’re going to be able to hand over to them, and what they’re going to get to use for generations to come,” she said. “And most of all, we’re just really excited for our students. This is their school. We want them to take pride in it. We want them to fill the space. We want them to create memories and learn things that are going to stay with them long after graduation.”