SEATTLE (AP) – On a recent snowshoeing trip on Mount Rainier, Nancy Spears brought her cellphone along but was happy not to have coverage: It gave her time to connect with her snowy surroundings rather than her social media accounts.
Spotty or no cellular service has been the norm at the nation’s fifth oldest park south of Seattle, but that could change soon.
Mount Rainier National Park is considering proposals by two carriers to provide cellular service in the park, setting off debates about whether people enjoying the park and surrounding wilderness areas should have access to calls, Facebook, Instagram and other technology while communing with nature.
Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile have applied for right-of-way permits to install telecommunications equipment on the visitor center at Paradise, one of most heavily used areas in the park. No towers would be built; antennas would be located below the roofline of the visitor’s center. There are currently no cellular installations in the park.
Some say cell service would improve safety and provide a convenience for visitors. Others don’t want it, saying the proliferation of phones will distract from the natural beauty of the surroundings.