OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Recreational opportunities at Hurricane Ridge wouldn’t expand as much as some would have liked under the newly released Olympic National Park General Management Plan.
The park is still set on expanding its boundaries — but only with willing sellers.
The 950-page final report on goals for the next 20 years in the park outlines not additional parking for Hurricane Ridge.
It would also leave the road to Obstruction Point unpaved and make no expansion of the downhill ski area or increase skiing use opportunities.
In written comments on the plan, the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce had urged the park to adopt a plan for Hurricane Ridge that would have paved Obstruction Point road and increased the parking.
The Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce had urged upgrading and enlarging the Hurricane Ridge ski facilities, as well as putting the operation out to bid for a private developer.
Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Russ Veenema said Friday that he hadn’t had an opportunity to compare what the park did to what the chamber sought.
“Generally, the Chamber had more aggressive development ideas when we commented, and generally we didn’t want the park to expand [its boundaries] because they can’t pay for what they have now,” Veenema said.
The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club, in its comment, supported the same alternative the park chose — Alternative D — saying that it offered the best management strategy for Hurricane Ridge.
It includes redesigning and improving visitor services, accommodating alternative transit, and developing a “universally accessible trail.”
Port Angeles’ suggestion for bike paths was not incorporated into the plan.
Improvements to the downhill support facilities “could be allowed,” under the plan, without expansion of use.
