Crews were working seven days a week to clear muck and debris from State Route 706 approaching Mount Rainier National Park/WSDOT

There will be no quick return to Mount Rainier National Park in Washington through the Nisqually Entrance, which has been blocked by a landslide since last weekend. Washington Department of Transportation officials say it could be mid-March before two-way traffic is allowed on State Route 706 that leads to the entrance.

Heavy rains and snowmelt last weekend, and saturated soils, spawned the natural disaster. Mudslides left some roads coated in mud, muck, and timber, undercut other roads, and in one case outside Mount Rainier's northwest corner "ate a car."

On Thursday, Granite Construction crews began bringing in large equipment to clear the slide debris covering SR 706 east of Ashford. On Friday, crews began separating the rock from the wood debris, so the rock could be incorporated into the project. Crews were also hauling debris out of the work zone. The contractor estimated that it would take approximately one week to remove the slide debris, inspect for damage and identify repairs. The contractor will be working seven days a week during daylight hours.

Transportation Department officials said they were "hopeful that SR 706 can re-open with two-way traffic by mid-March," however, the weather forecast called for heavy rains and snow through the weekend. 

The closure begins at milepost 10.18 and blocks access to Mount Rainier’s Nisqually entrance. There is no detour available.