Crews complete work to Chinook Pass entrance arch
August 23, 2011 · 4:25 PM
Mount Rainier park craftsmen have completed the year-long restoration work on the Chinook Pass entrance arch, a unique historic structure in the National Park system.
Spanning across the Mather Memorial Parkway, a section of state Route 410, at 5,432 feet in elevation on the eastern boundary of the park, the arch was designed as both an entrance portal and an equestrian overpass, to convey hikers and riders on the Pacific Crest Trail. Built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Rustic Style arch had deteriorated due to the elements and nearly eight decades of use. The final phase was to take place Monday when the log stringers were scheduled to be put in place.
The restoration project replaced all of the deteriorated parts of the structure, including the log stringers that support the bridge deck, and included repair of the stone masonry abutments. Deteriorated components of the arch were removed last season, including the log stringers and masonry to prepare for replacement. Replacement logs were shaped and fitted according to National Park Service standards during the winter.
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