Unusually dry conditions have increased fire danger on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, according to a release just sent out.

The risk is much higher now than is typical for this time of the year, and with the July 4th weekend approaching, forest officials are asking people to be careful with fire on the forest.

They also are reminding visitors that fireworks are prohibited on national forest lands.

Folks like to complain about EPSN having an East Coast bias. It’s a valid issue in my mind, having lived in the Midwest and West.

I’m beginning to wonder if Field & Stream might not have a similar bias.

The magazine just released the list of contenders for its 2009 Total Outdoorsman Challenge.

The list includes last year’s top three finishers – including defending champion and three-time challenge winner Paul Thompson – and 12 other sportsmen who finished in the top three positions in one of four regional qualifier events earlier this month. The field will be rounded out by a “wildcard” pick selected by editors from online entries.

Here is the list:
Tom Boatwright, Perdido, Ala.
William Bond, Fort Gibson, Okla.
Justin Brown, Memphis, Ind.
Thomas Cooprider, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Brian Cramer, Bedford, Texas
James Crawford, Sumner, Texas
Randy Hendrix, Clemmons, N.C.
Scot Marcin, Cottontown, Tenn. (2008 second-place winner)
Jay Moore, Millbrook, N.Y.
Peter Mosby, Aurora, Colo. (2008 third-place winner)
Chris Reed, Thompson Station, Tenn.
John Sappington, Branson, Mo.
John Stanley, Bedias, Texas
Ryan Straley, Olathe, Kan.
Paul Thompson, Marion, N.C. (2008 defending champion and three-time Total Outdoorsman Challenge winner)

What struck me, and bugs me, is no one is from west of the Rocky Mountains is in the event. Only one competitor is from a Western state, but he is from the Denver area, on the east side of the Rockies.

I just find it hard to believe no one from our neck of the woods is qualified to compete in the seven skill challenges: flyfishing, bass fishing, rifle, shotgun, endurance, archery and ATV handling.

One issue may be the qualifying process. Interested outdoorsmen had to first take part in a qualified at one of 49 Bass Pro Shops nationwide. The closest store to Washington is actually in Rocky View, Alberta, Canada. The nearest location in the U.S. is Mateca, Calif., south of Stockton. From those folks, 200 were invited to regional events which were held in Grapevine, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Independence, Mo.; and Harrisburg, Pa.

That’s a lot of traveling for anyone from Washington interested in competing.

The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest just announced it is closing several roads in the Interstate 90 corridor to target shooters starting this weekend.

Here is the release:

The closure area encompasses the valley bottom that follows the I-90 freeway corridor from Exit 38 to the top of Snoqualmie Pass. The Tinkham and Denny Creek roads are included.

“We have a serious public safety concern,” said Snoqualmie District Ranger Jim Franzel. “If we don’t do something immediately, someone will get hurt. We are closing the smallest land area possible to prevent an injury and provide for public safety.”

The target shooting closure area encompasses concentrated recreation uses with multiple roads, campgrounds, trailheads and picnic areas.

Franzel said the local geography doesn’t provide for natural target shooting backstops, so target shooters often use trees and vegetation as backstops, not realizing there may be a trailhead or people recreating within range.

Although unsafe target shooting has been a growing problem on national forest lands adjacent to I-90, recent near-misses of road repair workers and shooting across roads has elevated the concern. “Peak visitor use is during the summer and additional road repair and trail reconstruction is scheduled,” Franzel said.

The closure involves a small part of the 332,000-acre Snoqualmie Ranger District.

Target shooting regulations remain unchanged everywhere else on the district. The Code of Federal Regulations prohibits discharging firearms within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area. Violators can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned up to six months in jail. Signs are posted marking closed areas. Visitors can get a map at Snoqualmie Ranger District Office in North Bend and online here that show where target shooting is prohibited.

This is a temporary emergency closure. The forest will consider the need for a permanent closure in one year. Franzel said that target shooting in high-use recreation areas has increased over the years, along with associated environmental damage and dumped trash. For information regarding the closure, please call 425-888-1421 x230 or click here.

I stopped and fished Rocky Ford Creek for a couple of hours on Sunday. I was in the area on another assignment, and happened to have a fly rod along, and well ... ya know ... I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

The water was clear, making the trout pretty wary. There were a growing mat of weeds growing along the creek edges, but the water was still fishable. Some of the trout were holding behind rocks and others were holding in holes in the weeds on the streambed.

From my vantage point, I could spot three trout and had to work to get a good drift where they would show interest.

I was able to hook this trout – the only one for the outing – on a small, likely a size 18 red brassie with a bit of peacock herl at the head. Oddly enough, the trout seemed more interested in the fly when I gave it some small movement. I had two other trout come up to the fly after I landed this one, both times when I was giving it small twitches.

I’m considering this trout a victory, considering it was probably already 80 degrees when I landed it about 11 a.m. on a bright sunny day. It was fat, thick and a put up a great fight on my 4-weight rod.

I just got this press release from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance:

Companion bills, introduced yesterday in Congress, protect the rights of sportsmen to hunt on federal land while also recognizing hunting’s importance to all conservation.

The Hunting Heritage Protection Act, is made up of Senate bill 1348, sponsored by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and H.R. 3046, sponsored by Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT).

Both pieces of legislation require that federal land be managed in a way that supports, promotes, and enhances access for hunting and mandates that an annual report be submitted to Congress detailing any limitations that are imposed on hunting federal lands. It also will require a written notification be given to Congress prior to any agency action that limits hunting on large parcels of federal land consisting of 5,000 or more acres.

From the Portland Tribune:

A 27-year-old Seattle man was airlifted off Mount Hood Sunday afternoon after falling and breaking his leg near the Sandy Glacier area.

Clackamas County sheriff’s search and rescue members said Kristopher R. Haskins was taken off the mountain before 2 p.m. by an Oregon National Guard helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital. Haskins is an employee of the University of Washington in Seattle.

Read the entire story here.

Hope you got a chance to read today's articles about Scott Richards' heroic 2004 attempt to save his best friend's life on Mount Rainier's Liberty Ridge.

As promised, here's the account of the incident from the perception of climbing ranger David Gottlieb who shared his story with The News Tribune in 2004, just days after Peter Cooley died.

By Craig Hill
THE NEWS TRIBUNE, 2004
The first sign he was getting close was the sound of a distress whistle piercing the thin mountain air.

After more than 40 hours on the precarious Liberty Ridge route up Mount Rainier, climbing ranger David Gottlieb finally was closing in on a critically injured climber and his partner.

As Gottlieb and fellow ranger Charlie Borgh approached the scene Monday afternoon, they were stunned by what they saw.

"It was an incredible situation," Gottlieb said.

Scott Richards, a veteran climber, had chipped a ledge into the icy face of the mountain and set up a small tent that hung over the edge. Inside, his partner, Peter Cooley, was wrapped in three sleeping bags and had an inch-deep wound on the left side of his head.

"Scott was excited to see us," Gottlieb said. "His situation was nothing less than desperate. ... His entire motivation was to get his friend out of there."

A climb that started May 13 went wrong about 6 a.m. Saturday when Cooley tripped and fell an estimated 30 feet down a cliff, injuring his head.

Richards called for help on his cell phone, launching a rescue attempt that involved more than 50 people at a cost of more than $100,000. After two days of fighting through rain and snow storms, the weather broke long enough Monday for an Oregon National Guard helicopter to pluck Cooley from the mountain.

But it was too late.

The 39-year-old married father of three died during the 15-minute flight to Madigan Army Medical Center.

The trip

Climbing brought Cooley and Richards together in the tiny southern Maine coastal town of Cape Elizabeth. Their mutual interest gave them an instant bond in a town where most of the 9,000 residents rarely climb anything higher than the steps of their famous lighthouses.

Together, they traversed areas more challenging than the place Cooley fell Saturday. In fact, they'd climbed this route previously, only to be turned back shy of the summit by nasty weather.

They were lured to Liberty Ridge by the same attraction that draws as many as 200 climbers to the route each year.

"It is a classic," said Mike Gauthier, the ranger who organized the rescue.

The steep ridge reaches pitches of 50 degrees in some places and splits two towering ice walls near the summit. Those ice walls - Liberty Wall to the right and Willis Wall to the left - are the edges of glaciers that are being pushed to the edge of the summit.

As often as three times each day, chunks of ice and rock "the size of houses fall off the wall and explode into smaller chunks" as they careen down the mountain, Gottlieb said.

What happened to Cooley, however, had little to do with terrain and much to do with bad luck.

Cooley apparently caught his crampon on his pant leg and tripped, something Gottlieb says is common. "It happens to me probably once a week," he said.

When it happens at 12,300 feet, it can be deadly.

Cooley was climbing the east side of the ridge, ahead of Richards, who was below him on the west side, attached with a 50-foot rope.

Richards told Gottlieb that after Cooley tripped, he cart-wheeled over a cliff and fell at least 30 feet, hitting his head on a rock at a point below his helmet line and sustaining an inch-deep wound that ran from above his left eye to his left ear.

The fall pulled Richards several yards toward the top of the ridge before he stopped. His friend's motionless body dangled from his harness.

What happened next shows how skilled an alpinist Richards is, Gottlieb said.

While holding his friend with one hand, he wedged ice screws into the ridge with his other hand. He transferred Cooley's weight to the screws, then rappelled down to inspect him. He moved his friend near a rock outcrop where he chiseled out a shelf about 2 feet wide. He then pitched a small tent.

Cooley was bleeding profusely and appeared to have a separated shoulder.

Richards spent the next 72 sleepless hours in the cramped tent, caring for his dying friend.

First crew out

Gottlieb was at a friend's house in Seattle on Saturday morning when he got a call from Gauthier.

The two, close friends since 1995, had returned Friday night from a climbing trip in Alaska. When Gauthier told him what had happened, Gottlieb picked up supplies, then met fellow climbing ranger Chris Olson at Longmire. The two packed light for a quick ascent, then drove around the mountain to Ipsut Creek and started climbing at 9 p.m.

The weather was uncooperative, and snow made it hard to discern sky from mountain. The conditions cost them at least an hour as they twice found themselves heading in the wrong direction.

At 1 a.m., and at about 7,000 feet, the weather forced Gottlieb and Olson to stop. They ate, melted snow into drinking water and waited for safer conditions. But the weather would not relent, and by Sunday night, the rangers were still 3,500 feet from the stranded climbers.

The next waves

At 3:30 a.m. Sunday, five climbing rangers led by Glenn Kessler, Greg Johnson and Borgh began their ascent.

They carried packs loaded with 90 pounds of gear needed to lower Cooley. They moved quickly in the trail broken by Gottlieb and Olson, and frequent radio contact made sure they didn't make the same missteps.

They and other rescuers established camp at the foot of Liberty Ridge in whiteout conditions and waited for the weather to moderate.

Helicopter-borne rescuers failed to reach the climbers Sunday night but were able to drop a radio, sleeping bags and food.

During another aborted attempt Monday, rescuers dropped an orange litter.

Monday morning, Gottlieb assessed the exhausted rescue crew to find the most prepared partner for a speedy two-man climb. He chose Borgh.

Soon four other climbers, including Kessler and Johnson, began climbing to Thumb Rock at 10,300 feet with heavy loads of gear.

They planned to climb to the injured climber Tuesday morning and set up an elaborate six-man lowering system that might have had Cooley at a hospital by Thursday.

That plan was never used. Around 1 p.m. Gottlieb and Olson reached the climbers. Two hours later, the weather finally broke.

The rescue

Gauthier was explaining the complicated rescue plan to the media at Longmire at 3:30 p.m. Monday when he was rushed into the building and told the weather was suitable for an airborne rescue.

Because of the gear dropped during the earlier attempt, it took just seven minutes to get Cooley inside.

The doors in the belly of the Chinook weren't wide enough to lift Cooley horizontally, so he had to be hoisted vertically. Still, it was a better option than carrying him down. There was no cheering when the Chinook pulled away.

"We weren't out of the woods yet," Gottlieb said.

Richards and the rescuers were fatigued and still needed to get down the mountain themselves. They descended 1,600 feet to Thumb Rock to spend the night.

The bad news

The news that Cooley had died hit the television and radio airwaves before it reached the mountain. Kessler was the first rescuer to learn of his death.

"It was a huge letdown," Kessler said.

Because Gottlieb had spent the most time with the climbers, he took responsibility for telling Richards. At 10,700 feet, both men wept.

"He didn't totally break down, because he knew if he did he would be a liability to us," Gottlieb said.

The men spent Monday night at Thumb Rock and started descending Tuesday, lowering the physically and emotionally drained Richards by rope. At 9 a.m., the weather cleared enough for a helicopter to lift them all off the mountain.

The road to Sunrise will open today according to the ranger at the Sunrise entrance ranger station.

It was originally scheduled to open July 3.

I spoke to the ranger yesterday before and after hiking to the Owyhigh Lakes as part of the Rainier 110 project.

If you go to Sunrise be prepared for snow on the trail. The Owyhigh Trail had snow over the trail near the campground. Sunrise (6,400 feet)is about 1,000 feet higher than the Owyhigh Lakes (5,400 feet).

I had the chance to fish for a little bit while east of the mountains -- so I hit the Yakima River in Cle Elum.

Even with flows are 2,400 cfs, the river seemed high and there wasn't much slack water for fish to hold in.

I did find one spot and had a couple trout bump my fly, but I couldn't hook them.

I talked to a couple of guides who were taking their craft out at the west end of town and they said the fishing was a little slower than it has been in recent days.

Certainly not an in-depth day of on-the-water research, but I thought I would pass along my observations.

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is holding free interpretive programs on Saturdays and Sundays through the end of September.

The programs include presentations on the plants and birds that inhabit the refuge, as well as other that ook at the refuge’s human history. There also will beprograms on nature and wildlife photography.

The guided walks depart from the visitor center flag pole, and talks will be held in the center’s auditorium. There is no charge for programs, but $3 per family refuge entrance fee still applies. The programs usually last one to two hours. There will be no program on July 4, a Saturday this year.

The refuge is located off Interstate 5 at Exit 114 betweem Tacoma and Olympia. Follow the signs to the Refuge entrance adjacent to the freeway. Pets are not allowed in the Refuge. The refuge is open from sunrise to sunset. For information, contact Jackie LaRue at (360) 753-9467 or jackie_larue@fws.gov.

Here are the program descriptions and the full schedule:

Quiet Beauty: the Plants of Nisqually NWR: An easy hike exploring the plants of the Refuge.

Take Flight: the Birds of Nisqually NWR: An easy hike focusing on the sights and sounds of the birds on the Refuge (beginner/intermediate level birding walk).

The Wonder of Nisqually: An easy hike exploring both flora and fauna around the Refuge.

Historic Nisqually: These walks are about the influential human history that occurred within the refuge boundary – the controversial Medicine Creek Treaty and/or the long-standing, landscape altering farm history that started with the Brown Farm days. Program may be an easy walk or a slide show, dependant on the presenter.

Introduction to Nature and Wildlife Photography: This is an easy hike that will explore the Refuge through the lens of your camera. An amateur nature/wildlife photographer and refuge volunteer will lead this general introduction photography walk.

America's National Wildlife Refuge System: This is a slideshow presentation in the auditorium.

Saturday, June 27, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually
Sunday June 28, 1:00 pm Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, July 4, No Program
Sunday, July 5, 1:00 pm Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, July 11, 9:00 am Take Flight
Sunday, July 12, 1:00 pm Quiet Beauty

Saturday, July 18, 8:00 am Take Flight
Sunday, July 19, 1:00 pm Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually
Sunday, July 26, 1:00 pm Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, August 1, 1:00 pm Historic Nisqually: Medicine Creek Treaty and the Farming Days
Sunday, August 2, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, August 8, 8:00 am Take Flight
Sunday, August 9, 1:00 pm Historic Nisqually: Medicine Creek Treaty

Saturday, August 15, 9:00 am Take Flight
Sunday, August 16, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, August 22, 11:00 am Historic Nisqually: Medicine Creek Treaty
Sunday, August 23, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually

Saturday, August 29, 10:00 am Wonder of Nisqually
Sunday, August 30, 1:00 pm America's National Wildlife Refuge System

Saturday, September 5, 9:00 am Take Flight
Sunday, September 6, 1:00 pm America's National Wildlife Refuge System

Saturday, September 12, 1:00 pm Historic Nisqually: The Farming Days
Sunday, September 13, 8:00 am Introduction to Nature and Wildlife Photography

Saturday September 19, 11:00 am Historic Nisqually: Medicine Creek Treaty
Sunday, September 20, 1:00 pm Quiet Beauty

Saturday, September 26, 10:00 am-4:00 pm Nisqually Watershed Festival
Sunday, September 27, 1:00 pm Wonder of Nisqually

Several construction and repair projects along Olympic National Park roads will improve visitor access and safety. But while the work is being done, visitors should expect some delays and temporary closures.

Here is the news release the park just sent out:

“These road repair projects are needed to maintain safe access to the park,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin. “We recognize that the timing of these projects may present an inconvenience to our visitors, but these projects can only be successfully completed during the warm, dry months of summer.”

Hoh Rain Forest

The paved roads within the park’s Hoh Rain Forest area will be resurfaced or ‘chipsealed’ this summer, including the six-mile section of the Upper Hoh Road within the park boundary, the visitor center parking area, campground loop roads and parking pads, parking pullouts and administrative area roadways.

Weather permitting, the project is scheduled to begin on July 27 and is expected to take up to two weeks, with work only occurring on weekdays.

Visitors should expect delays of up to 20 minutes along the Upper Hoh Road, along with temporary closures of parking areas and the campground to allow resurfacing to proceed.

The Hoh Rain Forest campground will be closed for up to 24 hours beginning at 11 a.m. on July 27 while crews resurface the campground roads and parking pads. The campground will close again for 24 hours at 11 a.m. on Aug. 3 to allow crews to apply sealant to the new road surface. All campers must vacate during these two 24-hour closures. Timing of the closures is weather dependent, as the chipseal process requires conditions that are warm and dry. Any schedule changes will be communicated as early as possible.

Nearby campgrounds along the Upper Hoh Road include the Minnie Peterson and Willoughby Creek campgrounds, both operated by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Another nearby option is the Bogachiel State Park located between the Upper Hoh Road and the city of Forks.

Quinault Graves Creek Road

The Graves Creek Road was severely damaged in several areas during a
record-breaking storm in December 2007. Since April 2008, the road has been open for bicycles, stock and pedestrian use, but it will close to bicycles and stock on July 20 to allow contractors to begin major road re-construction.

Hikers interested in using the East Fork Quinault Trail are urged to finish their hike before July 20, or choose a different route after that date. Between July 20 and Oct. 30, hikers will encounter heavy construction equipment and possible lengthy delays along the road and will need to exercise extreme caution in order to safely pass around the multiple construction zones.

Construction-related closures and delays will continue through October, when the project is slated to be completed. The Graves Creek Road is scheduled to re-open for vehicle traffic on Nov. 1.

Click hee for wilderness travel information, including alternatives to the East Fork Quinault Trail and current trail condition reports or stop by or call the park’s Wilderness Information Center at 360-565-3100.

Lake Crescent – Highway 101

The 12.3-mile section of Highway 101 around Lake Crescent will be resurfaced this summer and is scheduled to be completed in approximately two weeks during August (specific dates are yet to be determined, pending selection of a project contractor.)

Highway 101 will remain open throughout the work period, but traffic will be restricted to one lane through the work zone and delays of up to 20 minutes should be expected. Work will only occur on weekdays; no holiday or weekend work is permitted. The Lake Crescent resurfacing is part of a multi-park road maintenance project being managed by the Federal Highways Administration.

I spent a little time with Ken Campbell from Azimuth Expeditions at Owen Beach the other day. He had a few Stand Up Paddle boards down there and was letting people try them out. Looked like a blast!
Joe

State Department of Transportation crews are working this week to clear a large landslide that has shut off access to Mowich Lake in Mount Rainier National Park.

The slide is blocking Highway 165 from milepost 1.0 to 1.5, said a department spokeswoman.

She said the department hopes to have one lane of the road open by July 1.

UPDATE From North Cascades National Park:

A missing hiker was found on Sunday afternoon in North Cascades National Park when he walked out of the backcountry under his own power after six nights in the Cascade Pass area of the park.

Mark Albrecht, a 22-year old resident of Everett, was reported missing on Thursday, June 18, when he did not return to work or check in with family.
National Park Service staff was notified late Friday that the missing hiker had planned to hike somewhere in the North Cascades range. NPS staff initiated a search and found that the missing hiker had obtained a backcountry camping permit for the Cascade Pass area of North Cascades National Park for the nights of June 15 and 16. His car had been located at the corresponding trailhead.

Albrecht stated that he became disoriented in the thick and low fog cover on Wednesday morning as he descended from Sahale Glacier camp, where he had a permit to camp. Realizing that he was lost by mid-morning Wednesday, he pitched his tent to await help. On Sunday morning, he made a successful attempt to find his way down a creek drainage to the Cascade River Road and to the rescue crews stationed at the Eldorado parking area.

Approximately 60 searchers, including two dog teams were involved in the search over two days, June 20 and 21. Teams of searchers included National Park Service employees and volunteer groups from Bellingham Mountain Rescue, Skagit Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue, King County Explorer Search and Rescue, and Bellingham Summit to Sound Search Dogs.

I was out of the office when the announcement was made Friday. Gov. Chris Gregoire has named David Jennings, Rollie Schmitten and Dr. Brad Smith to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Here is the news release:

“I am pleased to welcome these exceptional members to the Fish and Wildlife Commission,” Gregoire said. “I know each brings the specialized knowledge necessary to best protect our natural habitat and wildlife. I am also confident that these commissioners will work diligently to select the most qualified person to lead the department.”

Jennings lives in Olympia and has been active in fish and wildlife management issues for almost 20 years. He attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in forest resources. He also earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Oklahoma. Jennings works at the Washington State Department of Health in the division of environmental health. He was also the water protection program manager at DOH. Jennings is the past president of the Gifford Pinchot Task Force and the Black Hills Audubon Society. In 2006, the Black Hills Audubon Society named him conservationist of the year.

Schmitten, of Lake Chelan, attended Washington State University, where he earned a degree in forest management with an emphasis on fish and wildlife. Schmitten is a former Cashmere City councilman, Chelan County Port commissioner and state representative. He was appointed the director of the Washington State Department of Fisheries. He also served as the director of the Northwest Region for National Marine Fisheries Service, a department of the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, before being named national director of NMFS. In 1999, Schmitten was promoted to NOAA Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, working directly under the U.S. Department of Commerce. In that role, Schmitten participated in negotiations of international agreements on several environmental issues.

Smith, a resident of Bellingham, is dean of the Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University. Prior to that appointment, Smith served as the first director of the Office of Environmental Education for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smith, who has extensive international experience on environmental issues, serves on the International Scholars Program for the U.S. Information Agency. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Great Britain and worked as a research fellow for Environment Canada and the Canadian Fish and Wildlife Service.

All three were appointed to a term ending Dec. 31, 2014.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission’s primary role is to establish policies and regulations designed to preserve and protect our state’s fish and wildlife, as well as our natural habitat. The commission is also charged with monitoring the Department of Fish and Wildlife as it implements the goals, policies and objectives established by the commission. The commission also classifies wildlife and establishes the basic rules governing the time, place and method used to harvest fish and wildlife.

The Lake Washington sockeye salmon counts at the Ballard Locks have started. The count began Friday. When I checked this morning, there were 1,332 sockeye counted as of Sunday (the most recent day’s count posted).

According to a state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the pre-season forecast for the 2009 sockeye return is about 19,300. That is well below the 350,000 fish needed before sport and Tribal fishing seasons will be opened.

Sockeye have been counted each year since 1972 as they enter freshwater at the locks. The count, now done by the Muckleshoot Tribe, runs from the second week of June through the end of July.

Click here to go to the count Web site.

Folks in the Chelan area Thursday will be able to view two new buses before they are barged up Lake Chelan to Stehekin on Friday.

North Cascades National Park Complex
This is one of the four new buses that will carry visitors up and down the Stehekin Valley.

The vintage-looking buses are the first two of four new busses which are coming to Stehekin. Purchased by the National Park Service, they will be operated by the NPS concessionaire, Stehekin Landing Resort, to shuttle visitors along the Stehekin Valley to access trailheads, campgrounds and private businesses and to provide the popular tour to 312-foot Rainbow Falls.

The design of the buses was inspired by the early 20th century vehicles that once roamed the Stehekin Valley.

The buses can be seen from 11 a.m. to noon in the parking area adjacent to Chelan Airways and the Lake Chelan Boat Company between 1328 and 1418 W. Woodin Ave., Chelan.

Shuttle buses will again run from Ashford to Longmire and Paradise, starting Friday.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the shuttle will run between Longmire and Paradise with stops at Cougar Rock and Narada Falls on the uphill run. Shuttles will stop at Comet Falls and Cougar Rock on the downhill run. At Longmire, visitors will board the shuttle at the historic Longmire Gas Station.

On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can board the shuttle in Ashford at Whittaker’s Mountaineering on Highway 706 and connect with the Paradise shuttle at Longmire.

Since parking at Paradise will be limited again this summer due to
construction work on the lower parking area adjacent to the old Jackson Visitor Center, an additional shuttle will transport visitors to and from the Paradise Valley Road, where overflow parking will be directed.

The shuttle service will run through Sept. 6.

Click here for shuttle schedules and other park information.

From Mount St. Helens National Monument:

Forest Road 81-830 to Climber’s Bivouac has reopened for
the season. Visitors are cautioned to slow down and watch for narrow
spots and/or debris on the roadway. Extra caution is advised because
annual road maintenance has not been completed and there are narrow
spots due to snow along the roadway.

Climbers should be aware that there is still patchy snow at Climber’s
Bivouac. “It’s a great season to climb but climbers need to come
prepared for climbing and descending safely on snow,” said Tom Mulder,
Monument Manager. “Probably our greatest safety concern is the
stability of the overhanging snow cornices that form much of the crater
rim at this time of year. Climbers need to stay a safe distance back
from the rim because the cornices are unstable and are actively
collapsing into the crater,” Mulder added.

The state issued this release late on Friday.

Hunters who submitted applications for 2009 special-hunt permits can check the results of this year’s drawing on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Web site.

Click here for the results of the random, computerized drawing.

The results were verified Tuesday and were posted Friday.

At hunters’ request, this year’s drawing was conducted nearly a month earlier than in past years, said Dave Ware, state game manager.

"Hunters told us they wanted us to conduct the drawing earlier so they would have more time to make their hunting plans," Ware said. "That made sense, and we’ve done everything we could to expedite the process."

More than 61,500 hunters submitted 138,900 applications for this year's special hunts for deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep and turkey. The number of applications was up by about 4,000 from last year, Ware said.

Holders of the special permits can hunt at times and locations beyond those authorized by a general hunting license.

WDFW will notify applicants about the results of the drawing by email and postal mail in addition to posting the results on its website. Successful applicants will receive their special hunt permits via postal mail.

For more information on special hunt permits.

I just got an e-mail from Mount Rainier National Park saying the contractor has received the notice to proceed with work on the Nisqually Road to Paradise and Stevens Canyon Road.

Work will take place on the Nisqually Road at milepost 12.3 on Glacier Hill and Stevens Canyon Road at milepost 14.1, east of Backbone Ridge Viewpoint. Both were damaged in January.

The work is expected to be completed July 31.

During the work, Stevens Canyon Road will be open to the public from the Stevens Canyon Wye to Box Canyon from the west and to the Grove of the Patriarchs from the east.

During the Nisqually work, visitors should anticipate delays up to 20 minutes maximum as traffic will have to pass through one lane at that spot.

This just in from the National Park Service. Free Park Entry June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16:

The National Park Service has announced three fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. At Mount Rainier and other national parks, all park entrance fees, including commercial tour entrance fees, will be waived on the following dates: June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009. These fee free weekends are in addition to the usual fee free days: National Public Lands Day, which falls on September 26 this year, and Veterans Day, November 11.

=> Read more!

The search has begun to find a new director for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Officials said they expect the new director to begin work in October.

The state Department of Personnel, which is managing the recruitment process, has posted the job announcement and application directions on its Web site. Click here to go to the site.

The job announcement also is posted on the department’s Web site.

The new director will be chosen by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The search to replace Jeff Koenings, who resigned on Dec. 11, was delayed until after the Legislature adjourned. Koenings stepped down after 10 years with the department under pressure from the commission. Phil Anderson, the department’s deputy director for resource policy, has been serving as the interim director.

No closing date has been set for the recruitment period, although an initial review of applications is scheduled to begin June 24, according to a department news release.

The director search process and job description were developed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission during public discussions in May and at the commission’s June 5-6 meeting.

The director oversees a 1,500-person staff and a biennial department budget of more than $350 million. The position pays up to $151,705 annually, the release said.

Some folks might consider this the real opener for the Cedar River, one of the west side's best trout streams. At least it might seem like it from a crowd standpoint.

Streamflows, at 552 cubic feet per second, are about half of what they were when fishing opened last Saturday.

While the high flows made wading difficult, there were still reports of folks catching fish. With the levels having dropped, and held steady for the last few days, I would think the fishing would be pretty good this weekend.

I'm sure hundreds of other folks are thinking the same thing. So it might be that finding a place to fish will be difficult this weekend, but only because of the crowds not the very high water.

After a delay of nearly a month,

The sport hatchery steelhead fishery on the lower Columbia River will open Friday under an agreement reached earlier today by fishery managers in Washington and Oregon.

Fishing rules adopted by both states will allow anglers to keep hatchery steelhead, along with sockeye salmon and hatchery jack chinook salmon, upriver from Rocky Point to the Interstate 5 bridge. Hatchery-reared steelhead and chinook salmon are marked with a clipped adipose fin.

This opening will give anglers four days of fishing in that stretch of the river before the summer seasons begins Tuesday, said Bill Tweit, Columbia River policy leader for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Starting Tuesday, anglers can keep any jack chinook - marked or unmarked - but must release any adult chinook salmon they catch until June 22, when the Columbia River opens for summer chinook fishing below Bonneville Dam.

Fishing rules, both before and after Tuesday, are described in the Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.

"We would have liked to give anglers more of a spring fishery," Tweit said in a news release. "But only now, when most spring chinook salmon have passed Bonneville Dam, are fishery managers feeling confident that we can meet state and federal conservation goals."

Tweit explained that the month-long delay in the lower Columbia River was spurred by an updated run forecast for upriver spring chinook, indicating that only about half as many of those fish would return this year as originally expected. A portion of that run is listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, requiring the states to take action, Tweit said in the release.

Spring chinook fisheries were cut short throughout the Columbia River, but fishery managers were still concerned about impacts on wild spring chinook caught and released in the steelhead fishery, he said.

"We conduct these fisheries under strict federal limits on incidental mortality rates," Tweit said. "When the run size is lower than expected, there is very little margin for error."

Under the initial run forecast, nearly 300,000 upriver spring chinook were expected to return to the Columbia River this year. The latest forecast, issued Monday, anticipated a return of 165,000 fish, up 5,000 from the previous estimate.

"That small increase helped tip the balance to provide these four days of fishing," Tweit said.

The Obama Administraiton is beginning to fill some of the director positions for the various Department of Interior agencies. President Obama has announced he intends to nominate Sam D. Hamilton to be the next director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

There has been no announcement on a person to lead the National Park Service. Jon Jarvis, the agency's western regional director and former Mount Rainier National Park superintendent, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the NPS post.

Here is the rest of the Hamilton news release:

Hamilton, a career senior biologist and manager with the Service, currently is director of the agency’s Southeast Region, The nomination requires Senate confirmation.

“Sam has vast experience with every aspect of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission, making him an ideal nominee to direct the agency,” Salazar said. “Throughout his career, he has been an innovative leader in developing new conservation initiatives and resolving complex and controversial environmental issues. He will be a strong advocate for sound science and effective management of our nation’s fish and wildlife.”

Hamilton, who has been with the Service for 30 years, was appointed Southeast Regional Director in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, serving as senior operating executive with full strategic planning and management responsibility for a $484 million budget and a 1,500-person work-force that operates in 10 states and the Caribbean.

As regional director, Hamilton has been responsible for the oversight and management of more than 350 federally listed threatened and endangered species and 128 national wildlife refuges. He has provided leadership and oversight to the department’s restoration work in the Everglades, the largest ecosystem restoration project in the country, and oversaw recovery and restoration work following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which devastated coastal wetlands, wildlife refuges, and other wildlife habitat along the Gulf of Mexico.

Hamilton’s leadership fostered creative solutions and innovation that led to the establishment of a carbon sequestration program that has helped biologists in the Southeast restore roughly 80,000 acres of wildlife habitat. His emphasis on partnership bolstered the Service’s fisheries program and helped establish the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership to restore vital aquatic habitats across the region. This partnership is a key piece of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.

Prior to becoming regional director, Hamilton served as assistant regional director of the ecological services in Atlanta and the Service’s Texas state administrator in Austin.

Hamilton graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1977.

Work to repair flood damaged roads on the south side of Mount Rainier National Park is expected to start June 15 in hopes of completing work by July 31, according to a statement released today by acting park superintendent Randy King.

The Nisqually and Stevens Canyon roads were damaged during flooding this winter. The repair project will cost almost $1 million.

Ramrod, the infamous cycling challenge around the mountain is scheduled for July 30. It remains unclear if the race route will have to be changed. According to the Redmond Cycling Club blog the Plan B route will follow Skate Creek Road to Packwood and enter the park near Ohanapecosh.

Here's today's statement from Mount Rainier National Park:

=> Read more!

It’s a safe bet that the biggest winners at Saturday’s Sound to Narrows won’t finish first.

In fact, it’s quite conceivable that the first person to finish the 5-kilometer race could be in his car and driving home by the time the biggest winners get their first glimpse of the finish line.

But it’s also safe to say that the 40 participants in Pierce County’s Biggest Winner weight-loss challenge don’t really care. They’re already collecting their prize.

“We’ve learned how to make a lifestyle change,” said Claire Talbert, a 31-year-old Tacoma resident. “We’ve learned how to eat better and exercise regularly and we’re losing weight.”

The Sound to Narrows is the climax of the three-month challenge. The competitors weighed in for the 11th and final time Tuesday and the Biggest Winner will be announced at Vassault Park after Saturday’s races.

Read more about the Sound to Narrows and its Biggest Winner subplot this week in The News Tribune's Sports section.

Firefighting crews at North Cascades National Park Complex have already dealt with the first wildfire of the season.

The small fire in the Agnes Creek drainage near Stehekin was reported Wednesday morning and quickly extinguished by park crews. The human caused wildfire, named the Agnes Boundary Fire, was 100 feet by 25 feet and located just off the Agnes Creek Trail, which is also the Pacific Crest Trail, said a park news release.

Here is the rest of the release:

“The third of June is pretty early for fire season to begin,” explained North Cascades National Park Complex acting fire management officer Andris Vezis. “But, not surprising given the rapid increase in temperatures east of the Cascades over the past couple of weeks.”

Firefighters are continuing restoration efforts in the area through the week.

Stehekin is expected to be a hotspot for wildfire activity in 2009, according to the May National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook released by the Predictive Services group at the National Interagency Fire Center.

The monthly outlook considers the condition of wildland fuels, weather forecasts, and climate and drought data. North-central Washington is expected to see above normal potential wildfire activity, based on persistent drought conditions.

“Overall, the areas with the greatest fire potential this summer are Arizona, New Mexico, California and north-central Washington,” said Rick Ochoa, fire weather program manager at the center. The June outlook continues to warn that “significant fire potential is forecast to be above normal through September in north-central Washington.”

To view the monthly assessments click here.

Washington Trails Association volunteers are spending this week building a footlog crossing over Ipsut Creek at Mount Rainier National Park. The old bridge that crossed the creek was washed away during a flood in November of 2006. Without a bridge to cross, Frances Blakely of Puyallup fell in the creek and drowned attempting to cross on a fallen tree on March 20, 2007. Her husband, Robert, jumped in to try to save her and also drowned.

Here’s an excerpt from an article I wrote following the ’07 accident. Two experts give advice on how to cross moving water in the backcountry.

During the hiking season, rangers try to keep footlogs over rivers at Mount Rainier, but the logs are regularly washed away, leaving hikers with a decision to make: cross or turn around?

"The most common thing that gets people into trouble crossing rivers is just slipping - even those who are experienced," Steve Klump, the park's wilderness district ranger, said Wednesday.

River crossings are one of Klump's primary concerns, even when trails and rivers are in good shape.

"There are a ton of factors to consider before crossing, but basically it boils down to experience," Klump said. "We are not encouraging anybody to cross unassisted."

In fact, park rangers say err on the side of caution.
"If you have any doubts, turn around," Carl Fabiani, the park's trail foreman, said. "Hikers need to think twice or three times before attempting to cross these rivers."

The glacial streams around Mount Rainier can be especially intimidating. They move quickly and rumble as rocks are pushed down stream. The rocks in the stream can be coated with a slippery algae and the water is always cold.

To cross, you need to take the time to size up the river. Klump says walk down the bank, looking for downed trees that bridge the stream and log jams in the water. If there's a logjam downstream, the stream likely will pin you under it should you fall in.

Once you determine it's safe to cross, either by walking through the river or crossing on a log, undo your hip belt and other straps on your pack. That lets you more easily shed your pack should you fall.

"The downside to that is with your straps loose, you are more likely to fall off balance," Klump said. "You have to consider all of these things when making your decision."

And never jump in if a companion falls into the stream, said Tom Minor, a swift-water rescue instructor.

"The water is so cold it is going to shock you," he said. You're going to be lucky if you can save yourself let alone save somebody else."

That's easier to say than do, Minor said, especially when a relative or friend falls in. "But I see it all the time," he said. "One person drowns and a second dies trying to save them."

Minor says be prepared to try a rescue from shore by throwing a rescue line.

But never rope up to cross a river, experts say.

"Ropes and rivers don't mix," Klump said. "The rope is going to get tangled and can anchor a person underwater."

Bottom line: If you feel unsafe, Klump said, “turn around and find another trail."

(By Craig Hill, March 22, 2007)

From Mount Rainier National Park:

Mount Rainier National Park Acting Superintendent Randy King announces that repair of the Nisqually Road at MP 12.3 (Glacier Hill) and Stevens Canyon Road at MP 14.1 (east of Backbone Ridge Viewpoint), damaged during the January 2009 flood, will soon begin.

The award for the repair contract was made by Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) to Randolph Construction Services, Inc. of Pasco, WA for $965,407. The Notice to Proceed is tentatively scheduled to be issued on June 15 with a completion date of July 31, 2009. During the construction period Stevens Canyon Road will be open to the public from the Stevens Canyon Wye to Box Canyon from the west and to the Grove of the Patriarchs from the east. Through traffic on Stevens Canyon will not be allowed until the road is repaired.

=> Read more!

Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest will receive $5.6 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to repair and upgrade roads, bridges and other drainage.

Evans Creek ORV Area Roads are among those on the list to repair.

Click here to read a lost of all the $228 million worth of projects around the country including several more in Washington.

Mountain Loop Scenic Highway and Pilchuck Road opened Wednesday.

“The sun may be out, but be careful, snow still covers Pilchuck Trail, putting hikers at risk for getting lost,” said Peter Forbes, Darrington District Ranger, in a news release from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

The Mountain Loop Scenic Highway provides access to popular trails and campgrounds. Following the South Fork Stillaguamish River over Barlow Pass and into the South Fork Sauk River drainage, it connects the towns of Darrington and Granite Falls.

Click here for current road and trail information.

Jeff and I had the chance to go fishing with Todd Reis from the Cascade Musky Association. It was a long, cold day with lots of laughs, but not too many fish. That's fishing!

Joe Barrentine/The News Tribune

The Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic seems to sell out earlier and earlier each year, and this year is no exception.

Event officials announced that all 10,000 spots in the ride sold out June 1.

The 205-mile ride is July 11-12. This is the 30th STP.

If you are still trying to get in, you can click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for information on how to buy an entry from somebody who already owns one. There is a $20 transfer fee, but people selling the entries are not allowed to crank up the price (Not that stops some people).

I've been seeing tidbits here and there in other media stories about how more people are planning to stay closer to home this summer because of the economy.

One option people are mentioning is going camping more this summer.

Are you planning to camp more often this summer?

If you are, send me an e-mail. I'd like to talk to folks who are planning to spend their vacations closer to home by pitching a tent at places like Mount Rainier or Kalaloch or Dry Falls.

You can reach me at jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com.

Visitors to any of the national forests around the South Sound will be able to visit day-use fee sites for free on Saturday.

Saturday is National Trails Day, and the U.S. Forest Service is waiving fees at such sites across its Pacific Northwest region.

The sites normally require a $5 fee per vehicle or a recreation pass, such as the Northwest Forest Pass, Interagency Annual Pass, Interagency Senior Pass, Interagency Access Pass, Golden Age or Golden Access Passport.

Fees to enter Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument will NOT be waived on Saturday.

Saturday is the 17th annual celebration of National Trails Day. South Sound residents can join the celebration by taking a hike or by participating in a planned volunteer event.

For more information and to find an event near you.

Cyclists might want to roll their way to the Tacoma Farmers’ Market Thursday.

Tacoma Bike will be at the market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of Community Health Day.

The store’s cycle fitter will be on hand doing fitting demos and 10-minute mini-fits. In addition, other store staff will offer free quick tune-ups and technical advice.

The Thursday market is located in downtown Tacoma on Broadway Street, between 9th and 11th streets.

For more about the market.

For more about the bike shop.

From Kelly Bush, North Cascades Wilderness District Ranger:

On Saturday, May 23rd, a commercially-guided party of three mountaineers took a tumbling fall down Mount Shuksan's summit pyramid while roped together. The trio had reached the summit and were descending when the accident occurred. The guide had belayed his two clients individually down the first pitches of steep snow, then descended himself. As he was doing so, he fell and, unable to arrest his fall, pulled the other two with him for about 400 feet. Luckily, there was only one significant injury ­ one of the clients injured an ankle and was unable to continue. Climbing rangers on patrol lower on the mountain were picked up by the park¹s on-call SAR helicopter, an MD 500 from HiLine Helicopters, and flown to the accident site. The rangers were able to carry the injured climber across a section of the Sulphide Glacier, then fly her off the mountain. She was transported to a Bellingham, Washington, hospital for evaluation.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar this morning announced that the National Park Service will waive entrance fees for three summer weekends. The service hopes to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit one of 391 national park sites located across the country.

The 147 National Park Service sites across the country that charge fees for entry will waive those fees during the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19, and Aug. 15-16.

Meanwhile, many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions on those dates.

Click here for more information on the fees and discounts.

According to the Web site, Olympic National Park is holding several promotions:

-- At Lake Crescent Lodge, Fairholme Store and Hurricane Ridge, park visitors can receive a free reusable eco-friendly shopping bag.

-- The park is offering free digital photos of your groups visiting the park. Staffers have chosen a scenic location where digital photos will be taken from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday of the fee free weekends.

-- At all Olympic Peninsula ARAMARK locations, visitors can get a free souvenir water bottle with retail purchase of $35 or more.

No specials were listed for Mount Rainier or North Cascades national parks.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, according to a news release

“National Parks also serve as powerful economic engines for local communities and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” he said.

Nationwide, parks last year attracted more than 275 million recreation visits. Spending by non-local visitor provided $10.6 billion for local economies, supporting more than 213,000 jobs, not counting National Park Service jobs, according to the release.

The entrance fees being waived at the 147 sites that usually charge for admission range from $3 to $25. The 244 other parks do not charge entrance fees. The waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors – such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions.

Bookings at Paradise Inn have been running about 10 percent behind the numbers in 2005, said David Wilde, managing director of Guest Services, Inc. The company runs the food and lodging operations in the park.

“We tend to look at 2005 as a base year,” he said in a phone conversation this afternoon. That is the last year the inn operated under normal circumstances. After the inn was closed in 2006 and 2007 for major renovations, there was a lot of publicity about the inn reopening that inflated numbers last season.

“Coming into this month, we were down about 10 percent in our advance bookings. We felt that’s not too bad with the economy the way it is,” Wilde said.

Wilde said the sunny and warm weather the last few weeks have helped attract people to Paradise and should help the rest of the summer.

“With the way the snow is melting, the wildflowers will be early this year and the trails will open a lot sooner this year,” Wilde said.

A week ago, there was 140 inches of snow on the ground. But with daytime highs in the upper 60s and low 70s, snow levels were down to 111 inches this afternoon.

Hope you had a chance to read my story on Kathy Walkley today. Walkley became a paraglider pilot when she turned 50.

She says anybody can sample the sport on tandem flight. Her instructor, Todd Henningsen, can take anybody as long as they range from 70 to 240 pounds. He even takes his son.

Here are a couple of places to give it a try.

- Todd Henningsen, 253-226-3357, Call for prices.

- Paraglide Washington, 206-328-1104, $165 for one flight, $280 for two.

- Here's a list of 40 more instructors in Washington who are registered with the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.