EVERETT — The sunny weather forecast for Memorial Day weekend is sure to bring families outside.
Fire and police departments are urging people to be careful if their holiday plans involve heading to a river.
Temperatures in coastal areas of Snohomish County are expected to climb into the 70s over the weekend, while communities farther inland could reach the 80s. Despite the warm weather, rivers are running cold and fast from snow melt.
“Stay out of the rivers,” said Shari Ireton, a spokeswoman with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Last month, two men and a woman tethered inflatable rafts together and floated down the Skykomish River. They were dressed in street clothes, but were wearing life jackets. The rafts snagged a tree and the trio fell in. One man swam to shore, but the two other people were still in the water when rescue crews arrived.
All three were hypothermic.
“We want to remind folks that most of our lakes and rivers are still in the 40s,” search and rescue Sgt. Danny Wikstrom said. “It only takes a few minutes for even experienced swimmers to be affected by cold water and/or unpredictable currents, quickly finding themselves in a life-threatening situation.”
Children age 5 and older are among those most likely to drown in ponds, lakes and rivers, according to Safe Kids Snohomish County.
Ireton encouraged everyone to avoid swift-moving water over the Memorial Day weekend.
“Even areas where families had been before and they think they know the terrain under the surface,” she said.
Snow melt carries debris down from the mountains and changes the landscape of rivers. Where a gradual 20-foot slope used to be, there could be a steep drop off, Ireton said.
The Sauk River south of Darrington was about 47 degrees and running roughly six feet deep Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The snow melt has added two feet in depth in the span of a week because of the warmer temperatures.
A stretch of the Mountain Loop Highway that takes outdoor enthusiasts to the Sauk River reopened Thursday. The road between Deer Creek and Bedal had been closed since Dec. 12. The closure is routine in the winter, when the gravel and dirt stretch of the narrow, scenic byway becomes dangerous.
Snohomish County Public Works crews teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service on maintenance and repairs so the road could reopen for Memorial Day weekend. Workers regraded parts of the road and filled in potholes to even out the surface of the gravel section.
The Loop stretches about 55 miles and connects Granite Falls and Darrington. It links to a number of access points along both forks of the Stillaguamish and Sauk rivers. There are many hiking trails along the way, some family-friendly and others highly challenging, that draw thousands of visitors every year. They also can find camping spots, mountain lakes and waterfalls, and access to the expansive wilderness around Granite Falls and Darrington.
Caitlin Tompkins: 425-339-3192; ctompkins@heraldnet.com.
Loaner life jackets
Cabinets containing free, loaner life jackets are scheduled to open Saturday. The sheriff’s office, Snohomish County Parks and Safe Kids Snohomish County stock these cabinets so that anyone who doesn’t own a life jacket can borrow one. They ask that people return the life jackets at the end of each day.
Cabinets are locatedat sites throughout the county, including Wyatt County Park, Lake Goodwin Community Park, Gissberg Twin Lakes, Flowing Lake County Park and Dagmar’s Landing.
Fire departments in Marysville, Monroe, Index and Gold Bar also have life jackets available.
For a full list of locations, go to www.seattlechildrens.org.
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