Fix-it time should bring relief to hikers who have been prevented, sometimes for years, from exploring several regions in our area after a series of devastating storms.
Projects in the Olympic and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie national forests can move forward, thanks to $10.3 million approved by Congress.
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest workers will rebuild three bridges, repair one road and remove nine miles of road. Some of the money will restore road access to Glacier Peak Wilderness trailheads inaccessible for nearly six years.
Other work includes repairing trail damage: Big Four Ice Caves and Skookum Flats; completing bridge repairs to the Heliotrope Ridge Trail; and designing a new crossing for the West Fork Foss River.
That trail leads to popular Trout, Copper and Heart lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Other repairs include the Suiattle River Trail, Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail between Milk Creek and Vista Creek; North Fork Sauk Trail; Baker Lake Trail; West Cady Ridge/Pass Creek Trails; Whitechuck Bench Trail; and Iron Goat Trail.
Three major trails will be restored in the Olympic National Forest: Bogachiel Rain Forest Trail, Quinault National Recreation Trail and the Rain Forest Interpretive Trail.
On the water: Do you need to go back to school to pilot a boat? Boaters ages 12 to 25 are now required to carry an education card when operating a boat with a 15 horsepower or more motor.
To earn the card, you must take and pass a boater education course. Boaters can take approved courses in a classroom, online or at home. Once the course is passed, the cost is $10 for the good-for-life card
Information: www.parks.wa.gov/boating; 360-902-8832.
Not a teddy bear: Author David Knibb will discuss grizzly bears in the North Cascades and his new book, “Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight Over the Great Bear.” The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Pilchuck Audubon Society’s monthly meeting at the Everett Firefighters Hall, 2411 Hewitt Ave.
Tales to tell: The free Paradise Spring Storytelling Series at Mount Rainier National Park continues May 9. The session starts at 1:30 p.m. in the theater of the new Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise. General park information is available at www.nps.gov/mora or by calling 360-569-2211.
Tribal grants: About $7 million in competitive federal grants for conservation purposes will go to 41 American Indian tribes.
In this state, five tribes will receive funds, including the Confederate Tribes of the Colville Reservation’s work on returning California bighorn sheep in their historic range on the reservation.
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians will improve critical habitat of the South Rainier elk herd. The Skokomish Indian Tribe will help identify and mitigate causes of the decline of the Olympic elk herd.
Trees and wildflowers: Lake Quinault Lodge on the Olympic Peninsula offers two free educational activities this month. At 1 p.m. May 17, Candace Cahill will lead a walk by some giant trees in old-growth forests and see the impacts of storms and humans.
On May 24, Christina Morse leads the “W” walk through the rain forest while discussing wildflowers, woods and water communities.
Call 360-288-2910 or toll-free 888-896-3827 for information or reservations.
On the bookshelf: Steve Davey’s “Travel Photography” ($30) is one of many travel photography books that hit the shelves each year. Fortunately, his is one of the better ones, reminding us of “rules” we’ve forgotten (and encouraged to occasionally break) as well as sharing his techniques. His photographs complement several dozen topics, from execution to inspiration.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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