THE PAST MONTH or so, I’ve developed a habit of keeping the Hurricane Ridge webcam open on my Internet browser.
The reason I keep it is up is out of hope for the slim chance that I will click over to that tab at the same moment an animal is wandering nearing the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.
The reason I spark up the webcam in the first place is to evaluate the snow situation at the Ridge. Lately, more and more of the brown weeds are poking through the snow.
Wednesday’s webcam, however, showed a complete whiteout.
A few weeks ago, the Ridge received a healthy dump of snow.
And then nothing.
The snow is expected to continue through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service (see the seven-day forecast at www.tinyurl.com/pdnRidgecast).
So, will there be skiing and snowboarding at the Ridge this weekend?
“I don’t think so,” Frank Crippen, owner of North by Northwest Surf Co. (360-452-5144) in Port Angeles and former Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club president, said.
“Unless it snows a good amount.”
Crippen has said that the Ridge needs 36 inches of nicely packed snow for the ski and snowboard area to operate. As of Wednesday afternoon, there was only 27 inches, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center.
The most reasonable hope is that enough snow will fall for the ski and snowboard area to open next weekend.
What if this snowfall is a tease, just as it was a few weeks ago? Will the Ridge ever open?
Crippen said a throw-in-the-towel date has been discussed, but not decided.
But it’s too early to worry about that.
“There’s still two good months to go,” Crippen said.
By the way, check out the webcam here: www.tinyurl.com/pdnRidgeCam.
It’s a great way to enjoy the scenery without having to fork over $15.
Ongoing razor clam dig
There are still four days remaining on the latest razor clam dig.
This is the last dig slated until the end of February.
Here are the remaining dates for the current dig, evening low tides and participating beaches:
■ Today: 6:11 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
■ Friday: 6:55 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
■ Saturday: 7:38 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks and Copalis.
■ Sunday: 8:20 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
No digging is allowed before noon at any beach.
Author to speak in Sequim
Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, will speak at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, 2781 Towne Road in Sequim on Friday at 10 a.m.
Boys in the Boat tells the story the University of Washington rowing team that rowed for gold at the 1936 Olympics.
The book is centered around former Sequim resident Joe Rantz.
Rantz’s daughter Judy Willman also will present at Friday’s program.
Whether or not you attend Friday’s presentation, I recommend you get your hands on a copy of Boys in the Boat.
I read it during the summer, and it is one of the best books I’ve read.
But don’t take my word for it. (Cue “Reading Rainbow” music.)
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Sports Editor Lee Horton’s outdoors column appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
