Over the weekend, the New York Times ran an article on the difficult task Park Service personnel face in predicting future flood events like the ones the devastated Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades this last November. This unpredictability makes it extremely difficult to mitigate damage, while maintaining access.Despite this, the Park Service continues to make progress toward reestablishing public access to Mount Rainier. Most notably the NPS expects to reopen the road to Paradise by this May. The full extent of the damage to back country campsites and trails won't be known until the snow melts.