BY CRAIG HILL

The News Tribune

Tacoma is set to get a second indoor venue for rock climbers by the middle of October.

Vertical World, the state’s largest rock gym chain, plans to open a bouldering gym at 102 South 24th Street in the building previously occupied by Action Business Furniture.

The bouldering facility will not have roped-climbing and will be part of the company’s manufacturing facility, said Vertical World owner Rich Johnston.

"This kind of came through the back door," said Johnston. "We were just looking at putting our wall manufacturing in Tacoma."

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I was out of town on assignment last week, but wanted to post this notice on the closure of salmon fishing in Marine Area 1. It’s the lone downside to a season of great fishing in the area.

Action: Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) closes to salmon fishing.

Effective dates: 12:01 a.m. Tuesday

Species affected: All salmon

Location: Marine Area 1 from Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon Oregon.

Reasons for action: The salmon quota for Marine Area 1 will have been taken.

Other Information: Marine areas 2, 3, 4, and

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From North Cascades NP:

The Cascade River Road in North Cascades National Park will close to vehicular traffic at Hard Creek Bridge (MP 12.7) beginning on Sept. 1. The road will be open September 5-7 during the holiday weekend. The road will be closed again on September 8 through project completion in mid-October. Any cars left up-valley of the construction will not be able to exit Cascade River Road until the project is complete.

Foot or bicycle traffic may be allowed, but may encounter delays and must obey direction provided by construction crews to ensure their safety through

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Mount Rainier National Park officials are warning hikers and climbers that the Muir Snowfield has melted out early this season adding additional challenges to the route to Camp Muir.

According to a statement released by the park today there is exposed bare glacier ice and crevasses above 8,200 feet on the route. The steep slope – 25-30 degrees in some areas could make the route slippery and hazardous.

According to the park’s statement, “There have been numerous cases this year of slips that have caused fairly severe abrasions. Also this year, the exposed ice from 9,500 feet to

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The state Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to select a new director for the Department of Fish and Wildlife when it meets Sept. 11-12 in Olympia.

The commission, after interviewing six candidates Wednesday and Thursday, after narrowed the field to two finalists, a commission news release said.

The finalists’ references and backgrounds will be checked over the next couple of weeks, according to commission chairwoman Miranda Wecker.

Former director Jeff Koenings resigned last December after serving for a decade. Since then, Phil Anderson has served as interim director.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to hold public meetings next week to discuss green-dot road management on several central Washington wildlife areas. Since the meetings will take place before the next Adventure section prints, I posted the info here:

Green-dot road systems are those where only roads marked by circular green reflectors are open to motor vehicles.

Department wildlife area managers Condi Confer, Shana Winegeart and Pete Lopushinksy are seeking input on proposals to change the number of green-dot roads on the Wenas and Colockum wildlife areas, and on acreage in the Skookumchuck

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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

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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.

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