OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — The Elwha Valley’s 4.5-mile Whiskey Bend Road has been reopened to vehicle use.
The road, which had been closed since late 2014 after a storm destroyed a portion of it about 4 miles up, was reopened Friday morning.
On Saturday, Olympic Hot Springs Road was closed at the park boundary because of water across the road at Elwha Campground, said Barb Maynes, Olympic National Park spokeswoman.
The reopening of Whiskey Bend Road means drivers now can get to the east-side overlook of Glines Canyon.
After heavy rain saturated the area, part of the road slid downhill, rendering it impassible to through traffic.
Road repairs began in mid-October and were expected to take five weeks to complete.
However, the project was completed early, Maynes said.
Contractors rebuilt and stabilized the slope and constructed a masonry retaining wall to support the 70-foot section of road destroyed last winter, she said.
Repairs cost about $250,000, which included the contract amount as well as work completed by park roads staff, Maynes said.
The contracted portion was funded through the Federal Highway Administration emergency repair program for federally owned roads.
Hot Springs Road
Olympic Hot Springs Road had been open, providing access to the Glines Canyon Spillway Overlook on the west side of Glines Canyon and the Boulder Creek trailhead.
But on Saturday, flooding from the Elwha River shut it down.
The road was closed at the park boundary because of water across the road at Elwha Campground, Maynes said.
A 400-foot section of road was flooded by one to two feet of water that has spilled over the banks of the Elwha River, she said.
Conditions were to be assessed again today.
The Olympic Hot Springs pools remain closed after they were shut down Tuesday when a Silverdale man, Bruce Gunderson, was found dead in one of the pools.
His death is under investigation but was thought to be from natural causes, Maynes said.
The hot springs were closed for health and safety reasons and will remain closed through the weekend, Maynes said.
For more information about visiting Olympic National Park, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/olym.
