Staircase to open late, other news from Olympic National Park

Staircase -- that stunning part of Olympic National Park that is soooo close to us in South Sound -- probably won't open until June 9 because of slides on the access road.

Staircase was scheduled to open on May 9 and close on Oct. 31.

Staircase, which is where the North Fork Skokomish River flows into Cushman Lake, is a beautiful spot with a great campground, river access and miles and miles and miles of hiking trails. There is no better place for a day trip in South Sound.

Olympic National Park is digging out from a second straight winter of flood and storm damage. Heavy snow -- it's still 10 feet deep in the high country -- will keep lots of trails closed for weeks to come. For more details, check out my outdoor column on Tuesday.