Keeping Hurricane Ridge Road Open Year Around

People who want to keep Hurricane Ridge Road open all year will have to raise $75,000 by August 15th. That amount, plus $250,000 already available from the National Park Service, would keep the road open all winter. The road would still be closed about 20% of the time because of avalanche dangers and other unforeseeable weather conditions.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Port Angeles Forward Committee are leading the drive to raise the $75,000. Hopefully, local hotels, restaurants and other businesses will benefit from the increased number of visitors to the area if the road is open all winter.

The Winter Wildlands Alliance is also in favor of this. A spokesperson for the group says "Our aim is to ensure a safe, quiet, tranquil experience for every winter wildlands adventurer, now and always" and thinks Hurricane Ridge fits in perfectly with the group's mission.

Olympic National Park: The Next Twenty Years

Olympic National Park is still planning to expand its boundaries, provided the landowners are willing to sell. But they're not planning much expansion or “improvement” of their tourist facilities. There won't be any additional parking for Hurricane Ridge, no paving of the road to Obstruction Point and no expansion of ski areas.

Personally I think the natural beauty of this area will continue to attract tourists and newcomers, regardless of how much or how little the park is developed.

What do you think?