Rod Farlee
01-21-2008, 12:00 PM
The Dosewallips Road (FS2610 from Brinnon WA on Hood Canal 15 miles to Dosewallips Ranger Station in Olympic National Park) provides access to popular climbing routes (http://olympicmountainrescue.org/guidebook.html) for Mt. Constance, Mt. Deception, Mt. Anderson, Sentinel Peak, etc. in the northeastern Olympics. In 2002, it washed out 5 miles below the trailhead. Reopening it has proven contentious [background (http://www.americanwhitewater.org/archive/article/488/)]. In 2004, an Environmental Assessment was completed and the alternative of decommissioning the road was dropped [summary (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/projects-nu/olympicprojects-nuindexdose-eis.shtml)] . Olympic National Forest has since twice refined the proposed route across the hillside above the washout to avoid a small stream and most of the larger trees [Federal Register (http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/2007/May/Day-11/i2333.htm)].
In late March, Olympic National Forest expects to release their Draft Environmental Impact Statement for reopening the Dosewallips Road [news release (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/news-nu/2007/052907_Dosewallips%20Road%20EIS.doc)] . To receive a copy of the DEIS, contact Tim Davis ONF 360-956-2375 or email comments-pacificnorthwest-olympic@fs.fed.us with "Dosewallips DEIS" in the subject line, and request DEIS Summary (25 pages) or Full DEIS (320 pages). A 60-day public comment period will follow its release.
Environmental issues surrounding this have recently been discussed [nwhikers (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/news-nu/2007/052907_Dosewallips%20Road%20EIS.doc)]. Olympic Forest Coalition, to avoid the necessity of reopening the road to decommission it, now advocates "Regarding moving equipment past the washout, the obvious choices are helicopter, or using the riverbed at summer low flows." [WTA (http://www.wta.org/trail-news/signpost/when-to-let-a-road-go#1200167788)]
In late March, Olympic National Forest expects to release their Draft Environmental Impact Statement for reopening the Dosewallips Road [news release (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/news-nu/2007/052907_Dosewallips%20Road%20EIS.doc)] . To receive a copy of the DEIS, contact Tim Davis ONF 360-956-2375 or email comments-pacificnorthwest-olympic@fs.fed.us with "Dosewallips DEIS" in the subject line, and request DEIS Summary (25 pages) or Full DEIS (320 pages). A 60-day public comment period will follow its release.
Environmental issues surrounding this have recently been discussed [nwhikers (http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/news-nu/2007/052907_Dosewallips%20Road%20EIS.doc)]. Olympic Forest Coalition, to avoid the necessity of reopening the road to decommission it, now advocates "Regarding moving equipment past the washout, the obvious choices are helicopter, or using the riverbed at summer low flows." [WTA (http://www.wta.org/trail-news/signpost/when-to-let-a-road-go#1200167788)]