We're switching to a new blogging system here at The News Tribune and hope you'll like the changes. We also hope you'll try it out and give us your feedback.

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Unfortunately, we were unable to move our previous content over to this new system, so we're keeping the old blog alive indefinitely if you need to access past content.

The biggest benefit to switching to this new system (Wordpress, if you're curious) is that it gives us a lot of flexibility to add new features quickly and easily. So, if you've got a wish list of blog features you'd like to see, post them here and we'll do our best to accommodate.

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Two marine areas in Puget Sound will reopen to recreational crab fishing Sunday. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife made the decision based on summer catch assessments that show more crab are available for harvest.

Starting at sunrise Sunday, Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), and most of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) will reopen for sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2.

The part of Marine Area 9 that will remain closed is south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point.

Crab fishing will remain open seven days a week through Jan. 2 in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south Puget Sound), where the fishery has continued uninterrupted since summer.

Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal), currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays, will close for the season at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Sport crabbing will not reopen this year in marine areas 6 (Strait of Juan de Fuca), 7 (San Juan Islands), 8-1, 8-2 (east of Whidbey Island) and 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), where the summer catch reached the annual recreational quota, said Rich Childers, shellfish policy lead.

"We want to give crabbers as much opportunity to fish as possible, but with great weather this summer, we had a lot of people out crabbing and catch rates were high," Childers said in a news release.

Of the more than 236,000 people that were issued Puget Sound crab licenses, 104,634 complied with the Sept. 21 reporting deadline. That includes 70,172 who filed their summer catch reports online.

"The data we receive is important for managing the Puget Sound crab fishery, which is why people are required to submit catch reports," Childers said.

To increase compliance, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission in 2008 approved a $10 fine for failure to file a catch report. Crabbers failing to submit their winter reports, due by Jan.15, will receive the fine when they apply for a 2010 Puget Sound crab endorsement.

State fishing rules require that all sport crabbers submit catch reports whether or not they went fishing or were successful in catching crab. Childers suggested that people who have winter catch cards, but do not intend to go crabbing, send in their catch cards now.

Catch record cards may be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. The online reporting system will be available Jan. 3-15 at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_sound_crab_catch.html

The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6π inches. Fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across.

Click here for more information about recreational crabbing in Puget Sound.

You will have to fight the urge to get out the sleds, but Paradise has gotten nearly a foot of snow in the last 24 hours.

If you want a peak at the view, try these webcams at Paradise:

Looking toward Paradise Inn.

Looking down the Paradise Road.

Looking at the visitor center.

I saw this item on the National Park Service's daily news roundup. It seems to be another case where people go beyond their limits and experience because they have technology to bail them out of trouble.

What if one of the helicopters had crashed during one of the searches?

What do you folks think? Should the group leader had been cited?

Any way, here is the release:

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Hikers Evacuated After Three SPOT Activations In Three Days

On the evening of September 23rd, rangers began a search for hikers who repeatedly activated their rented SPOT satellite tracking device. The GEOS Emergency Response Center in Houston reported that someone in the group of four hikers – two men and their two teenaged sons – had pressed the “help” button on their SPOT unit. The coordinates for the signal placed the group in a remote section of the park, most likely on the challenging Royal Arch loop. Due to darkness and the remoteness of the location, rangers were unable to reach them via helicopter until the following morning. When found, they’d moved about a mile and a half to a water source. They declined rescue, as they’d activated the device due to their lack of water. Later that same evening, the same SPOT device was again activated, this time using the “911” button. Coordinates placed them less than a quarter mile from the spot where searchers had found them that morning. Once again, nightfall prevented a response by park helicopter, so an Arizona DPS helicopter whose crew utilized night vision goggles was brought in. They found that the members of the group were concerned about possible dehydration because the water they’d found tasted salty, but no actual emergency existed. The helicopter crew declined their request for a night evacuation, but provided them with water before departing. On the following morning, another SPOT “help” activation came in from the group. This time they were flown out by park helicopter. All four refused medical assessment or treatment. The group’s leader had reportedly hiked once at the Grand Canyon; the other adult had no Grand Canyon and very little backpacking experience. When asked what they would have done without the SPOT device, the leader stated, “We would have never attempted this hike.” The group leader was issued a citation for creating a hazardous condition (36 CFR 2.34(a)(4)). [Submitted by Brandon Torres, Canyon District Shift Supervisor]

The state has raised the daily adult coho limit on three portions of the mainstem Columbia River.

The increased limit is in effect from Thursday through Dec. 31.

Here is the rest of the release:

Lower Columbia River from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse through Red Buoy #4 to the orange marker atop the dolphin on the lower end of Bachelor Island - The daily limit is 6 fish. Up to 3 may be adults of which no more than 2 may be hatchery steelhead. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho. Salmon minimum size is 12 inches.

Lower Columbia River from a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse upstream to Bonneville Dam - The daily limit is 6 fish. Up to 3 may be adults of which no more than 2 may be hatchery steelhead. Only one adult Chinook may be retained. Release all salmon other than Chinook and hatchery coho. Salmon minimum size is 12 inches.

Bonneville Dam upstream to the Hwy. 395 Bridge at Pasco - The daily limit is 6 fish. Up to 3 may be adults. No more than 2 may be hatchery steelhead or Chinook or one of each. Release all salmon other than Chinook and coho. Release wild coho from Bonneville Dam to the Hood River Bridge. Salmon minimum size is 12 inches.

Reason for action: The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) reviewed the early and late Columbia River coho stock status and reported the overall run was tracking at or above expectations of a total return of 700,000 adults. TAC observed that the early stock return appears to be tracking slightly less than the preseason forecast of 466,700 fish, while the late stock return appears to be currently tracking ahead of the preseason forecast of 236,600. At Bonneville Dam, 196,300 adult coho had been counted through October 18, compared to the preseason expectation of 160,100 fish. Surplus hatchery origin coho are available for harvest.

The Eastern Washington modern firearm elk hunting season that opens Oct. 31 does not include the West Bar Game Management Unit (GMU) 330 in the northeast corner of Kittitas County.

The state just sent out a note about the error 2009 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet. The unit is mistakenly listed under the Oct. 31 - Nov. 8 season for true spike bulls.

"The West Bar unit is available for early archery and special permit elk hunting only," said Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, in a news release. "Over 20 years ago when it was included during the general season, too much hunting pressure on West Bar caused elk to cross the Columbia River and enter the agricultural and residential areas of Grant County, leading to some unethical and unsafe hunting activities."

WDFW staff are posting signs at access points to the unit and distributing notices to hunting groups and license vendors to alert hunters to the error.

Tthe first razor-clam dig of the fall season got the final go ahead this afternoon.

Evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors (Friday-Monday); Long Beach and Copalis (Friay-Sunday); and Mocrocks and Kalaloch Beach (Saturday-Sunday). Digging at all beaches is limited to the hours between noon and midnight.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the digs at the five beaches after a series of marine toxin tests confirmed the clams were safe to eat.

Look for more details in Thursday's Adventure section.

Staff from Olympic National Park will host a public workshop on Thursday to discuss the park’s recent decision to close the Sunrise Snowplay Area near Hurricane Ridge.

The open house workshop will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road in Port Angeles.

“The Sunrise area has extremely limited parking along the road shoulder – the lack of parking, combined with large numbers of vehicles and pedestrians, and typical winter driving conditions create an extremely hazardous situation,” said sSuperintendent Karen Gustin in a news release. “Unfortunately, the unsafe location of this site means that we must close the Sunrise Snowplay area.”

The Sunrise Snowplay Area has been one of two sledding areas near Hurricane Ridge. The Small Children’s Snowplay Area is located just west of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and will remain open for use by children 8 years of age and younger.

During the workshop, park staff will be available to explain the history and hazards of the Sunrise Snowplay Area and the decision to close the area to tubing and sledding. Public input on possible alternative locations for these activities will be sought.

Because of the potential for serious injury, tubing and sliding are only permitted at designated areas that are monitored and managed for safe use.

Washington State Parks voted Thursday night to double the price of Sno-Park day passes.

Sno-Park passes will be $20 this season and will be required for each vehicle.

A season pass will be $40 and the special groomed trail permit will be an additional $40. Each of these passes were $30 last season.

On Sept. 3, state parks spokeswoman Linda Burnett said, “The reason for the increase is to encourage people to buy an annual pass.”

Passes go on sale Nov. 1.

The state just announced that anglers must release adult chinook
on a section of the lower Cowlitz River starting Saturday.

Here is the rest of the release:

Action: Anglers must release adult chinook on the Cowlitz River from Blue Creek upstream to Mill Creek.

Species affected: Adult chinook salmon

Effective dates: Saturday through Dec. 31

Location: Cowlitz River from Blue Creek at the trout hatchery to Mill Creek near the salmon hatchery.

Reason for action: Protects naturally spawning fall chinook. This section is the primary spawning area for fall chinook on the lower Cowlitz.

Other information: Historically, all chinook had to be released in this section of river from October through December. With the advancement of mass marking, hatchery chinook jacks may continue to be retained. In addition, this area remains open for hatchery coho, hatchery steelhead, and hatchery sea run cutthroat trout.

On Wednesday, the state announced the dates for the first digs of the upcoming razor clam season. The first dig will start Oct. 16 at two beaches.

Here is a link to our story looking ahead to this season.

Here is the list of tentative dates for the early-season digs. Digging will be allowed if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.
Proposed dates (low tide time, tide height):
Oct. 16: ( 5:50 p.m. -0.5 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Oct. 17: (6:38 p.m. -0.8 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Oct. 18: (7:23 p.m. -1.1 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Oct. 19: (8:06 p.m. -1.1 feet) Twin Harbors
Nov. 4: (7:33 p.m. -1.3 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Nov. 5: (8:18 p.m. -1.2 feet) Twin Harbors
Nov. 6: (9:07 p.m. -0.9 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Nov. 7: (9:59 p.m. -0.5 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Nov. 14: (4:34 p.m. -0.3 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Nov. 15: (5:21 p.m. -0.7 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Nov. 16: (6:05 p.m. -0.9 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Nov. 17: (6:47 p.m. -0.8 feet) Twin Harbors
Dec. 2: (6:32 p.m. -1.2 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors
Dec. 3: (7:18 p.m. -1.4 feet) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Dec. 4: (8:04 p.m. -1.3 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Dec. 5: (8:51 p.m. -0.9 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Dec. 31: (6:16 p.m. -1.1 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Jan. 1: (7:01 p.m. -1.8 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Jan. 2: (7:45 p.m. -1.6 feet) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Jan. 3: (8:29 p.m. -1.2 feet) Twin Harbors

For fans of the white stuff, here is an image that should make you smile. It is from the Webcam inside the Henry M. Jackson Memoral Visitor Center at Paradise. I guess summer really is over. Sighhhhhhh.