Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, May 22, 2008 Options for camping over the holiday weekend Many campsites are booked, but some parks do offer spots on a first-come, first-served basis. By Bill Sheets Herald Writer Anyone wanting to get away for some car camping this weekend will find some campgrounds closed and others open, depending on where they'd like to go. For campgrounds that require reservations, they might be out of luck. The weather will likely be OK for camping from Friday through Sunday, with clouds and some sun expected around Western Washington. Some rain could fall in the mountains on Friday, said Johnny Burg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle. Monday, however, more clouds and rain are expected. Temperatures are expected to be in the high 60s to low 70s all weekend, Burg said. At least 11 National Forest Service campgrounds in the Cascades between the Canadian border and Enumclaw are expected to be closed because of remaining snow, said Carol Gladsjo, public service manager at the Forest Service's Darrington office. The campgrounds affected are at higher elevations or in the shady part of valleys that haven't received much sun this spring, said Allen Gibbs, a public affairs officer for the Forest Service in Everett. In some cases, the roads leading to the campgrounds are snowed in, Gibbs said. At others, "the campgrounds themselves are piled up with snow." Crews are working to clear out the snow and any debris or downed trees swept in during winter slides, he said. Most of the campgrounds off I-90 are closed, Gibbs said. Money Creek Campground on U.S. 2, west of Skykomish, is open, he said. The Forest Service allocates 60 percent of the spaces in its campgrounds by reservations and 40 percent on a first-come, first-served basis. The Washington State Parks system allocates spaces at about 55 of its 84 camping parks by reservation, and the others on a first-come, first-served basis, said Virginia Painter, spokeswoman for the parks system. Almost all the state parks are open this weekend, but most of those on the reservation system are already booked, Painter said. With rising gas prices, "people are more inclined to want the sure bet of a reservation," she said. Traffic is expected to be heavy. Monday, Memorial Day, is the busiest day of westbound U.S. 2 travel each year, according to officials with the state Department of Transportation. Drivers are advised to plan accordingly. Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com. Camping To make a reservation at a National Forest Service campground, call 877-444-6777 or go to www.recreation.gov. To find out which campgrounds are open, go to www.hoodoo.com/Campground_prices_MBS.htm. Hoodoo is the company that manages the parks for the Forest Service. To make a reservation at a Washington state park, call 888-CAMPOUT (226-6788) or go to www.parks.wa.gov.

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