Ski season isn’t over yet, but the end is near.

Crystal Mountain and Stevens Pass will shut down for the season April 13. White Pass and Alpental switch to weekends after April 13. White Pass will stay open on weekends for the rest of the month. Alpental plans to continue weekend operations until May 4.

Summit West and Summit East are Closed. Mission Ridge closes Sunday. Mount Baker goes to weekend operations next week.

Snow conditions are still good at Washington’s ski areas, but they say they must close for two reasons.

First, they are required to write a closing date into their agreements with the National Forest Service. Second, it’s no longer profitable to stay open because skiers and snowboarders aren’t visiting as much.

“It comes down to supply and demand,” said Gwyn Howat of Mount Baker. “There’s plenty of snow but mountain biking, gardening, golf, soccer, baseball and all those spring activities take business away.”

As expected, the Hoh River and the South Fork Hoh River on the Olympic Peninsula will close to all sport fishing April 3 to protect wild steelhead, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced this afternoon. The runs this year have not been as strong as they typically are.

The closure will take place at 12:01 a.m. on April 3 and the rivers will not re-open through the remainder of the season. The Olympic National Park also will close portions of the two rivers that lie within the park’s boundary.

The closure is needed to meet the wild steelhead spawning escapement goal of 2,400 fish, said Bill Freymond, the state’s regional fish manager.

Fishing on the Hoh and South Fork Hoh rivers had been scheduled through April 15.
Other rivers regulated by the department on the Olympic Peninsula will remain open as listed in the 2007-08 Fishing in Washington pamphlet.

Click here to read the state’s fishing regulations.

Click here for information on other fishing opportunities within Olympic National Park.

If you want to sign up for the American Lung Association's Climb for Clean Air, it's time to do so.

Here's a note I received today from Paul Payton of the ALA:

There is still time to join this year's team and secure a spot on a climb up Mount Rainier in July. Here are some activities that are open to the public.

- Tuesday, April 1st @ 6:30 p.m. - come to Seattle REI and get those fabulous fundraising tips, get a review of equipment needs and planned lowland hikes in April, as well as hearing why your fundraising does count.

- Sunday, April 6th @ 8:45 a.m. - Tiger Mountain

- Saturday, April 19th at 8:45 a.m. - Mount Si

For more information about this year's Climb for Clean Air - http://www.cleanairadventures.org/climb_for_clean_air

Here is a look at how the laws related to carrying firearms read for the National Park Service and the state of Washington.

Supporters of a push to change the park regulations want the rules to be consistent with the state where the park is located.

Click here to read today's story about the debate on carrying guns at Mount Rainier National Park.

The rules
Code of Federal Regulations
TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY CHAPTER I--NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Sec. 2.4 Weapons, traps and nets.
(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section and parts 7 (special regulations) and 13 (Alaska regulations), the following are
prohibited:
(i) Possessing a weapon, trap or net
(ii) Carrying a weapon, trap or net
(iii) Using a weapon, trap or net
(3) Traps, nets and unloaded weapons may be possessed within a temporary lodging or mechanical mode of conveyance when such implements are rendered temporarily inoperable or are packed, cased or stored in a manner that will prevent their ready use.

Washington State Constitution
Article 1 Section 24
RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

The Capitol State Forest campgrounds, trailheads and trails will reopen to the public beginning April 1, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources just announced.

Capitol Forest recreation sites are open April 1 through Oct. 31 annually, providing recreational facilities and trails for many thousands of visitors.

Campsites are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors are welcome to stay within the forest for seven days per year.

There are about 90 campsites and more than 170 miles of trails in the forest. Trails on the northern side of the forest are for motorcycles and quads; trails in the southern part of the forest are for horseback riders. Mountain bikes and hikers are welcome on all trails.

Our coverage starts on the front page tomorrow. I take a look at the debate on whether to allow people to carry firearms in national parks and how it relates to Mount Rainier National Park. I talked to local NRA members, park staff and hikers for the story.

In Adventure, Craig Hill has a great package on places you can take your kids to introdce them to the outdoors. Maybe spring break will be a good time to give these a try.

In my column I write about the need for more volunteers as our area's national parks and forests continue to repair damage wrought by storms in 2006 and 2007. Folks, our favorite places to play will need our help in 2008.

Craig offers an update on news related to the 2010 Winter Olympic games coming to Vancouver, B.C.

Click here to read Craig's 2010 Olympic blog.

We also have a preview of the Tacoma Dome Boat show which opens Thursday.

There is now a continuous emission of ash from the new gas vent in Halema`uma`u Crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The top of the ash plume, which is currently being blown to the southwest of the crater, reaches from a half mile to one mile above ground level.

The amount of lava erupted from the vent was small, but it represents the first lava erupted from anywhere in Halema`uma`u since 1982.

Click here for a cool panoramic view of the crater.

Click here for more information on the eruption.

Click here for a view of the volcano closer to home.

In today's Soundlife section we caught up with Jordan Hanssen, a UPS grad who is currently pedaling across Australia. This guy - along with his ocean rowing buddies - is truly one of the most impressive gentlemen I've met in my four years covering Puget Sound adventure sports.

Hanssen and three friends became the first Americans to row across the North Atlantic in 2006. Next he plans to row from New York to Nome with fellow UPS grad Greg Spooner.

Here are some links for following Hanssen's adventures.

- Hanssen's blog is loaded with good stories and good writing. He's managed to update it every day during his ride across Australia. Jordan's blog

- Here's a link to Jordan's website - bikeperthtosydney.googlepages.com - and his facebook page.

- Check out Hanssen's photos from across Australia. Hanssen pics

- Look back at the historic row across the North Atlantic by Jordan, Greg Spooner, Dylan LeValley and Brad Vickers. Oarnorthwest.com

- Check out Spooner and Hanssen's plans to row across Canada from New York to Nome. NY to Nome

- Read The News Tribune's story An Atlantic Odyssey about the 2006 record setting row.

Help us determine the best ski area in the Northwest by voting for your favorite resort, lodge food, ski run and more.

Click below to take the quick survey. Your favorites will featured in 2008-09 Ski preview sections in newspapers across the Northwest. Voters from around the region - Idaho, Washington, Oregon and B.C. - are participating so make sure your favorites are well represented.

2008-09 Snow Ride Guide Survey

News Tribune reporter Stacey Mulick is reporting that the body of the missing Mount Rainier hiker has been found.

UPDATE
Statement from Mount Rainier National Park:

Rangers searching for a missing hiker located his body about a mile from the Kautz Creek trailhead late Wednesday morning. Rangers followed a single set of tracks in the snow to an elevation of 4200 feet. The tracks then descended east of the trail to about 3000 feet, where the body was found.

Devin Ossman, 45, of Mukilteo, is believed to have arrived in the park Monday morning for a day hike. Ossman was not planning to be out overnight and was dressed lightly in blue jeans, a flannel shirt and jacket.

A ranger noticed Mr. Ossman’s car parked at Kautz Creek late Monday and upon investigation discovered his wife had reported him missing to the Mukilteo Police Department that afternoon. With daylight dwindling there was time for only a cursory search of the area.

By Wednesday morning the search had expanded to include more than 20 National Park Service staff with helicopter support from Northwest Helicopter Company in Olympia. German Shepherd Search Dogs of Washington out of Pierce County assisted with two dog teams.

It’s going to be a busy spring in the state’s three major national parks. That was my impression after talking with the three superintendents after a meeting Monday in Seattle.

Late this spring we can expect to see the draft environmental impact statement outlining options for the Carbon River Road at Mount Rainier National Park. Superintendent Dave Ubueruaga said it is unlikely any proposal would include rebuilding the road all the way to the Ipsut Creek Campground. Public meetings will be held to discuss the options and take public comment.

At Olympic National Park, options for reopening the Dosewallips road should be released in mid April. Acting superintendent Sue McGill said she expects the announcement of a permanent superintendent to be made in May. And the park’s general management plan should be finalized by early summer.

At North Cascades National Park, the staff is developing plans to celebrate the park’s 40th anniversary.

Fishing will be prohibited for a while Friday from Les Davis Pier as scuba divers will clean up the waters surrounding the pier.

About 20 volunteers are expected to spend six hours removing everything from broken fishing line to trash. For the safety of the volunteer crew, no fishing will be allowed from the pier between 3-9 p.m. while the clean up is underway.

“We often see people throwing cans, bottles and other garbage into the bay when we’re diving,” said event organizer Amy Rhodes. “As one of the few reefs in the area created specifically for divers, this place is becoming a Tacoma icon. We’re excited to start removing the garbage littering this special habitat.”

According to Rhodes the number of shore divers accessing this area has grown significantly following construction of the nearby dive steps, a project spearheaded by Metro Parks Tacoma’s Marine Advisory Council members a little over a year ago.

“The area is really accessible for divers of all abilities now,” Rhodes commented, “so we’ll have divers with a range of experience who participate in this clean up.”

The clean up event is an official event of Project Aware, an international foundation dedicated to conservation of underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Metro Parks’ staff will support the effort through CHIP In! (Citizens Helping Improve Parks) by providing trash receptacles and bags, and hauling away the debris that is collected.

A statement from Mount Rainier on the missing hiker:

Rangers searched the Kautz Creek Trail on Tuesday for 45-year old Devin Ossman of Mukilteo but without success. A ranger noticed Mr. Ossman’s car parked at the Kautz Creek trailhead late Monday and upon investigation discovered his wife had reported him missing to the Mukilteo Police Department that afternoon. With daylight dwindling there was time for only a cursory search of the area. On Tuesday eight National Park Service searchers and a dog team from Northwest Bloodhounds searched the trail for signs of Mr. Ossman but found few clues. Devin Ossman is believed to have arrived in the park Monday morning for a day hike. He is probably wearing blue jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, black suede jacket, black scarf, gray cap with white stripes, and wire rim glasses. The search will continue Wednesday with additional searchers, search dogs, helicopter reconnaissance weather permitting.

Just got an e-mail from David Ludwig, the Tacoma man who founded Hope on the Slopes, a 24-hour ski competition/American Cancer Society fundraiser.

Here's what he says:

Well we did it. We set records for the White Pass Hope On The Slope. We're over $70,000 now and will probably push $75,000 when it is all said and done. We also had the most participants (220) and the most teams. This year was the most successful HOTS ever. I am grateful for all your hard work and passion. We have created a really great event that is fun, exciting, challenging, family and friend oriented. But all of us has an inner burn to find a cure for cancer, and help people who are suffering from cancer. The wonderful thing is that in spite of the anguish of our own personal encounters with cancer, we all were able to pull together and do something very important last weekend.

This year, all events combined raised in the neighborhood of $250,000. Since the first event at White Pass 5 years ago, total donations for all events nationwide are around $750,000. Congratulations to all of you for making that happen.

Just got word from the U.S. Ski Team that Phil Mahre's bid to qualify for U.S. Alpine Nationals this year has come up just short. Mahre of Yakima is 50-years-old and won a gold in the 1984 Olympic slalom. He started his comeback last season and impressed a lot of people despite coming up short of his goal. He turned down a special invitation to ski at nationals because he wanted to qualify on his own.

Today 42 athletes – some of whom even know how to ski – will race down one of Crystal Mountain’s steepest runs by parachute.

RED BULL BLADE RAID
Crystal Mountain, 9:30 a.m.
HOW IT WORKS: Competitors lay out a parachute behind them at the top of the double-diamond Exterminator run then ski as fast as possible down the hill. At about 40 mph their parachute will lift them off the ground. Then they must navigate the gates on the rest of the course using the chute and land in a designated area near the base lodge. Runs will take about 50 seconds, but time penalties are added for clipping the gates or passing through too high. Those who miss the gates or don’t cross the finish line with their skis on the ground don’t get a time for the round. The number of rounds is dictated by the weather.
BEST PLACE TO WATCH: From Crystal’s main lodge you can see most of the course.
COST: The event is free to watch. Lift tickets are $58 for adults.

PHOTO BY JANET JENSEN, THE NEWS TRIBUNE Click on the photo to ski more of Jensen's pictures of this event.

The story:
By Craig Hill The News Tribune
On more than 1,000 occasions Brian McNenney has stepped out of an airplane trusting his life to a backpack full of fabric.
He’s done it so often that skydiving intimidates him about as much as watching TV.
But if you want to see McNenney sweat, put him on a pair of skis and put him on top of Crystal Mountain’s Exterminator, a steep double-diamond run.
See, McNenney is from Florida where the highest point is 345 feet above sea level. Exterminator starts a mile above sea level.
“Florida is a great place to skydive and a terrible place to learn to ski,” said McNenney, who sells software in Tallahassee. “For me, skiing is 10 times scarier (than skydiving). This is crazy.”
READ THE REST OF THIS STORY IN TOMORROW'S NEWS TRIBUNE

I managed to squeeze in a few runs. A great day even though Campbell Basin and Northway were closed because of wind. This is the third of at least 12 installments from my attempt to ski at least once each month this year. I've done this before but this is his first time writing about it. I'll write more in the summer months when the skiing is a little more difficult to find.

Two razor clam digs have been tentatively scheduled for morning tides April 6-9 and April 19-23. The digs will proceed if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat.

If approved, Twin Harbors will be open all nine days. Long Beach would be open April 6-8 and April 19-20. Copalis and Mocrocks would be open April 19-20.

Kalaloch Beach is closed for the season.

People plaing to take part in the April digs will need new licenses. March 31 marks the end of the current license year. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older.

Licenses can be purchased online here, or by telephone at 1-866-246-9453 or in person at more than 600 license vendors throughout the state.

Click here for a list of vendors.

If you do need a new license, get it before you leave town.

“Morning digs are very popular, and no one wants to be standing in line to buy a license at low tide,” said Dan Ayres, state coastal shellfish manager.

For those going to Copalis and Mocrocks, another factor to consider is the likelihood of a traffic revision due to continuing work on the Simpson Avenue Bridge on eastbound U.S. 101 in Hoquiam.

“This is the only route to those beaches, so people should allow extra travel time to make sure they don’t arrive late,” Ayres said.

No digging will be allowed after noon on any beach. The dates and low tides are:

April 6, 7:23 a.m., -0.7 feet, Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
April 7, 8:09 a.m., -1.2 feet, Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
April 8, 8:55 a.m., -1.5 feet, Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
April 9, 9:43 a.m., -1.4 feet, Twin Harbors only
April 19, 6:40 a.m., -0.1 feet, Long beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks
April 20, 7:18 a.m., -0.4 feet, Long beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks
April 21, 7:55 a.m., -0.6 feet, Twin Harbors only
April 22, 8:30 a.m., -0.6 feet, Twin Harbors only
April 23, 9:06 a.m., -0.5 feet, Twin Harbors only

The final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Olympic National Park was released this afternoon.

The release culminates nearly seven years of meetings, discussions and planning, said park superintendent Sue McGill.

The Final GMP establishes a vision for managing the park for the next 15 to 20 years and aims to protect natural and cultural resources
while improving visitor experiences.

Drew Perine/The News Tribune file
A group of cross country skiers make their way along a ridge with the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop.

Key points include:

• Maintaining access to existing developed areas, park trails, campgrounds, and facilities.

• Allowing for improvements to the downhill ski support facilities at Hurricane Ridge, but with no area expansion.

• Seeking additional partnerships to help provide enhanced visitor access and enjoyment (e.g. alternative transit options, expanded interpretive and educational opportunities) and better protection of sensitive resources.

• Boundary adjustments through willing selling purchases or land exchanges to incorporate sensitive resource areas within the park.

• Continued protection of wilderness resources and cultural resources within wilderness.

The Final GMP is a massive 950-page document contained in two volumes. Volume 1 includes the plan alternatives, environmental consequences and extensive background information; Volume 2 contains a summary of public comments and responses to the substantive comments.

After the required 30-day no action period, the Final GMP will be forwarded to the National Park Service Pacific West Regional Director for final approval.

Click here for an online version of the Final GMP/EIS.

Review copies are also available at the Olympic National Park Visitor
Center in Port Angeles, the Olympic National Park Information Station in
Forks and the following area libraries:
The Evergreen State College Daniel J. Evans Library
Kitsap Regional Library, Bremerton Branch
North Olympic Library System Clallam Bay, Forks, Port Angeles, and
Sequim branches
Peninsula College Library
Port Townsend Public Library
Seattle Public Library
Tacoma Public Library
Timberland Regional Libraries, Aberdeen, Amanda Park, Hoodsport, and Hoquiam branches
University of Washington Library
William G. Reed Public Library
Wilson Library, Western Washington University.

Interested individuals and groups may request a CD version of the document by calling 360-565-3004. Limited printed copies of the document are also available by request. For more information about the final plan, call the park at 360-565-3004.

Here is a chance to put your fishing skills to use for a scientific study. Anglers are being invited to put their skills to work in a steelhead-genetics study in the Cowlitz River basin, including some areas typically closed to fishing.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with Friends of the Cowlitz and Tacoma Power, is organizing a hook-and-line fishery to help establish the genetic structure of steelhead populations in several tributaries to the Cowlitz River.

An orientation meeting for volunteers will be held at Saturday at 1 p.m. at Tacoma Power's Mayfield office located at the end of Gershick Road, near Mayfield Dam.

All volunteer anglers will be required to submit their Wild identification number and their date of birth to sign up for the test fishery. They also must carry a valid Washington fishing license and a valid photo identification on the fishing grounds.

The fishery is scheduled from late March through early June in lower Cowlitz River tributaries, focusing on late-winter run natural origin steelhead. Tributaries in the study include the Arkansas/Delameter/Monahan drainage, the Olequa/Stillwater/Campbell drainage and the Ostrander drainage - all of which are closed to steelhead fishing by the general public.

Anglers will be required to release any steelhead they catch after a fin tissue sample the size of a paper hole punch is taken from each fish.

Anglers can still participate in the study even if they can't make the Saturday meeting. Biologists will be discussing sampling protocols and getting anglers signed up as WDFW volunteers. However, if interested anglers can't make the meeting, they will be welcome throughout the sampling season and the department will have a briefing on the morning of each fishing day.

Questions about the test fishery should be directed to Julie Henning, state fish biologist, at 360-864-6133 or hennijah@dfw.wa.gov.

The Associated Press just moved this story:

Video-camera-toting snowboarders pulled out all the stops to answer a $5,000 challenge from a company that encouraged them to break the rules at “elitist, fascist” ski resorts that don’t allow snowboarding.

The tongue-in-cheek contest sponsored by Burton Snowboards was described by company founder and snowboard pioneer Jake Burton as a last resort to get equal access for snowboarders.

The company has received about 30 videos brimming with Alpine antics that included sawing boards in half, hiking up slopes in the dark, switching from skis to snowboards midslope.

=> Read more!

The coalition created to help Mount Rainier National Park recover from damage done by flooding in November 2006 has been named to receive one of the Department of the Interior’s highest awards.

The partnership between Mount Rainier National Park, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington’s Trails Association, the National Parks Conservation Association, Washington’s National Park Fund, and The Mountaineers has won the 2008 Cooperative Conservation Award

The award is Interior’s highest award presented to private citizens and organizational partners who support the agency’s mission and demonstrate significant contributions to its programs.

Janet Jensen/The News Tribune
Volunteers Megan Thompson, left, and Jean Millian load rocks into a wheel barrow while helping build a new section of the Wonderland Trail between Longmire and Cougar Rock campground, at Mount Rainier National Park, on Sept. 15, 2007.

Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne will present the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 21.

“This award justly recognizes the commitment of our partners, and the
critical role they played in our flood recovery efforts,” said said park superintendent Dave Uberuaga. “It also acknowledges the huge number of deeply committed individuals and community groups who worked through those partnerships to support the park.”

The overall volunteer effort involved 1,724 people who contributed 84,038 hours of service at the park in 2007, an effort valued at almost $1.6 million.

Local mountain climbing guide services planning to lead expeditions on Mount Everest this year got bad news this morning from the Chinese government.

The government announced it will not permit non-Chinese climbers from climbing the world's tallest peak this spring. The primary concern seems to be possible protests during a planned attempt to take the Olympic torch to the summit. China hosts the summer games this year.

"Mountaineers worldwide are in a state of uproar (including us)," said Erin Simonson of International Mountain Guides, an Ashford-based guide service that leads expeditions on Everest each year. Erin is the wife of IMG co-owner Eric Simonson.

IMG and many other guide services have already collected fees for Everest climbs and has already spent much of that money on preparations for climbs, Erin Simonson said.

IMG, Alpine Ascents International and Mountain Madness are all local guide companies who lead expeditions on Everest.

"The climbing community is looking to American diplomacy to persuade China to relax its concerns and heavy-handed approach," Erin Simonson said.

Read more at everestnews.net

Just got an e-mail from Dave Ludwig, the Tacoma man who started the cancer fundraiser Hope on the Slopes. Ludwig says the event at Stevens Pass last weekend raised $87,000 for the American Cancer Society.

More than 400 people participated in the event where they tried to see how many vertical feet they could ski or snowboard in 24 hours. Some competed as individuals and some competed as teams.

White Pass holds its Hope on the Slopes Saturday. Ludwig started the event at White Pass but there are now events held nationwide.

Here's a link to a news story done recently by a New York TV station.

I competed in the 2006 event, when it was called the Vertical Challenge, and have to say it's one of the coolest events I've ever been around. I went for the skiing challenge but quickly learned it was about much, much more. Here's the story I filed after skiing 120,000 vertical feet in 24 hours:

A BROTHER'S LOVE ENDURES
By Craig Hill The News Tribune, 2006

When Derek LaFramboise greeted me in the White Pass lift line at 2:30 a.m. on March 12, I thought I knew plenty about endurance.

I was 14 1/2 hours into a 24-hour ski competition called the Vertical Challenge, and I was fighting leg cramps, fatigue and numb toes from the 15-degree cold, with no intention of slowing down.

A six-minute lift ride later, I realized I was about to get an endurance lesson from Derek's 14-year-old son.

"Why are you doing this?" Derek asked.

I just wanted to know what it was like to ski for 24 hours, I replied.

"Well, let me tell you why my son is doing this," Derek said.

=> Read more!

The U.S. Coast Guard sent out a notice late yesterday that canisters with fumigants used to kill pests in cargo holds of ships have washed up on several beaches along the coast between Ocean Shores and Ozette.

The contents of the canisters may pose a health threat to people. Beach goers that find canisters should contact the state Department of Ecology Environmental Hotline at 360-407-6300. Beach goers should not handle the canisters because they contain toxic chemicals.

While this weekend's razor clam dig is taking place on beaches south of Ocean Shores, diggers may want to be careful.

The Department of Ecology and the Coast Guard are investigating the source of the containers.

I had a chance to meet Richard Louv last night in Olympia. The author of "Last Child in the Woods" was on hand to help celebrate efforts in Washington to leave no child inside.

Richard Louv was in Olympia last night to help celebrate Washington's efforts to leave no child inside.

A couple of items stand out from last nights gathering:

There have been 235 applications, totaling $8.9 million, have been submitted for the $1.5 million the Legislature has appropriated to be spent this year on outdoor education. The winning applications are supposed to be announced in early April.

A second edition of Louv's book is due out in the next month or so. It will include some new data and information to help parents and communities get children outdoors.

It was nice to meet Louv, the man who really brought this issue to light. It is one I have taken to heart, with two young children of my own. I have my memories of great times outdoors, and I want my children to have their own.

I'll have more thoughts in an upcoming column.

Jordan Hanssen has been dodging camels and kangaroos as he pedals across Australia. (Photo: Jordan Hanssen)

University of Puget Sound grad Jordan Hanssen is biking across Australia.

If you are not reading his blog, you are missing out. This guy truly knows how to have an adventure.

Click here to read his blog.

Here's an entry I found particularly entertaining:

We slept. We ate. The weather changed with the wind bringing cool air and the threat of rain. We got ready and checked the weather. Nothing conclusive. We had locked our room as the proprietor had asked, but after looking at the wind and weather we decided to wait and leave at midnight.

=> Read more!

The exchange rate used to soften the sticker shock on $83 Canadian day passes at Whistler Blackcomb. But as of Monday, that lift ticket would cost $83.90 US if the resort had not decided to accept U.S. funds on par with Canadian.
Brenton Murphy of Tourism Whistler says the declining U.S. dollar is one of the primary reasons Whistler is seeing the number of Washington visitors plateau this winter.
“We are losing some traction in the Washington market right now and we are keeping our eye on that,” Murphy said.
The United States accounts for 1/3 of Whistler’s tourists and Washington is the largest American market.
Tourism Whistler does not release statistics, but Murphy said visitors from Washington have increased annually since 2001 before flattening out this winter.
“We see the issues of the dollar, passport requirements and the rising cost of fuel as barriers to travel,” Murphy said. “We are trying to get out the message of value to travelers.”
Murphy says Whistler has tried to create pre-pay bargain hotel/ski packages to keep up tourism traffic.
Tourism Whistler has worked to get most of the village to accept U.S. money as if it were equal with Canadian.
“We want to do whatever we can do to maximize the value and help offset those barriers to travel,” Murphy said.