Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 20, 2009 at 12:55 pm Share this

The Summit at Snoqualmie just announced Summit Central will open Saturday, operating from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summit Central's opening also includes operating the Silver Fir high speed quad-chair.

The Summit Central base area will remain open seven days a week for the foreseeable future, the release said. Additionally, the Summit Tubing Center also will be open this coming weekend.

The Summit West base area will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. With Summit Central going to a seven- day-a-week schedule, Summit West will be closed after Sunday, and will reopen Nov. 27.

Further details regarding operations beyond Sunday will be announced on The Summit's Web site here.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Skiing/Snowboarding
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 20, 2009 at 6:42 am Share this

With more storms in the weekend forecast, it's good news for folks wanting to head to the slopes before the holiday next week.

Here is a brief rundown of what you might find at the Cascade areas, based on this morning's reports:

Mount Baker: The base is almost a mid-season levels, with 74 inches at the Heather Meadows base. More snow is expected through Sunday.

Stevens Pass: Even with new snow, the area is recommending folks stay on the groomed runs.

Summit at Snoqualmie: Even with just two lifts open, the area is reporting powder conditions. Powder, in November!?!?

Crystal Mountain: The area has received 3-4 feet of snow since Monday. The area plans to have short Northback and South Country open this weekend.

White Pass: The area was reopening today and hopes to begin daily operations, as long as conditions allow.

Mission Ridge: The area has built a base of 11 inches and hopes to open in time for Thanksgiving weekend.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Skiing/Snowboarding, The Adventure
Tags: ski areas, snow conditions
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 18, 2009 at 10:15 am Share this

A number of park roads are closed on the west side of Olympic National Park as crews are clearing roads blocked by downed trees and assessing storm impacts. Some park roads, including the Graves Creek, North Fork and Upper Queets Road have not been fully assessed for storm damage.

Here is a summary of the known damage:

Hoh Road – The Hoh Road is closed at the park boundary as park crews are removing downed trees.

Quinault Valley –The North Shore Road is closed due to downed trees and electrical lines. The Graves Creek and the North Fork Roads are closed and have not been assessed yet. There is no electrical service along the north shore of Lake Quinault.

Queets Valley –The Lower Queets Road is closed due to water on the roadway and the Upper Queets Road has not been assessed for storm damage.

Hurricane Ridge Road – The Hurricane Ridge Road is closed due to snow. If weather conditions allow, the road is scheduled to be open on Friday, the first day of the winter road schedule. Park crews have been working on clearing two slide areas. One of the slides is blocking a culvert and the other is at the location of a previous slide near the Switchback Trail.

For current road information, call the park's recorded road and weather information line at 360-565-3131.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Olympic National Park
Tags: Olympic National Park, road closures, storm damage
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 17, 2009 at 9:23 am Share this

Stevens Pass Winter Resort will open for the 2009 - 2010 winter season Thursday.

As of Monday afternoon 36 inches of snow was reported at the base, with 38 inches at reported at the upper mountain weather station.

Stevens Pass will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with operations on the Hogsback, Skyline, Daisy and Brooks chairlifts. The Tye Mill Chair and Kehr’s Chair (formerly Big Chief) will be determined on Wednesday after staff checks to see if there is sufficient snowpack.

Additionally, the 28 acre Top Phlight Terrain Park will open with a variety of jumps, rails and boxes this Thursday.

For daily updated information guests can call the Stevens Pass Snowline at 206-634-1645 or click here.

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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 16, 2009 at 8:59 pm Share this

I know this out of the normal Adventure realm, but I'm looking to interview some survivors of Pearl Harbor. If you know of anyone I can interview, please let me know who they are and how I can contact them.

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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 16, 2009 at 2:14 pm Share this

After being down for some time because of technical issues, the Webcams at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park are back online.

The snowpack at Paradise is currently 47 inches, according to weather data.

Here are the various camera views:

The mountain

Jackson Visitor Center

Looking east from the visitor center.

Looking west from the visitor center.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Mount Rainier
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 13, 2009 at 1:00 pm Share this

Thanks to 7 inches of new snow that fell earlier today, The Summit at Snoqualmie has just announced it will be open with limited operations Saturday and Sunday.

The Summit West base area will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

"We are ecstatic for this early season opening, especially with the promise of more snow predicted next week," said Dan Brewster, general manager, in a news release.

Brewster said the area will be closed Monday and Tuesday, and the staff is planning to reopen Wednesday, if conditions permit.

Head to The Summit's Web site for updates.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Skiing/Snowboarding
Tags: Skiing, snowboarding, Summit West, The Summit at Snoqualmie
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 10, 2009 at 2:04 pm Share this

The next razor clam dig opens Satuday at four beaches. Twin Harbors will be open for four days of digging, while Kalaloch will be open for just one day.

Long Beach: Open Saturday through Monday

Twin Harbors: Open Saturday through Tuesday

Copalis: Open Saturday through Monday

Mocrocks: Open Saturday through Monday

Kalaloch: Open Monday only

Low tide times: Saturday, 4:34 p.m., -0.3 feet; Sunday, 5:21 p.m., -0.7 feet; Monday, 6:05 p.m., -0.9 feet; and Tuesday: 6:47 p.m., -0.8 feet.

Digging hours: Digging will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. Even with the earlier times for the low tide, diggers should take lanterns and headlamps.

Weather conditions: Be sure to check weather and surf forecasts before heading out. During the dig last week, people had to contend with dangerous waves topping 20 feet.

"With the rough weather we had during the last opener, digging dropped off significantly as people played it safe," said Dan Ayres, state coastal shellfish manager. "On the plus side, there’s likely enough clams remaining in the quota to offer more digs later."

Additional dig: The state also has scheduled to dig in December and January.

The first would start Dec. 2 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors; Dec. 3 at Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks; Dec. 4 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch; and Dec. 5 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch.

The next one would open Dec. 31 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch; Jan. 1 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch; Jan. 2 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks; and Jan. 3 at Twin Harbors.

Categories: Fishing, Jeffrey P. Mayor
Tags: Copalis, Kalaloch, Long Beach, Mocrocks, razor clam dig, Twin Harbors
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 10, 2009 at 1:34 pm Share this

Forest Road 25 at Benham Creek 5 miles north of the Forest Road 99 junction to Windy Ridge may be closed at any time due to a landslide. Gifford Pinchot National Forest officials just made the announcement.

A large landslide closed the road last winter, and a temporary bridge was installed in June to provide access along the major north and south road. Recent heavy rains are dislodging additional material at the Benham Creek site forcing forest officials to consider a complete closure to protect the public.

Forest staffers have started work with Federal Highways on design and replacement of the bridge over Benham Creek. Completion of the permanent bridge is scheduled for 2011.

Forest officials also are cautioning visitors to check ahead on road conditions as snow levels drop below 3,000 feet in elevation. This is a particular warning to those people who will be heading out to cut a Christmas tree, with a forest permit

Snow plowing on Gifford Pinchot National Forest roads occurs only to Sno-Parks through the Washington Parks and Recreation Commission as funding allows. The majority of Forest roads are not plowed for snow, and forest visitors are cautioned to plan their visit to the based on increasing snow levels and the possibility of getting stranded if they drive forest roads at higher elevation. Currently, about 2 feet of snow blankets elevations above 4,000 feet.

Click here for more information on current road conditions.

Or you can call any of these Gifford Pinchot National Forest offices:

Forest headquarters in Vancouver, Wash.: 360-891-5000

Cowlitz Valley Ranger District in Randle: 360-497-1100

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument headquarters in Amboy: 360-449-7800

Mount Adams Ranger District in Trout Lake: 509-395-3400

Categories: Hunting, Jeffrey P. Mayor, Wildlife Viewing
Tags: Gifford Pinchot National Forest, landslide, Road 25
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Posted By Jeff Mayor on November 9, 2009 at 9:38 am Share this

If you don’t have plans for Veterans Day, considering digging out your snow ride gear.

The 2009-2010 ski and snowboard season in the South Sound will officially open on Wednesday when Crystal Mountain begins operations, albeit on a limited basis.

The ski area announced this morning it will open the lower mountain by running the Discovery, Chinook Express, Quicksilver and Forest Queen lifts. The ski area will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ski school, rental shop, plus food and beverages areas will be open as well.

There are two feet of snow on the ground now, and the area is expected to receive another six to eight inches today, said Tiana Enger, the area’s director of sales and marketing.

Enger said they hope to open the upper reaches of the mountain on Thursday via the Rainier Express lift.

Lift tickets will be reduced to $30 for adults, $25 for youths and seniors. Kids 10 and younger can ski for free and will be able to do so all season long, Enger said.

“This is definitely a blessing to be able to open this early,” Enger said. “Being able to open on the holiday is another bonus.”

Last year, the ski area did not open until Dec. 16.

Meanwhile, with 4o to 46 inches on the ground, Mount Baker has announced it will open Thursday. The area will be in normal midweek operation from the White Salmon base area, running from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Chairs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be in operation. The area will be charging midweek rates, $39.50 for an adult ticket. Area managers said they hope to be in full operation by the weekend with all lifts running and both base areas open.

White Pass Ski Area plans to open on Friday. A final decision will be made on Wednesday. The ski area reported 27 inches of snow on the ground at the summit Monday morning, and it was still snowing. White Pass will be open from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The staff at Stevens Pass is monitoring conditions there, with 28 inches of snow at the base.

There has been no announcement from the Summit at Snoqualmie.

Categories: Jeffrey P. Mayor, Skiing/Snowboarding
Tags: Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker, Skiing, snowboarding, Summit at Snoqualmie, White Pass
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