Hikers are reaching the backcountry of Olympic National Park earlier than usual this year, but in many cases they’re finding missing bridges, downed logs and other trail damage that makes the going rough.
The park has announced its summer schedule, saying all campgrounds will be open by today, the kickoff of Memorial Day weekend.
Snow has melted so quickly this spring that Hurricane Hill Road — which extends beyond the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center — is already open.
Superintendent Bill Laitner, however, cautions that ever-changing weather can still lead to dangerous conditions in the wild.
“Preparation and good planning are key to a safe and enjoyable visit,” Laitner said in a news release.
Park officials urge hikers to visit the Wilderness Information Center, located behind the main visitor center at the base of Hurricane Ridge Road, before taking their first steps of the season.
Detailed trail information can also be obtained from ranger stations.
Trail damage
Despite the early start to hiking season, the detrimental effects of fall and winter storms will likely be felt throughout the summer as park managers squeeze trail maintenance into a $10,080,000 operations budget already stretched thin.
“I don’t think that we’ve got a complete read on that yet,” park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said, noting that storm damage can also be funded by a federal account separate from Olympic’s budget.
“We’re looking at all of the needs and prioritizing them,” Maynes said.
Here’s the park’s breakdown on the most notable areas of damage:
* Elwha River Trail — The 75-foot-long Lost River bridge is washed out, as is the foot-log over the Elwha River about 24 miles from the Whiskey Bend trailhead.
Also, a quarter-mile section of trail is washed out between Goblins Gate and Krause Bottom on the Humes Ranch loop.
* Bogachiel River Trail — The trail is washed out in a number of places, leaving 20- to 30-foot vertical banks in several areas.
* North Fork Quinault Trail — Numerous washouts are making this trail more difficult than usual.
* East Fork Quinault Trail — The Enchanted Valley suspension bridge is out and a long section of trail is missing. There are numerous slides, washouts and missing foot-logs.
* Hoh River Trail — Many campsites are filled with silt from flooding. Foot-logs and several sections of trail are washed out on the upper portion.
Tread is missing above Elk Lake and a belay is necessary for crossing some of the steeper slopes. (Use extreme caution; this is a very dangerous section of trail.)
Trail information can be found online at www.nps.gov/olym/wic/conditions.htm.
Visitor centers
The main park visitor center on Mount Angeles Road just south of Park Avenue in Port Angeles is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will begin a 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily schedule on Saturday.
The Wilderness Information Center next door is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Beginning June 18, it will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the week.
The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily beginning today.
Meanwhile, the Olympic National Park and Forest Recreation Information Center inside the Forks Transit Center is only open on Thursdays through Mondays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m.).
The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center’s snack bar and gift shop are open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Campgrounds and roads
All Olympic National Park frontcountry campgrounds will be open by today, including Deer Park Campground.
The gate on Deer Park Road will open today.
Kalaloch Campground is the only location inside the park where reservations are accepted, and only between June 15 and Sept. 7 by calling 800-365-2267 or by going online at http://reservations.nps.gov.
All park roads except Obstruction Point Road will be open this weekend.
Dosewallips Road is closed due to a 2½-year-old washout and the campground at the top end the road is walk-in only.
Obstruction Point Road will open as snow and road conditions permit, typically by July 4.
Concessions
Most park lodges, restaurants and stores are now open for the summer season.
Log Cabin Resort on the northeast side of Lake Crescent opened last Saturday.
Fairholm General Store on the west end of the lake might be open by this Monday.
Forever Resorts, which runs Lake Crescent Lodge along with the Ridge visitor center, recently took over operation of Fairholm.
Bill Ahler, general manager of Forever Resorts’ properties inside Olympic National Park, said that renovations are taking place inside Fairholm store.
When the work is complete the store will open at 8 a.m. daily. It will close at 6 p.m. until summer traffic increases and will then remain open until 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., Ahler said.
Lake Crescent Lodge, Kalaloch Lodge, and the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort are also open.
