The state Department of Natural Resources has released a draft management plan that would guide future of recreation in Ahtanum State Forest, 76,000 acres of forested state trust land 30 miles west of Yakima.

Here is the rest of the release:

As a working forest, Ahtanum provides revenue to state trust beneficiaries, including public schools. It’s also a popular recreation area, attracting visitors from both sides of the Cascade Mountains. The recreation plan will help guide how best to balance both the need to provide healthy forests and grazing lands for the trusts while allowing for a variety

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OK, you got a bit of a wait still (almost two weeks of summer left still), but if you’ve seen Mount Rainier this week you’ve probably noticed that the weather is changing in the mountains. (Keep this in mind when you’re hiking.)

Over the weekend Rainier transformed from it’s rocky summer look to its snow-covered winter garb.

And this morning at 3:18 I got my first e-mail from a Northwest ski area – Mount Hood Meadows – saying it got it’s first dusting of snow.

For the record it’s 49 degrees there right now, but so you

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Two Guest Services Inc. employees from Mount Rainier National Park were injured Thursday morning when their vehicle went off Nisqually Road near Paradise and fell about 350 feet.

"I think it’s safe to say they are both lucky to be alive," said park spokeswoman Lee Taylor.

The injuries are significant but not life-threatening, Taylor said.

The names of the employees have not been released. The employees were a male and female who were not working at the time of the accident, said David Wilde, managing director of Guest Services.

An investigation is ongoing, Taylor said.

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The state released this notice a while ago:

Action: Marine Area 1 will reopen to salmon fishing seven days a week starting Monday.

Effective date: Monday through Sept. 30, 2009.

Species affected: Chinook, coho and pink salmon

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

Reason for action: The Marine Area 1 coho sub-area quota has enough coho left over to provide more angling opportunity.

Other information: Marine Area 1 will remain open through Sept. 30, unless the quota is reached before that date.

From the Associated Press:

NORTHPORT, Wash. – State Fish and Wildlife officials say a 5-year-old Canadian boy was hurt when a cougar pounced on him while he and his family were hiking a remote trail in northeastern Washington.

Department spokeswoman Madonna Luers says the big cat jumped the boy while he was hiking Wednesday with his parents and sister on the Abercrombie Mountain trail in the Colville National Forest. She says his mother began beating the cougar with a water bottle and the cat ran off.

Luers says the parents, from Rossland, British Columbia, told wildlife agents

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Several of you noticed that Sturtevant’s Ski Mart on South Hill closed earlier this year.

However, Sturtevant’s absence is only temporary.

The Seattle-based company is opening a new Ski Mart on South 38th. According to an e-mail from the company the new shop will open in October.

Nordic skiers, snow machine drivers, sledders and others will see the price for a day pass at Sno-Parks double this winter if Washington State Parks has its way.

At its Oct. 1 meeting, State park officials will vote on a proposal for various fee increases including raising the $10 per vehicle day rate to $20, parks spokeswoman Linda Burnett said.

"The reason for the increase is to encourage people to buy an annual pass," Burnett said.

The proposal calls for increasing the price for a season pass from $30 to $35. Special grooming permits (required at some

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From Seattle U.

Seattle University assistant cross country and track and field coach Uli Steidl has been selected to represent Germany at the 25th World Mountain Running Championship on Sunday, Sept. 6, at Valchiavenna.



Steidl, participating in this competition for the fifth time, will be among 152 competitors from 34 different countries running in this annual event. The senior men’s race will be three loops of the 4.34-kilometer course for a total distance of 13.02 kilometers, with a total altitude change of 825 meters during the race.



The eight-time Seattle Marathon winner is

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