HEAD FOR THE Ridge on Saturday and Sunday, as a day spent in the snow atop Hurricane Ridge would be a fitting tribute for alpine-film legend Warren Miller.
Miller, 93, the master of the adventure skiing and snowboarding film genre (not to mention surfing) with 500 films to his credit, died Wednesday at his Orcas Island home.
I never caught the snowboarding or skiing bug, I’m clumsy, top heavy, and I’ve always worried about severe injury if I ever attempted the slopes. Sledding’s more my game.
But Miller’s films were visual spectacles that anyone could appreciate.
To his alpine admirers, however, Miller was akin to a documentary god.
Ron Judd’s obituary in the Seattle Times captured the appeal.
“To his legions of fans, Mr. Miller’s annual ski flick amounted to cinematic manna from heaven — an overdue shot of cold air and deep snow to stoke the fires within winter warriors who had suffered through the long, hot months of snowless summer. The films, most of which began with jaw-dropping alpine-ski sequences, featuring top skiers and snowboarders delivered by helicopter to some knee-knocking heights and set to a pounding rock-music beat, never failed to produce hooting, shouting and delirium among the snow-deprived faithful.”
Big plans at Ridge
After a federal government-imposed shutdown last weekend, the Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area plans to deliver some excitement.
Tentative plans were made in a post on its Facebook page Wednesday.
“The federal government is back in action and so are we. We have had 40-plus inches of new snow this week so far, plus all the new snow from last weekend. We have a lot of digging out to do, can you say 10 to 15 foot drifts burying the lifts? If we can dig everything out we will have the whole ski area open, yes that means the Poma. So tentatively that means, two rope tows, Poma lift and tubing all for the first time this year, this weekend. Big emphasis on tentatively. Lots of work to do. Next update [today].”
Be sure and check that Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HRWSC/ before heading up the road to the ridge this weekend. Additional snow accumulation is expected as a new system heads this way.
Lake Leland grant
Lake Leland in Jefferson County should see some improvements as part of the state’s $4.2 billion capital budget passed and signed last week included $325,000 in Wildlife Recreation Grants for Leland Lake public access renovation.
Quilcene’s Ward Norden, a former fisheries biologist and owner of Snapper Tackle Co., has his sights set on a bigger public pier.
“I fervently hope that will include enlargement to the pier, including new pilings, plus a much needed boat float at the launch attached to new pilings to serve boaters from the campground and local anglers like myself,” Norden said.
“Lake Leland draws anglers from three counties and beyond making it one of the busiest year-round lakes I have ever seen. The lake is a huge asset to the local economy. Those two improvements would leave enough money for improvement to the toilet facility and maybe even a second floating pier with an improved handicap access.”
Slow now, but wait
Norden visited the Lake Leland pier last week to check the water’s temperature after a run of warmer temperatures.
“The lake temp is up a little bit to 38 degrees,” Norden said.
“That still means lethargic fish and a slow bite, but at the pier was one of the regular anglers.
He announced he had four bites in four hours on Power Bait (about normal for 38-degree water).
“Two of the bites produced two nice trout about 1-1/2 pounds each. The unusual plant on Dec. 13 of a 1,000 large fish portends some excellent fishing when the lake warms to the mid 40s in a month or so.
“The angler even announced that he fished shortly after the plant through a hole in the ice next to the pier and caught a couple of those trout.”
State has survey
Gift cards to a variety of local sportfishing businesses are available as a prize by taking a short survey on a state program established to enhance recreational fisheries in Puget Sound.
The survey is designed to gauge public understanding of the Puget Sound Recreational Salmon and Marine Fish Enhancement Program.
The survey is available through March 31 on the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/psrfef/survey.html.
The program was created by the state Legislature in 1993 to improve and promote recreational fishing for Washington citizens and support sustainable populations of salmon and marine bottomfish in Puget Sound. The program is supported by revenue generated from the sales of certain fishing licenses.
Participants in the survey will be entered into a random drawing, which will take place in April. The winner will be awarded a total of $200 in gift cards from sportfishing businesses.
Information from the survey will help state fishery managers shape future fishing opportunities, said Ryan Lothrop, Puget Sound recreational salmon fishery manager for the department.
“This is a short survey designed to give us a better idea of people’s understanding of the program and where our efforts should be focused in the future,” Lothrop said. “We are looking at how best to improve recreational fisheries in this state, particularly in Puget Sound, and our efforts to introduce people to sportfishing.”
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
