OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Winter has arrived. Well, sort of.
About 15 Hurricane Ridge promoters gathered at the top of the popular Olympic National Park destination today to mark the start of all-week access during its winter season.
They included representatives of the city of Port Angeles, business and tourism promoters, and snow lovers in general who came to show their support for the mountaintop in their backyard about 15 miles — and one mile higher — south of town.
Earlier report:
PORT ANGELES — Boosters of all-week winter access to the popular Olympic National Park destination of Hurricane Ridge say it’s time to strap on those snowshoes and grab the mittens.
Today will mark the start of the second year in a row that the mountaintop is accessible daily, weather permitting, from late November through March.
Previously, Hurricane Ridge Road was open only Fridays through Sundays plus Monday holidays.
A celebration will be held at 10 a.m. today at the Ridge — if weather permits the road to be open — with free shuttle service leaving the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., at 9 a.m.
This is expected to be the last year of the National Park Service pilot program, in which it has anted up $250,000 annually for the additional access.
At a stakeholder meeting earlier this month, park and Port Angeles civic leaders agreed that this is the year to show Washington, D.C., that there is a return on its investment.
“This is our year,” said City Councilwoman Cherie Kidd.
“This is our chance.”
Bruche Shaefer, Park Service comptroller, promised the funding for two to three years as long as the community could raise the additional $75,000 needed each year.
So far, that hasn’t been a problem.
But convincing the federal government to fully fund the effort each year amid ongoing budget battles will be the ultimate challenge.
Kidd and other civic leaders who met with Shaefer said the funding will continue only if there is a large enough increase in visitation — though how much is needed has not been mentioned, said Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman.
The park has set its own goal of Monday-through-Thursday visitation reaching 45 percent of its typical Friday-through-Sunday trips.
Last year was far from hitting that mark.
From Dec. 17, 2010, when the park switched back to all-week access, through March 31, there were 1,627 car trips to the Ridge between Mondays and Thursdays versus 6,990 trips Fridays through Sundays.
That represents about 23 percent of the weekend visits.
Overall visitation rose by 12 percent from January through March when compared with a five-year average, excluding 2010 due to a lengthy road closure.
The increased access is intended to promote the local economy by bringing more tourists to Port Angeles.
Lodging tax revenue, a measure of tourism, through September in Port Angeles is down $30,000 when compared with the same time period last year.
The same tax revenue for February and March was on par with the same months in 2010 but was up about $8,000 to $10,000 in January.
Daily snowplowing of the 17-mile road south of Port Angeles began today and will continue through April 1.
All visitors must carry chains in their vehicles.
The road was closed Wednesday because of a storm and Thursday because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday.
A winter weather advisory will be in effect through today, the National Weather Service said, with a storm expected to drop up to 11 inches of new snow.
As of Wednesday, 29 inches of snow were measured at the Ridge.
Entrance fees are collected at the Heart O’ the Hills station. A seven-day pass into the park costs $15, while an annual pass is $30.
A round-trip shuttle ride to the Ridge will be available for $20 Wednesdays through Sundays.
It will leave from the Port Angeles Visitors Center on Railroad Avenue at 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and from the Vern Burton Community Center at 9:05 a.m. and 12:35 p.m.
Downhill skiing and snowboarding will begin Dec. 3. Ranger-led snowshoe walks will begin Dec. 10. The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is open when the road is open.
To check if the road is open and get conditions at the Ridge, phone the park’s prerecorded hotline at 360-565-3131 or visit http://tinyurl.com/pdnridge .
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
