Hurricane Ridge is cut off - January 2010

Residents and visitors alike love to go snow shoeing and skiing the slopes of Hurricane Ridge during the winter months. Even though the Ridge is only open during the weekends, it attracts quite a number of people on a sunny winter season weekend.

As we reported in our December Sequim Round-up, Sequim and the Olympic Peninsula experienced unusual very mild winter weather in December and now continuing all the way into January. We had several days when the warm Chinook winds were blowing and bringing Sequim weather temperatures around 58 F in the shade. Currently, we have 54 F in the shade but with sun all over Sequim. I am ready for my walk through Carrie Blake Park!

Anyways, let's get back to Hurricane Ridge. Last Friday the Ridge experienced really hurricane winds with over 80miles/hr. When Sunday morning came and Sequim town was warm, sunny and had no winds whatsoever, I decided to call the Hurricane Ridge weather station for an update to check whether it's worthwhile a visit. Well, at 8am Sunday morning, the road to Hurricane Ridge was still closed and wind gusts up to 40miles/hr were reported. This was enough for us to hear. So we postponed our Hurricane Ridge visit in the snow to another Sunday.

This opportunity might not come too soon. Here is what had happened later on Sunday. Hurricane Ridge road had to be closed just north of Heart O' the Hills campground area about five miles south of Port Angeles because of a road slip-out. Repairs could take 1 month to 6 weeks. Part of the road had slipped down during heavy rains. Ski and Snowboard Classes are supposed to begin January 30/31. The manager of the hurricane Ridge ski area still hopes for a temporary solution to bypass the problem area. Let's hope so!

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Tags: Sequim vacation, Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge closed, January 2010 Sequim