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The inside story on outside recreation

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 11:00:34 pm

Things were looking up late Wednesday morning as I grabbed for the sunglasses as soon as I crossed Snoqualmie Pass. I was headed east of the mountains for a fishing trip, the first in a long time.

But the good weather didn't last. Sure the sun was out, but the SUV started rocking in the wind half way down from the pass. By the time I reached Ellensburg, it was a full-blown, grab-your-hat gale. At the gas station, one guy said he would rather have "snow and rain than THIS!"

For those trout bums thinking about trying the Yakima in the next few days, forget it. Below Cle Elum it was high and the color of a vanilla latte. Even above Cle Elum the river was high.

I love to fish the Yak, but for this trip I was headed east for Lake Lenore.

But the winds followed me. The swirling gusts made it difficult to cast, which made it difficult to catch anything.

After an hour, I headed to Rocky Ford Creek. It was still windy, but not quite so bad. I managed to catch a few trout, nothing big. I did talk to an angler who salvaged his day of angling when he landed a 28-inch rainbow.

The forecast for Thursday is better, so hopefully that means good things will happen when I fish Potholes Reservoir.

Posted by Craig Hill @ 07:00:20 pm

Photo by Lui Kit Wong

Each year we get press releases from people who are pedaling across the United States. Usually they're doing this to raise money and awareness for a worthy cause. However, we get so many of these - four to five per year - we can't feature them all. In fact, as amazing as this accomplishment is, it takes something pretty special to get us to feature your trans-America pedal.

One trip that definitely qualifies as special will be the centerpiece of tomorrow's News Tribune. The Mortimer family of Gig Harbor will start pedaling 3,900 miles from their home to New York on May 17. So aside from ranging in age from 10 (Chanel) to 53 (Bob), what makes them different? Well, a couple things:

1. They don't really have a cause. They say they're simply spreading a message of courage and hope.

2. Bob Mortimer is a triple amputee. Mortimer lost his legs and left arm in an accident 32 years ago. He will be traveling on a handcycle.

Here are some links to more information about the Mortimers:

- Hope and Courage Journey Across America

- Bob Mortimer Motivational Ministries

- The route map.

- Track the Mortimer's via their blog

- Sign up for e-mail updates from the Mortimers' trip

- Make a donation

Posted by Craig Hill @ 12:53:35 am

It will likely be early June before Skate Creek Road opens. And it is equally like other mountain roads in the Mount Rainier area will open much later than normal.
Record low elevation snowfall over the past several months and several large slides have covered the road, also known as Forest Road 52, between Ashford and Packwood.
This road, which provides visitors with an access route across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest from Packwood to the west entrance of Mount Rainier National Park normally reopens in mid-May for summer and fall travel.
This year¹s unseasonably deep snow has slowed and halted at times the plowing effot. In addition a large slide/avalanche on the road near Packwood, will have to melt further before it can be removed and repairs can be made to the road.
Based on available information and snow conditions, Forest Service officials estimate that Forest Road 52 will not be opened to public traffic for the Memorial Day holiday, but should be open in early June.
With snow continuing to fall in the area, it is expected that efforts to clear other mountain roadways, including Highways 123 and 410 inside Mount Rainier will be slow, forcing later than normal openings.
For additional information about the status of this route and other Forest roads, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/current-conditions/roads.shtml
Elsewhere in the region, crews are working to clear mountain passes near Mount Rainier. Here is a look at their status:
Cayuse Pass: The pass is closed for the season within Mount Rainier National Park from the Highway 410 Junction to Stevens Canyon Road, five miles north of the junction of U.S. 12 and Highway 123. There is no projected opening date.
Chinook Pass: The pass remains closed from milepost 57, near Crystal Mountain Boulevard, to milepost 74.5, near Morse Creek. On April 7, WSDOT crews started plowing the pass. Weather and work progress permitting, the target date to have the road open is Memorial Day weekend.

Monday, May 5th, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 09:23:36 pm

Sometimes everything breaks just right and your calendar looks like this on Cinco de Mayo:

9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. - Ski at Alpental to get interviews for ski story.

Noon to 12:45 p.m. - Staff meeting at the Tribune (Man, even on the good days.)

1:15 to 3 p.m. - Meet Kevin Sullivan of Puyallup and Brian Henderson of DuPont at Banner Forest to test ride a new mountain bike for future story.

3:30-6 p.m. - In the office to finish the aforementioned skiing story for tomorrow's paper. (Ok, so the day didn't end on the most exciting note.)

Posted by Jeff Mayor @ 12:43:10 pm

Joe Hyer, co-owner of The Alpine Experience in Olympia, sent an e-mail today to report that Friday’s fourth annual Outdoor Life Auction raised a record $25,500.

The previous fundraising record was set last year at $22,000. This year’s goal was $25,000, Hyer said.

Proceeds from the event go directly to local parks departments and to support youth outdoor programs throughout Thurston County!

“The 2007 funds helped put more than 300 kids into the outdoors over the past year –- and these dollars help ensure we’ll be able to do even more in the coming year,” Hyer wrote.

Posted by Craig Hill @ 07:19:09 am

Alpental will stay open one more weekend, resort spokeswoman Holly Lippert confirmed this morning.

The Snoqualmie Pass ski area originally planned to close for the season today, however greater than normal snow accumulations is allowing the resort to stay open for another week.

The Summit at Snoqualmie resort will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 12 and 13.

The Summit received 591 inches of snow this season. It averages 444 inches of snow per season.

Lift tickets are $5 at Alpental today.

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 08:15:16 pm

Sunday and Monday are the last two days to ski or ride at Alpental this season. While it still feels like March, conditions can be more dangerous than normal in some areas. The Alpental ski patrol recently issued this warning:

Many of the steep faces in the Alpental Backcountry are snow-covered, smooth rock slabs. As temperatures warm, the snow on these slabs consolidates and begins to creep and glide down the smooth surface, creating deep cracks. A fall into one of these cracks could result in serious injury. In addition, these cracks may eventually lead to large "climax" avalanches, with huge blocks breaking free from the rock surface. It is impossible to predict exactly when a climax avalanche will occur, and a skier or rider caught in one would have little chance of survival.

These rock slabs are particularly prevalent in the area known as the "Near Backcountry," and particularly in the Rock Face, Roxoff and lower Elevator Shaft areas. WE STRONGLY ADVISE AVOIDING THESE AREAS AT THIS TIME.

-Alpental Pro Patrol

Categories: Skiing/Snowboarding
Posted by Craig Hill @ 08:11:18 pm

Many anglers who've been on a fishing charter out of Westport knew Neddie Rose Farrington, founder and former owner of the Islander Motel, Charters, Restaurant & RV Park.

Farrington died Friday at the age of 84. Read more about her in a story from the Aberdeen World.

Categories: Fishing, Adventure Guys

Friday, May 2nd, 2008

Posted by Jeff Mayor @ 02:31:26 pm

It will likely be early June before Skate Creek Road opens.

Record low elevation snowfall over the past several months and several large slides have covered the road, also known as Forest Road 52, between Ashford and Packwood.

This road, which provides visitors with an access route across the Gifford Pinchot National Forest from Packwood to the west entrance of Mount Rainier National Park normally reopens in mid-May for summer and fall travel.

This year’s unseasonably deep snow has slowed and halted at times the plowing effot. In addition a large slide/avalanche on the road near Packwood, will have to melt further before it can be removed and repairs can be made to the road.

Based on available information and snow conditions, Forest Service officials estimate that Forest Road 52 will not be opened to public traffic for the Memorial Day holiday, but should be open in early June.

With snow still falling throughout the Mount Rainier area, this probably won't be the only road to open later than is traditional.

Click here for additional information about the status of this route and other
Forest roads.

Posted by Jeff Mayor @ 02:14:55 pm

Hey anglers, before you head out this weekend, compare your brand preferences with this survey from Southwick Associates.
The company earlier today announced the brands and products that anglers preferred most in 2007. This list has been compiled from the 16,258 angler surveys returned from AnglerSurvey.com last year.
In 2007, the top brands and activities included:
Top rod brand: Shakespeare Ugly Stik (16.7 percent of all purchases)
Top reel brand: Shimano (18.1 percent of all purchases)
Top rod and reel combo brand: Shakespeare (20.9 percent of all purchases)
Top fly rod brand: Orvis (17.5 percent of all purchases)
Top fishing line brand: Berkley (Trilene, Fireline, Big Game and Vanish (38.5 percent of all purchases)
Top hardbait brand: Rapala (25.6 percent of all purchases)
Top softbait brand: Zoom (15.9 percent of all purchases)
Top spinnerbait brand: Strike King (21.3 percent of all purchases)
Top hook brand: Gamakatsu (30 percent of all purchases)
Top sinker brand: Bullet Weights (20.1 percent of all purchases)
Top fly line brand: Scientific Anglers (25.7 percent of all purchases)
Top fly brand: Orvis (12.6 percent of all purchases)
Top electronics: Lowrance (55.5 percent of all radio or GPS and 35 percent of all fish finder purchases)
Top tackle box brand: Plano (50.3 percent of all purchases)
Top fishing knife brand: Rapala (46.4 percent of all purchases)  

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 09:19:41 pm

From North Cascades National Park:

Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area will be featured on Travel Channel’s Into America’s West with Jeff Corwin tonight, May 1 at 11:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 3 at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Corwin visited Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area last summer as part of the series, the settings for which are described on the Travel Channel website as “America's greatest National Parks and Reserves, where the natural beauty and splendor of both the landscape and native wildlife are protected. Jeff's journey takes him through some of the most stunning landscapes on the planet; from the mighty Grand Canyon to the snowy peaks of Mount Baker, and wide-open plains of Montana to the pre-historic formations of Yellowstone Park.”

Posted by Jeff Mayor @ 09:33:24 am

State health officials are recommending more limits on consumption of fish caught in popular Lake Roosevelt because of pollution. They’ve issued the same warning for the Spokane River.

New tests show that the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls and mercury in fish tissue may be worse than previously thought.

For Lake Roosevelt, burbot and largescale sucker have been added to an earlier advisory covering walleye pike because of mercury levels. The recommendation for walleye is no more than two meals per month and for burbot and largescale sucker no more than four meals per month by women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and young children.

The PCB-related advisory for the Spokane River has been expanded and applies to the general public. State health officials recommend that no fish taken from the Idaho border to Upriver Dam in Spokane be eaten.

Largescale sucker caught between Upriver Dam and Nine Mile Dam should not be eaten, and all other species taken from the same stretch of the river should be limited to one meal per month.

For the Long Lake reservoir on the river, largescale sucker and brown trout should be limited to one meal per month.

Click here for more information.

Posted by Craig Hill @ 09:13:33 am

The North Cascades Highway opened this morning starting the busiest part of the year for North Cascades National Park.

“This is an exciting day as we celebrate … the increased opportunities for recreation and fun made possible by the highway’s opening,” said Kinsey Shilling, the park’s chief ranger.

The highway, Highway 20, closed in December because of snow.
Starting Saturday the North Cascades National Park Visitor Center near Newhalem will be open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount is open Fridays through Sunday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but expands to daily operation May 18.

The North Cascades Highway is also considered one of the nation’s most scenic drives. Highlights include overlooks of Ross Lake and views of Jack Mountain and Hozomeen Peak.

For more information on recreational opportunities now available because of the opening of the highway visit www.nps.gov/noca.

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 10:40:08 pm

I'm a little ashamed to admit this but I only got two days of skiing in this April.

I spent a day at Crystal Mountain and another at White Pass. Below is a picture from what's left of one of my ski poles. Wish I had a good story to go with the snapped pole, but I just accidentally busted it while goofing off with some friends. Didn't even fall.

So just two days in April. Well, La Nina has made May the new April for skiers and boarders this year so maybe I'll do better in May. Alpental and Summit Central are open Saturday, Sunday and Monday then close for the season. Lift tickets are $5 on Monday.

Believe it or not, the snow is still dumping. Eight inches at Alpental last night.

This is the fourth of at least 12 installments from Craig's attempt to ski at least once each month this year. He's done this before but this is his first time writing about it. He'll write more in the summer months when the skiing is a little more difficult to find.

Posted by Craig Hill @ 01:54:28 pm

From the Bureay of Lane Management:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office announced today that it has decided to move forward with the “No Action” alternative in the March 2007 Environmental Assessment (EA), and reject the hardrock lease application.

=> Read more!

Categories: Mount St. Helens
Posted by Craig Hill @ 09:48:25 am

Somebody placed what appears to be a snowboard-toting lawn gnome in front of the Johnston Ridge Observatory Web cam at Mount St. Helens.

The sign to the gnome's right says "I will get the snow." The sign is getting attention from media outlets around the Northwest. This morning a second sign was added to the gnome.
It reads "No headway on the snow, but could use some hot chocolate."

It's not known who placed the gnome at observation area, which is about 4,500 feet above sea level. The observatory is closed for the winter but can still be reached on skis or snowshoes.

The National Weather Service recently told The News Tribune that snow levels in the Cascades are 150 percent of normal this season.

Holly Lippert of the Summit at Snoqualmie says the ski area received eight inches of new snow overnight. The ski area, the only one in the area still operating, will reopen Saturday. It plans to close for the season on May 5. Lift tickets will be $5 on Monday.

Posted by Craig Hill @ 09:21:53 am

One of the primary concerns for athletes as they train for this summer’s Olympics in Beijing is the air quality.

The International Olympic Committee has even warned that endurance events could be postponed if air pollution is at a dangerous level.

Pat McDonough, director of athletics for USA Cycling, says preparing for Beijing is a bit tricky.

“We have air purifiers for the rooms,” McDonough said. “But there is not a lot we can do on the course.”

McDonough says athletes can’t really acclimatize to pollution.

“Some athletes have tried and the only thing that really happens is that their level of performance has gone down,” McDonough said.

In the USA Cycling’s previous experience in polluted areas all days have been equally as nasty,” McDonough said.

“In a 10-day period maybe two days are pretty good and two days are really bad and the rest is someplace in between,” McDonough said. “We will plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 03:39:25 pm

A local mountaineering company is facing more than the usual challenges as it tries to get 24 climbers to the summit of 29,035-foot Mount Everest.
Nepal has imposed a near-blackout on communication on the south side of Mount Everest, Eric Simonson of Ashford-based International Mountain Guides said Tuesday.
The communication limitations come as Nepal, not wanting to hurt relations with Beijing, tries to enforce a strict ban on protests during China’s upcoming Olympic torch relay to the summit of the world’s highest mountain. Dozens of armed Nepalese soldiers have been posted at Mount Everest’s base camp and at Camp 2, a lower stop for mountaineers.
Simonson says climbers are not allowed to climb any higher than Camp 2 at 21,000 feet until the torch climb is complete.
The Chinese climbers plan to have the Olympic torch on the summit in early May if weather permits.
Simonson says climbers on the Nepalese side will then have the rest of the month for their summit attempt.
“This has been a big deal,” Simonson said of the Olympic-related climbing restrictions. “We have definitely been impeded. Normally we would be pushing to Camp 3 by now.”
Simonson says the communication blackout on Everest is primarily related to e-mail communication. He says he has been able to communicate with his guides daily by satellite phone.
“I think the primary concern is that they don’t want people e-mail pictures of climbers holding ‘Free Tibet’ banners,” Simonson said.
However, the Associated Press reports soldiers and officials have also banned the use of satellite phones and radios on the mountain, and have forbidden photography at higher elevations, according to the BBC and trekking company employees in Katmandu. The trekking company employees spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn’t want to alienate government officials.
Climbers are allowed occasional use of e-mail, but only under the supervision of authorities, the employees said. Government officials declined to comment on communications restrictions.
On Tuesday, the Nepalese government acknowledged it deported Virginia mountaineer William Brant Holland after he was caught at base camp with a “Free Tibet” banner. He also has been banned from all mountaineering activities in Nepal for the next two years.
The government has also ordered a BBC news crew from the Everest base camp, the broadcaster reported.
Simonson says he expects his climbers will still have a good chance of summiting this year.
The relay, expected to start soon, will take place on the Chinese side of the mountain. But Nepal¹s government, under pressure from Beijing, has posted soldiers on its side and banned climbing near the summit from May 1-10.
Police and soldiers have been ordered to stop protests on the mountain using whatever means necessary, including weapons, although the use of deadly force is authorized only as a last resort.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Categories: Craig Hill, Mountaineering
Posted by Craig Hill @ 03:39:03 pm

May Day Metric
WHAT: Pick a tour named after a Hostess dessert and spend the day pedaling around Federal Way. The Ho-Ho-Ville route is 50 miles. The Twinkie-Land is 100 kilometers and the Ding Dong Station Mountain route is 100 miles.
WHERE: Phil’s South Side Cyclery, 2310 SW 336th St., Federal Way.
WHEN: Sunday. Course open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Registration open from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
ACTIVITIES: There is a finish line party at Jake’s Ales.
GETTING THERE: From I-5 take Exit 142B. Highway becomes 348th Street, then Campus Drive, then 336th Street.
COST: $20 per rider. Unicycles ride for free.
OF NOTE: Get a slice of pie at the finish line. Portions of the proceeds benefit the Bicycle Alliance of Washington. Sag support provided for stranded riders. There is a rest area with snacks every 20 to 25 miles.
INFORMATION: Visit maydaymetric.net.

Saturday, April 26th, 2008

Posted by Craig Hill @ 08:29:47 pm

I got e-mail from reader M. Mullins recently asking the whereabouts of the new trail in Milton. The paved 2.5-mile multipurpose trail was dedicated Tuesday.

We were unable to run a map of the trail because the City of Milton could not provide us one. Making matters more confusing we accidently left out a box with additional info the trail from Thursday's section.

This prompted many phone calls from readers like M. Mullins. Thanks for pointing it out.

My bad. Here's what we meant to say:

Milton Interurban Trail
Miles:
2.5
South terminus: 70th Avenue East
North terminus: South 380th Place
Surface: Asphalt
Parking: A community baseball park at 700 Kent Street offers ample parking along the trail.
The future: Trail planners hope to connect the Milton trail to future sections in Edgewood and Fife.
What’s next? Edgewood Trail Community Meeting, May 1, 6:30 p.m., Mountain View Lutheran Church.

Diane Kerlin doesn’t live in Milton, but she was as happy as anybody Tuesday morning when the city dedicated a new 2.5-mile multiuse trail.

“This is a great day,” said Kerlin, an Edgewood resident who helped plan the trail. “… A lot of hard work went into this.”

=> Read more!

Categories: Cycling, Hiking, Mail Bag, Running


The Adventure Guys

We admit it. We've got great jobs. How many people get told by their bosses to go out and play? We write about those experiences each Thursday in The News Tribune’s Adventure section. But there's always more to the story. Here, Craig Hill and Jeffrey P. Mayor will share the inside stories on their adventures - including their misadventures - plus post news and answer your questions.

CRAIG HILL

Craig Hill is The News Tribune’s injury-prone Adventure writer. After eight years covering college football and basketball, he started writing about  adventure sports in 2004. He writes about everything from mountaineering and cycling to skiing and camping. You can reach him at craig.hill@thenewstribune.com

JEFFREY P. MAYOR

Jeffrey P. Mayor has been The News Tribune’s Adventure editor since 2003, and oversees our weekly Adventure section. His coverage focuses on fishing, hunting, Mount Rainier and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. You can reach him at jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com

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