From the Associated Press:

OCEAN SHORES – A woman wading near Ocean Shores was apparently pulled off the beach by a riptide and drowned in deeper water.

Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott says 50-year-old Carol Davidson of Bremerton was apparently enjoying Saturday’s warm weather when she was swept away.

People on the beach recovered her body, but she could not be revived. She was declared dead at Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen.

Snowmobiler John Slemp's fall into the crater of Mt. St. Helens on Saturday prompted Gifford Pinchot National Forest to issue this statement a few minutes ago.

VANCOUVER, WA – Last Saturday’s snowmobile incident has prompted Forest Officials to reiterate the importance of personal safety, caution, and preparedness for winter recreationists on the national forest. Visitors to Pacific Northwest forests are asked to take extra caution due to record-deep spring snow pack and an increased potential for unstable cornices (overhanging snow on steep ridges) and avalanche conditions.
Additionally, winter recreationists are advised to follow all closure orders associated with Mount St. Helens.

“We are thankful that the snowmobile rider was rescued, and based on media reports, is recovering,” said Tom Mulder, Monument Manager, Mount St.
Helens National Volcanic Monument. “This unfortunate incident provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of backcountry hazards awareness and safety,” Mulder added.

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Pictures courtesy of the MTTA.

BEFORE

AFTER

Washington team captain Chris Lambert of Olympia, Wash., won The Bass Federation 2008 Western Divisional Championship on Lake Havasu Friday. His winning three-day total of 15 bass weighed 41 pounds, 15 ounces. For his victory, Lambert earned a $500 Wal-Mart gift card.

Lambert said he caught most of the bigger fish drop-shotting a 4-inch Roboworm in a staging area and caught a few key fish on the new Berkley Hollow Belly swimbaits, but had to change his plan for the final day of competition.

“I was mainly fishing prespawn fish, and there was a new wave of fish that had just moved up,” Lambert said. “They were going really close to one of the off-limits bays, so I wouldn’t have been able to follow them in if they moved. I think the weather was a factor and, finally, on Day 3, they made the move back to spawn, so I ended up having to go up river and threw swimbaits and drop-shots to catch smallmouth.”
           
Lambert had a dead fish, but still opened the tournament in second place Wednesday with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces. He added another five bass weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces Thursday to capture his lead. He then caught five bass weighing 10 pounds, 5 ounces Friday to seal the win.

The top-finishing angler from each 12-person state team will advance to the 2009 TBF National Championship.

Advancing as a co-angler is David Kromm of Kennewick, with a 15 bass limit weighing 39 pound, 10 ounces.

Washington was the top-finishing team in this week’s divisional, taking home the traveling cup and $3,600 cash award for bringing in 156 bass, weighing 353 pounds, 5 ounces over the three-day competition.

The popular ski hut south of Ashford that burned to the ground recently was not insured, according to a board member of the Mount Tahoma Trails Association.

Judy Scavone said the MTTA could not get the hut insured because it's "just too far from the nearest fire hydrant."

The fire that destroyed the hut likely took place late last month and is being investigated by the Department of Natural Resources, which owns the land the hut was built on.

Snow Bowl Hut was built by volunteers in 1991 at a cost of $20,000.