CROTCHES NEED NOT be harmed.
There are other ways to attack the north side of Hurricane Ridge that do not include hitching a slightly uncomfortable ride back up the hill.
Even with the Poma lift still inoperable atop the Ridge this weekend (more on this later), the skiing and snowboarding set can always hike back up.
In fact, the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club will host a race dedicated to exactly that this Sunday at noon.
Called the Ridge Rally, the event is reserved for advanced skiers who are capable of riding to the bottom of the Poma bowl and hiking back out, using backcountry gear.
As daunting and unenjoyable as that might sound, it’s actually a practice that’s quite common for locals who know the Ridge’s innumerable backcountry runs.
“I guess what makes it worth it is the fact that you get basically untouched, virgin, beautiful powder to ski on for as much as you’re willing to work for,” said Winter Sports Club member and event organizer Greg Halberg.
“It’s just as good of a view if not better [than hiking]. You’re out in the winter environment, and you get to interact with the snow and nature on its own terms.”
Give me some skin
Backcountry buffs have many ways of getting back up hills, including the use of “skins” that stick to the back ends of skis and allow one to slide uphill without sliding back.
As long as they have special bindings that unlock at the heels, skiers can make it back to the top without too much consternation.
Others use snowshoes or even splitboards (snowboards that can be split in half) to get the job done.
On a good day, according to Halberg, a skier or snowboarder can make four to six runs up and down the hill.
Participants can use any method they are comfortable with during Sunday’s Ridge Rally.
The exact course will be determined depending on conditions, but will include about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and require advanced skiing skills.
Halberg doesn’t see it requiring anything more than two trips up and down the hill.
“I think the purpose of this is it’s kind of a fun introductory event,” Halberg said. “So anybody who’s thought about doing it should show up and give it a try.”
All gear types will be welcome, but participants must carry an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe.
“Touring gear, including telemark, alpine touring, and splitboards, are increasing in popularity. Close to half the people we see at the Ridge have backcountry gear,” Ski Club president George Lawrence said in a news release.
“In addition, the challenging terrain at Hurricane Ridge presents a wonderful venue for this event.
“We encourage everyone to join us for this celebration of winter fun.”
As part of the event, avalanche beacon practice and instruction will be available from the Hurricane Ridge Ski Patrol.
Registration will be at the ticket trailer from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with the race starting at noon.
Cost for participants is the cost of an all-lift ticket, $27.
The cost is $5 for season pass holders. All proceeds benefit the club.
Wait for Poma
As I noted earlier, the wait for an operational Poma lift will have to last into next week at the least.
With snow actually melting atop the Ridge this week, mountain manager Craig Hofer said the outlook isn’t very good.
“There’s not much hope for the Poma,” Hofer said. “That isn’t going to happen this weekend.
“We need more snow.”
Of course, the intermediate and bunny rope tows will both be up and running Saturday and Sunday.
For information on lift rates and the ski school, visit hurricaneridge.com.
Skis are available for rental on the bottom level of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.
Snowboards can be rented from North by Northwest Surf Co., 902 S. Lincoln St., in Port Angeles.
Road status and current conditions for Hurricane Ridge Road are available by phoning the park’s recorded information line at 360-565-3131 or by visiting www.nps.gov/olym.
The park also delivers updates via Twitter at www.twitter.com/hrwinteraccess.
Steelheading stunted
Don’t act surprised.
This is, after all, the North Olympic Peninsula.
And as many of you know (or should know) by now, it rains a lot in these here hills.
Thus, the fact that rivers have been blown out for much of the past month should raise few eyebrows.
Nor should the proposition of a couple more high and dirty days.
“It started to clean up but there’s still lots of water,” Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks said.
“There might have been a plunker out here and there [in recent days], but I don’t even know about that. I mean it was rumbling.”
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim did hear tale of a plunker or two hooking fish out of the Quillayute River.
“Big natives are coming in,” Menkal said.
Unfortunately, if today’s rain-filled forecast proves correct, anglers will have to wait around a few days before they get a shot at them.
“[Fishing] was pretty good before [the rivers] all went gunnysack,” Gooding said, “and, yeah, there ought to be fish around.
“You could go fishing. I don’t think it’s going to be very good because there’s so much water. It’s going to be tough.
“If it rains much, we can’t take very much rain at all.”
Blackmouth bite?
Nobody seems to be making much noise about the recent Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) blackmouth opener.
High winds made Sunday a bit of a wash — as did a certain blowout loss by a certain area professional football team — and the past few days haven’t produced a peep.
In other words, it could be great, it could be awful. But nobody’s telling yours truly.
“Usually it’s really good right off the bat,” Menkal said. “But I haven’t heard of any person going out there.”
Area 12 (Hood Canal) is set to open Feb. 1 for blackmouth, while Areas 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) open Feb. 16.
The latter occurs right before the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, scheduled for Presidents Day Weekend on Feb. 19-21.
The event will cover 500 square miles of the Peninsula’s saltwater fisheries.
That includes a portion of Area 6 from Tongue Point all the way east toward Marrowstone Island near Port Townsend.
The top fish in the ladder will take home prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 with a $1,000 “mystery fish prize” also up for grabs for any submitted fish.
For more information on the event, visit gardinersalmonderby.org.
Hunter Education
Bambi and company are once again safe . . . for now.
With hunting season all but over on the Peninsula, now is the time for prospective hunters to join the ranks and get ready for next season.
A slew of Hunter Education courses — required for any new hunter born after Jan. 1, 1972 — are scheduled at sites across the area during the coming months.
Students in the Port Angeles area must now register for classes online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/huntered/classes/basic.php.
Classes in Clallam County will be offered in February, March, May, June and August. Each course is divided into five-class sessions, with the final class held out in the field.
The Port Angeles classes will once again be held at the Clallam County Veteran’s Center, 261 S. Francis St.
There is also a March class in Forks that will be held at the West End Sportsman Club off Sportsman Club Road.
No Jefferson County classes are currently listed online.
Those looking for more information regarding the registration process can visit Doc Neely’s Gun Shop, Hi-Caliber Guns or Swain’s General Store in Port Angeles. Fred’s Hobbies and Guns in Sequim can also provide answers.
For more information, including specific dates, send an e-mail to pahuntered@gmail.com.
Razor clam digs
This could be another middling weekend of digging at Kalaloch this weekend.
Expected high surf conditions and unpleasant weather may make for difficult digging during two afternoon openers at the Olympic National Park beach today and Saturday.
Diggers averaged just 4.1 clams per digger during openers around the New Year’s holiday, due in large part to challenging elements.
The chance that such so-so returns could return this weekend appear to be a possibility.
Afternoon harvest dates are also scheduled for today through Sunday at Twin Harbors and Long Beach.
Those two southern beaches have been steady producers all season, with diggers averaging 12.3 and 12.8 clams per digger since the fall.
For more information on coastal razor clams, visit http://tinyurl.com/2avte8x.
Also . . .
• Crabbers have until Feb. 1 to submit catch reports to Fish and Wildlife or face a $10 fine when they purchase their 2011 crab endorsement.
Catch reports can be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091, or submitted online at http://tinyurl.com/yhjxf79.
• The possible closure of Lake Sutherland will be the focus of this month’s Coastal Conservation Association-North Olympic Peninsula chapter meeting next Thursday.
The meeting will be held at Wine on the Waterfront, 115 E. Railroad Ave., in Port Angeles starting at 6:30 p.m.
• Peninsula Trails Coalition will hold the third of four straight Friday night slideshow fundraisers tonight at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St., at 7 p.m.
Tonight’s show will focus on John and Mary Wegmann’s travels through Mongolia from the Gobi desert to the Taigi Forest.
Admission is $5, with funds going toward supplies and lunches for volunteers working on Olympic Discovery Trail.
• The Port Ludlow Fly Fishers will begin holding its monthly meetings at night during the next three months.
Presentations are scheduled for Feb. 15, March 15 and April 19 from 7-9 p.m. at the Port Ludlow Bay Club,190 Spinnaker Place, in Port Ludlow.
Topics will range from fish restoration to “table sessions” covering a wide variety of information on fishing local waters.
• Dungeness River Audubon Center will host a one-day class on wintering birds Jan. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Titled “Corvids in Winter,” the class will examine the lives of crows, ravens and jays and their wintering habits.
Students will learn to identify corvids by behavior, ranges and vocalization; hear anecdotes and go out into the field to observe the birds.
Cost is $10. For more information, visit www.dungenessrivercenter.org.
• Waters West Fly Fishing Outfitters plans to host a spey casting class Sunday, Jan. 30, starting at 9 a.m. on either the Sol Duc or Hoh rivers.
The full-day class will teach anglers the major casts for both sides of the river. Rods, reels and line are provided, with steelhead fishing techniques covered as well.
The cost is $95. To sign up, contact Waters West at 360-417-0937 or info@waterswest.com.
Send photos, stories
Want your event listed in the outdoors column?
Have a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique, why not share it with our readers?
Send it to me, Matt Schubert, Sports Department, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362; phone, 360-417-3526; fax, 360-417-3521; e-mail matt.schubert @peninsuladailynews.com.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column appears on Thursdays and Fridays.