Aging Trees Force Camp Closure
Washington State Parks has closed one park to camping and opened a new day-use area at another park.

Park officials said the old growth Douglas fir forest at Rockport State Park, eight miles east of Concrete, is showing signs of structural instability that could pose a risk to campers, so the park will be open only for day use this year.

“We want to take care of this beautiful and rare example of old-growth forest and keep it open to the public so people can enjoy it and learn about it, but we believe that opening it for camping and allowing people to stay overnight under those old trees is not appropriate,” said Rex Derr, state parks director. The trees are estimated to be 400 to 600 years old.
Meanwhile, Beacon Rock State Park, which is located along the Columbia River, about 24 miles east of Vancouver, Washington, has opened a new day-use area that includes 230 acres of open space for picnicking, river access and bird-watching and also includes a restricted-use wildlife habitat.

The area has parking for 34 boat trailers, 10 RVs and 20 cars. The improvements, which cost $1.45 million, include a 1.1-mile interpretive trail. Access to the area was made possible by the completion of a new entrance road, a new intersection off State Route 14 and a bridge over the Burlington Northern railroad tracks, all at a cost of $3.9 million. Beacon Rock State Park has 20 miles of roads and trails open to hiking, mountain biking and equestrian use, and offers year-round camping.

Winnebago Names New President
Robert J. Olson, 57, a 37-year veteran of Winnebago Industries, has been elected president of the company, succeeding Edwin F. Barker, who retired May 4. Olson began his career with the company as an hourly production employee and moved up through the ranks, serving most recently as senior vice president, operations.

RVIA Expands Tech Training
A group of RV manufacturers, including Oregon-based Monaco Coach Corp. and Country Coach, has initiated a program to encourage students to consider careers in the RV industry.
The companies are hosting factory tours for guidance counselors, high school teachers and students; producing a DVD on RV careers for distribution to high school and community college students, and working with community colleges to develop a curriculum for RV careers.

Richard Coon, president of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), said the expected growth of the industry will create job openings at all levels. “We are a growing, vibrant industry that needs more workers,” he said. “It’s a great time to begin a career in the RV industry.”

RVIA through its National Recreation Vehicle Technical Institute has developed a curriculum to train RV service technicians. Courses are being offered at community colleges in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas.

Pilgrim Reports Rapid Growth
Pilgrim International, which started building fifth wheels in May 2002, has grown from $9 million in sales its first year to $135 million this year, the company reported, and it has added manufacturing facilities to reach $250 million in sales in 2008-09.

The company said it has produced 35,000 travel trailers and fifth wheels in just five years. It now operates three manufacturing plants in Middlebury, Indiana.

Dave Hoefer, who founded Dutchmen in 1988 and grew it into the top-selling trailer in the U. S. before selling the company to Thor Industries, founded Pilgrim with partner Larry Hughes, who was formerly vice president of the Fleetwood travel trailer division. They have two other partners, Steve Bennett, who has an extensive background in the steel fabrication business, and Bill Harris, who has worked in the RV industry since 1972.

International Enters Class C Market
International Truck and Engine Corporation has entered the Class C motorhome market by agreeing to supply the cab and chassis for diesel motorhomes built by Conquest Motorhomes, a division of Gulf Stream Coach.

The initial order is for 625 International DuraStar chassis with the 300-horsepower International VT 365 diesel engine. Full-scale production is scheduled to begin this month.

Steve Guillaume, general manager of International’s medium truck division, said the partnership with Gulf Stream provides a great opportunity for International to expand beyond its commercial trucking business. “The Class C motorhome market represents a substantial portion of a growing industry—approximately 33 percent of the total motorized RV market,” he said. International, a Navistar company, is already a major supplier of chassis for Class A motorhomes through its Workhorse Custom Chassis subsidiary. Workhorse also builds Class C chassis with General Motors under the Chevy-Workhorse brand, which was launched in 2004, and recently reported it has achieved a market share of nearly 20 percent.