Hurricane Ridge Road closed indefinitely because of slide
Rocks from a rock slide on Hurricane Ridge Road in Olympic National Park are piled up along the side of the road to help stop more rocks from entering the roadway Monday. Small rocks and dirt as well as much larger boulders, left, were part of the slide. Carl Elleard, a civil engineer for Olympic National Park, theorized that dry weather removed moisture the top layer of the terrain, causing the slope to become unstable and tumble downward. The slide occurred just beyond the road's third and highest tunnel and follows a winter avalanche chute.
By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
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Park officials on Monday said Hurricane Ridge Road will remain closed today and could be closed longer during the peak vacation season.
"We hate to close any of our roads during the busy summer season, but safety for visitors and employees is our highest priority," said Sue McGill, Olympic National Park deputy superintendent.
Access is blocked at the Heart o' the Hills gate, about five miles south of Port Angeles, because of the slide and "continuing slope instability" about 4 miles farther up the road.
The slide is in an avalanche chute above the southernmost of three tunnels on the winding, 17-mile route to the mile-high Hurricane Ridge visitors center.
Falling rocks were observed at the site Saturday and Sunday, prompting rangers to close the road Sunday afternoon.
The 51-year-old Hurricane Ridge Road is normally open 24 hours a day during the summer.
"With a steady steam of gravel mixed with large rocks rolling and bouncing onto the road, safety concerns dictate this temporary closure," McGill said.
Olympic National Park is working with the Federal Highway Administration to assess the slide.
An overhead flight is scheduled for today so crews can inspect the summit and upper slope of the rockfall chute.
For recorded information on road conditions in the park, phone 360-565-3131.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: August 17. 2009 10:52PM
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