Washouts, slides, flooding reported

FORKS — Upper Hoh Road has been closed for a washout outside the Olympic National Park boundary, blocking access to the Hoh Rain Forest.

The Hoh Campground and Visitor Center are now closed, park spokeswoman Penny Wagner said.

“Jefferson County plans to begin the road repairs next week,” Wagner said in a Friday press release, the day the Upper Hoh Road was closed.

“The work is expected to take two weeks to complete and the road will remain closed during repairs.”

High flows damaged road near milepost 8 earlier this month, restricting travel to one lane.

Jefferson County commissioners declared a state of emergency for Upper Hoh Road on Jan. 13. The road has been in constant need of repairs, county officials said.

Further damage occurred near milepost 8 as the Hoh River swelled to about 24,000 cubic feet per second on Thursday. The river had receded to 13,600 CFS by 6:15 p.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Right now, it’s going to remain closed until Jefferson County completes their repairs,” Wagner said in a telephone interview.

The Hoh Campground will reopen when the repairs are complete, Wagner said. The Hoh Visitor Center is scheduled to reopen in March.

Elsewhere on the West End, park officials closed Mora Road on Thursday due to projected flooding. The road reopened Friday morning after water levels dropped, Wagner said.

Clallam County road crew members cleared a landslide that blocked Undi Road south of Forks on Friday.

In Port Angeles, flooding was reported at Lincoln Park. City Parks and Recreation Director Corey Delikat was not immediately available for comment Friday evening.

For current travel information, Olympic National Park visitors should check the park website at www.nps.gov/olym and phone the recorded road and weather hotline at 360-565-3131.

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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.