From the Cascades to the Columbia - Q1 2021
Avalanche - 7 Winter Beer Gardens - 14 Peak year for sno-parks - 18 Looking Back: Fire claims downtown Ellensburg hotel - 22
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Looking Back:
Fire claims downtown Ellensburg hotel
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KITTITAS VALLEY
Q1 | 2021
Letter from the Editor While winter may not be too notable yet this year in the lower elevations of the Kittitas Valley, it has made its presence felt in the Cascades. While COVID-19 has impacted winter — Brewfest went virtual and Spirit of the West was rescheduled to May — much of what we like to do in the winter is COVID-friendly. Getting outside to cross country ski, downhill ski, sled, snowshoe and snowmobile are a great way, to lift your mood and enjoy what this county has to offer. In this edition of Kittitas Valley Living we pop in on people who keep their spirits up (literally and figuratively) by frequenting winter beer gardens that restaurants and bars have created across Kittitas County, find out what is up at the very busy sno-parks and learn about the avalanche crews that work to keep Interstate 90 open during the peak snow season. Whatever you do, find a way to enjoy this winter. — Michael Gallagher, managing editor
Editor: Michael Gallagher Writers: Karl Holappa, Rodney Harwood, Luke Olson Photos by: Jacob Ford Designer: Stan Eichwald Publication of the Daily Record 401 N. Main St. Ellensburg WA 98926 509-925-1414 To submit a story idea or upcoming event, email newsroom@kvnews.com. For information about advertising, email: advertising@kvnews.com. www.dailyrecordnews.com
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AVALANCHE
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Traffic is stopped on Interstate 90 while avalanche control work is completed near Snoqualmie Pass.
Stimberis and his team are charged with the task of keeping an eye on Snoqualmie, White, Cayuse and Chinook passes. When the snow starts falling in “We’re looking at the weather the Cascade Range, an intrepid year-round,” he said. “Once team of state employees work fall starts to roll around at the around the clock to monitor beginning of October, we’re paying avalanche conditions and ensure particularly close attention.” that the state’s highways across the Stimberis runs a three-person mountains remain open and safe crew based out of its office near for travel. Hyak, with four additional on-call No mountain pass within the team members who are professional state is immune to the risk of ski patrollers at Alpental. Although avalanches, and the Washington the primary focus is on Snoqualmie Department of Transportation is and White Pass, the team’s season constantly looking at where and when they can strike. The passes are starts with making the decision on when Chinook and Cayuse Pass grouped within regions for more accurate monitoring, and WSDOT will close for the season. With the Avalanche Forecast Supervisor John altitude and early season snowfall, By KARL HOLAPPA staff writer
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Stimberis said there is simply too much avalanche risk to keep them open for the winter. “Once those passes are closed and the snow levels start to come down, we shift our attention to Snoqualmie and White Pass,” he said. “White Pass doesn’t have as much avalanche hazard as Snoqualmie does.” Although Snoqualmie Pass doesn’t always see snow in October, Stimberis said the team begins its daily weather reports and observations at the beginning of that month. The team uses a study plot of undisturbed snow, where it measures air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and solar input. Along with snow
A WSDOT avalanche control team member measures snow depth near Snoqualmie Pass.
accumulation, he said the team also keeps a strict eye on the moisture content of the snow. Unlike backcountry avalanche forecasters, Stimberis said his team focuses on specific avalanche pathways along the interstate, allowing them to pinpoint on hazard areas instead of a broad swath of mountainside. “We can have snow on the ground and not have much of an avalanche hazard,” he said. AIDED BY ENGINEERING With the sheer number of steep slopes leading down to the Interstate, Stimberis said Snoqualmie has been a challenge to manage for as long as it has been
A ski patrol member checks snow depth near Snoqualmie Pass.
used as a route. “Going back in time even just a few years before the avalanche bridges along Lake Keechelus, there was very significant avalanche hazard,” he said. The design and engineering of the roadways over the years has helped mitigate avalanche risk, but not without trial and error. Stimberis pointed out that in the mid-1970s, the current suspended roadway in the westbound direction on the west side of the pass came as a result of the original project in that area being destroyed by an avalanche. “The DOT engineers realized they had a much bigger problem there than they had originally
anticipated,” he said. “We still have avalanche issues on that side of the pass but based on what the original design was it would have been much worse.” Stimberis said a large component of the massive construction project on the east side of the pass had to do with avalanche hazard mitigation. “Quite a bit of money was invested into attempting to eliminate the avalanche hazard on that side of the pass,” he said. Motorists familiar with the pass will remember the old snowsheds in that stretch of highway. Stimberis said that area has been historically notorious for avalanche hazard, and said he recently estimated that K V LIVING
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Avalanche control nets are pictured above Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass.
his team would normally have conducted half a dozen avalanche control missions at that location prior to the new construction. “Now with those bridges, the slides can run naturally under the highway,” he said. “We monitor it to see what’s going on and keep an eye on it, but we don’t have to do control up there anymore. That’s been a big change for the highway. It’s very rare in the world of highways to have an active avalanche program and just be able to remove it completely like that through engineering.” WEAPONS IN THE QUIVER Motorists headed eastbound 10
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over Snoqualmie Pass have most likely noticed the covered apparatus mounted on poles as they ascend towards the pass. Although they may look like mounted cannons, Stimberis said they are actually stationary bicycles. “The bicycle wheel has a cable that runs around it and goes up to another wheel on a tree several hundred feet up slope,” he said. “It’s kind of like an old-style clothesline. We hang the explosives from that cable and pedal the bike, and that sends the explosives up the spot where it needs to detonate. It’s a very low-tech approach, but it’s super effective. It may not be glamorous, but it does the job.”
When the job does need to be done, Stimberis said the primary focus is on worker safety, and the team takes all possible steps to reduce the avalanche risk to team members. “We also like to deliver large explosives,” he said. “In contrast to a ski area, we’re not trying to make the slope safe but also an enjoyable ski experience. Our job is to try to eliminate the avalanche hazard at that time, so we are pretty heavyhanded with the explosives. It beats the snowpack up a lot, but it’s a big benefit.” Stimberis said the team tries to use a tram method as much as possible, which works in the same
Mark Pickerel organizes records at his Roadtrip Records booth Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Thorp Fruit & Antique Mall.
Avalanche paths are shown above the westbound Interstate 90 stretch west of Snoqualmie Pass near Franklin Falls.
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A ski patrol member examines the path of an avalanche near Snoqualmie Pass.
design as the stationary bicycle, but in a downhill direction. He said the goal is to detonate the explosives in the air. He said the air blast technique is beneficial because along with moving snowpack on the ground, it also helps move snow off trees and cliff and rock faces. “That really cleans the area out,” he said. In cases where access is limited or impossible, Stimberis said the team breaks out their Howitzer, which shoots a 5-pound charge. Although the team’s methods are relatively low-tech, he said the Howitzer is quickly becoming aged out and as a result, the team is beginning to look into newer hightech avalanche control options. The solution they are eyeing is called a Remote Avalanche Control System. “These are high-tech ways of 12
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having an explosive delivered to a remote location that’s otherwise inaccessible or impossible for someone to get there,” he said. “We’re currently investigating which types of these remote avalanche control systems are going to be needed for I-90 to replace that artillery, just as other states are doing the same, most notably Colorado and Utah.” Stimberis said he would like to see the new system implemented in the next few years, but it all comes down to project funding. “It is a multimillion-dollar investment to do that,” he said. “It’s something where we know it has to happen, it’s just a matter of finding that funding and implementing the plan.” When the new system is eventually implemented, Stimberis
said the accuracy and safety of the avalanche control process will be vastly improved. Another benefit is convenience to drivers. Although he said the Howitzer only needs to be used a few times a year, its use results in lengthy freeway closures while the artillery is being used. As the operations happen during intense winter storms, normal freeway plowing and clearing activity also has to be put on hold while the Howitzer is being used. The new system would eliminate that process on his team’s side. “Everything gets put on hold while the artillery is happening,” he said. “I often joke that there’s a snowball effect to it, and pun is very much intended.
A snowcat used to place explosives for avalanche control near Snoqualmie pass.
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A group of ski patrol members hikes near Snoqualmie Summit to examine snow conditions.
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Winter Beer Gardens
Outdoor patios keeping the beer and drinks flowing during the pandemic By RODNEY HARWOOD staff writer The idea of sitting down with an ice cold beer and watching the world go by has been linked to a warm summer day. But with the changing, sometimes confusing times, people around Ellensburg are finding a cold beer and a space heater to be just what the doctor ordered. “I’m totally committed to the lockdown, but I need a break every now and then,” Maddy Berkley said, sitting in the outdoor dining area in front of the Pearl Bar & Grill on Pearl Street. “The space heaters are really nice. I sat down here and took my jacket off.” The Pennsylvania native has seen his fair share of snow, even spent a couple of years in the Seattle rain, but the weather in the Kittitas Valley is mild and to his liking. As long as it doesn’t rain, weather permitting permits a lot of good days drinking beer in historical downtown Ellensburg. “I like it here,” he said, taking another sip as traffic eased by on Pearl Street. “Before the lockdown, there was a lot more to do. It’s not that I don’t want to play by the rules, it’s just we need to get out and the beer garden is a perfect way to do that … safely.” Safely is the catch word in the midst of the pandemic and the outside tables are spread out to give customers their own space and more importantly, space heater. The wait staff comes by regularly and it’s a good way get a few hours away from the COVID-19. Martin and Pam Weisman live in North Bend, but have a second home here in Ellensburg. They like to get away from the hustle and 14
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bustle of the West Side to a place where many of the shops and eateries are within walking distance. Martin sat drinking a glass of wine and Pam preferred a mixed drink as they sat enjoying a mild January day. “I tend to drink wine, but there are no wineries open at the moment,” Martin said. “We like coming over here and spending time. We’re retired, so we get over here as much as we want. “There are several different places to eat, like the Pearl and other places around town. We like to spread our patronage around and help the businesses as much as we can, and this is just an enjoyable way to do it.” Pam raised her glass, “The West Side is more locked down than over here,” she said. “You do everything to stay safe and adhere to the safety regulations, but it is nice to get out every now and then. “When we’re over here, we’re able to walk to most of the places downtown and that’s really nice.” Restaurants and taverns in Ellensburg are working to serve in a safe environment, yet the outside patios are as much ambiance as they are regulations. Pearl Bar & Grill owner Blake Collins plans to re-arrange his patio moving forward into the new year. “Our sales have been down compared to the first shut down, but we’ve been able to create a really nice ambiance with the new situation,” he said. “The outdoor structure is about to get a remodel with some additions to it. “As opposed to being subjected to the weather, we’re going to create a more effective space. I believe it will be the most unique in town.”
wrought iron railing and tower space heaters right there on Main Street. The heated outdoor seating is set up for a maximum five people per a table and they serve signature cocktails, a wide variety of beer on tap and a five selection of wine. Available by the glass or the bottle. Dark Moon, 319 North Pearl Co-owners Matt and Jim Armstrong are still serving up a nice selection of package beer on a carry-out basis. But limited space in front of the new place on Pearl Street has them struggling with an outside presence. “We only have room for two tables out front and open right up into an alley in the back,” Matt said. “We’re debating about how we can expand or patio. We were pretty steady during the summer. We still offer a variety of beers from around the Northwest through our package carry out. Said Jim, “We’ve been struggling and it’s getting worse with the new regulations,” he said. “But we’re playing by the rules and adhering to the safety regulations.” Pretty Fair Beer, 420 North Pearl Street Pretty Fair Beer still overs package beer takeout, but has been working hard to keep its beer garden going. “The extra seating on the patio really helps,” co-owner Karissa Witthuhn said. “The space we have is owned by the Clymer, so we have a lease with them. We had to modify our liquor control license. Since the access to the space is on the sidewalk, we had to get a permit from the city. It’s working out. “We’ve been pretty busy. This a way they can enjoy a beer since they can’t come inside because of the safety regulations.” For a list of local restaurants and other businesses’ hours and pickup and delivery options, go to www.kittitascountychamber.com/special-business-hours.
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Cornerstone Pie, 307 East Fifth Ave. Mark Holloway will relish the day pandemic restrictions allow large gatherings and he can bring back live music. But until then, he’s surviving on takeout, delivery and his outdoor patio. “We’re doing what we can. The patio depends on the weather, but so far, it’s been pretty nice through December. We have 10 beers on tap and we’ve been serving quite a few specialty drinks. Hot totties, Irish coffee are popular. “We’ve been pretty busy nights and weekends. We have the space heaters and limit each table to five customers. I’m really looking forward to when we can get back to live music, because that’s a big part of who we are.” Red Horse Diner, 1518 West University Like the Cornerstone Pie, the Red Horse Diner is an active live music hot spot that has been quiet to the music. The Red Horse has a large outdoor patio and has been open for food and drink. The heaters make an enjoyable experience, and the wait staff keeps the drink and food rolling to its customers needing a place away from the pandemic. The Palace, 332 North Main The Palace staff went through a series of layoffs between March and December of 2020, so the outdoor patio in the back of the establishment is helping to keep people employed, as well as served with food and drink hostess/server Kari Flanigan said. “The patio makes it feel like working rather than sitting around for the phone to ring, it keeps people working” she said. “We don’t have a full bar available right now, but we have a lot of specialty drinks and beer on tap. There’s three or four tables and people seem to like to come in in the evening.” The Tav, 117 West Fourth Avenue The downtown establishment has been a fan favorite for years, whether it’s a gathering place for sports and entertainment or good food and drink. It has around 10 tables in its outdoor patio where the wait staff keeps it coming with a wide variety of beer and cocktails, appetizers and the good stuff. The Porch, 608 North Main Where some establishments around town have altered their parking space or back lots to accommodate their outdoor patio, The Porch is one of the visible and viable in town with its
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Typically, this is the section where we list events and activities to enjoy during the winter season in Kittitas County. As you know, COVID happened. While your regularly scheduled events either went virtual or went on hiatus, the outdoors remains open for business. Here are a few photos to remind you of what we like to do in the winter in Kittitas County.
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Peak year in sno-parks
COVID-19 sparks surge in winter outdoor activity By LUKE OLSON sports editor As the temperature continues to drop, snow falls heavy on the Northern Cascade Mountains. With that comes skiers and snowboarders shredding down the slopes of the Snoqualmie Pass, year after year. But not far are the sno-park enthusiasts, scattered across the eastern slopes of Kittitas County. “With the I-90 corridor going right through it, it is definitely the hub for folks coming from Seattle, Bellevue, Issaquah, the King County area as well as the folks that are coming over from Ellensburg and even coming up from Yakima,” said Pamela McConkey, winter recreation program manager of Washington State Parks. Amidst a global pandemic, outdoor activities have been at a peak, and sno-parks are reporting record visits since its opening on Dec. 1. “Oh my gosh, it’s been crazy,” McConkey said. “We’ve seen more activity more usage this year (2020) than – I think safe to say – ever before. Even our sno-park permit sales are just off the charts.” “With the pandemic, much like what everybody in outdoor recreation saw during the summer and fall is people wanting to get outside, “ she added. “Gyms are closed, theaters are closed, restaurants are closed and so they want to find something to do. They want to find something to do as a family. And so there are more and more people getting out to enjoy those sno-parks and be outside and still be together.” As McConkey said, Kittitas County is a coveted area to explore the sno-park trails with more than 500 miles in the upper portion of the county. In the state alone, there are more than 120 sno-parks available during the winter months. Approximately 80 of them are primarily for snowmobiling. But plenty of opportunities to snowshoe, cross country ski and even dogsled. Locations in the county include Salmon la Sac, French 18
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Cabin, Crystal Springs, Woods and Steel, Blewett Pass, Tenaway/29 Pines, Taneum, Reecer Creek, Elk Heights and Mineral Springs. McConkey said the Gold Creek Pond trail near the Snoqualmie Pass has been the most “congested.” “I think part of that is its location,” she said. “It’s right there at exit 54, it’s just as you cross over the summit and get into Kittitas County. Our recommendation to people is to keep going. Don’t stop at that first park if you’re headed east. Keep going, get up to Blewett Pass and Swauk Campground and Pipe Creek Campground. Fabulous experience, far less crowds, and great snow.” Washington State Parks release from Dec. 31 answered questions about park usage and offered tips and information for enjoying the outdoors. Sno-parks close when parking hits full capacity and advises people to arrive early and have a backup plan if the park is shuttered. Sno-parks can close due to weatherrelated issues, and if snow depths are too low, the trails may not be groomed for activities. Washington State Parks also wants people to understand trail etiquette. Snowshoers: Walk on the side of the trail and stay off ski tracks. Skate-skies: Keep off groomed ski tracks. Dogsled and skijoring teams: Stay off any groomed track. Skiers and snowshoes: Yield to snowmobilers and dog teams. Snowmobilers: Slow down when coming up on skiers, snowshoers and dog teams. “We’ve really been spending a lot of our time over the last couple of weeks trying to help educate people to be prepared for winter driving, to be prepared for winter sports,” McConkey said.
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Looking Back: Fire claims downtown Ellensburg hotel Firemen fight flames, cold at hotel By TIM CONNOR staff writer I was not an easy battle to fight. The choices, Ellensburg fireman Bob Young said, in a frustrated voice, were only two — to freeze while battling the Webster Hotel blaze from the outside or go inside the burning building and “eat smoke.” By 1 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, after more than two hours of frantic work attempting to get a handle on the blaze, Ellensburg Fire Chief Ed West called off the battle inside of the aging hotel. The flames, he said, which apparently started in a room just to the left of the hotel’s south entrance on the ground floor, had spread to the roof on the east side. West said he ordered his men out. It was no longer safe. “I thought we had it there for a while,” West said. “We had guys on the third floor quite some time.” The problem, he explained, was the same one firefighters faced in battling the blaze which destroyed the Olympic block last June, the fire had gotten into the building’s attic and spread quickly along the top. Despite an attempt to flood the attic with water, West said, “we just couldn’t do it fast enough.” It began, Ralph Charlton said, with someone smelling smoke in the hotel lobby just before 10:30. Charlton said he was in his realty office on the bottom floor of the building at the corner of Third and Pearl talking with a client at the time. He was “not too concerned” when he saw the fire tire pull up by the building. 22
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Forty-one years ago, Jan. 30, 1980, one of the more dramatic fires in a city known for dramatic fires took place — the Webster Hotel fire. The fire, itself, may be best known for the images it created. On Jan. 30, 1980 the temperatures dropped to below zero. In the course of extinguishing the blaze, firefighters created a buildingsized ice sculpture. The following is the story on the fire published in the Daily Record on Jan. 30, 1980: Moments later, Charlton said, he began to smell smoke in his office and decided it was time to evacuate. Before firemen arrived, Rex Rice, the owner of the 71-year-old building who called in the alarm, had rushed to alert residents on the two upper floors. Ellensburg police lieutenant Tom Young was one of four officers who made the final check of the building’s upper floors. He said they found no one. When the firemen arrived they saw plenty of smoke and steam but had difficulty locating the source. “Our biggest problem,” firefighter Jack Whitehurst said as he wiped the frozen soot and ice off his face during a break, “is we couldn’t find the damn thing (the fire) quick enough.” Whitehorse was the first one to spot flames, which he said were in a bathroom just to the left of the rear entrance to the hotel lobby. He was but one of several firemen who cursed the building for having “so damn many hidden areas”
which kept firemen searching for flames amid the smoke and steam. Just above Whitehorse, Eldon Casper entered a second-floor window by climbing on a fire escape. He found the flames had already come through the floor. “It happened so quick,” Casper said. Casper was one of several firemen who, in an attempt to control the flames quickly, entered the building without taking precious seconds to hook themselves up to oxygen tanks. At least one firefighter, Tom Cameron, was seen walking slightly dazed after having breathed smoke inside the building. As the fire roared out of control, patrons and employees of the Horseshoe Tavern in the adjacent building to the west were evacuated. For a time, a human chain was formed as volunteers carried barstools, a huge elk rack and anything else moveable out of the tavern to be stacked on the sidewalk across the street. Ellensburg police quickly set up barricades around the block and burning building. The owner-operator of the Webster Hotel, Rice, said that he had 25 permanent residents registered at the hotel and figured that there probably were two or three other overnight guests. He said there must been 35 persons in all, with the staff, inside the hotel when he and others smelled smoke in the lobby. He said that by the time the fire crews arrived, “the fire was coming out those two windows,” pointing to first floor windows to the manager’s office. Rice added, however, that he did not know the exact location of the fire’s beginnings nor its cause. Rice said the building, constructed in 1909, was covered by insurance, “but I’m sure it won’t be anywhere near enough.”
Before firemen arrived, Rice and others in the lobby rushed to the upper floors to alert all residents. He said there was no fire on those upper floors initially. Ralph Charlton, owner of Charlton Realty, which is located in the northeast ground floor corner of the building, said that before the lights went out, he and volunteers were able to remove most furniture and all valuable papers in the office. He reported that many pickup drivers and Mike Wendt, who was driving a beer truck, stopped to load up furniture and goods from all the businesses in the building and carry away to safe storage. “The firemen who were inside told me that the fire was burning between all the building walls,” Charlton said.
“They were doing a remarkable job of containing the blaze to the hotel building.” Fire watchers galore gathered as the fire crews struggled to knock down the blaze. But because of the low temperatures, many retreated to the Puget Power and Light Co. or U.S. Post Office lobbies across the street to watch in comfort. The Webster Hotel fire is the second major conflagration in Ellensburg in less than a year. Six months ago, the historic Olympic Block Building was leveled after a fire swept through the building at Fourth and Pearl. Chief West said shortly before noon as he directed the fire fighting from the south side the building and from the alley to the west, “maybe we’ll get luck
on one (fire) and be able to contain this one. I sure hope so. It’s looking better.” He said, like many other buildings in the downtown, the structure had “many false ceilings and that made it hard to fight (fires).” The structure was built in 1909 by G.A. Knox for the Ellensburg Brewing and Malting Col. It was built of bricks for a cost of $16,000 and was originally only two stories. It opened in November of 1909 as the Majestic Hotel — according to published historical accounts. Frank Groger purchased it in 1913 and added the third floor and changed the name to the St. Regis. It was sold to William Webster in 1937 for $20,000 and renamed. K V LIVING
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C e l e b r at i n g
Serving the peo Thank you from all of us at Fitterer’s Furniture! We value your patronage and appreciate your confidence in us.
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tas i t t i K f le o
County
years Years
We will be featuring special events and sales throughout the year as permitted. Look for exciting things to come in the months ahead.
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K V LIVING
4th & Main, Downtown Ellensburg 509-925-9828 • FitterersFurniture.com Open 6 Days A Week Free delivery in the heart of Washington