The News Tribune

While the Hozomeen Campground at the north end of Ross Lake has opened for the season, campers need to be aware that water will not be available for the forseeable future.

The National Park Service said campers are asked to bring in their own water or properly treat water from the lake or streams with a water filter, purifying tablets or by boiling the water.

The campground typically has water. But this has been a difficult year to get things up and running given there was significant vandalism over the winter, said Charles Beall, acting superintendent for the North Cascade National Park Complex.

It also has been hard to hire a second seasonal maintenance employee to work at the campground, which is needed so that there’s a certified water operator on duty seven days per week as required by the state for the maintenance of public water systems, Beall said.

“We are hoping to have the second employee working and water available again at some point this summer,” he added. “We just do not know when.”

The campground, in the Ross Lake National Recreational Area, is located where boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and nature watching are all popular activities. The 75 campsites are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The campground offers vault toilets, but no other services – all garbage must be packed out and firewood gathering is prohibited.

To reach the campground by road, one must drive into Canada. It is 40 miles south of Hope, B.C. While there is no road access on the United States-side of the lake, the campground can be reached by watercraft or hiking.

KALALOCH CONCESSIONS

DNC Parks & Resorts at Kalaloch, Inc. has been awarded a new 10-year concession contract to operate overnight accommodations, food and beverage, retail, fuel, and firewood sales in the Kalaloch area of Olympic National Park.

DNC Parks & Resorts at Kalaloch, Inc. is a subsidiary of the New York-based Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Inc., DNC Parks & Resorts has more than 70 years of hospitality experience at a variety of venues including operating concessions within Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks.

“Kalaloch has a long history as a resort destination, beginning in 1925 with the establishment of Becker’s Ocean Resort,” said acting park superintendent Todd Suess in a news release.

For information about DNC Parks & Resorts, go to delawarenorth.com.