JOYCE – Campgrounds need firewood, but this was ridiculous.
Salt Creek Recreation Area’s lower campsites are set to reopen today after Clallam County employees, volunteers and inmates of the Sheriff’s Chain Gang repaired the damage wreaked by a trio of winter storms during November, December and January.
More than 250 trees fell across roads and campsites at the 196-acre facility, said Park Manager Erik Prange.
Other major damage included:
- The upper pay station, knocked over by wind, and the lower pay station flattened by a large Western red cedar.
- The lower campground restroom, damaged by a fallen Douglas fir.
- Six new picnic tables, crushed by falling trees.
- Electric power, knocked out for a total of two weeks during the three storms.
“There were so many trees down,” said Prange, “it looked like some giants had been playing pick-up sticks.
“There were trees piled on top of trees, some uprooted, some snapped off.”
Prange said the park looked so different that he felt disoriented.
A self-loading logging truck and a brush-hauling vehicle took away large debris while Chain Gang members collected smaller wreckage and contractors rebuilt the play stations and repaired the restroom.
A county maintenance crew cut down trees that were likely to fall, fixed fences and replaced broken parking bumpers.
“When I first saw all the trees down, I thought, ‘There’s no way we can have it open by spring.’
“We’re really grateful for all the help that’s been going on out here.”
There’s always work for volunteers to do, said Prange.
They can contact him at 360-928-3441 or send e-mail to ccpsc@olylpen.com.
