Charting Alpine Changes: What Does It Mean to Lose a Glacier?
Left image
Mount Anderson in 1936, covered in glacial ice and snow
Right image
Mount Anderson in 2015, glacial ice has all but disappeared.
The rugged Olympic Mountains intrigue park visitors all year round. Winter snow blankets high ridges and valleys, providing recreational opportunities for snowshoers and skiers. Summer snowmelt reveals hiking trails leading toward the tallest peaks, many capped with glaciers. It also fills creeks, rivers and lakes, providing water to downstream communities.
For countless winters and summers Anderson Glacier, a crown jewel of the Olympics, grew with every snowfall and melted back a little each summer. A sacred site to the Quinault people, this glacier provided a
constant presence in the upper reaches of the Quinault River. But over the last few decades something started to change. The massive glacier began shrinking. Historically hundreds of feet thick and over a mile long, by 2015 Anderson Glacier had all but disappeared.
National Park Service scientists track the vital signs of our national parks—the quality of our air and water, the health of our forests, lakes, elk herds and fish. This work includes tracking glaciers in Olympic National Park, most recently with donations from Washington’s National Park Fund. The findings are clear. A warming climate is resulting in less winter snow and more summer melt. Olympic’s glaciers are decreasing in size and disappearing at an alarming rate.
The loss of glacial ice at Olympic will likely have cascading eff ects on the rivers and ecosystems throughout the park and beyond. Most importantly, this is a strong indicator that Olympic’s winter snowpack—its source of cool and abundant water in dry summer months—is declining.
Olympic Glaciers Over Time
Time Period
Number of Glaciers
Combined Area
1982
262
45.9 sq. km/17.7 sq. mi
2009
184
30.2 sq. km/11.7 sq. mi
2015
148
24.6 sq. km/9.5 sq. mi
National parks have a mission to preserve and protect their natural resources for future generations. However, a changing climate does not recognize park boundaries. Anderson Glacier was not the first glacier to disappear, and it will not be the last.
Over time, how will we connect with the resources of this changing scene? Will we seek different experiences for recreation and reflection? Or will we decide that Olympic’s natural features have incalculable value, and do whatever we can to preserve these iconic wonders?
What's Open at Hurricane Ridge Today?
Remember, all the dates below are weather permitting! When snow, ice, or avalanche conditions make it unsafe to open the road, the gate will remain locked and no facilities or services will open at Hurricane Ridge that day. We make these decisions based on the conditions each morning, so once you've checked this calendar, make sure to also call 360-565-3131 or check the @HRWinterAccess twitter. And if the Hurricane Ridge road is open, remember that all vehicles must carry tire chains - yes, even those with 4-wheel drive!
What's open, what's not - WEATHER PERMITTINGof course!
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Nov. 25
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Nov. 26
Closed
Nov. 27
Closed
Nov.28
Closed
Nov. 29
Closed
Nov. 30
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Dec. 1
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Dec. 2
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Dec. 3
Closed
Dec. 4
Closed
Dec. 5
Closed
Dec. 6
Closed
Dec. 7
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Dec. 8
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4
Dec. 9
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 10
Closed
Dec. 11
Closed
Dec. 12
Closed
Dec. 13
Closed
Dec. 14
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Dec. 15
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 16
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 17
Closed
Dec. 18
Closed
Dec. 19
Closed
Dec. 20
Closed
Dec. 21
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Dec. 22
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 23
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 24
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
showshoe rental shop open 10-4
Ski hill closed.
Dec. 25
Closed
Dec. 26
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 27
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 28
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 29
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 30
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop and ski hill open 10-4
Dec. 31
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 1
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 2
Closed
Jan. 3
Closed
Jan. 4
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Jan. 5
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 6
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 7
Closed
Jan. 8
Closed
Jan. 9
Closed
Jan. 10
Closed
Jan. 11
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Jan. 12
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 13
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 14
Closed
Jan. 15
Closed
Jan. 16
Closed
Jan. 17
Closed
Jan. 18
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Jan. 19
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 20
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 21
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 22
Closed
Jan. 23
Closed
Jan. 24
Closed
Jan. 25
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Jan. 26
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 27
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Jan. 28
Closed
Jan. 29
Closed
Jan. 30
Closed
Jan 31
Closed
Feb. 1
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Feb. 2
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 3
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 4
Closed
Feb. 5
Closed
Feb. 6
Closed
Feb. 7
Closed
Feb. 8
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Feb. 9
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 10
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 11
Closed
Feb. 12
Closed
Feb. 13
Closed
Feb. 14
Closed
Feb. 15
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Feb. 16
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 17
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 18
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 19
Closed
Feb. 20
Closed
Feb. 21
Closed
Feb. 22
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Feb. 23
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 24
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Feb. 25
Closed
Feb. 26
Closed
Feb. 27
Closed
Feb. 28
Closed
Mar. 1
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Mar. 2
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 3
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 4
Closed
Mar. 5
Closed
Mar. 6
Closed
Mar. 7
Closed
Mar. 8
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
cross country ski and
snowshoe rental shop open 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Mar. 9
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 10
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 11
Closed
Mar. 12
Closed
Mar. 13
Closed
Mar. 14
Closed
Mar. 15
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 16
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 17
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 18
Closed
Mar. 19
Closed
Mar. 20
Closed
Mar. 21
Closed
Mar. 22
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Mar. 23
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 24
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 25
Closed
Mar. 26
Closed
Mar. 27
Closed
Mar. 28
Closed
Mar. 29
Road open
Visitor Center 10-4. Ski hill closed.
Mar. 30
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
Mar. 31
Road open
Visitor Center, cafe,
rental shop, and ski hill open 10-4
From April 1 on, the road and visitor center will be open as weather and staffing permit. The cafe and gift shop will be closed April 1-28, reopening weekends in May. By early May the road is usually open 24 hours a day. Cafe and gift shop open daily starting May 19.
