First, I really appreciate this article and the effort behind it. The Elwha issue deserves public attention, and I think the petition approach is a strong example of lawful, community-led advocacy. My comment is offered in that spirit of support, because I think the article’s argument is actually stronger with the cleanest possible foundation.
I understand the spirit of the Margaret Mead quote. Citizens absolutely can create change. But for me, the issue is that true things should be supported by true foundations.
The Mead quote is widely repeated, but its attribution is not fully settled. Quote Investigator notes that researchers have not found the quotation in Mead’s own body of work and that the earliest strong match appeared after her death, attributed to Mead without a clear source (O’Toole, 2017). That does not make the sentiment false, but it does make it a weaker anchor for a serious public-access argument.
A stronger foundation may be Washington’s own constitutional language: “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” (Washington State Constitution, art. I, § 1). The same article also protects “the right of petition and of the people peaceably to assemble for the common good” (Washington State Constitution, art. I, § 4).
That fits this effort beautifully. The Elwha petition is not powerful merely because a small group is morally committed. It is powerful because citizens are using a lawful, public process to ask the proper agencies for transparency, a timeline, and accountable action.
That distinction matters, especially because CC Watchdog has rightly criticized other activists for using moral conviction as a reason to disregard the law (Tozzer, 2026). This petition is different, and that difference is worth highlighting. It models civic action through lawful process rather than shortcutting around it.
Good causes are stronger when they are supported by good facts, lawful process, and consistent standards. In my view, that is what makes this article and this effort worth supporting.
References
O’Toole, G. (2017, November 12). Quote origin: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Quote Investigator. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/11/12/change-world/
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's email asking if their views have evolved about placing stickers on public property. Here is another email from yesterday sent to all three commissioners and County Administrator Todd Mielke:
Dear Commissioners and County Administrator,
I’m writing to request some clarification regarding the recent notice that next week’s work session and regular meeting have been canceled.
Specifically, could you please provide more information on the following:
What is the “WIR” conference that Commissioner Ozias is scheduled to attend?
Who organizes this conference, and what is its purpose or focus?
What specific scheduling conflict necessitates canceling both the work session and the regular meeting?
Were alternative options considered to maintain the meeting schedule, such as rescheduling or proceeding with a quorum?
Given the importance of these public meetings for transparency and community engagement, I believe it’s important for residents to understand the reasoning behind this decision.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.
We would LOVE to see the Elwha River Road reopened to restore one of our local treasures~! I hope that this worthy project is one that the good folks of Clallam County can all get behind, because it will help to breathe life back into our community in many ways... Have a wonderful Sunday and keep up the great work~!
50 years ago my dad told me," the park wants to keep us out of the back country "
Take a look at a map from the late 60s compare the roads into the Olympics then to present.
The road could have been fixed by local company's in 6 months or sured up to keep it from washing out in the first place, but the plan was to keep the human traffic out.
2 lakes 2 campgrounds a resort 2 trailhead. We did get a beautiful river sure wish I could take my granddaughters fishing.
Recently the Hoh was, and always will be, eating away at the road to enter the park. A slight difference may be that it was in county road jurisdiction, but what a massive lift that was coordinated to reopen it.
What can be leveraged from that event, to this one?
Thank you so much Jake for initiating this reasonable effort. When one thinks of the quagmire that is Recompete to bring money and jobs into the area versus something so obvious as this it's hard to understand how this has languished for so long. This is such a reasonable and non-political action that I can't imagine any neighbor not signing it. I'll get this printed and get my walking shoes on. This effort is for everyone to act on as a force multiplier. Signatures are needed, but moreso boots on the ground from everyone.
I assume you know that the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe submitted comments and their position on the matter to Olympic National Park during the tribal consultation phase and the project to reopen the road was quietly shut down.
One slice of the Clallam county livability pie was easy Elwha access—nothing like getting off work, driving 15-20 minutes to the Whiskey Bend trailhead, doing a quick late afternoon-early evening hike to Humes Ranch and back for dinner. Easy for kids to hike and experience wilderness in their backyard…sad that access is still so limited.
Thanks for writing this Jake. I will sign the petition.
When I wore a younger mans clothes , Humes Ranch and the Olympic hot springs were a cherished location for camping. At that time the "gateway" was 3.5 miles from Humes Ranch. Now its over 9 miles to Humes and over 10 to get to Olympic.
Having the river go anywhere at any time isn't any good for anyone not even the salmon. Its natural..sort of. They still pull out sediment so as not to choke out wild salmon beds but after 16 years they still have zero wild population and we have had hatchery fish only. More river mismagaement by NOPLE....Oh yee of good methane and bad methane....Good stagnant water and..bad stagnant water. I wonder how you spell flubber and magic beans in those tribal letters.
And they want land up there?? They don't want people up there. They started tearing down historic shelters 40 years ago. Its been a systematic closure of access.
People with the old-Park mentality have retired. The word re-creation means something very important. The Elwha with it's two campgrounds and trails were classic. Administrators come and go. I'd love to see new shelters built. Need a new-CCC crew of people who need jobs up there. The cheap solution for the bridges is to just install removable ones until (if) the river stabilizes. I suppose they could route around and above the river, but would be pricey.
I worked for the Park in the 90s. Many cared, many cared so much they would have just assumed close the Park. The problem is administrators, which is what I write about here in the Back to the Future Effect.
At minimal, there should be a concession at the old Forest Service Ranger station with shuttles in summer or bike rentals. Those buildings and compound are historic and amazing. Just need some fixing up. The Elwha WAS the entrance to the Olympics. Of course, they should have seen that the wild river would have blown out the road. And that's the issue with Administrators. Their algorithms and models rarely work, at least partly because of the BTTFE, and mostly because nature follows its own path.
It seems so much in the Park died years ago with the advent of computer systems and deep regulation. And sadly, I had my hand in that back in the day.
Can multiple signatures be on each petition? I printed out the form, added enough lines for about 20 SIGNATURES, but added PRINT NAME next to the signature
When I downloaded it, it didn't have that, the last line comes out like this: No lines, no print name.
Petition Declaration
By signing below, I support this petition and urge federal and state officials to take prompt action to restore Olympic Hot Springs Road and reopen the Elwha River entrance.
It is genuinely refreshing to see our community come together around a truly non-partisan issue! Reopening the Elwha corridor is a shared goal that unites us all and is incredibly important for our local economy and our connection to the park.
Because restoring the Olympic Hot Springs Road in a shifting river valley is such a massive undertaking, it’s going to require serious Washington-level support and intervention from our congressional representatives. We saw with the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center that securing funding for large federal projects requires a ton of persistence to navigate national politics, which is exactly why building a unified, grassroots voice right now is so valuable.
We also have to keep in mind that the National Park Service is currently doing its best to navigate significant budget constraints, reduced staffing, and rising construction costs nationwide. They are stretched thin just trying to maintain their current assets. But this actually makes our community's involvement even more critical! When the agency is strapped for cash, community-led support can help elevate our specific needs.
While reopening this road is an absolute top priority for us regionally, it needs our help to become a priority nationally. This petition is a fantastic, proactive first step to making our voices heard. If we stay positive and keep up a coordinated, long-term effort to lobby for federal funding, we can absolutely make an impact!
Hi JJ’s,
First, I really appreciate this article and the effort behind it. The Elwha issue deserves public attention, and I think the petition approach is a strong example of lawful, community-led advocacy. My comment is offered in that spirit of support, because I think the article’s argument is actually stronger with the cleanest possible foundation.
I understand the spirit of the Margaret Mead quote. Citizens absolutely can create change. But for me, the issue is that true things should be supported by true foundations.
The Mead quote is widely repeated, but its attribution is not fully settled. Quote Investigator notes that researchers have not found the quotation in Mead’s own body of work and that the earliest strong match appeared after her death, attributed to Mead without a clear source (O’Toole, 2017). That does not make the sentiment false, but it does make it a weaker anchor for a serious public-access argument.
A stronger foundation may be Washington’s own constitutional language: “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” (Washington State Constitution, art. I, § 1). The same article also protects “the right of petition and of the people peaceably to assemble for the common good” (Washington State Constitution, art. I, § 4).
That fits this effort beautifully. The Elwha petition is not powerful merely because a small group is morally committed. It is powerful because citizens are using a lawful, public process to ask the proper agencies for transparency, a timeline, and accountable action.
That distinction matters, especially because CC Watchdog has rightly criticized other activists for using moral conviction as a reason to disregard the law (Tozzer, 2026). This petition is different, and that difference is worth highlighting. It models civic action through lawful process rather than shortcutting around it.
Good causes are stronger when they are supported by good facts, lawful process, and consistent standards. In my view, that is what makes this article and this effort worth supporting.
References
O’Toole, G. (2017, November 12). Quote origin: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Quote Investigator. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/11/12/change-world/
Tozzer, J. (2026). When the law doesn’t apply. Clallam County Watchdog. https://www.ccwatchdog.com/p/when-the-law-doesnt-apply
Washington State Constitution, art. I, §§ 1, 4. https://leg.wa.gov/state-laws-and-rules/washington-state-constitution/?showall=true
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's email asking if their views have evolved about placing stickers on public property. Here is another email from yesterday sent to all three commissioners and County Administrator Todd Mielke:
Dear Commissioners and County Administrator,
I’m writing to request some clarification regarding the recent notice that next week’s work session and regular meeting have been canceled.
Specifically, could you please provide more information on the following:
What is the “WIR” conference that Commissioner Ozias is scheduled to attend?
Who organizes this conference, and what is its purpose or focus?
What specific scheduling conflict necessitates canceling both the work session and the regular meeting?
Were alternative options considered to maintain the meeting schedule, such as rescheduling or proceeding with a quorum?
Given the importance of these public meetings for transparency and community engagement, I believe it’s important for residents to understand the reasoning behind this decision.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.
Excellent work Jeff Tozzer and Jake Seegers~!
We would LOVE to see the Elwha River Road reopened to restore one of our local treasures~! I hope that this worthy project is one that the good folks of Clallam County can all get behind, because it will help to breathe life back into our community in many ways... Have a wonderful Sunday and keep up the great work~!
Sincerely, Mike
Let's do this!!!!
50 years ago my dad told me," the park wants to keep us out of the back country "
Take a look at a map from the late 60s compare the roads into the Olympics then to present.
The road could have been fixed by local company's in 6 months or sured up to keep it from washing out in the first place, but the plan was to keep the human traffic out.
2 lakes 2 campgrounds a resort 2 trailhead. We did get a beautiful river sure wish I could take my granddaughters fishing.
Do you have any links that show the roads back in the 60s? That would be interesting.
I have lots of old maps I'll dig them up
I'll just toss this into the fray.
Recently the Hoh was, and always will be, eating away at the road to enter the park. A slight difference may be that it was in county road jurisdiction, but what a massive lift that was coordinated to reopen it.
What can be leveraged from that event, to this one?
Thank you so much Jake for initiating this reasonable effort. When one thinks of the quagmire that is Recompete to bring money and jobs into the area versus something so obvious as this it's hard to understand how this has languished for so long. This is such a reasonable and non-political action that I can't imagine any neighbor not signing it. I'll get this printed and get my walking shoes on. This effort is for everyone to act on as a force multiplier. Signatures are needed, but moreso boots on the ground from everyone.
The Wedge party. Vote for Jake Seegers.
Thank you for this comment, MK.
Clallamity Jen's substack this morning talks about Jake, the stickers, and "carpetbaggers." It's great: https://clallamityjen.substack.com/p/gone-with-the-memes
I assume you know that the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe submitted comments and their position on the matter to Olympic National Park during the tribal consultation phase and the project to reopen the road was quietly shut down.
Less garbage cans to empty. Easier to play hide and seek for 3 grand a week...
One slice of the Clallam county livability pie was easy Elwha access—nothing like getting off work, driving 15-20 minutes to the Whiskey Bend trailhead, doing a quick late afternoon-early evening hike to Humes Ranch and back for dinner. Easy for kids to hike and experience wilderness in their backyard…sad that access is still so limited.
Thanks for writing this Jake. I will sign the petition.
When I wore a younger mans clothes , Humes Ranch and the Olympic hot springs were a cherished location for camping. At that time the "gateway" was 3.5 miles from Humes Ranch. Now its over 9 miles to Humes and over 10 to get to Olympic.
Having the river go anywhere at any time isn't any good for anyone not even the salmon. Its natural..sort of. They still pull out sediment so as not to choke out wild salmon beds but after 16 years they still have zero wild population and we have had hatchery fish only. More river mismagaement by NOPLE....Oh yee of good methane and bad methane....Good stagnant water and..bad stagnant water. I wonder how you spell flubber and magic beans in those tribal letters.
And they want land up there?? They don't want people up there. They started tearing down historic shelters 40 years ago. Its been a systematic closure of access.
People with the old-Park mentality have retired. The word re-creation means something very important. The Elwha with it's two campgrounds and trails were classic. Administrators come and go. I'd love to see new shelters built. Need a new-CCC crew of people who need jobs up there. The cheap solution for the bridges is to just install removable ones until (if) the river stabilizes. I suppose they could route around and above the river, but would be pricey.
I worked for the Park in the 90s. Many cared, many cared so much they would have just assumed close the Park. The problem is administrators, which is what I write about here in the Back to the Future Effect.
At minimal, there should be a concession at the old Forest Service Ranger station with shuttles in summer or bike rentals. Those buildings and compound are historic and amazing. Just need some fixing up. The Elwha WAS the entrance to the Olympics. Of course, they should have seen that the wild river would have blown out the road. And that's the issue with Administrators. Their algorithms and models rarely work, at least partly because of the BTTFE, and mostly because nature follows its own path.
It seems so much in the Park died years ago with the advent of computer systems and deep regulation. And sadly, I had my hand in that back in the day.
https://davidzelenka.substack.com/p/the-back-to-the-future-effect
Can multiple signatures be on each petition? I printed out the form, added enough lines for about 20 SIGNATURES, but added PRINT NAME next to the signature
It should have "printed name" on there already, with room for 15 signatures.
When I downloaded it, it didn't have that, the last line comes out like this: No lines, no print name.
Petition Declaration
By signing below, I support this petition and urge federal and state officials to take prompt action to restore Olympic Hot Springs Road and reopen the Elwha River entrance.
That sounds like a glitch we need to address. Thank you.
I just did a quick glance of petitions, and found this, to verify the signature(s)? For example my quick read said this:
All petitions should include the following fields for signers to fill out:
First name
Last name
Phone number
Email address
I also added on mine, at the bottom (first page) Page 1 of 2 (second page) Page 2 of 2. I printed it so both pages are on one sheet of paper ;)
It is genuinely refreshing to see our community come together around a truly non-partisan issue! Reopening the Elwha corridor is a shared goal that unites us all and is incredibly important for our local economy and our connection to the park.
Because restoring the Olympic Hot Springs Road in a shifting river valley is such a massive undertaking, it’s going to require serious Washington-level support and intervention from our congressional representatives. We saw with the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center that securing funding for large federal projects requires a ton of persistence to navigate national politics, which is exactly why building a unified, grassroots voice right now is so valuable.
We also have to keep in mind that the National Park Service is currently doing its best to navigate significant budget constraints, reduced staffing, and rising construction costs nationwide. They are stretched thin just trying to maintain their current assets. But this actually makes our community's involvement even more critical! When the agency is strapped for cash, community-led support can help elevate our specific needs.
While reopening this road is an absolute top priority for us regionally, it needs our help to become a priority nationally. This petition is a fantastic, proactive first step to making our voices heard. If we stay positive and keep up a coordinated, long-term effort to lobby for federal funding, we can absolutely make an impact!