THE LAST VESTIGES of the most miserable spring in recent memory aren’t going away any time soon.
Thanks to all that cool weather and persistent precipitation, many North Olympic Peninsula mountains should stay snowcapped for some time to come.
That means more than a few trails will be either inaccessible or, at the very least, a more daunting challenge deep into the summer.
As some of you might remember, we had a similar problem last year when another above average snowpack kept tenderfeet off a handful of trails well into the summer.
In mid-July, my parents and I were shut out of one of my favorite summertime escapes — the final half mile of the Elwha River Trail — due to the snow’s prolonged presence.
Anyone who’s attempted to head up to Lake Angeles (elevation 4,250 feet) in recent weeks has run into the same problem.
A trail normally melted out by June instead has one to three feet of snow on it several hundred feet below the lake.
Expect the same for many others in the next couple of months.
So what is a hiker to do?
Either purchase a pair of snowshoes and pack them in, or wait it out like the rest of us outdoor dilettantes and occasionally check various websites for current trail conditions.
The Olympic National Park (www.nps.gov/olym) and Washington Trails Association (www.wta.org) websites are both great resources for up-to-date trail reports.
Once all that snow melts off the mountains, and the colorful array of wildflower blooms follow, it will be well worth the wait.
Lake Crescent
One lake that is now accessible to anglers is Lake Crescent.
The 4,700-acre lake opened to catch-and-release fishing last Wednesday, although I’ve yet to hear much in the way of promising stories.
The popularity of fishing Crescent has declined drastically since the park prohibited the retention of its two unique trout species — Beardslee and Crescenti trout.
Those who can get past that, however, will find fishing it quite enjoyable.
In much the same way that golfers enjoy playing a round at Pebble Beach because of its one-of-a-kind beauty, anglers often like tossing a line into Crescent.
Depending upon where you fish, the action hovers from dull to downright good.
What doesn’t change is the serene scenery that makes Crescent a popular destination for hikers, boaters, swimmers, cliff divers and countless others.
I’ve heard more than a few anglers swear by the productivity of fishing the north side of the lake, most notably the waters in front of the creeks that drain into that end.
There are fish to be had on south side as well. I’ve hooked a few fishing just before dusk.
Just don’t be surprised if a bat or two starts chasing your fly around this time.
Halibut opener
Coastal anglers will get at least one more crack at halibut in Area 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay) this year.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that recreational anglers will be able to fish for flatties June 16 on the coast.
A couple of days later on June 18, the selective salmon season begins in both areas as well.
Those who can make it out for the halibut happening can expect some decent fishing.
The past two openers last week produced a couple of monsters tipping the scales at more than 100 pounds.
That included the Big Salmon Resort Halibut Derby winner in Neah Bay, a 126-pounder caught by John Nettekoven of Maple Valley on Saturday.
Nettekoven said he hooked the fish in 88 feet of water about one mile south of Tatoosh Island.
“We got kicked out of where we were going to fish normally,” said Nettekoven, whose wife, Cindy, won the derby a few years ago. “We just anchored up to give it a try and we did pretty good.”
In addition to John’s fish, which won him $1,800, his group also hooked 87- and 70-pound flatties fishing the same spot.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors and sports columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column regularly appears on Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at matt.schubert@peninsuladailynews.com.
