From: wengland@stephsf.com (Bill England)
Newsgroups: pnw.general,seattle.general
Subject: National Parks Recreational Report
Date: 23 Jul 92 20:46:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: stephsf.1992Jul23.134659.5099
Organization: Stephen Software Systems Inc., Tacoma/Seattle, +1 800 829 1684
X-Bytes: 9719


  A friend of mine receives reports from the National
  Park service and other sources regarding current
  park conditions etc.  (These reports are intended for 
  network release, primarily FIDONET at the moment.)

  I'm forwarding this one to the net.  If you find it valuable
  I'll continue to do so with future reports.

  Please let me know if you think this or another group would be 
  better for this traffic.


#To unpack, delete all lines before this and feed to /bin/sh
echo /u/stephen_soft/wengland/a 1>&2
sed -e 's/^X//' >/u/stephen_soft/wengland/a <<'END'
XForwarded message:
XFrom somewhere!sprint.com!/s=m.ewer/ou=r06f08a/prmd=usda.fs.x400/admd=telemail/c=us/ Thu Jul 23 02:58:21 1992
XFrom: /S=M.EWER/OU=R06F08A/PRMD=USDA.FS.X400/ADMD=TELEMAIL/C=US/@sprint.com
XDate: 22 Jul 92 15:37:08 UT
XPriority: urgent
XTo: CRAIGB@stephsf.com
XSubject: OKANOGAN REC REPORT
XMessage-Id: <"BKN-HXLRQC"*@sprint.com>
XImportance: high
X
X    
X    RECREATION REPORT                                             July 8, 1992
X    
X    
X    Cool and rainy weather greeted forest visitors over the Fourth of July
X    holiday weekend.  Attendance at several campgrounds on the Okanogan
X    National Forest was lower than normal as occassional thunderstorms and rain
X    prevailed all weekend in Okanogan County.
X    
X    The rain was welcomed by weary firefighters as they fought forest fires the
X    previous weekend and into the holiday week.  Numerous fires were suppressed
X    throughout the county by coordinated efforts of the Forest Service, Bureau
X    of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, and Department of Natural
X    Resources personnel.
X    
X    North Fork of Salmon Creek, road no. 38, from Kerr campground to the
X    junction of road no. 39, is again open for public access after being closed
X    for a week.  Hiking trails in the area, Tiffany, Clark Ridge, North Fork,
X    Bernhardt, and Freezeout, are also open.  These areas were closed during
X    the McCay fire for public safety.
X    
X    All campgrounds, with the exception of Bonaparte Lake on the Tonasket
X    District, are now open.  Bonaparte campground is undergoing reconstruction
X    and will be closed this season.  Overnight fees are being charged at all
X    fee site campgrounds.  At non-fee sites, visitors should bring their
X    drinking water and pack out their garbage.
X    
X    
X    HARTS PASS-SLATE PEAK ROAD NOW OPEN
X    
X    Anxiously awaited every year by many northcentral Washington residents is
X    the summer opening of the Slate Peak Lookout road from Hart's Pass in the
X    upper Methow Valley.  This road is the highest point to which one can drive
X    in Washington State.
X    
X    From Slate Peak, visitors have an unparalleled view of the North Cascades,
X    including Mt. Baker to the west.  Eighteen miles north, is Canada and its
X    snowcapped peaks.
X    
X    For those who enjoy sitting at the "top of the world", for the sunset, take
X    along a warm coat, as night temperatures drop to the low 40's, even after
X    the warmest of days.
X    
X    Wildflowers carpet the alpine meadows around Hart's Pass, including the
X    elusive Western Pasque flower which thrives and blooms along the
X    snowbanks.  There are acres of yellow glacier lillies on slopes midway
X    between Hart's Pass and Slate Peak.  Beginning within five miles of Hart's
X    Pass, the meadows are literally covered with subalpine lupine, the various 
X    
X                                     - more - 
X    
X    
X    
X            
X    
X    
X    
X    Recreation Report                                                 ADD 1-1-1
X    
X    
X    paintbrush, alpine aster, and in rock outcroppings, the sulphur-flower is
X    in bright yellow abundance.
X    
X    There are two campgrounds at Hart's Pass - one at the pass across the road
X    from the Hart's Pass Guard Station, and Meadows Campground, a short drive
X    south of the pass.  Both sites have tables, fire rings, and outhouses.
X    There is a spring at Meadows campground.  For the summer, Forest Volunteer
X    Kerry Glamsch is available from the Guard Station to assist visitors with
X    hiking, general recreation information, and does some light maintenance
X    work at the campgrounds and trailheads.
X    
X    Mosquitoes are usually not a problem at Hart's Pass, as a slight breeze is
X    typical.  Deer flies may be troublesome.
X    
X    A heavy duty sunscreen lotion is a must for anyone spending much time at
X    these high elevations on even cloudy days.  Ultraviolet rays easily burn in
X    the thin atmosphere.
X    
X    The Hart's Pass road is rock-surfaced, passable by passenger cars.
X    However, due to the steep, narrow roadway, and lack of large turnouts, the
X    road is closed to all trailers.
X    
X    The Hart's Pass road begins at Mazama, 17 miles north of Winthrop, on a
X    paved county road.  The dirt road begins at Lost River bridge.  Travel time
X    from Mazama to Hart's Pass is about 45 minutes on busy weekends.  Slate
X    Peak is another 15 minutes from Hart's Pass.  Snow generally closes Hart's
X    Pass road in early October.
X    
X    
X    HIKING TRAILS
X    
X    Trails on the Tonasket District are open and have been cleared of downed
X    trees.
X    
X    Twisp District trails on the north summit area are logged out.  Many trails
X    at higher elevations contain snow in passes and have not been maintained.
X    Those which are snow-free are Crater Creek, snow at Horsehead Pass; Eagle
X    Creek, snow-free to Pass; Eagle Lakes, cleared to four miles; Libby Creek
X    still has some snow and lots of blowdowns; Lookout Mtn. and Louis Lake are
X    snow-free and maintained; Martin Creek is snow-free, has a couple of trees
X    down, but is passable; North Creek has a damaged bridge, but stock users
X    can cross at streamford; Scatter Creek is snow-free and maintained; Twisp
X    Pass has been maintained, but has a large rock in trail and may be a
X    problem for stock; Twisp River has been maintained, but North Creek
X    crossing is washed out; Blackpine Lake is snow-free and maintained.
X    
X                                     - more -         
X    
X    
X    
X    Recreation Report                                                ADD  2-2-2
X    
X    
X    Trail crews on the Winthrop District are clearing some trails which had
X    previously been maintained, due to a large storm which fell many trees over
X    a week ago.  Black Lake, Chewuch, Billygoat, and Andrews Creek trails have
X    been cleared again since the recent windstorm.  Nearly all trails are now
X    snow-free.  Those which still have ice and snow in passes are Boundary,
X    Copper Pass, Devils Ridge, Jackita Ridge, Pacific Crest, Rock Creek, and
X    Buckskin Ridge.  It is suggested hikers carry ice axes on these trails.
X    About half of the trails have been maintained.
X    
X    Hikers can call the appropriate ranger district for more up-to-date
X    information.
X    
X    
X    FOREST ROADS
X    
X    Chancellor road on the Winthrop District remains closed by rocks at the
X    4-mile point.  Logging activity is occurring on Sweetgrass Butte, Cub Pass,
X    and Cub/Goat roads.
X    
X    On the Twisp District, log trucks are hauling weekdays on Little Bridge
X    Creek, Beaver Creek/Volstead, Black Canyon, and Buttermilk roads.
X    
X    Log trucks can be encountered on Myers Creek, Beaver Canyon, Aeneas Creek,
X    and Crawfish Lake roads on the Tonasket District.
X    
X    Washouts may be encountered on some forest roads resulting from the recent
X    rains; however all roads are passable.  Travelers should travel with
X    caution.
X    
X    
X    LAKES AND STREAMS
X    
X    All lakes and streams on the national forest are now ice-free.  Stream
X    flows continue to drop, waters are clear and cool.
X    
X    
X    OFFICE HOURS
X    
X    Okanogan                                Tonasket
X      Monday thru Friday, 0745-1630           Monday thru Friday, 0745-1630
X    
X    Twisp                                   Winthrop
X      Monday thru Saturday, 0745-1630         Monday thru Friday, 0745-1630
X                                              Saturday, 0830-1230, 1300-1700
X    
X                                     - more - 
X            
X    
X    
X    
X    Recreation Report                                               ADD  3-3-3
X    
X    
X    Early Winters Information Center        Washington Pass Information Center
X      Daily, 0900-1700                        Daily, 1000-1630
X    
X    
X    INFORMATION OFFICES
X    
X    For travel information, or other information about the Okanogan National
X    Forest, please contact any of the following offices:
X    
X    Okanogan National Forest                Twisp Ranger District
X    Supervisor's Office                     P.O. Box 188
X    P.O. Box 950                            Twisp, WA 98856
X    Okanogan, WA 98840                      Phone (509) 997-2131
X    Phone (509) 826-3275
X    
X    Tonasket Ranger District                Winthrop Ranger District
X    P.O. Box 466                            P.O. Box 579
X    Tonasket, WA 98855                      Winthrop, WA 98862
X    Phone (509) 486-2186                    Phone (509) 996-2266
X    
X    
X                                      - 30 -     
END
-- 
 +-  Bill England,  wengland@stephsf.COM -----------------------------------+
 |   * *      H -> He +24MeV                                                |
 |  * * * ... Oooo, we're having so much fun making itty bitty suns *       |
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