PORT ANGELES — Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge will be closed for more than a year beginning in April as it undergoes major rehabilitation with $10.8 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act.
It will be closed from approximately April 2023 to May 2024, Olympic National Park officials said. Temporary facilities will serve visitors to Hurricane Ridge during the closure. Exact closure dates will be refined based on the contractor’s schedule, according to a press release.
The construction contract includes interior and exterior repairs that will bring the facility into compliance with current building safety, fire and accessibility codes, according to Olympic National Park Superintendent Sula Jacobs.
“The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge is located in one of the most popular areas to visit in Olympic National Park,” Jacobs said.
“These essential repairs will correct $6.68 million in deferred maintenance and repairs associated with this facility, and will ensure that the Day Lodge is accessible, safe and energy efficient.”
The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge is about 17 miles south of Port Angeles on Hurricane Ridge Road, which begins as Race Street.
At an elevation of 5,242 feet, the lodge offers a sweeping view of the Olympic Mountains. It attracts about 300,000 visitors per year, the park said.
It was originally built in 1952 as a ski lodge; it was remodeled in 1983 and again in 2000, when it was expanded to its current size of 12,197 square feet.
Planned improvements include the electrical and plumbing systems, fire detection and notification systems, interior accessibility, and modifications to the building’s elevator to meet current code.
The roof will be replaced and structurally improved, and windows, doors, exterior siding and wainscot, and interior floor coverings will be replaced. Interior walls will be repainted. The restrooms, interior and exterior access routes and parking will be improved to comply with the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards.
Outside the lodge, concrete work, asphalt work and accessibility improvements will be completed, officials said.
The lower terrace patio overlooking the Olympic Mountains will receive new surfacing. The terrace’s access ramp and stairs also will be reconstructed. Repairs and upgrades to the building’s heating and ventilation systems also are planned.
Infrastructure funding from GAOA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is part of an effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks, officials said.
Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to the National Park Service to enhance them.
