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

Read more »

So we launched a new project this morning: Rainier 110.

This is year marks the 110th anniversary of Mount Rainier National Park and we will commemorate the anniversary by hiking 110 miles in the park this summer.

I’ve got 16.9 miles down so far, which almost all of the trails that aren’t covered with snow. In fact, a couple of those mile were over the snow.

There are five waterfalls that can be reached fairly easily right now. And they worth the trip right now because they are raging as the snow melts.

Here are pics

Read more »

Two loops of Cougar Rock Campground at Mount Rainier National Park will be open to the public Friday. The warm weather has melted out almost 25 parking pads and tent sites in loops A and C, said acting superintendent Randy King in statement just released.

Campsites for recreational vehicles such as trailers, campers and motorhomes are extremely limited at this time.

The remaining loops, including the group sites are still covered with snow. Cougar Rock typically opens by Memorial Day weekend, but the slow winter melt out delayed this year’s opening.

At Ohanapecosh Campground, loops A,

Read more »

Dave Hahn, an Ashford-based mountain guide, extended his record for trips to the top of Mount Everest on Friday night by summiting the 29,035-foot-high peak for the 11th time.

No non-Sherpa climber has climbed the mountain more.

Hahn has guided for Rainier Mountaineering Inc. since 1986 and has participated in climbing expeditions all over the world.

He also holds the record for climbing Antarctica’s highest peak, Vinson Massif, with 25 summits.

Saturday the party he led to the summit included RMI guides Melissa Arnot and Seth Waterfall and cameraman Kent Harvey.

This was

Read more »

International Mountain Guides of Ashford placed 11 more climbers on the summit of Mount Everest last night raising its total for the season to 26.

Among those making the summit was local climber Justin Merle who has climbed Mount Rainier more than 100 times including a round trip to the summit that took just 4 hours, 49 minutes, 35 seconds last July.

This was Merle’s third Everest summit.

Here’s a list of the IMG climbing party members that made the 29,035-foot summit.

1. Ms. Petya Stanimirova Kolcheva (Bulgaria)

2. Ms. Mei Ying (Joanne)

Read more »

OK, so we have a 3-day weekend. Finally a weekend long enough to hit the Olympic Peninsula.

The Hood Canal Bridge is still out meaning you’ll have to take the long way to visit Port Townsend, Port Angeles or most of Olympic National Park. But I made the trip last week to play at Port Townsend and go sailing at Sequim Bay and it’s well worth the extra driving. Plus the drive is gorgeous.

If you go, here are a few tips.

1. Slow down in Hoodsport. There was a

Read more »

Two Toutle River tributaries to open for hatchery steelhead, with selective gear rules in effect through early June. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a short while ago that the lower portions of the South Fork Toutle and Green rivers will open to fishing for hatchery steelhead on Saturday.

Here is the rest of the release:

Location: South Fork Toutle River from the mouth to the 4700 Road Bridge. Green River from the mouth to 400 feet below the water intake at the upper end of the hatchery.

Daily limits: Daily limit is two

Read more »

The state Department of Fish and Wildife earlier today announced salmon fishing on the Icicle River in Chelan County will open Friday.

Anglers will be able to fish for chinook salmon through July 31.

Here si the rest of the release:

Location: Icicle River, from the closure signs located 800 feet upstream of the mouth to 500 feet downstream of the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam.

Daily limit: Daily limit two salmon, minimum size 12 inches.

Reason for action: In-season run analyses predict that about 5,000 salmon are currently enroute

Read more »