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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Friday, December 1, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Olympic NP Winter Storm Adds Challenges To Recovery Operations Recent heavy snows on the Olympic Peninsula have increased the workload for crews already stretched thin responding to flood and road washouts. Earlier this week, several vehicles belonging to park visitors were marooned in snow along the Whiskey Bend and Olympic Hot Spring roads in the Elwha Valley. Power lines are also down in the Elwha. Park rangers and roads and trails crews are working to clear numerous trees that fell across several park roads under the snow load. After his pickup became mired in the snow along the Olympic Hot Springs road, one visitor abandoned the truck only to learn that a tree later crushed the cab. With the current focus on clearing downed trees, power lines, and stuck vehicles - and a snow advisory in effect through Thursday afternoon - plowing of Hurricane Ridge Road was to resume at the end of the week. Ridge Road will not be open on Friday, but park crews hope to have the road cleared sometime on Saturday. As of Wednesday, the snow depth at Hurricane Ridge was 78 inches. Moderating temperatures over coming days are expected to produce an additional accumulation of wet snow and a very high avalanche danger. [Cat Hawkins Hoffman, Public Affairs Officer] OTHER NEWS Other news from today's edition of InsideNPS, the National Park Service's home page: Eleanor Roosevelt NHS - The park, which has been closed for the past ten months due to a major construction project to improve the public areas of the site, has reopened to the public. Cowpens NB - The park's three mile tour loop road, which has been closed since September 18th for resurfacing and minor repairs, has reopened. SERO Fire Management - A compilation of fire management stories from Southeast Region is now available. Highlights include wildland fire suppression, hazardous fuels reduction, prescribed fire, community assistance, and fire communications and education. Indiana Dunes NL - Dale B. Engquist will retire from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on January 31st after more than 42 years of federal service — 28 of them at Indiana Dunes. Dale is the park's superintendent, a position he has held since 1983. NCRC - The office is seeking a GS-14 supervisory outdoor recreation planner. MWRO - Midwest Region is currently recruiting for a GS-0025-14/15 superintendent for Buffalo National River. Yellowstone NP - On Monday, December 4th, Yellowstone will be issuing an announcement for GS-5 and GS-7 protection rangers for next summer for locations throughout the park's 13 areas. Training and Events Calendars - The updated calendars are posted. To link to InsideNPS, click on HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |