This press release came in late yesterday. Olympic National Park officials last weekend re-opened about 30 miles of trails on the east side of the park that had been closed because of nearby wildfires.

The following trails have been re-opened for public use due to low potential for fires in the upper Dose Drainage.

-- The Constance Pass Trail from the Dosewallips Trail to the park boundary.

-- The Main Fork Dosewallips Trail from the junction of Gray Wolf Pass to the Dose Forks and

-- The West Fork Dosewallips Trail from Honeymoon Meadows to Dose Forks.

Two trails are still closed due to fire related hazards and are likely to
remain closed for several weeks or longer.

-- The Duckabush Trail is closed from LaCrosse Pass junction to the park boundary because of its proximity to the 750 acre Ten Mile Fire.

-- Hiker use of the Dosewallips Road is closed from the Olympic National Forest's Elkhorn Campground to the Dosewallips Trail at Dose Forks, one mile west of the Dosewallips Ranger Station. The 440 acre Constance Fire is burning nearby in steep terrain; burning logs and debris are rolling downslope onto the road/trail.

Additionally, the backcountry campfire ban put in place Aug. 3 will be lifted on Wednesday at 11 p.m. Fire danger conditions have abated thanks to recent rains and the forecast calls for cooler, moist conditions. Campfires in the park’s established front country campgrounds are allowed as usual in established fire grates; where campfires are allowed on the coast, they must be located below the high tide line. Campers still need to ensure that their campfires are out before leaving the campsite.

The Heatwave Complex is comprised of 12 lighting-ignited fires
discovered in Olympic National Park since June, five of which remain
active, creating a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation across the
landscape. Naturally caused wildfires have occurred in the Olympic
Peninsula for thousands of years, and are an integral part of the area’s
ecosystem. Evidence of past wildland fire is found throughout the park in
fire scars on trees and the mosaic of forest patterns.

Click here for additional Heatwave Complex fire information, maps, and photos.

Two lightning-caused fires are burning in the upper Duckabush and
Dosewallips River valleys, in the eastern section of Olympic National Park.

One fire is 10 acres while the second is one acre. Both are located deep within the park and in wilderness areas.

Here is the rest of the park news release:

“These fires were ignited by early-season thunderstorms and are a natural part of the Olympic ecosystem,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin. “Considering their size, extremely steep surroundings and location well within park and wilderness boundaries, we are managing these fires for resource benefit through confinement and continued monitoring.”

Lightning storms on June 13 and July 11 resulted in over 30 lightning strikes within the park, with four fires known to be ignited. Two of these fires are still known to be active.

The Constance fire in the upper Dosewallips drainage is currently 10 acres and was ignited by a lightning strike on July 11; it was first reported on July 17. Its remote location and extremely steep terrain makes access for firefighters very difficult and would require technical climbing skills, presenting significant risk to any firefighters. Given these factors, park crews are managing the Constance fire through a confinement strategy, in which existing barriers like rock outcrops, trails and ridge tops are used
as natural firebreaks. Crews will continue to monitor this fire.

The Lake Constance Trail is closed due to hazardous conditions including falling trees and rocks.

Under clear conditions, the Constance fire smoke column is visible at times from the Silverdale area, and can be observed via a private webcam at www.drdale.com.

In the upper Duckabush Valley, the Ten-Mile fire was reported by a hiker on June 23 and has been monitored by members of the park’s fire crew since then. The fire is believed to have been caused by a single lightning strike to a tall old-growth Douglas fir on June 13.

Two other small fires in the upper Dosewallips drainage were reported on July 11 and smoke columns were easily visible from Hurricane Ridge. Smoke has not been visible from either of these fires since July 13.

Warm, dry weather continues to prevail throughout the park and is forecast through the next 10 days, raising the possibility of increased fire activity.

Managing these fires for resource benefits meets guidelines as outlined in the Olympic National Park Fire Management Plan, approved in December 2005 after extensive public review and comment. Naturally occurring fires create a patchwork of different forest types and provide a mosaic of habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals.

Jeff and I teamed up to write a story about our favorite food stops after a day in the outdoors.

No fine dining here. Just fine burgers, fries, shakes and cherry pie a la mode (Twede's famous pie pictured to the right).

Check it out and see if your favorite was included. If not let us know about your favorite. We'd love to check it out.

(Picture by Drew Perine)

Backpacker Magazine just announced its Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid.

Seattle made the list - coming in at No. 6 - even though it's still easier to get to Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains from Tacoma.

We're not bitter.

Boulder, Colo., was No. 1 on the list. Hood River, Ore., is No. 13.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Work on a temporary bridge over Benham Creek on Forest Road 25, south of Randle means the road is closed just south of Iron Creek during the construction. Gifford Pinchot National Forest visitors should be prepared to encounter dump truck traffic on Forest Roads 76, 28 and 23.

Here is the rest of the news release:

The temporary bridge should be in place and open to traffic by late-June. This will allow for access to the east side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and the popular Windy Ridge view point.

“While the flooding in the fall of 2008 wasn’t as widespread as the
previous two years, Forest Road 25 and Forest Road 54 took the brunt of the damage,” said Ron Freeman, Public Services Staff Officer for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. “We truly appreciate the work Federal Highways Administration is doing to help us reopen Forest Road 25 and other key Forest roads.”

Visitors to the Cispus Learning Center should be alert to heavy truck traffic that will be hauling material in the vicinity of the Center. Hauling will occur Monday thru Thursday during daylight hours.

Material is being hauled from the Benham Creek slide to a disposal site to an area located on Forest Road 2300100.

The Forest has started work with Federal Highways on design and replacement of the bridge over Benham Creek. Completion of the permanent bridge is scheduled for 2010.

During the past winter several Forest roads, including roads 21, 25 and 54, experienced landslides and storm damage.

Click here for updates on weather and road conditions.

For current Forest road information, please contact Gifford Pinchot
National Forest offices. The Forest Headquarters in Vancouver can be
reached at 360-891-5000; Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Headquarters in Amboy can be reached at 360-449-7800, and Mount Adams Ranger District in Trout Lake can be reached at 509-395-3400.