Sen. Patty Murray’s visit to the North Olympic Peninsula last week took her from sea level to 5,000 feet and back again on a 10-hour, 200-mile trip to get a first-hand look at the remains of the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge, survey coastal erosion at Kalaloch Beach and celebrate with Port Angeles officials and trail advocates a $16 million federal grant to complete the Olympic Discovery and Sound to Olympics trails.
Olympic National Park this summer has been balancing demands that come with the annual crush of visitors against the background of an active fire investigation into the cause of the May 7 fire that destroyed the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge as well as preparations for a winter season that may or may not happen.
Dr. Patti Happe, who retired in June after 28 years as the wildlife branch chief at Olympic National Park, recently received the National Park Service Director’s Award for Professional Excellence in Natural Resource Stewardship.