A set of storms last week brought plenty of snow to places such as Paradise. But more needs to fall before the snowplay area there opens.
Staff members at Mount Rainier National Park have tentatively set Dec. 17 as the opening date for the snowplay area, the only place in the park that visitors are allowed to go sledding. That opening would coincide with the start of winter break for many school districts.
The actual opening will depend on how much snow is on the ground. Park officials like to have at least 5 feet of snow, for rider safety and to protect the fragile alpine vegetation in the area, said Chief Ranger Chuck Young.
As of Friday, there was almost 4 feet of snow on the ground.
Even though the snowplay area is not open yet, Young reminds all visitors to the park that tire chains are required to be carried in all vehicles, including those with four-wheel drive, while driving in the park between the Nisqually entrance and Paradise. This requirement will last through the winter until May 1.
The same requirement is in place at Olympic National Park for visitors planning to drive up Hurricane Ridge Road. Daily snowplowing operations are expected to begin Friday. As of Friday, there was about 17 inches of snow on the ground at Hurricane Ridge.
KOPACHUCK UPDATE
Staff members from State Parks and Recreation have yet to make recommendations to deal with diseased trees, thus the campground at Kopachuck State Park remains closed.
The campground has been closed since May 23 when park staffers became concerned about the health of the trees towering over many of the park’s 41 individual campsites.
After stuyding the trees in the park, an arbor crew from the state Department of Natural Resources found that about 80 percent of the Douglas firs were affected by laminated root rot.
Staffers are developing a plan to present to the director and commission, said State Parks spokeswoman Sandy Mealing.
The park’s day-use area, beach area and group campground remain open. To make a reservation, call the park office at 253-265-3606.
Jeffrey P. Mayor: 253-597-8640 jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
October national park visits
Mount Rainier
October 2011: 66,499
October 2010: 66,114
Difference: 0.6 percent
Year-to-date 2011: 986,448
Year-to-date 2010: 1,136,200
Difference: -13.2 percent
The number of recreation visits in October was up slightly – just 385 visits – compared with the same month last year. That is just a 0.6 percent increase. Still, it was the best October count since 2008. The year-to-date difference continues to decline, but still remains in double digits. The year-to-date count through September was down 14 percent in 2011 from 2010, but is now down 13.2 percent through the first 10 months.
Olympic
October 2011: 194,130
October 2010: 172,354
Difference: 12.6 percent
Year-to-date 2011: 2,790,836
Year-to-date 2010: 2,631,633
Difference: 6.0 percent
A strong October has pushed the park’s annual visitation to a 6 percent improvement when compared with the first 10 months of 2010. October’s jump was driven by people visiting the Lake Crescent and Hoh Rain Forest areas. It was the third straight month with a double-digit percentage increase from the same month last year.
Jeffrey P. Mayor, jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com
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