OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Ridge Road will reopen on Saturday, Olympic National Park announced today.
Access to Hurricane Ridge — the popular Olympic National Park snowplay area — has been blocked since Jan. 18 when a 100-foot section of road was undercut by a major slipout a half-mile north of Heart O’ the Hills campground and entrance station.
Weather permitting, the road will reopen at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
“We are extremely pleased to once again welcome visitors to Hurricane Ridge, and to help celebrate, we are waiving entrance fees to Hurricane Ridge for the weekend,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin.
Bruch & Bruch Construction Inc., of Port Angeles finished the work a week ahead of schedule.
The total cost of the repair project was $2.17 million. The estimate was $2.8 million.
“I am very grateful to Bruch & Bruch, to park staff and to our Federal Highways partners for all they did to reopen the road in only five weeks,” Gustin said in a news release (right).
Weather permitting, the Hurricane Ridge Ski Area will be open this weekend.
The Hurricane Ridge visitor center information desk will be staffed and a guided snowshoe walk will be offered at 2 p.m. Sign up at the information desk.
The Hurricane Ridge snack bar and ski shop will be closed. Ski or snowshoe rentals will not be available. These services will be reopen March 6 and 7.
“The importance of Hurricane Ridge to our local and regional community cannot be overstated, and we are also very grateful for the public’s understanding and patience as we worked hard to reopen the road,” Gustin said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
See Matt Schubert’s Outdoors column, written Wednesday, for more on the ski area’s plans: https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100225/news/302259999
