Staff from Olympic National Park will host a public workshop on Thursday to discuss the park’s recent decision to close the Sunrise Snowplay Area near Hurricane Ridge.

The open house workshop will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, 3002 Mount Angeles Road in Port Angeles.

“The Sunrise area has extremely limited parking along the road shoulder – the lack of parking, combined with large numbers of vehicles and pedestrians, and typical winter driving conditions create an extremely hazardous situation,” said sSuperintendent Karen Gustin in a news release. “Unfortunately, the unsafe location of this site means that we must close the Sunrise Snowplay area.”

The Sunrise Snowplay Area has been one of two sledding areas near Hurricane Ridge. The Small Children’s Snowplay Area is located just west of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and will remain open for use by children 8 years of age and younger.

During the workshop, park staff will be available to explain the history and hazards of the Sunrise Snowplay Area and the decision to close the area to tubing and sledding. Public input on possible alternative locations for these activities will be sought.

Because of the potential for serious injury, tubing and sliding are only permitted at designated areas that are monitored and managed for safe use.

The Senate late yesterday confirmed Jonathan Jarvis, a former Mount Rainier National Park superintendent, to be the new director of the National Park Service.

“This is a great day for the National Park Service and for the American
public,” said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a press release. “Jon Jarvis is a career professional who has consistently stood up for protection of national parks. He brings great wisdom and three decades of experience to the job.”

Jarvis, a 30-year veteran of the National Park Service, has served since
2002 as regional director of the agency’s Pacific West Region, where he was responsible for 54 national parks in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands of Guam, Saipan and American Samoa, as well as a host of NPS community revitalization programs that serve those states.

"America's National Park System is a gift from past generations to this and succeeding generations. I look forward to working with Secretary Salazar, the Congress, our partners, and the extraordinary employees of the National Park Service as we prepare for the next century of stewardship and excellent visitor experiences," Jarvis said in the release.

Jarvis has served as superintendent of Mount Rainier, Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. A trained biologist, he was also Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources at North Cascades National Park. Jarvis is currently the co-leader of the Children in Nature taskforce with the National Association of State Park Directors.

A native of Virginia, Jarvis has a B.S. in biology from the College of
William and Mary and completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Program in 2001.

I've been talking to folks about the premiere of the upcoming Ken Burns documentary on national parks. I have been asking them which is their favorite park and what national parks mean to them in general.

Here are some comments from folks I interviewed at the Puyallup Fair Tuesday, as well as from Randy King, acting superintendent at Mount Rainier National Park.

If you would like to share your thoughts, you can go to the comment section or send them to me at jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com.

Favorite national park: Mount Rainier. There’s no more beautiful mountain in the world, and we’ve traveled to places around the world.
What national parks mean to you: Wilderness, peace and quiet. It’s almost reverential in the mountains. National parks should offer places where you can just be quiet. Beauty, every park is just beautiful.
Candy Tingstad, Lakewood

Favorite national park: Zion. It’s unparalleled beauty. I feel like, in some ways, that that part of the country hasn’t been touched by so many visitors. It’s amazing.
What national parks mean to you: It’s a respite, I think, from our daily lives.
Mary Watkins, Bremerton

Favorite park: Mount Rainier. But I’ve only been to one.
What national parks mean to you: Permanent opens space that will stay that way. If you look at the parks are set aside now, and how big they are, I don’t thik that you’d see that happen today.
Dan Tilley, Tacoma

Favorite park: The one I¹m in at the current time. I have never been in a park that wasn’t special. They are all special. I started at Yellowstone (National Park), and worked there on and off 13 years. That¹s where I started my career and my family. I call it my heart park.
What national parks mean to you: It obviously has been my life. Parks represent my avocation as well as advocation. They represent a tremendous heritage that we all share. As much as anything, it’s one of the ties that binds us a people. It connects us as people and our history. They’re irreplaceable. I can’t imagine life without them.
Randy King, acting superintendent Mount Rainier National Park

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.

Here is a roundup of wildfires on national park land in Washington. The information comes from the National Park Service’s “Morning Report”:

North Cascades

About 646 acres are currently burning in the North Cascades National Park Complex. The largest fires being managed for resource benefit are: The Panther Creek Fire (220 acres), Elija Fire (353 acres), and the Brush Creek Fire (66 acres) in the Moon Complex. Fires being managed with suppression tactics include: The Cascade Fire (2 acres) in the Panther Complex near Ruby Mountain and the four fires in the Crapper Complex (2.7 acres total) near the Newhalem Creek.

Twelve fires, ranging in size from a single tree to 350 acres, have been burning in the North Cascades National Park Complex since late June. All 12fires were started by lightning. Five of these fires are being managed with suppression tactics to protect the public, and infrastructure in the area. The other seven fires are being managed for resource benefits.
Full containtainment is expected by Oct. 1

Olympic

Fire managers observed minimal fire activity when they flew over the Heatwave Complex fires on Tuesday. Five fires in the Heatwave Complex continue to creep and smolder. Constance fire (started July 11, 438 acres) still showing active smoke on Tuesday less than 5 percent of the perimeter is active. The 10 Mile fire (June 13, 492 acres) increased fire and smoke activity observed was observed Tuesday on the west side of the fire where it continues to burn downslope along the Duckabush River. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of the perimeter is active. Buckinghorse fire (July 29, 324 acres) is still showing active smoke. Approximately 1 percent of the perimeter is active. Knife Fire (July 29, 140 acres) is still showing active smoke, approximately 1 percent of the perimeter is active. Solduc fire (July 29, 4 acres), no visible smoke.

Seven additional fires remain inactive, all are 0.1 acres in size: Dose (July 11), Second Column, Five Ridge (July 28), Morganroth (July 29), Long (July 29), Wilder One (July 29) and Wilder Two.
Full containment is not expected until the end of the fire season

Mount Rainier

Two small fires on the report earlier this month were not listed in this morning's report.

Hurricane Ridge Road will reopen today at 2 p.m. according to statement released moments ago by Olympic National Park.

Click below to read the statement.

=> Read more!

Hurricane Ridge Road remains closed through at least noon today as the park continues dealing with a slow rockfall onto the road.

“The amount of rocks falling into the road decreased today, and our crew has begun improvements to the existing rock berm at the base of the rockfall chute,” said Sue McGill, Olympic National Park deputy superintendent, said Tuesday in a news release. “Staff will continue to closely monitor the situation and hope to complete improvements to the berm early (today). If all goes as planned, we hope to be able to open the road sometime (this) afternoon.”

The rockfall originates on a steep slope high above the road and follows a winter avalanche chute about nine miles south of Port Angeles and four miles above the Heart o’the Hills entrance station, said the park news release.

The Hurricane Ridge Road was closed on Sunday after rangers observed a continuous and steady stream of falling rocks and gravel on both Saturday and Sunday. Rocks have continued to fall since then.

Members of the park maintenance staff flew over the site Tuesday and were able to better observe the summit and upper slope of the rockfall chute. A Federal Highway Administration engineering geologist also visited the site Tuesday. Based on their observations, short-term improvements will be made to the existing rock barrier along the roadway, while long term plans can be made.

Click here for updates on the road's status or call the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 360-565-3130 or the recorded Road and Weather Hotline at 360-565-3131.

Hurricane Ridge Road is closed today because of a slow but continuous rockfall onto the road,Olympic National Park officials said. If necessary, the road may remain closed longer, but park staff are currently assessing the situation and studying alternatives for reopening the road as soon as it is safe to do so.

"With a steady stream of gravel mixed with large rocks rolling and bouncing onto the road, safety concerns dictate this temporary closure," said Sue McGill, deputy park superintendent, in a news release.

The slide, which followed a winter avalanche chute, is located just
above the road's third and highest tunnel, about nine miles south of Port
Angeles, and originates on a steep slope high above the road. Falling
rocks were observed on Saturday, continuing through the day on Sunday and
leading rangers to close the road Sunday afternoon.

Park staff is working with the Federal Highway Administration to assess the situation and will fly over the site today to better inspect the summit and upper slope of the rockfall chute.

For information about alternative destinations within the park, people may go to the park Web site or call the Olympic National Park Visitor Center at 360-565-3130. The recorded Road and Weather Hotline is updated throughout the day with changes and can be reached by calling 360-565-3131.

From Olympic National Park:

The spread of Olympic National Park’s five active fires has slowed due to cooler, moister weather, but extended dry periods and predicted warmer fall weather could produce fire behavior similar to what was observed previously.

“While fire spread is currently minimal, we are continuously assessing conditions and weather forecasts. We will alter our strategies as needed,”
said Incident Commander Roy Hall.

Fire officials will hold a public meeting at the Brinnon Community Center on Friday evening, August 7, at 6:00 p.m. and will present information about future expectations, weather predictions, and fire effects on the forest ecosystem.

The majority of the Heatwave Complex Fires are located in inaccessible areas of Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest. None of the fires currently pose immediate threats to life, safety, and property. They are being managed in order to maximize the ecological benefit of naturally occurring wildfire. Firefighters and helicopters continue work on the Constance fire to prevent spread to the east.

Within the fires, burn severity is not uniform. There are some patches of forest where the overstory is burned, some slightly affected and some apparently unaffected at this time. Naturally occurring fire is vital to maintaining ecological diversity throughout the Park. Fire plays an important natural role by releasing nutrients that stimulate new plant growth and create a mosaic of diversity in vegetation communities.

The Dosewallips Road/Trail is CLOSED at the Olympic National Forest’s Elkhorn Campground due to the Constance Fire because the fire is releasing burning logs and debris downslope onto the road/trail. This closure includes the Lake Constance Trail, The Main Fork Dosewallips to Greywolf Pass Junction, West Fork Dosewallips to Honeymoon Meadows, and Constance Pass/Home Lake access from Boulder Shelter Camp (USFS) on the Upper Dungeness.

The Duckabush Trail is CLOSED from the trailhead to the LaCrosse Pass junction due to the Tenmile Fire.

There is currently an open FIRE BAN throughout the park (stoves permitted).
The only exceptions are at the coast, where all open fires must be placed below the high tide line; and in fire rings in frontcountry campgrounds.

This was released a couple of hours ago by Olympic National Park:

Despite an onshore flow of cooler marine air in the lowlands of the Olympic Peninsula, very dry conditions continue in the upper elevations of Olympic National Park. Eight firefighters are now assigned to the Ten Mile Fire which straddles the Duckabush Trail on the southeast slopes of the Olympic Mountains.

Upslope winds accelerated spread of the Ten Mile fire; by the end of the day on Saturday, the fire was approximately 150 acres in size.

To protect visitor safety, Olympic National Park officials closed the Duckabush Trail from the La Crosse Pass trail junction to the park boundary. This adds to trail closures already in effect in the Dosewallips drainage where the Constance Fire continues to expand to the west.

Click "Trail Conditions" here for current information on all trail closures or call the park’s Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100.

In addition to suppression activities on the Ten Mile Fire, on Sunday, 10 firefighters and two helicopters worked on the east and south sides of the Constance Fire, and one helicopter focused on mapping perimeters of the Heatwave Complex of fires.

Updated acreage information on all of the fires will be available here on Monday.

An interagency Type II fire team is enroute to the park and will assume
management oversight for the Heatwave Fire Complex on Tuesday,augmenting the park firefighting team, and enabling other park staff to return to their normal duties.

Superintendent Karen Gustin noted that “conditions are changing daily, and we appreciate the public’s understanding during this time. Do not hesitate to access the Web for current information.”

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)