Officials are still trying to decide how to deal with a March 15 debris avalanche that has blocked a local access road that connects two reservoirs within North Cascades National Park.

Park officials said an estimated 56,000 cubic meters of debris came down in the avalanche measuring almost 200 feet across at the toe of the avalanche.

The slide has cut the Ross Dam haul road, which is about a mile long and is an key administrative road.

While the road does not connect to any public road, it serves several organizations.

It provides Seattle City Light, operator of three …

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We should have counted on this happening. The days after organized winter operations begin to shut down at Paradise, some of the heaviest snowfall occurs.

As of 7 this morning, 25 inches of snow have fallen at Paradise. That has pushed the snowpack total to 154 inches, one of the highest levels of the winter.

Grooming of the snowplay area and manning the area with rangers came to an end on Sunday. Ranger-led snowshoe trips also ended on Sunday.

It wasn’t because of a lack of snow, but because of budgetary issues.

That doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of …

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Mount Rainier National Park is seeking public comments on an environmental assessment for the Stevens Canyon Road rehabilitation project.

The National Park Service, working with the Federal Highways Administration, is proposing to restore and resurface just over 10 miles of Stevens Canyon Road. The work is necessary because of deteriorating road conditions caused by structural deficiencies in the roadway and embankment fill slopes.

The assessment examines two alternatives: no action and the preferred alternative.

The preferred alternative includes:

• Roadway stabilization measures, such as embankment reinforcement and stabilization.
• Reconstruction of the road base, plus removing and recycling asphalt.
• Culvert cleaning,

…

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A 27.48-pound salmon has earned Tacoma angler Ralph Thomas bragging rights and a check for $15,000 as the overall winner for the largest fish caught during last week’s Anacortes Salmon Derby.

John Belarde of Woodinville took second with a 25.72-pound fish, earning $5,000, while Seth Baumgarten of Kirkland won $2,500 with a 24.38-pound salmon.

Thomas Jensen of Tacoma finished in eighth place with a fish weighing 21.28 pounds. He received an Ace line hauler.

There were 101 fish caught on Saturday and another 31 on Sunday. More than 1,000 people took part in this year’s event. The catch this year …

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This was reported several weeks ago, but the U.S. Ski Team just announced today that two-time Olympic skier Scott Macartney has retired from the team.

Injuries kept Macartney from skiing in the Vancouver Games.

Here’s the statement from the U.S. Ski Team:

Two-time Olympian Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, WA) announced his retirement from the U.S. Ski Team leaving a legacy of leadership at every level of the U.S. alpine program. In 12 years with the Team, ‘Mac’ amassed World Cup podiums, top-10 finishes at Olympics and World Championships and a record of World Cup points at every downhill venue he raced.

“There’s a lot of things that I’m proud of in ski racing, but some of my greatest memories are fairly recent,” said Macartney. “Our speed team’s trip to Moab mountain biking last summer was pretty amazing for our group. It was cool to get together and be competitive in something else other than ski racing. There are bonds I’ve built with these guys I’ll hold my entire life.”

A skier from birth, Macartney’s volunteer Ski Patrol parents had him on boards at age three. By seven he had started racing at Crystal Mountain and in 1998 made his break through with a bronze medal and the Junior World Championships in Megeve, France. Through racing, he continued his education through Dartmouth College and received a degree in 2004. Read more »

If you still want to play in the snow, this will be the last official weekend for the snow play area at Paradise. Mount Rainier National Park Acting Superintendent Randy King said the area will be staffed and groomed through Sunday.

After that date, the snow play area will remain open until conditions make sledding unsafe or decreasing snow depth would allow play in that area to impact the fragile meadow vegetation beneath the runs.

The ranger-led snow shoe walks will also end on Sunday.

The Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center is open weekends only, 10
a.m. to …

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The Department of the Interior and U.S. Mint have unveiled the first five “America the Beautiful” quarters. The series kicks off with coins featuring America’s four oldest national parks – Hot Springs, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon – and Mount Hood National Forest.

The five quarters were unveiled Wednesday and are the first of 56 that will be issued between 2010 and 2021. They will include 48 National Park sites, two U.S. Fish and Wildlife sites, and six U.S. Forest Service sites.

Washington will be represented by Olympic National Park. That coin is scheduled to be released in 2011.

The …

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This tidbit should be of interest for folks planning a future stay at the 214-room Many Glacier Hotel at Glacier National Park in Montana.

It seems that the hotel, built in 1914-1915 by the Great Northern Railroad is in the midst of a multi-phase rehabilitation similar to the recent $22.5 million project at Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier National Park.

The $9.5 million Many Glacier project will focus on correcting life safety and seismic issues.

Construction is scheduled to begin this fall 2010 after the hotel closes for the season, with completion expected by spring of 2012 before the hotel …

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