Another aspect that doesn't add up is the relationship between keeping the Hurricane Ridge Road open and deferred maintenance in the Park.

Reed Robinson, the former chief of maintenance stated at a 2009 Port Angeles City Council meeting that even if ONP got a greater appropriation from Congress, the first priority for that money would be reducing deferred maintenance, not plowing the Hurricane Ridge road.

However, in recent conversations Park officials have insisted that during the 50% of the days that no new plowing is needed on the Ridge road, the road crew is kept busy with other projects within the Park.

It seems as if the four additional crew hired for the two year experiment therefore would have been able to knock out quite a few items on the maintenance punch list.  At any rate it seems that having those additional staff should be a net benefit to the overall maintenance of the park, not something to be fought tooth and nail by park administration.

Here is the tally for the month of December for the access to Hurricane Ridge complementing other recreation:

5 days were open from 9 to dusk as scheduled.
3 out of 18 scheduled days were closed all day
6 out of 18 days opened late (not counting one day at 9:07) Average late opening was 10:30
4 out of 18 closed early due to weather
2 days of full parking
15 of 31 days were closed.
 
The Park will say that the road was closed 17% (3/18) of the time, better than historical averages.
By the standards of any other road system the road was open 95.5 hours out of 744 hours in the month, or 13%.
In January there are 13 scheduled open days.

Contrast this:

I firmly believe the park will not be successful unless the communities around it are successful," new ONP superintendent Sarah Creachbaum said. "Make those relationships before you need those relationships." "When you work with anybody whose experiences are different than yours, it behooves you to shut up and listen for a while."
 

With this:

 

“Given the current park budget and weekend popularity of Hurricane Ridge, providing visitor access on the three busiest days of the week makes good sense and complements the variety of other recreational opportunities that Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula offer.” -ONP response to “Why does it cost so much?”

This decision was made by a handful of senior ONP staff, none of whom have been at ONP for more than five years. In contrast, the City of Port Angeles, Clallam County Commissioners, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, Port Angeles Business Association, Port Angeles Downtown Association, Sequim Chamber of Commerce, Peninsula Bed and Breakfast Association, as well as many individuals all are on record supporting EVERY DAY access to Hurricane Ridge, and believe strongly enough to donate money to make it happen. Who has more credibility in determining what “complements the variety of other recreational opportunities that the Olympic Peninsula offer?

 

Another important distiction is that through a series of land use decisions including the 1984 creation of the Buckhorn Wilderness there is no other viable access to winter recreation on the Olympic Peninsula.  The 1984 Buckhorn designation was created while the road to Hurricane Ridge was open seven days a week and there was no reason to think that would change. 

Thank you for the chance to provide correct information about access to Hurricane Ridge.

From the November press release:“Keeping Hurricane Ridge Road open daily through the winter is a very different task than providing daily access to the park's low elevation roads, and is significantly more costly and difficult,” Suess said.  However, this new explanation indicates that they spend just as much money for these other places, probably more.  The road crew costs for three guys working 40 hours per week would be the same.  The law enforcement costs are greater because each place has its own staff.  Lake Crescent/Sol Duc has three, Elwha two or more, and Staircase two.  The additional costs for sand is slightly more but relatively insignificant.  Fuel may be more, but doubtful due to the cost just to get to Sol Duc and Staircase.  Fuel also is a relatively small portion of the cost.

1.  "The full time crew's normal work day is 5 am to 3:30 pm." The road does not open until the crew is essentially done for the day.  The exception is that occasionally, the plow/sand truck will make a second pass in the afternoon.  Compare that to any other winter road operation, where the crews plow as needed during storms while the road remains open to public vehicles.

During the seven day trail period, on average it took three hours to clear the road each day, which would be 21 hours in an average week.  Even the extreme weeks were less than 40 hours per week.

2.  "Three employees maintain Camp David Jr and East Beach, Olympic HS and Whiskey Bend, and Sol Duc."  CDJ and EB roads are shared with the county.  I am pretty familiar with East Beach Road, and I would be surprised if the Park spends ten days a year on it.  The County plows it when it snows.  PUD clears trees after windstorms.  Olympic HS road closes at variable gates depending on snowfall.  It is not plowed.  I have never seen Whiskey Bend plowed.  Sol Duc is closed to the public whenever it snows.  If they clear one lane, why not both and keep it open?  Also the GMP states that Sol Duc should close in the winter.
In 2012 there were 7,337 Jan-March vehicles on Hurricane Ridge.  The other areas that the park is busy maintianing were 52 at Staircase; 4,661 at Elwha; 750 at Sol Duc; and 5,874 at East Beach. Yet,
"We cannot justify taxpayer money to maintain weekday winter access to Hurricane Ridge Road for a relatively small number of people.”
3.  "In keeping with National Park Service standards for safety..."  What are those standards?  Why are they different for Hurricane Ridge than Lake Crescent, for example?  Why are they different than ONF and/or other National Forest and Park areas that do maintain access?

Normal operations at Stevens Pass 12/7/12

Second Plow at Stevens

Rotary Plow at Stevens 12/7/12

Alternative Reality

Let's pretend for a minute that instead of :

"Three members of the park’s nine-person road crew will change their duty schedules this week and work full-time on maintaining weekend access to Hurricane Ridge.

 

Of the remaining six crew members, one is a mechanic, charged with servicing and maintaining the park’s fleet of trucks and heavy equipment and three are tasked with keeping roads cleared and maintained along the park’s northern and eastern edges including Sol Duc, Lake Crescent, Elwha and Staircase. The remaining two road crew members are stationed in Quinault to keep the Quinault, Queets and Hoh Rain Forest roads clear and passable."

 

Lets imagine if they went with a program that the three guys for Hurricane Ridge plus the three guys for the northeast all worked together to do whatever was needed each day.  Keep in mind that Crater Lake keeps 30 miles of high elevation road open 24/7 with six guys. Mount Baker has seven guys for 24/7 coverage plus an smilar amount of low elevation work as ONP, and does it for about half the cost.  In Utah a six man crew keeps the Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon roads open as well as a stretch of Interstate 215.  That would be the equivalant of Sol Duc and Hurricane with Highway 101 in between as well.

 

This week, the three Hurricane Ridge guys supposedly worked all day on Friday to clear the 6-8 foot drifts that had built up during the week.  The road was closed all day Friday.  On Saturday, they sanded the road, finished what they didn't do on Friday and at any rate were done and headed back to headquarters by about 9:30.  On Sunday, there was no new precipitation, and the road opened at 7:15.  Maximum one guy in the sand truck.  Going into this week, there is no snow forecast until Thursday so the crew of six could then work on the other projects in the northeast portion of the park.

Some precise weather forecasting such as is available to the WSDOT from www.nw-weathernet.com would make it even more efficient.

 

This is a very typical scenario that would allow the HR road to open every day and whatever else the other three guys do also get done. 

 

Imagining the worst case scenario of a major windstorm that fells multiple trees across the other roads: 

 

At Lake Crescent Highway 101 is maintained by WSDOT and East Beach Road by the County.  Sol Duc Road has been closed in the winter, and the GMP says it will be open seasonally. 

 

The Olympic Hot Springs Road has been closed the last two years for dam removal, and regardless always closes when it is snow covered.  For the last two years the Whiskey Bend Road was closed due to a major washout fixed by an outside contractor, then a minor culvert replacement also fixed by an outside contractor. 

 

Staircase has been closed the past five years during the winter since the big hump fire.

 

So there doesn't seem to be any urgency in keeping those areas open. At the very worst, close the Hurricane Ridge Road a couple days during the week to get caught up.  It would be better than closing it all the time as is the case now.

 

 

So much for accountability.  I wrote a letter to the West Regional Director outlining specific details where the Hurricane Ridge decision is contrary to National Park Service policy.  I got back a generic press release, amazingly similar to the response to Summer's letter to the editor.

Here is my orignal letter:

Christine Lehnertz, Regional Director
National Park Service
333 Bush Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104-2828

Dear Ms. Lehnertz,

As Sarah Creachbaum becomes the new Superintendent of Olympic National Park, I would like to bring to your attention to an ongoing issue at ONP: winter access to Hurricane Ridge. 

It is troubling to the local community that there is a set of standards that seemingly apply only to Hurricane Ridge: For example: cost per visitor justification; safety; and road crew hours.  

Support for increased winter access to Hurricane Ridge permeates both the spirit and the letter of National Park policy as stated in NPS Management Policies, Director’s Orders, and the ONP superintendent’s compendium. The park has an obligation to provide opportunities for winter recreation and provide adequate funding to do so.

Excerpts from NPS policies contradict current Hurricane Ridge management, and support many of the suggested solutions to increased winter access.  NPS policy:

·         Clarifies that winter recreation is an appropriate use within Parks in general and Olympic in particular due to the mention of winter use in the founding documents, annexation of Deer Park, and the current GMP.  8.1.1, 8.2.2

·         Further emphasizes that park managers must provide visitors from all walks of life the opportunity for meaningful educational and recreational experiences-experiences that inspire and lead to visitor enjoyment and a greater sense of resource stewardship. (Introduction)

·         Establishes recreation as a park value that should not be impaired without careful consideration. 1.4.4, 1.4.6.  Four days a week road closure impairs that value.

·         Defines an unacceptable impact as one that diminishes opportunities for current or future generations to enjoy, learn about, or be inspired by park resources or values; and unreasonably interferes with an appropriate use.

·         Ensures that there are adequate funds and staff to conserve and protect the resources (including recreation) for which parks are responsible and provide for the enjoyment of the same.

·         The Park has an obligation to support the federal policy of actively promoting the health and personal fitness of the general public. 1.5

Restrictions on appropriate uses should be minimal:

·         Restrictions placed on recreational uses that have otherwise been found to be appropriate will be limited to the minimum necessary to protect park resources and values, and promote visitor safety and enjoyment. Any restriction of appropriate recreational use will be limited to what is necessary to protect park resources and values, to promote visitor safety and enjoyment, or to meet park management needs.  8.2.2

·         Any closures or restrictions-other than those imposed by law-must be consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies, and require a written determination by the superintendent that such measures are needed to protect public health and safety; and prevent unacceptable impacts to park resources or values.

·         Any restrictions imposed will be fully explained to visitors and the public.  Visitors will be given appropriate information on how to keep adverse impacts to a minimum and how to enjoy the safe and lawful use of the parks.

Arbitrarily closing 4 days a week regardless of weather does not meet the standard of closing for visitor safety.  Last year there were over 60 days that the road was closed during the 7 month winter period despite clear roads and no drifting or avalanche threat.

·         Park visitors must assume a substantial degree of risk and responsibility for their own safety when visiting areas that are managed and maintained as natural, cultural, or recreational environments. 8.2.5

·         NPS superintendents will use their discretion to determine the level of program resources and the types of programs needed to manage visitor risk within their park unit.  This will depend on the resources, values, park-specific mission, the feasibility of various program levels, activities offered at the park, the nature of the park visits, the degree of risks to visitors at the park, and the history of visitor injury in the park.   DO 50C 4.1

·         The Service will work cooperatively with other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies; organizations, and individuals to carry out the responsibility to provide a safe and healthful environment. 8.2.5

Off Peak use should be encouraged to alleviate congestion, which is a problem at Hurricane:

·         Encourage visitor use of lesser-known parks and underutilized areas; use during non-peak seasons, days of the week, and times of the day; and visitation to related sites beyond park boundaries, as appropriate, to enhance overall visitor experiences and protection of resources. Director’s Order #17 4.7

Partnerships with local entities are strongly encouraged:

·         Reinforces cooperation with federal, state, local and tribal governments, as well as individuals and organizations, to provide visitor enjoyment, and address mutual interests in the quality of life for community residents. 1.10

·         In the spirit of partnership, the Service will also seek opportunities for cooperative management agreements with state or local agencies that will allow for more effective and efficient management of the parks. 1.10

In the ROD of the ONP GMP, the reasons given for the limited Hurricane Ridge schedule are “Operational and staffing requirements, along with unpredictable severe weather conditions, make a long-term commitment to consistently opening the road for seven day a week winter access infeasible.”

The Superintendent’s Compendium states “Due to public safety concerns, the Hurricane Ridge Road may be closed at the Heart O’ The Hills entrance based on environmental conditions.”  Monday through Thursday closure is not based on environmental conditions.

To summarize, the community has consistently expressed a desire for increased winter access to Hurricane Ridge.  A number of solutions have been proposed, with a range of costs, including cooperation with local and state governments.  A meaningful dialogue with interested stakeholders would be helpful.

Although I am writing only as a private citizen, broad community support for increased winter access is evident, particularly shown by raising over $150,000 in donations to ONP over the past two years to fund winter access. The two year trial resulted in a 35% increase in winter visits. The trial also resulted in an increase in visitor spending greater than the cost based on the MP3 model, used throughout the NPS system.

Sincerely,

 

Greg Halberg

The National Park Service recently announced that access to Paradise in Mount Rainier NP will be closed Tuesday's and Wednesday's this winter.  Again, no public input on this decision.  Here is what will happen.

Notice that in 1993, HR and MR are nearly the same.  The Ridge was open seven days a week.  In 2000 and 2001 HR was open again seven days a week after the record snows of 1999, when the HR road was closed most of the winter (Don't ask me why the HR 1999 numbers are so high even though the road was closed from mid January through late May, they are the Parks numbers, taken from the YTD numbers through April here).  It is a pretty safe bet that the MR numbers will follow a similar path.  The Hurricane Ridge closure also started as Tuesday and Wednesday in the 1995-1998 ish time.