Outdoor Notebook: Access to two major trailheads on Olympic Peninsula still in doubt

Vehicle access to two major trailheads on the eastern Olympic Peninsula may remain closed until 2004 because repairs to a washout on the Dosewallips Road could require detailed environmental study, says a U.S. Forest Service spokesman.

High flows last winter on the Dosewallips River blew out the road about 10 miles east of U.S. Route 101 along Hood Canal. That's a mile short of Elkhorn Campground, 3.5 miles short of the trailhead for the Lake Constance Trail and 5.5 miles short of another campground and one of the most popular trailheads in Olympic National Park.

That trailhead, at the seasonal Dosewallips ranger station, provides access to three popular hikes: to nearby Constance Pass, to Dose Meadows and Graywolf Pass, and to Anderson Pass. The latter trail is part of one of the most popular cross-Olympics routes, along the West Fork Dosewallips and East Fork Quinault rivers (through lovely Enchanted Valley) on either side of Anderson Pass.

Forest officials had hoped to make the repairs after a less detailed "environmental analysis," which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act because of the potential impact to natural resources such as the river's fish and the adjacent old-growth forest.

However, comments from the public received as part of that process indicate considerable opposition to repairing the road at all, said Ron Eldridge, Forest Service spokesman.

"The district ranger has received enough concerns and comments about the issues that he may have to do a full environmental impact statement," he said. "There are people who want the road repaired and others saying 'don't repair the road, let people walk or hike to those destinations.' "

If a full environmental impact statement is necessary, it would take "another full year," Eldridge said.

That would mean the road, open only to non-motorized traffic last summer, probably would not be repaired next summer either. There's also a chance it may not be repaired at all, although Eldridge thinks that's unlikely.

U.S. Park Service officials also would be involved in any decision. Although the road is mostly on the Olympic National Forest and thus managed by the Forest Service, the last two miles of the road, both trailheads and one campground are inside Olympic National Park.

In other Peninsula road news, the park has announced that it is closing the Deer Park Road south of the Port Angeles-Sequim area this winter season at the park boundary. In the past it has been closed about six miles inside the park and used during the winter by cross-country skiers, snowshoers, inner-tube sliders and four-wheel drivers.

However park managers say road conditions often are dangerous and the road has a history of driving accidents in winter. It will remain open for walking, skiing and snowshoeing, but since the park boundary is about 2,000 feet elevation, skiers and snowshoers will have to hike a ways to find snow much of the winter.

Jurek wins Ultra Cup

Scott Jurek, the ace Seattle distance runner who has won the past four Western States 100-Mile Endurance Runs, also has won the Montrail Ultra Cup, awarded by the Seattle footwear maker of the same name. To win the cup, a runner must compete in ultra-running distances of 50 kilometers, 50 miles and 100 miles and compile the best record of finishes.

Jurek, 28, won the Western States 100 in June, and gets $5,000 for winning the Ultra Cup. Other area winners were William Emerson of Seattle, third, winning $500, and John Perch of Olympia, fourth for $250. Luanne Park of Redding, Calif., took first among women runners.

Speaking of local distance runners, Krissy Moehl of Seattle is named in Outside magazine's November issue as one of the top 25 25-and-under adventure competitors in the country.

Moehl, 25, a native of Bow in Skagit County, in 2000 won her first ultra -- the Chuckanut 50K -- in record time (just more than five hours). Since then she has won six more ultras and finished out of the top three only once in her past 10. Side note: Moehl paints her toenails multicolors before races.

Two other locals in the hot 25-and-under list: speed-climber Miles Smart, 22, of Seattle, who has set 10 records on Yosemite routes, and, of course, Seattle's soul-patch ice demon, Apolo Anton Ohno, 20, of Olympic speed-skating fame, winner of gold and silver medals.

P-I reporter Greg Johnston can be reached at 206-448-8014 or gregjohnston@seattlepi.com.

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