Friday, October 9, 2026

Glacier National Park closes the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road at 7 p.m. tonight, from Avalanche to the Jackson Glacier Overlook, ahead of a storm forecast to bring rain, possible snow and gusting wind to the high country through Sunday, October 11. The park says the closed stretch may change as needed and will reopen when conditions improve.

That cuts off Logan Pass from both sides for the weekend. For road status by text, send GNPROADS to 333111.

Zion National Park reopened visitor access on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway today, October 9, the park said. Part of the highway had been closed since September 30, when a large rock formation collapsed onto it, damaging the road and blocking travel. The 7.5 miles from the East Entrance to the Great Arch Overlook reopened October 6 for scenic driving and day use.

Crews have cleared the rock and removed the damaged asphalt, but the scale of the repair means the rockfall section is temporary gravel for now, with repaving planned in the near future. Drive carefully through the work zone and watch for vehicles and people. The South Entrance, the shuttle system and Zion Canyon Scenic Drive have operated normally throughout.

Washington's latest Skagit River rule, in effect October 9 through 31, keeps the bait ban, the single-point barbless hook requirement for salmon, and a two-coho daily limit on the river from the mouth to the Marblemount Bridge. Coho must be at least 12 inches, and all other salmon must be released.

The stretch from Gilligan Creek, east of Sedro-Woolley, to the Baker River closes to all fishing October 12 through 15 for a scheduled tribal treaty fishery, a shorter closure than first planned. It reopens under the coho rules October 16. On the Cascade River from the mouth to the Rockport-Cascade Road bridge, the limit is four coho, with no bait, barbless hooks, and no fishing Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays.

The reason is Chinook. Skagit summer-fall sport fisheries have used more than 80 percent of their allowed Chinook encounters, and this season has seen more Chinook caught in the coho fishery than any year since in-season monitoring began in 2021. The department asks anglers to avoid water where Chinook hold and to identify fish before keeping them; it says many Chinook and pinks have been misidentified as coho this year, and that size is not a reliable guide.

Idaho's resident pheasant season opens October 15 everywhere in the state this year, rather than on different dates in the north and south, Idaho Fish and Game said. Nonresidents start October 20. The daily bag limit is now three roosters, no more than two of them from Upland Game Bird Permit release areas. The youth pheasant hunt, for licensed hunters 17 and younger, runs October 8 through 14.

The department is stocking nearly 29,000 pheasants at 24 release sites in every region. On those sites, hunters 18 and older need an Upland Game Bird Permit, which covers six birds and must be notched and dated in ink for each one taken; the daily limit there is two, with six in possession. Shooting hours on release sites start at 10 a.m., except in the Clearwater Region, where they start at 8 a.m. and online sign-up is required.

All upland bird hunters must wear at least 36 square inches of hunter orange above the waist during pheasant season. Release sites are on the department's Pheasant Stocking Program page.

The Minnesota DNR has decided not to adopt the optional three-duck daily bag limit, it said October 8, keeping the existing six-bird structure. The department's own assessment found the option would not harm duck populations, but many hunters said the six-bird limit supports a culture of species identification, mentorship and tradition, and many were confused and thought they would be forced to a lower limit. States that opted in are part of a five-year evaluation through 2031, after which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide whether to offer it to others.

Washington Fish and Wildlife is taking comments through December 7 on a rule that would allow two-pole fishing year-round for all game fish, including walleye, bass, channel catfish and northern pikeminnow, in the Washington portion of the Snake River and on the Columbia from the Oregon border up to Chief Joseph Dam. It started as a petition for the Snake alone in July. Comment online, by email or by phone at 1-855-925-2801, project code 11057; a Zoom hearing with required pre-registration is set for 6 to 8 p.m. December 7.

Decathlon is recalling about 1,150 Van Rysel GRVL AF gravel bikes, sold at REI stores and REI.com from March 2025 through August 2026 for $1,400 to $2,300, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced October 8. The front lock nut can loosen, letting the front wheel come loose and causing a crash. Affected colorways are Sword Brown, Apex Beige, Sword Pink and GRX Black, model numbers 8911304, 8911305, 8911308 and 8929130; the Product ID on the label under the frame near the bottom bracket starts with 5. Stop riding and take the bike to any REI for a free inspection and fork repair, or call Decathlon at 415-408-5494. No injuries have been reported.

Snow Peak is recalling about 100 Takibi propane inserts with lava rocks, model ST-332-US, sold on snowpeak.com in July for about $350. The insert lets the Pack & Carry Fireplace L and XL burn propane, but the lava rocks can ignite and explode when heated. The company has one report of exploding rocks and minor property damage. Stop using it; Snow Peak will refund the set with a prepaid return label, or send replacement rocks. Call 888-424-4916.

Giant is recalling about 3,630 LED-light keys sold with SureLock bike lock sets made after March 2023, because children can get at the button battery. The lock and the plain keys are fine. Take the LED key to a Giant retailer with the lock or a photo of its serial number for a $5 refund.

Containment on the Dome Fire rose to 61 percent on Thursday, up from 47 percent, the Park Service said this morning. The fire is 6,829 acres with 968 people assigned. Fire activity was minimal, and aircraft working with hotshot crews kept it inside its footprint.

Today crews are mopping up and patrolling the north and west sides. On the east side, still the top priority, they are running hose lines down from the north and up from the south and finishing hand line, and structure protection stays at the Ostrander ski hut.

The weather turns this afternoon. A low-pressure system approaching the coast cools highs into the 60s and brings southwest winds gusting 15 to 25 mph this afternoon and evening. On Saturday the wind swings southerly and strengthens, with afternoon gusts of 25 to 35 mph and highs mostly in the 50s. The park says activity should stay minimal where lines are in place, but any new ignition outside the line could grow.

Smoke keeps improving: good to moderate in Yosemite Valley today and good by the weekend, with moderate mornings in Wawona, Yosemite West and El Portal clearing by evening.

Closures are unchanged. Glacier Point Road and every trail inside the fire footprint are closed, including the trails south and east of Glacier Point Road, the Ostrander Lake Trail, and the Mono Meadow and Buena Vista trails. The Chilnualna Falls, Alder Creek, Four Mile and Panorama trails are open.