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.