OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — The Elwha Valley’s 4.5 mile Whiskey Bend Road reopened to vehicle use this morning.
The road had been closed since late 2014 after storm damage destroyed a portion of it about 4 miles up.
The reopening means that drivers now can get to the east-side overlook of Glines Canyon.
After heavy rain saturated the area, part of the road slid downhill, rendering it impassible to through traffic.
Road repairs began in mid-October and were expected to take five weeks to complete.
However, the project was completed early, said Barb Maynes, Olympic National Park spokeswoman.
Contractors rebuilt and stabilized the slope and constructed a masonry retaining wall to support the 70-foot section of road destroyed last winter, she said.
The Olympic Hot Springs Road also is open, providing access to the Glines Canyon Spillway Overlook on the west side of Glines Canyon, and the Boulder Creek trailhead.
The Olympic Hot Springs pools were closed Tuesday after a Silverdale man, Bruce Gunderson, was found dead in one of the pools. His death is under investigation but was thought to be from natural causes, Maynes said.
The hot springs were closed for health and safety reasons and remain closed through the weekend, Maynes said.
For more information about visiting Olympic National Park, people may visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/olym.
