Skiing at Hurricane Ridge to begin Saturday; park road to reopen Friday

PORT ANGELES — It’s time to wax the skis and snowboards and dance for snow at Hurricane Ridge.

With the partial government shutdown lifted for now, the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club has announced plans to open the rope tows, ski lessons and the tubing hill Saturday.

“We still have two full months of skiing the beautiful slopes of one of the most beautiful ski areas in the world,” club Secretary Roger Oakes said.

Olympic National Park has been closed this winter because of the government shutdown and damage from December windstorms. The shutdown, prompted by an impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress on funding for a wall at the southern border of the nation, is lifted until at Feb. 15.

Park officials plan to reopen Hurricane Ridge Road and facilities Friday morning. The Poma lift will not be open this weekend.

Open Saturdays

The mile-high Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area, which the club operates inside the park, is scheduled to be open Saturdays, Sundays and President’s Day (Feb. 18) through the end of March.

“We encourage all who love the ridge to support us in this truncated season,” Oakes said in a press release.

“We fully expect to have a great year albeit shortened, and we fully expect our future will be great at the ridge for years to come.”

The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club has two snowcats working to groom the slopes.

“The snow is looking good,” Oakes said.

“Our operations team has been up there readying our (rope tow) lifts and they are ready to operate.

“The Poma lift has a good snow cover but will take some cat work to prepare for its opening,” Oakes added.

In a Wednesday interview, Oakes said about half of the ski season was lost to the government shutdown.

Attendance typically dips in March as spring arrives, forcing the club to plan special events to keep interest up.

“We’ll probably run at a loss for the season, which of course is a concern,” Oakes said in a telephone interview.

The club, which runs a break-even operation that costs about $130,000 per year, likely will hold fundraisers to compensate for the shortened ski season, Oakes said.

Lindsay Fox, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce events manager, said the club is in a “dire financial situation” with a projected loss of $15,000 to $30,000 because of the shortened season.

“We need to let the public know that we are open and we need them to come up and play,” Fox said in a Tuesday email.

“We need them to buy season passes and day tickets like crazy.”

In a Wednesday interview, Fox encouraged winter recreationalists to support the club and “take advantage of the last few weeks of winter.”

The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area is one of only three ski areas operating in a national park.

The Winter Sports Club’s executive committee gathered Monday to discuss the shortened season and decided to open Saturday.

“We are, and always have been, a bunch of optimists,” Oakes said after the meeting.

“That’s why we have perpetuated skiing at Hurricane Ridge for 60 years.”

Olympic National Park reported 55 inches, or more than 4 1/2 feet, of snow at the Hurricane Ridge sensor Wednesday.

Oakes said the snow is more than 5 feet deep in places and bare in other locations because of high winds.

He added that the “grooming will be good” when the ski hill opens Saturday.

Ski passes — including one-day and season passes and reduced cost tickets for just the bunny lift, the intermediate and bunny lifts or the Poma and all lifts, plus tubing fees — are outlined on the club’s website at www.hurricaneridge.com.

Weather permitting, Hurricane Ridge Road is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday and President’s Day through the last weekend in March.

The ski hill and tubing area is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

All vehicles traveling to Hurricane Ridge, including those with four-wheel drive, are required to carry chains.

Parking is limited. Guests are encouraged to carpool.

The National Weather Service on Wednesday was calling for a chance of snow showers at Hurricane Ridge on Saturday and Sunday.

________

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Lower Elwha Klallm Tribal Chairwoman Frances Charles, left, speaks about the Paddle to Elwha 2025 canoe journey as Carmen Watson-Charles, the tribe’s cultural manager, holds an informational pamphlet during a presentation to the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Thousands expected for canoe journey this month

Tribe anticipates speeches, songs and traditional dance

Glass recycling returns to Jeffco

Port Townsend, Quilcene locations available

Port of Port Townsend OKs update to its strategic plan

Commissioners discuss economic development

Reservoir project to start this weekend

Lower water pressure expected through Aug. 1

Forks institutes voluntary water conservation measures

The city of Forks is requesting residents to follow voluntary… Continue reading

Resurfacing project begins on Priest Road

Work crews contracted by the city of Sequim have begun… Continue reading

Mandy Miller of Port Angeles and other members of her family spent some time over the Fourth of July weekend picking eight pounds of strawberries at the Graysmarsh Farms north of Sequim. Raspberries will soon though reach their peak picking season, and both are available at Graysmarsh. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Berry picking

Mandy Miller of Port Angeles and other members of her family spent… Continue reading

Peninsula counties awarded $5M in grants

Funding to cover easements, equipment

Port of Port Angeles to forge ahead with terminal upgrade plans

Design phase would help envision future opportunities

The Northwest Watershed Institute purchased 81 acres for conservation and stewardship in the Tarboo Valley for inclusion in its 500-acre Tarboo Wildlife Preserve. (John Gussman)
Tarboo valley land set aside for preservation

Nearly 500 acres now part of wildlife preserve

Emily Simmons of Port Angeles, a member of the Surfriders Foundation, collects fireworks debris from along Ediz Hook Road in Port Angeles on Saturday. Although fireworks have been banned in the city of Port Angeles, many people used them illegally, leaving behind trash and spent casings and tasking volunteers to pick up the remains. A group from 4PA performed similar cleanup duty on another portion of the hook. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Cleanup efforts

Emily Simmons of Port Angeles, a member of the Surfriders Foundation, collects… Continue reading

Stage 3 water alert issued for Clallam Bay system

Clallam County Public Utility District No. 1 has declared a… Continue reading