You will have to fight the urge to get out the sleds, but Paradise has gotten nearly a foot of snow in the last 24 hours.

If you want a peak at the view, try these webcams at Paradise:

Looking toward Paradise Inn.

Looking down the Paradise Road.

Looking at the visitor center.

I saw this item on the National Park Service’s daily news roundup. It seems to be another case where people go beyond their limits and experience because they have technology to bail them out of trouble.

What if one of the helicopters had crashed during one of the searches?

What do you folks think? Should the group leader had been cited?

Any way, here is the release:

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)

Hikers Evacuated After Three SPOT Activations In Three Days

On the evening of September 23rd, rangers began a search for hikers who

Read more »

The state has raised the daily adult coho limit on three portions of the mainstem Columbia River.

The increased limit is in effect from Thursday through Dec. 31.

Here is the rest of the release:

Lower Columbia River from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line upstream to a line projected from the Warrior Rock Lighthouse through Red Buoy #4 to the orange marker atop the dolphin on the lower end of Bachelor Island – The daily limit is 6 fish. Up to 3 may be adults of which no more than 2 may be hatchery steelhead. Release

Read more »

The Eastern Washington modern firearm elk hunting season that opens Oct. 31 does not include the West Bar Game Management Unit (GMU) 330 in the northeast corner of Kittitas County.

The state just sent out a note about the error 2009 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations pamphlet. The unit is mistakenly listed under the Oct. 31 – Nov. 8 season for true spike bulls.

“The West Bar unit is available for early archery and special permit elk hunting only,” said Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, in a news release. “Over 20 years ago when

Read more »

Tthe first razor-clam dig of the fall season got the final go ahead this afternoon.

Evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors (Friday-Monday); Long Beach and Copalis (Friay-Sunday); and Mocrocks and Kalaloch Beach (Saturday-Sunday). Digging at all beaches is limited to the hours between noon and midnight.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the digs at the five beaches after a series of marine toxin tests confirmed the clams were safe to eat.

Look for more details in Thursday’s Adventure section.

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

Read more »

Washington State Parks voted Thursday night to double the price of Sno-Park day passes.

Sno-Park passes will be $20 this season and will be required for each vehicle.

A season pass will be $40 and the special groomed trail permit will be an additional $40. Each of these passes were $30 last season.

On Sept. 3, state parks spokeswoman Linda Burnett said, "The reason for the increase is to encourage people to buy an annual pass."

Passes go on sale Nov. 1.

The state just announced that anglers must release adult chinook

on a section of the lower Cowlitz River starting Saturday.

Here is the rest of the release:

Action: Anglers must release adult chinook on the Cowlitz River from Blue Creek upstream to Mill Creek.

Species affected: Adult chinook salmon

Effective dates: Saturday through Dec. 31

Location: Cowlitz River from Blue Creek at the trout hatchery to Mill Creek near the salmon hatchery.

Reason for action: Protects naturally spawning fall chinook. This section is the primary spawning area for

Read more »