Friends of Olympic NP Newsletter
November 2011
Elwha Salmon Tuesday, Nov. 8
Elk Creek Open House Sunday, Nov. 13
Wilder Shelter Restoration
Elwha Salmon - Tuesday, Nov. 8, 7 pm
"The Elwha River Floating Weir: Understanding How Dam Removal Affects Salmon Populations in the Elwha River"
Kent Mayer, WA State Department of Fish and Wildlife
Come see the new floating fish weir in the Elwha River. The weir operates in a variety of conditions and will help us understand how dam removal affects salmon populations in the Elwha.
This is the first of this year's Perspectives Series presentations, held at the Olympic National Park Visitors Center auditorium on south Race Street in Port Angeles, at 7 pm on the second Tuesday of each month. The Perspectives Series is co-sponsored by Olympic NP, Discover Your Northwest and Friends of Olympic NP, and is free and open to the public. Please join us to learn more about our Park!
Plant Nursery Volunteers
Fall planting is underway at restoration projects at Boulder Creek Campground and road, and on Lake Mills' newly emerging delta.
We had a great week out at the Matt Albright Native Plant Nursery at Robin Hill Farm County Park with lots of friendly faces and helping hands stopping by to help get plants ready for their return to the Elwha next week. At times, it felt more like a party than work....right? :)
We're hoping to keep that momentum going: so stop by anytime Monday-Friday between 9am and 4pm for the entire month of November to join in on the fun--I mean plant prepping.
....with one exception: Next Tuesday (November 8th) our whole staff will be transporting plants from the nursery to the Elwha, so if you want to volunteer at the nursery, please call first to make sure that one of us is there (360.683.0757).
Hope to see you soon!
- Jill Zarzeczny, Elwha Revegetation Project, Olympic National Park, Jill_Zarzeczny@nps.gov 360.565.3047
On Sunday, November 13th, North Olympic Land Trust will be hosting guided tours of our Elk Creek Conservation Area in Forks! Join Environmental Education Coordinator, Brenda Campbell, for a 2.5 mile moderate hike showcasing one of our premier properties. Grab your camera, and don’t miss this chance to capture the golden colors of fall out on the West End. We might even get lucky and see coho splashing around Elk Creek in search of that perfect spawning ground! Guided tours will be leaving from the trailhead @ 10am and 1pm rain or shine, so bring your boots, raingear, water and a snack and let’s hit the trail!
Directions: Highway 101 to Forks, turn left at the first stoplight onto Calawah Way, proceed 1 mile east to the trailhead parking area on the right.
Please RSVP with Brenda @ 360-417-1815 ext. 8 or brenda@nolt.org
Wilder Shelter Restoration
In September, a Park crew led by Nathan Forrest completed reconstruction of the historic Wilder Shelter. Located 18 miles up the Elwha Trail, at Leitha Creek, Wilder Shelter was constructed in 1951, and appreciated by generations of hikers. Age had taken its toll, and the shelter collapsed two years ago.
The faithful reconstruction to the historic log structure has only minor improvements to enhance its longevity. Sill logs are of cedar, rather than fir, the new roof has two layers of cedar shakes, and angles braces reinforce the main roof stringer.
Of the Park's original 116 trail shelters, Wilder is one of only 21 which survive today and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include Elkhorn and Happy Hollow on the Elwha, Three Forks and Deer Park in the Gray Wolf, Bear Camp and Anderson in the Dosewallips, Trapper and Enchanted Valley chalet on the Quinault, Pelton on the Queets, Happy Four, Olympus and Glacier Meadows on the Hoh. Fifteen Mile and Hyak on the Bogachiel, North Fork, Canyon Creek and Deer Lake in the Sol Duc, and Coastie Head and Toleak on the coast.
The preservation of these few remaining backcountry shelters and ranger stations is valued by hikers as a small window into the rich history of our Park.
Whiskey Bend Road Repairs
Whiskey Bend Road, which provides access to the Elwha trailhead, closed to all use in late October so that dam removal contractor Barnard Construction and Olympic National Park road crews can repair slide damage in two locations along the 4.5-mile gravel road. Whiskey Bend Road is closed to all use—motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and stock users—and is anticipated to reopen in late November.
Olympic Hot Springs Road remains closed beyond Altair Campground for the 3-year duration of the Glines Canyon Dam removal project.
On the Sol Duc Road, brief delays may be encountered as repair work is completed. Sol Duc Hot Springs resort has closed for the winter.
Deer Park and Obstruction Point Roads have closed for the winter.
Visit Friends at www.friendsonp.org