[gj]

Olympic National Park News Release February 4, 2005 For Immediate Release Barb Maynes 360-565-3005 Park Staff Taking Emergency Steps to Protect Historic Enchanted Valley Chalet, Seeks Public Input in Developing Long-Term Strategy A dramatic shift in the main channel of the East Fork Quinault River has brought the river’s main channel to within ten feet of the Enchanted Valley chalet. Last winter, a side channel of the East Fork shifted to within 28 feet of the chalet; prior to that, the river was approximately 170 feet from the building. Located 13 miles up trail from the Graves Creek trailhead in the Quinault Valley, the chalet was built in the early 1930s, prior to establishment of Olympic National Park. It served as a lodge for hikers and horse riders in Enchanted Valley. Today, Enchanted Valley remains a popular wilderness destination, and is used as a backcountry ranger station and emergency shelter for hikers. The chalet is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. In response to last winter’s changes, park staff, along with an expert in river dynamics examined and mapped the area during last spring and summer. Based on their recommendations, several downed cottonwood trees were removed from the river channel upstream of the chalet. The logs had been directing the river’s flow towards the chalet; removal of the logs and root wads were successful in redirecting the flow away from the building. However, sometime between January 9 and January 29, the river’s main flow shifted into the former side channel, increasing the rate of erosion close to the chalet and bringing the river closer to the building. The shift in the river’s channel begins about a half-mile upstream of the chalet. “We are faced with both responding to the immediate threat to the chalet and planning for the long term future,” said Olympic National Park superintendent Bill Laitner. Because of the threat to the building, park staff is taking steps to protect supplies and materials, as well as the river, which provides important habitat for many species, including the threatened bull trout. Since the chalet serves as a summer ranger station, equipment for trail maintenance, first aid and search and rescue is housed there, as well as materials such as oil and gasoline that could harm natural resources if they were washed into the river. These supplies will be removed as soon as possible. Immediate bank stabilization measures will also be taken to help provide protection to the building. These may include placement of logs and rock gabions; a final determination will be made once park staff are on site and able to assess the conditions. An Environmental Assessment (EA) is being developed and will evaluated alternative long term strategies for the future of the chalet. Public input was invited last June, but with the changed situation, public comments are again solicited to help define the issues and alternatives to be addressed. Alternatives for the long term may include dismantling and later re-assembling or re-using portions of the building, moving the building, removing the building, limited manipulation of the river channel and no action. Comments should be sent to the following address no later than March 10, 2005. Superintendent – Enchanted Valley Scoping Olympic National Park 600 East Park Avenue Port Angeles, WA 98362 Fax: 360-565-3015 Website: http://parkplanning.nps.gov Email: olym_ea@nps.gov Comments may also be submitted on-line by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov, the website for the National Park Service’s Planning Environment and Public Comment system. Public comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, are considered public information and may be made available for public review. Individual respondents may request that their home address be withheld; individuals who wish their names and/or addresses to be withheld must state this prominently at the beginning of their comments. Comments from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, are available for public inspection in their entirety. The East Fork Quinault trail has been extensively damaged in the recent storms, with portions of the trail now underwater within the active river channel. Current information on trail conditions is available by calling the park’s Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100.

[Damian]

River dynamics expert?

[reststep]

Enchanted Valley Chalet

[ActionBetty]

things do not look good for that cabin

[Slugman]

My comment will be that the river should flow freely. Move the building if they want to, but leave the wild river wild.

[hopalong]

[aestivate]

[Slugman]

Do we want a wrecked cabin washing down the river? Plus, I thought it was historical or something. But I have no strong feeling about the chalet either way.

[Larry]

I first saw the chalet at approximately 9 years old. I remember it from that trip...just a little. I have since visited it many times over the intervening years, and was a Fire Control Aide (translation: I "checked" the area all Summer for stray campfires...was supposed to be the trail area, but somehow I wandered off the trails a lot) stationed there in 1966. There's a soft spot in my heart for the place. But, I say let the river keep its wild state, and dismantle the chalet. It's just not worth the effort in my mind. Gosh, how my mindset changes.

[Damian]

[hopalong]

I imagine that there are a few treatment chemicals in the challets material that the river could go without.