Help improve Hurricane Ridge, ONP access

On Thursday March 27, 2008 the Olympic Mountains are sheathed in 13.5 inches of new snow, the snow level nearly down to sea level, with a brilliant blue sky as a background, so it is time for a Hurricane Ridge access update. Several important events have occurred recently. We need the help of Metro Seattle, Tacoma, and especially Kitsap County backcounrty skiers!

1. The Final Management Plan for Olympic National Park was issued on March 13. On the positive side plan calls for the ski area to retain the right to improve lifts without expanding the area, and providing alternative transportation. On the negative side, weekend only access was codified for the first time. Although the public comment period is over, any comment received before the 30 day no action period will be made part of the permanent record. Therefore it is critical to write a letter in support of seven day a week winter access before the 30 day no action period ends on April 11. The address is

Superintendent, Olympic National Park
Re: Olympic National Park Final Management Plan
600 Park Avenue
Port Angeles, WA 98363

It may be useful to copy the Regional Director
Jon Jarvis, Regional Director National Park Service
Re: Olympic National Park Final Management Plan
One Jackson Center
1111 Jackson Street Suite 700
Oakland, CA 94607
Numbers matter, so individuals as well as groups should respond.
Mr. Jarvis recently testified to congress regarding Yosemite transportation: "The (Interior) Department strongly supports enhancing partnerships and increasing communication between gateway communities and Yosemite National Park. These efforts are consistent with the Administration’s “new environmentalism,” an initiative that will help build a healthier environment, dynamic economies, and sustainable communities. At the center of the Department’s plan to implement this new environmentalism are what Secretary Norton has termed the “Four C’s” — Communication, Consultation, and Cooperation, all in the service of Conservation. The Four C’s recognize that both gateway communities and federal lands can benefit from creative partnerships. "
In my letter I said
The words “on weekends” should be stricken from Paragraph 1 so it reads “Road access to Hurricane Ridge and Heart of the Hills would continue to be provided year round. The winter operating schedule would be used to allow road access for private vehicles (late fall to early spring depending on weather conditions).” This would allow the option of more days of operation if feasible at some point during the life of the document.
The reason given for leaving weekend only access in all four options is that no comments were received in the scoping process or comment period in favor of seven day a week access. So we need to ask!

2. A group consisting of Betsy Wharton, PA City Council; Gary Holmquist, HRWSC; Michael Gruskin, WA Winter Recreation Program; Edna Petersen, PABA; and Greg Halberg, FONP; had a productive meeting with acting Superintendent Sue McGill and Park staff on March 17. We agreed that we can find ways to cooperate on better communication regarding road status, and alternative transportation ideas. We also committed to further conversation regarding other issues.
3. Sue McGill spoke with the Port Angeles Business Association (PABA) regarding Park access. She indicated that storm damage across the Park has made this an especially difficult year. Despite stormy weather, the road has been open 68% of scheduled days. Unfortunately, that means that open days decreased from 12 scheduled days per month to 8 open days per month. Eight days per month is not enough opportunities to attract customers.
4. The Winter Wildlands Alliance (a national nonprofit organization promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snowsports experience on public lands) may provide assistance. WWA with the Forest Service has identified physical characteristics that make forest lands suitable for Nordic and Backcounrty Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snowshoeing:
• Free from snowmobiles
• One to three miles from road for day use.
• Two to six miles for overnight use.
• Slopes that face all directions.
• Predominantly free from avalanche hazard.
• Steep slopes for Backcountry skiers.
• Gentle terrain for crosscountry and snowshoe.
• Able to accommodate grooming machines for track skiers.
Hurricane Ridge is a near perfect match, as long as the road isn’t blocked at Heart O’ the Hills.
5. Some economic justification for keeping the road open:
• A 2000 park study found that park visitors average spend an average of $89 per person per visit. Visitors that spend the night spend more. The study concluded that “If increased economic impact is a goal, management strategies that motivate park visitors to stay overnight in the area or to extend lengths of stay should be encouraged.”
• Hurricane Ridge receives only 40% as many visits in winter as Paradise in Mount Rainier NP. During the summer that number goes up to 90%. Paradise is open 7 days a week in the winter. Hurricane Ridge receives more visits than Paradise on a per open day basis.
• If Hurricane Ridge were to receive as many visits as Paradise it would be a $4,000,000 boost this year to the local economy based on $89 per visit.
• Current winter hotel occupancy in Port Angeles is about 35%. Summer occupancy is about 85%.
• According to Park officials at our meeting current cost as of mid March of Hurricane Ridge Operations for this winter season is $79,945.
• The source for most of this data is on the Friends of the Park website www.friendsonp.org or MRNP and ONP websites.

How can you help? Write a letter in support of increased access. Talk to other people that you know are interested in winter recreation or winter economics. Over the past year I have spoken with hundreds of people about this issue. Nearly all of them have said the same things- A) Yes, Hurricane Ridge should be open more often, and The Park will never do it. I think we can find ways to make it happen.