Stevens Pass and Mission Ridge are following the lead of the Summit at Snoqualmie this season and will require safety training before using their terrain parks.

To get a season pass to the terrain park you will have to:
- Watch a safety video.
- Sign a waiver or, for youth, get a waiver signed by your parent or guardian.
- Pay a $5 per season for your season terrain park pass.

Click here for more details and to download a copy of the waiver.

If you’re looking for a reason to get out, consider stopping in for “Green Drinks” on Dec. 4, sponsored this month by the Tahoma Audubon Society.

Each month, members of the local environmental community get together to have a few drinks and meet new people.

“We don’t try to solve any problems, sign you up to testify for anything or ask you for money,” said Bryan Flint, executive director for the Tahoma Audubon Society, in an e-mail announcing the event. “Just fun, like-minded people enjoying holiday cheer.”

The December event will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Woody's on the Water, 1715 Dock St., Tacoma. It is next door to the Museum of Glass.

Crews are now using hydraulic jaws mounted on an excavator to chew away at the old visitor center at Mount Rainier National Park.

Eric Walkinshaw/Mount Rainier National Park
Cews continue to tear down the old visitor center at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park. The demolition is expected to be completed by late next week.

Work with the 4,500-pound wrecking ball was finished on Friday. Eric Walkinshaw, project manager for the park, said the contractor was able to collapse the top of the building.

Now they are using the jaws to rip through the concrete and metal.

“The constractor said he thinks they will have the whole building down by the end of next week,” Walkinshaw said.

Once all the metal pipes, rebar and copper sheathing is removed from the rubble, the concrete will be used to fill in the building’s basement, Walkinshaw said.

Next spring, work will be done to convert the area in to additional parking spaces in the lower parking lot.

There might not be much snow in the Washington cascades right now, but they are skiing nearby in British Columbia.

Today is opening day at Whistler. Blackcomb opens tomorrow.

As for us in Washington, keep doing those snow dances or prayers or whatever it is that works for you.

Crystal Mountain has just five inches at the summit and three inches at the base.

This morning's 9:30 webcam pic:

After a busy construction season, Jean Takekawa and her staff at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge finally have some time to catch their breath.

The refuge has completed the first year of work on the major estuary restoration project. When completed in two years, if things stay on track, the $12 million to $13 million project will restore more than 760 acres of the Nisqually River estuary.

Crews this year built the new exterior dike.

“It needs to settle and firm up over this winter so it can withstand the tides,” Takekawa said.

Next year, crews will add the final foot to two feet of the dike, remove some water control structures and some interior dikes. In the third year, the boardwalk portions of a new 3 3/4-mile trail will be built in the northwest corner of the refuge. That trail will replace the popular 5 1/2-mile Brown Farm Dike Trail that looped around much of the refuge.

In the meantime, crews are to complete work this winter on the new education center. The building will have two classrooms, an orientation area, a large outdoors deck and an outdoor activity area.
The cost is estimated at more than $1 million.

“We’re excited about the outdoor activity area. Kids today don’t seem to have the opportunity to get dirty,” Takekawa said. “Here they will be able to do things in an unstructured way, get off the trail. It’s an important way for kids to connect with nature and make that important lifelong connection with nature.

“We’re excited, there’s some good things going on despite the grim budget,” she added.

The refuge is located between Tacoma and Olympia, at Exit 114 off Interstate 5.

There's only one good thing about the late arrival of ski season this winter. There's more time to get in shape for hitting the slopes.

As promised in this morning's fourth annual Snow Ride Guide here are more exercises for getting fit for ski season.

1. WALL SQUAT
Squat against the wall as if you are sitting in an invisible chair. Keep your knees at a 90-degree angle. Keep your back flat against the wall and your knees together. For tougher challenges lift your toes or one foot off the ground. This will strengthen your shins, hips, glutes and abs. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds three to five times.

=> Read more!

With the Nisqually Road now reopen, visitors to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park will be able to check out the progress made on the demolition of the old visitor center.

Eric Walkinshaw/Mount Rainier National Park
This is what the old visitor center at Paradise looked like Friday afternoon, five days after the demolition began.

Crews have been using a 4,500-pound wrecking since Monday to knock the building down. Rain and snow have slowed the work, which the contractor thought might take a week.

While there are no plans for work to be done over the weekend, a ranger will be at the site to answer questions for people who are interested, said park spokeswoman Lee Taylor.

Visitors to the park should note that there is about 4 inches of snow on the ground at Paradise and parts of the road from Longmire might be ice- or snow-covered.

If you can’t make it up the mountain this weekend, check out the Web cam, which is finally working again.

The path has been cleared for improvements at the Summit at Snoqualmie, according to a statement released recently by the ski area.

The U.S. Forest Service announced the approval of the ski area’s Master Development Plan Nov. 13.

"Our goal has always been to continue to improve our resort while striking a balance between what best benefits both people and the alpine environment," said Trevor Kostanich, director of planning and development for The Summit, in a prepared statement.
"Ten years and countless hours of collaboration and hard work by the Forest Service, consultants, local conservation groups and The Summit, as well as comments by the public, have lead to this decision. This truly is an exciting time for us and our guests."

The ski area plans to erecting six new chairlifts, three new surface lifts, upgrading many existing lifts, lighting 25 new trails for night skiing, additional parking and a new mountain-top restaurant at Summit East.

As part of the agreement, The Summit will donate about 390 acres of land to the forest service for conservation. Another 100 acres near Alpental will be donated and added to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.

"We are thrilled to have the go-ahead to implement many of these improvements and additions in the next several years," said Summit GM Dan Brewster in a prepared statement. "This decision, along with this season's new Silver Fir Express Chair, will help usher in an era of
remarkable improvements to our resort."

The view through the web cam at Crystal Mountain is starting to look nice again, but according to the ski area's website there is only 3 inches of snow on the ground.

International Mountain Guides' Mike Hamill climbed the highest peak on each continent in 11 months according to a recent post on the IMG website.

Here are some of the details courtesy of IMG:

Mike Hamill didn't start 2008 planning to do the Seven Summits, but the stars lined up and it happened. Along with the Seven Summits, Mike also guided a successful October ascent of Cho Oyu to round out his busy year. Congrats to Mike!

Here are the Seven Summits dates:

* Vinson (Antarctica): Dec. 1, 2007
* Aconcagua (South America): Jan. 20th and Feb. 15
* Everest (Asia): May 24th
* Denali (North America): July 10th
* Kilimanjaro (Africa): August 12th
* Kosciuszko (Australia): October 13th
* Elbrus (Europe): November 1st

Hamill's IMG Bio:

Mike began guiding eight years ago and is very passionate about his work. He is a year round professional guide and has traveled and climbed on six continents. When not guiding on Mt. Rainier, where he has over 40 summits, his expeditions include 3 to Everest, 5 to Cho Oyu, 8 to Denali, 16 to Aconcagua, 2 to Vinson, 2 to Ecuador, Kilimanjaro, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Russia, France, and Switzerland among other places. Many clients have remarked that Mike's love for the mountains is contagious. He is a former Division 1 collegiate ski racer and Junior Olympian, has a B.S. from St. Lawrence University, and is a Wilderness First Responder. Mike cut his teeth on the steep Ice and Rock of the Northeast, primarily in the Adirondacks of NY and the White Mountains of NH, where he grew up. When not guiding Mike is usually climbing, ski mountaineering, biking, surfing, and fly fishing his way around the globe.

The Nisqually Road in Mount Rainier National Park will reopen Friday morning, a day earlier than expected.

The road, and the park, have been closed since Nov. 12 when Kautz Creek jumped its banks and flood the main road into the park.

Park crews were able to complete the repairs late Thursday to allow the road to open at 6 a.m., said park superintendent Dave Uberuaga.

During the heavy rains Nov. 11-12, Kautz Creek again jumped its channel upstream and changed course from the channel created during the 2006 flood. Water over the the roadway was eight inches deep and cut into the road edges.

The 2006 channel now is dry streambed and the new channel is about 100 feet to the east of the previous channel, emptying into the two 12-foot culverts that were put in place in 2006 to handle the stream flow. Park crews trenched the new channel to divert the water from the road and into the new culverts, Uberuaga said.

Other damage in the area remains, including the access road to the Kautz Creek utility area, work at Tahoma Creek, Longmire and park other areas.

White Pass Ski Area sent out this letter via e-mail to its season pass holders today:

After twenty-four years of planning, the path is now clear for the development of an additional 767 acres at White Pass. On September 9th, 2008 United States District Court Judge James Robart ruled in favor of the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the White Pass Company denying the Sierra Club's and Hogback Basin Preservation Association's appeal. USFS and White Pass' arguments "carried the day" on all counts deliberated. While Judge Robart's decision was open for appeal to the 9th Circuit Court, none were filed. General Manager Kevin McCarthy commented, "Appropriately, on Armistice Day, November 11th, we determined through no appeal by the plaintiffs, that the legal battle over the expansion of White Pass Ski Area came to an end. The company can now proceed with construction. This is a day we have been looking forward to for decades, and is a testament to believing in one's cause and never allowing what is right from being derailed by obstacles".

Construction will include two chairlifts, a mid-mountain lodge and 13 named runs in the open sub-alpine basins of the expansion area. Plans also call for a new parking lot that should accommodate nearly 1000 vehicles.

Site preparation work has been underway since the September 9th decision. McCarthy expects to open the first chairlift on opening day of the 2010 / 2011 season.

White Pass Company and crew want to express our thanks to everyone involved for their efforts in support of this initiative!

Posted by Jeffrey P. Mayor at 6:45 a.m. Wednedsday.

Mount Rainier National Park officials are confident the park’s main road will reopen in time for the weekend.

Crews are working to repair the Nisqually Road where Kautz Creek flooded after 8 1/2 inches of rain fell Nov. 11-12.

They also are working to get the creek back into the channel that carries the water through the 12-foot diameter culverts.

A logjam about 500 feet upstream from the road allowed the creek to jump out of the channel it created during the November 2006 flood. The water water met the road about 100 feet east of the culverts and began to wash away the rock alongside the roadway.

Park superintendent Dave Uberuaga said Monday crews have hauled out more than 2,000 cubic yards of material to create a short diversion channel to get the water back to its channel and running through the culverts.

Park spokeswoman Lee Taylor described the situation as a case of good news/bad news.

“All the improvements we did after 2006 did what they were supposed to. The only problem was Kautz Creek didn’t stay in the banks,” she said.

Uberuaga said he agonized over the decision to shut the park, but realized his staff needed to make some repairs before the public could safely reenter the park.

“I hate to have the park closed,” he said.

This closure, likely to be 10 days, is a far cry from the six months the park was closed following the devastating flood two years ago.

Elsewhere in the park, Highway 123 on the east side of the park is closed as the state repairs some washouts. Taylor said it is unlikely the road will reopen this winter.

Park staffers also are talking with Pierce County officials about options for repairing the Carbon River Road outside the park’s northwest entrance. About 200 feet of the roadway washed away, as deep as 10 feet in spots, in the flooding. Park officials recommended hikers stay out of the area because trail conditions and water crossings are hazardous right now.

In the southeast corner, the bridge to the Grove of the Patriarchs is closed, but other trails in the area are open.

For updated information, contact the park at 360-569-2211, ext. 2334. Updates will also be posted to the park’s Web page.

Here is this week's photo. I took this as the wrecking ball took bites out of the roof of the old Jackson Visitor Center. I thought I would share it with readers since the Nisqually Road is still closed.

Jeffrey P. Mayor/The News Tribune
Concrete, metal and other debris flies as a 4,500-pound wrecking ball crashes through the roof of the old Jackson visitor center at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.

It was amazing to watch the crane operators aim the wrecking ball, which weighs 4,500 pounds, to hit exactly where they wanted.

It was just as cool to watch the ball literally bounce off the roof a couple of times. How can something the weight of a pick up truck not punch through the roof?

With the road closed, the best way to track the progress is through one of the Paradise Web cams. Of course, since I posted the link yesterday it has been either too dark or too foggy to see much. I just checked the camera, and you can see a ghostly image of the center in the latest shot from the west end of the new visitor center.

Still, this is our best option for viewing the work.

Dave Ellis, the deputy director at Northwest Trek, is scheduled to be on tonight’s episode of “Weird, True and Freaky” on Animal Planet.

A production crew from Animal Planet visited the wildlife park outside of Eatonville last August. They interviewed Ellis about the rut behavior of animals such as deer and elk, and other animal activities.

According to Animal Planet’s Web site, the show looks at “some of the strangest, craziest, real-life stories on four legs.”

Ellis is supposed to be in the “Mob Mentality” portion of the episode.
The show is to air at 8 and 11 p.m. today, 3 a.m. Wednesday, 3 p.m. on Saturday, 8 and 11 p.m. Sunday and 3 a.m. Monday.

You can learn more about the show and see cliips by clicking here.

Paradise echoed Monday not with the voices of park visitors, but with the thump and crash of 4,500-pound wrecking ball smashing through the old visitor center.

Using a 160-foot crane, crews began demolishing the saucer-shaped structure at the most visited location at Mount Rainier National Park.

Drew Perine/The News Tribune
A 160-foot crane directs a 4500-pound wrecking ball into the old Jackson Visitors Center during the first day of demolition Monday at Mount Rainier National Park.

The building, which opened in 1966 at a cost of $1.6 million, had become too inefficient to heat and maintain. The new Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center opened Oct. 10 at a cost of $22 million.

As the ball sent concrete flying, it drew oohs and aahs from some of the 25 park employees who came to watch. The public could not attend because the park is closed while crews repair flood damage to the Nisqually Road.

Among those on hand was park superintendent Dave Uberuaga. Before the work began, he took one last opportunity to walk through the building.

“You can’t figure out where you’re at in there. It’s all concrete and steel,” he said. “It’s kind of one of those moments when you say ‘Dang, that’s a lot of building to come down.’ ”

Onlookers gasped when the ball -- slightly smaller than a 55-gallon drum and weighing as much as a full-size pick up truck -- plunged through the roof but broke from its cable. The ball slowly tumbled off the roof before crushing a small pine tree on the ground. Other times, one could feel the vibrations in the ground as the wrecking ball crashed into a stout section of concrete.

You can read a full story in Tuesday's News Tribune.

If you click here, you can use the park's Web cam to see the crane and the building.

Crews Monday will begin tearing down the original Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Mount Rainier National Park.

Superintendent Dave Uberuaga told me Saturday that demolition crews have removed all the salvageable and hazardous materials from the structure, which opened in 1966.

Unfortunately, the public will not be able to watch the demolition because the Nisqually Road remains closed because of flood damage at Kautz Creek. The road is not scheduled to reopen until Friday.

Named after the late Henry “Scoop” Jackson, the visitor center was the focal point for the 450,000 people that typically visit Paradise each year. It housed exhibits and movies, served as the starting point for guided hikes and snowshoe walks and was a place for winter visitors to warm up after a day playing in the snow.

Since late September, workers have been going through the 60,000 square foot structure removing hazardous materials, including asbestos, and anything that could be recycled, Uberuaga said.

The demolition was once set to take place next spring, but crews were able to finish quicker than planned, Uberuaga said.

A crane with a wrecking ball will be used to smash the roof of the building, which had a $1.6 million price tag 42 years ago. The saucer shape of the building precludes the use of explosives to bring it down.

The park plans to use about 90 percent of the concrete from the structure to fill the area before it is turned into additional parking spaces, Uberuaga said.

In October the park opened a $22 million new visitor center. The new structure is just 18,000 square feet, compared to 60,000 square feet in the building to be torn done. Park officials estimate the carbon footprint of the new building is 75 percent smaller than the 1966 building. That will result in an energy saving of almost $145,000 annually.

Highway 706 in Mount Rainier National Park will remain closed until Nov. 21 because of flood damage, park superintendent Dave Uberuaga said in a statement this afternoon.

Flood waters undermined the road near Kautz Creek, the statement said. Flooding caused the creek to divert 100-150 feet east of the channel it created during the 2006 flood.

Highway 706 is the road to Paradise from the Nisqually entrance in the southwest corner of the park.

The road into the Carbon River Entrance is closed outside the park because a 200-foot section of the road was washed away. Hiking in the Carbon River area is not recommended, park officials said.

On the east side of the park Highway 410 is open with delays. However, Highway 123 is closed at the Stevens Canyon Road junction.

The Grove of the Patriarchs bridge was damage by flood debris as it was during the 2006 flood. The trail is closed.

Park officials recommend contacting the park before visiting. Updates will be listed at 360-569-2211, ext. 2334, and at nps.gov/mora.

The town of Greenwater is no longer cut off from the outside world.

According to residents and the Washington Department of Transportation one lane of Highway 410 is open west of Greenwater. The road was closed Wednesday when flooding caused a landslide to cover the only access to Greenwater from Western Washington.

Workers continue to remove debris from the highway and motorists should expect delays. The road is the primary access to the east side of Mount Rainier National Park and numerous recreation areas in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The road opened Friday night.

Tiana Enger, a Crystal Mountain employee who lives at the ski resort, said Wednesday flooding made for a interesting couple of days. She lost her phone line, internet and power.

“We were stranded,” Enger said.

Making matters worse, rain melted the snow at the ski resort.

Enger said she and her friends made their Thursday morning coffee with a camp stove and built a fire.

Mount Rainier National Park remains closed as park officials continue to assess damage caused by 8 1/2 inches of rain that fell in a 24-hour period Tuesday and Wednesday.

Park superintendent Dave Uberuaga said this afternoon it will likely be Saturday morning before the road to Longmire is reopened. He said that decision will be made late Friday afternoon.

Kautz Creek continues to vex park officials. The creek has jumped the channel created by the November 2006 flood. As a result, water was flowing over the main park road in two places even Thursday afternoon.

During the historic 2006 flood, the creek created a new channel about a mile upstream from the bridge. As a result, the creek was flowing over the road 1/4 mile east of the bridge.

This time a small logjam about 450 feet upstream from the road caused the creek to jump out of its new streambed and flow even further east.

“The whole stream is coming out about 100 feet from the culverts and hitting the road,” Uberuaga said.

“Right now we’re in there trying to realign the creek to get the water to come back through those large culverts. They’re using an excavator to cut a channel back to the new Kautz Creek so the water goes back into the culverts and not hit the road,” he added.

Elsewhere, access via Highway 410 is cut by a massive landslide near Greenwater. The road leading to the Carbon River entrance has a 200-foot washout near Milepost 6.

Highway 123 on the park's east side remains closed as state transportation crews delay with a small washout near Milepost 10.5 and some minor rock slides.

Uberuaga also said a helicopter was to be used Friday to check the Wonderland Trail system and check key bridges.

I just heard from Lee Taylor, a spokeswoman at Mount Rainier National Park.

She said staffers are to meet at 1 p.m. with the teams that were out assessing possible damage to the road to Longmire.

An announcement on the possibility of reopening the road, the main route into the park, should come after that meeting.

As soon as we hear, we'll pass the news along.

Here's a photo of the road near Kautz Creek courtesy of the park:

Mount Rainier National Park officials are hoping to have an update on the status of the road to Longmire late this morning. Park teams were out this morning assessing damage done to the road and were expected to report by 11 a.m. today.

Highway 123 on the east side of the park also is closed today until state crews can check for damage. Several culverts were flooded along that roaway.

The road has been closed since Wednesday morning after Kautz Creek jumped its banks and crossed the road in two places, said park spokeswoman Lee Taylor.

Flooding was caused by heavy rains that fell Tuesday and Wednesday. Paradise received more than 8 inches of rain in the 24-hour period ending at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Taylor said.

The Nisqually River reached 12 feet above flood stage by Wednesday afternnon, below the record 13.1 feet reached during the November 2006 flood that closed the entire park for six months.

Non-essential parl emloyees were given an administrative day off today.

Hope you got a chance to read about rising free skiing star Andy Mahre in today's Adventure section. (yes, he's related to Olympic skiing legends Steve (his dad) and Phil (his uncle) Mahre.) Mahre is featured in the Warren Miller movie "Children of Winter" which shows in Olympia tonight and Friday and Tacoma over the weekend.

Here's one of my favorite Andy Mahre videos. It's him skiing with a helmet cam at White Pass. Also, click here to check out short films from his company Nimbus Independent. Last year's project was "Hunting Yeti."

Long Beach and Twin Harbors open today for razor clam digging, joining Copalis and Mocrocks for a dig that will run through Sunday, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Digging is allowed from noon and midnight.

Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, recommends diggers take lights or lanterns with them due to the times of the low tides. He also recommends checking weather and surf forecasts before heading out.

The forecast Wednesday afternoon called for swells to be 9 to 11 feet today and through the weekend. That is close to the level at which swells could pose a danger to people on the beach, especially after dark.

The times for the low tides are: today, 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 8:04 p.m.; and Sunday, 8:54 p.m.

Harvesters are allowed to keep no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.

A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions.

The next dig is tentatively set for Dec. 11-14 at Copalis and Mocrocks and Dec. 12-14 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.

Christmas tree cutting permits for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest go on sale Nov. 21, according to a statement released Wednesday by the forest service.

The $5-per-tree permits allow tree hunters to cut trees in specified areas of the national forest. Permits will be available at all ranger districts and forest headquarters in Vancouver. Some vendors, including Elbe Grocery and several locations in Ashford and Randle, will also sell permits.

The forest service warns tree hunters to be prepared for snowfall. Snowfall could also limit access and available trees. Road conditions are available at the ranger stations.

Wilderness areas, campgrounds, administrations sits, areas within 300 feet of streams, private land and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument are closed to tree cutting.
Tree permits are not refundable.

Forest service officials recommend tree hunting early in the day to avoid traveling at night. They also recommend carrying tire chains, a shovel, flashlights, a blanket and extra food and beverages.

To be safe treat the trip like any other hiking trip into the outdoors. Let a friend or family member know your itinerary including where you will be cutting trees and when you will return.

For more information, including a complete list of permit vendors, visit www.Fs.fed.us/gpnf.

Access to all but the northeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park will be closed Thursday because flood waters have cut two primary access routes.

Park officials Wednesday afternoon announced the road from the Nisqually entrance to Longmire would remain closed because Kautz Creek continues to pour over the roadway. The road was closed Wednesday morning when at least six inches of water covered the most traveled road in the park.

Also Wednesday afternoon, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced that Highway 123 on the park’s east side will be closed for 24 hours. Several culverts along the road were overflowing.

Flooding on the road to Longmire was caused by another diversion in Kautz Creek. The creek has diverted down a rock channel and was running over the road more than a 1/4 mile east of the Kautz Creek bridge.

Staffers were on site Wednesday assessing the situation, said Donna Rahier, park spokeswoman. The road will remain closed today, even if it stops raining, so crews can check the roadway for damage.

During the historic November 2006 flood, the creek’s flow was diverted about 1 mile upstream from the bridge. As a result, the creek flooded the road about a 1/4 miles east of the bridge. Two sets of culverts were installed at the creek’s new intersection with the road.

Water from this storm was running through those culverts, but a stream blockage was sending the water over the road east of the culverts.

Only Highway 410 in the northeast corner of the park remains open. In the northwest corner, the Carbon River Road has been closed since the 2006 flood.

To check on park road conditions, call 360-569-2211.

Mount Rainier National Park’s Nisqually entrance is closed right now because water is flowing over the road near Kautz Creek. The road, the most traveled in the park, is expected to be closed all day, said park spokeswoman Donna Rahier.

The culverts east of the Kautz Creek bridge were not full of water, but the creek has diverted down the rock channel and is running over the road farther east of the culverts. There is about six inches of water on the road.

The stream flow has diverted somewhere upstream. Staffers are on site right now assessing the situation, Rahier said.

“There is a lot of water flowing through (the culverts), but they are not overflowing,” Rahier said.

The culverts were installed following the November 2006 flood when the creek was diverted about 1 mile upstream from the bridge.

There were seven guests at the National Park Inn at Longmire Tuesday night. Park rangers escorted these visitors from the park via Skate Creek Road, a route providing administrative access to the park.

As part of celebrating Veterans Day, Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks will waive entrance fees for all U.S. military veterans and current members of the U.S. armed forces and their families Tuesday.

This annual “Fee Free Day” is an interagency event, said a news release from Mount Rainier National park. The National Park Service will participate in celebrating this event with all other Department of Interior bureaus and the U.S. Forest Service in waiving entrance fees for U.S. military veterans and active duty military personnel.

Marine toxin tests have shown razor clams are safe to eat, so the next razor clam dig will begin Thursday.

Four nights of digging are scheduled at Copalis and Mocrocks, today through Sunday, while Long Beach and Twin Harbors are scheduled to be open Friday through Sunday, according to a news release from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Digging allowed from noon and midnight.

Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, recommends diggers take lights or lanterns with them due to the times of the low tides. He also recommends checking weather and surf forecasts before heading out.

The forecast Monday afternoon called for swells reaching 18 feet today and tonight, dropping to 11 feet on Friday. Such high swells could pose a danger to people on the beach, especially after dark.

The times for the low tides are: today, 6:27 p.m.; Friday, 7:15 p.m.; Saturday, 8:04 p.m.; and Sunday, 8:54 p.m.

Harvesters are allowed to keep no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container, the release said.

A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions.

The next dig is tentatively set for Dec. 11-14 at Copalis and Mocrocks and Dec. 12-14 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks. Dates of future digs will be announced after the December opening, once the state has assessed the number of clams taken so far this season.

Kalaloch Beach in Olympic National Park will remain closed at least until spring, the release said. The beach was closed all last season because the clam population was low. While numbers have rebounded, the clams are still too small to harvest.

Today is the last day to request tickets for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.

Ticket requests can be submitted at cosport.com or 877-457-4647. A credit card with an expiration date of February 2009 or later is required to request tickets, but no payments will be collected during this time according to the cosport.com website.

Tickets range in price from $25 to watch cross-country skiing to $1,118 for the opening ceremonies.

The ticket request period started Oct. 3, but regardless of when requests are submitted they will be considered equally when ticket sales are confirmed in December. Those who win the right to buy tickets will have their credit cards billed at that time. Tickets will not be shipped until January 2010.

If any tickets remain after requests are submitted they will go on sale on a first-come, first-served basis in February or March according to cosports.com.

The Olympics are Feb. 12-28, 2010. Keep update on the games by reading The News Tribune's Olympics blog.

The City of Gig Harbor will honor Bob Mortimer and his family Monday at the Civic Center.

Mortimer, a triple amputee, and his family cycled from Gig Harbor to New York over the summer. Mortimer powered himself across the country with just one arm cranking a specially designed bike. Among there many adventures along the way, the family was hit by dump truck while riding in a horse-drawn carriage while visiting an Amish family in Indiana.

Monday’s event starts at 5 p.m.

The Coast Guard is warning boaters and beachgoers to use extreme caution in western Washington through Monday based on hazardous weather predictions from the National Weather Service.

Here is the rest of the press release:

According to the National Weather Service, rivers are likely to become flooded, swollen and contain dangerous debris. It is recommended that vessel owners check moorings and secure vessels for bad weather.

"The debris extend beyond the river into the Puget Sound and surrounding waters, causing an extreme hazard while boating," said John Howk, Assistant Controller at the Coast Guard's Pacific Northwest Command Center.

Boaters and beachgoers should follow these guidelines to ensure their safety:

1. Check local weather forecasts: Be aware that storms can come up quickly and without warning. Always check local weather conditions and forecasts before heading out.

2. Exercise extreme caution on the beach: Sudden, powerful waves can engulf the entire beach, knocking people down or throwing them violently against nearby rocks. Once in the water, strong currents can pull people out to sea. Waves breaking on the beach can also toss driftwood or debris on beachgoers. Be aware of rising tides. High tides can trap people on rock formations and in coves. Always let someone know where you are going and walk with a buddy.

3. Cover and secure your boat: Heavy rains can flood boats and even cause sinking in extreme cases. Protect your boat and be sure your vessel is adequately covered when it is moored up to prevent flooding.

For a detailed coastal weather forecast, click this link.

If you’re looking for a good winter hike where you won’t have to worry about snow, the Trail of the Giants at Pack Forest near Eatonville is a good option.

Start at the parking lot at the main entrance to the forest and take the Hugo Peak 2.5 miles then continue along a dirt road to Kirkland Pass and the start of the Trail of the Giants.

The trailhead GPS coordinates are N 46 50.309 W 122 17.500.

The trail winds through an old growth forest that survived a fire in 1927 that wiped out most of the forest. The highlights on this trail are two enormous 800-year-old trees. One is 230-feet-tall and seven feet in diameter. The other is nine feet across, but shorter because strong winds clipped the top.
The hike will about six miles round trip. Maps are usually available at the trailhead.

While you won’t have to worry about snow on this low altitude hike (the highest point is 2,000) the wood planks on the trail are very slippery on rainy days.

A few years back I talked to Louise Caywood, a horseback rider from Spanaway who frequently uses the trail.

“Pack Forest is a great place to go in the winter,” Caywood said. “It’s a good place to take the family hiking.”

DIRECTIONS: Follow Highway 7 toward Elbe. The entrance to the forest is on your left, 0.3 miles past the intersection with Highway 161. The first turnout is for horse trailers and second, main entrance is for all other users.

MORE INFO: Call 360-832-6534 or visit packforest.org.

This just in from Mount Rainier National Park:

Mount Rainier National Park officials announce that the environmental review process has been completed for proposed trail repair to a flood-damaged section of the Glacier Basin Trail. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by Regional Director Jon Jarvis on August 5, 2008.The FONSI records the decision of the National Park Service to relocate a damaged portion of the trail to higher ground above the floodplain of the Inter Fork of the White River. The trail reroute will reduce safety hazards and resource damage occurring along the damaged section of trail. The decision was reached after reviewing the environmental impacts and considering public comments on the environmental assessment (EA) released on June 18, 2008.

The project involves relocating approximately one mile of trail to higher ground above the floodplain of the Inter Fork of the White River as described in the EA and FONSI. Trail construction will occur in designated wilderness and will include removal of trees and some blasting of bedrock to create a pathway along steep side slopes. The trail will also cross bull trout streams and sensitive wetlands. Therefore, as outlined in the FONSI, the project will include measures to avoid and minimize harm to federal and state protected species and their habitats, wilderness values, and other protected natural and cultural resources.

Volunteers and conservation corps will assist National Park Service trail crews in building the relocated segment of trail. Although a temporary bypass trail will remain open during the construction period, hikers may experience short delays during blasting operations. The project is expected to be completed by October 2009.

Both the FONSI and EA are available on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ (choose Mount Rainier National Park from the drop-down menu).

Another two inches of snow last night at Crystal Mountain. Here's the view this morning from the resort's webcam.

If you have the day off Tuesday for Veterans Day, consider making a visit to a federal recreation site. You’ll get in for free that day.

The fee-free day honors U.S. veterans, members of the U.S. armed forces and their families, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.

This is the third year of the fee waiver. Recreation-use fees will be waived on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. In the South Sound, that includes destinations like Mount Rainier National Park and within the Gifford Pinchot and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie national forests.

This fee waiver applies to day-use fees at Forest Service recreation sites such as picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads and visitor centers, the release said.

Concession operations will continue to charge fees unless the permit holder wishes to participate.

Fees for camping, cabin rentals, heritage expeditions, or other permits will not be waived.

The popular Stevens Canyon Road east of Mount Rainier's Paradise is closed Tuesday because of snow, park superintendent Dave Uberuaga said in prepared statement.

Park officials expected the snow level to drop to 2,500 feet Tuesday night. Visitor advisory signs have been removed to prevent winter snowload damage, a park statement said.

The road traditionally reopens in spring.

MAHRE TO MISS THREE OLYMPIA, TWO TACOMA WARREN MILLER SHOWS
Just talked to Andy Mahre - son of Olympic silver medalist Steve Mahre and nephew of Olympic gold and silver medalists Phil Mahre - and he says he won't be making appearances at as many Warren Miller movie screenings as he had hoped this month. Mahre will miss all three screenings of "Children of Winter" Nov. 13-14 in Olympia and two screenings in Tacoma on Nov. 15.
Mahre, who is featured in a segment of the movie, will make an appearance at the Nov. 16 screening at Tacoma's Pantages Theater at 5 p.m. Visit Warrenmiller.com for ticket info.


PRAY FOR SNOW
The Harmon is throwing a party tonight to pray for snow and raise money for the Mary Bridge Child Abuse Intervention Program. The 11th annual event includes live music from Steve Stefanowicz plus prizes including ski, boards and lift tickets. The party starts at 6 p.m. and is open to all ages.

THERE'S SNOW ON THE GROUND
Ready for ski season? Crystal got six inches of snow overnight. It's not the first time Crystal has had snow this fall, but hopefully this time it's going to stick.


SAVE 15 PERCENT
I don't like to give free advertising to any company - especially preying credit card companies - but in the interest of saving you a couple of bucks I'm passing this along to you. If you have a certain type of credit card (ryhmes with Famerican Fexpress) lift tickets will be 15 percent cheaper at Crystal Mountain and the Summit at Snoqualmie this season.

From the Associated Press:

BILLINGS, Mont. — Rosebud County, Mont., authorities say a 73-year-old hunter from Washington missing since Thursday has been found dead.

Sheriff Randy Allies says the body of Dale Tibbits of Roy was found Saturday morning after a helicopter with U.S. Customs and Border Protection spotted his all-terrain vehicle.

Allies says Tibbits apparently died from injuries sustained after crashing the ATV.

Tibbits was last seen at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday when he and his hunting partner decided to take a nap in the Long Fork Creek area, about 30 miles northwest of Forsyth. When his partner woke, Tibbits was gone.

Searchers on horses and four-wheelers started looking for Tibbits early Friday. His body was found about a half-mile from where he was last seen.

No autopsy is planned.

Guest Services, Inc., which runs the concessions at Mount Rainier National Park, has launched a new Web site.

Click here to check out the site.

You can find information about lodging and dining options in the park, as well information on recreation and other activities.