$2 The Mountaineer 
THE FUTURE OF THE RAINIER NATIONAL 
PARK 
ASAHEL CURTIS 
The most pressing need in mountain affairs in Washington 
at the present time is the improvement and extension of the 
roads of the Mt. Rainier National Park. The mountain is 
attracting wide attention and people are coming from afar to 
visit it. If they find the mountain accessible they will tell 
their friends about their trip and the mountain will receive 
the best form of publicity. If, on the other hand, they find 
there are no roads or only one fair one, they will prob- 
ably so state and by so doing dissuade many from a visit. 
Now is the time to go at this matter with all the vim that 
can be shown, and the Mountaineers should be the ones to 
lead in this work. They should prove that they know what is 
needed in mountain work in the state and not leave this 
important work for the commercial bodies of the two cities. 
The work is broader than the purposes of commercial bodies, 
the park is a national one and not a Seattle, Tacoma, or even a 
Washington one. Therefore the work in behalf of the park 
should be national. The senators and representatives of 
Washington may work for a system cf roads, but they must 
have the support of others before the necessary bills will pass. 
The elub should organize a campaign of publicity, get the 
eastern mountain clubs to help and have them take the matter 
up with their senators and representatives, urging the passage 
of this bill. Eleven thousand people passed through the park 
entrance last season. The majority of these would be willing 
to write to their representatives at Washington in favor of a 
bill to improve the roads. They know that they need improve- 
ment. President Taft was able to reach Paradise Park, but he 
learned just what was needed to make the road a success. 
The first thing that should be decided upon is a plan of 
action that can be followed for years, and all parts of the park 
opened. No money can be appropriated for roads until surveys 
are made, therefore those surveys should be started the coming 
summer. 
