A slurry of rocks and mud sounded like a freight train when it
ripped through a popular Mount Rainier hiking destination in
2001 and scared some television viewers who believed their homes
were in the path. As it turned out, the debris flow at Comet
Falls proved less dangerous than initially believed, but it gave
scientists insights into a phenomenon that continues to mystify.
Such a debris flow likely added damage to Mount Rainier National
Park when a flood – sparked by nearly 18 inches of rain in two
days – shut it down in November 2006. Experts are concerned that
the level of flood danger is increasing as sediment builds in
glacier-fed waters like the Nisqually River. Scientists suspect
that climate change – specifically, shrinking glaciers that
leave unstable rock behind – is adding to the risk of debris
flows that help clog river channels downstream. This summer, a
team of researchers is gathering information at Mount Rainier
that could help provide answers. One of the leading scientists
is Gordon Grant,