The Newsletter of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society (ALPS) 2008 Issue No. 1 Wild Sky Passage Celebrated On May 30th 2008, Senator Patty Murray, Congressman Rick Larsen, members of their staffs, and Undersecretary of Agriculture in charge of the Forest Service Mark Rey joined nearly a hundred conservationists and local residents on the banks of the North Fork Skykomish river at Index Washington to celebrate the recent enactment of the Wild Sky Wilderness. As low clouds broke up and sunlight illuminated the snowmelt filled North Fork with forested slopes and peaks of the Harry Romberg new Wilderness behind, Murray, Aerial view of Lake Isabel. Larsen and others reflected on the long, often rough trail that finally led to Wilderness designation for 106,577 acres of the Skykomish watershed north of Highway 2. When the Wild Sky campaign began in 2000, no one foresaw just how long and rough that trail was to be. A roadblock appeared in the form Continued on page 2 Also in this issue: DNR Initiates “Reiter Foothills” Planning for ORV “park” .............3 TrailsFest, July 19 ........................3 ALPS and ALF Confusion ...........4 Kevin Geraghty Sultan Relicensing Progress Topping out on Ragged Ridge above the town of Index, Continues .....................................4 looking toward Gunn Peak on left and Mt. Baring in center. Trustees Election Ballot ...............5 EIS Needed for Stevens Pass Expansion .....................................7 ALPINE 1 Wild Sky Passage Celebrated Continued from page 1 of House Resources Committee chair Richard Pombo, Republican of California, who held up the bill for years because it included areas which had once been logged and contained some old roads. After California voters sent Pombo back to his ranch in 2006, the bill passed the House but then stalled in the Senate because Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, decided it would “cost too much money,” based on a wildly inflated cost estimate from the Republican Congressional Budget Office. To their everlasting credit, Murray and Larsen held firm and never gave up. It’s possible that Mark Lawler they might have gotten the bill past Pombo had they removed Sunset Lake, in the center of the new Wild Sky Wilderness, 16,000 acres of critical lowlands with old growth forests in the valley of Trout Creek below. and salmon streams. Had they done so, no one could have blamed them. Indeed, even some in the conservation community urged are within the new Wilderness in they will be old growth within them to do so. But, displaying many places. Along with tributary the span of a human lifetime, a level of committment, and streams, it adds up to about 25 and are the heart of the Wild Sky perseverance all too rare in miles of salmon spawning streams Wilderness. politics, they kept the faith, and in Wild Sky, something almost ALPS is frankly delighted that kept the biologically valuable totally lacking in previously lowlands in the bill. Wild Sky is now a reality, and designated Wilderness areas in the wants to express its profound Their tenacity, and Murray’s Cascades. thanks to Patty Murray and Rick determined efforts to thwart Wild Sky also protects a lot of Larsen and their staffs, including, Coburn, have resulted in a forest, something near 80,000 acres. but not limited to, Jeff Bjornstad, new Wilderness area not quite There are about 60,000 acres of John Engber, Karen Waters, like any other. As an “on the higher elevation old growth forests Doug Clapp, Jamie Shimek, Jill ground” group, ALPS was (above 3000 feet.) The Wilderness McKinnie, Louis Lauter and involved from the beginning in also includes about 14,000 acres Jasper MacSlarrow. Thanks to determining boundaries for the of rare low elevation old growth their unremitting efforts, and the new Wilderness, pushing for the below 3000 feet, and, a particular efforts of many in the conservation inclusion of lowland forests and point of pride for ALPS, 6000 community, Washington’s 24 year salmon streams. Unlike most acres of low elevation naturally Wilderness drought is well and existing Wilderness areas which regenerated second growth forests. truly over. protect mostly high country, These forests grow on the lowest, fully 30 percent of the Wild Sky most productive sites, which Wilderness is below 3000 feet. is why they were the first to be Thanks to some unusual logged long ago. Never replanted, geography, salmon and steelhead they have grown back on their can ascend and spawn in the North own and now have many trees 3 Fork Skykomish to within five feet in diameter and over 150 feet miles of the Cascade crest. One tall. They line the banks of most or both banks of the North Fork of the salmon streams. Left alone, 2 ALPINE DNR Initiates “Reiter The Great Outdoors Foothills” Planning for ORV is Calling TrailsFest serves up a jam- packed day of outdoor “Park” adventure The Washington state there could never be any “right” Event details: Department of Natural Resources way to accommodate such an TrailsFest 2008 (DNR) has begun a planning inherently destructive form of Saturday, July 19, 9 am – 4 pm process for the “Reiter Foothills” “recreation.” Doing it “right” Rattlesnake Lake, North Bend area, comprising 10,000 acres of would require control of runoff www.trailsfest.org state lands north of Index and and sedimentation, closure of The great outdoors of Washington Gold Bar. user-made routes, construction is calling! Come to TrailsFest, of unbreachable barriers to keep Saturday July 19, 9am - 4pm at The Reiter Foothills have been Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend. completely and totally overrun by ORVs confined within the area, This outdoor extravaganza features ORVs. For years, these machines and continuous and effective enforcement of all rules. DNR clinics on everything from wilderness have been carving out new routes first aid to hiking with kids to everywhere in the area, and it is has no money for any of this, and backcountry cooking. Take a guided impossible to go anywhere there apparently believes it can simply hike, tie a fly on, or climb a rock without seeing the tremendous designate the area as an ORV wall. Try out a new s’mores recipe, or hang out with packgoats. Visit damage being done. DNR has sacrifice zone and walk away from it. dozens of exhibitors, including gear done nothing to prevent hundreds companies and outdoor groups. It’s of miles of motorcycle, quad and ALPS and other conservation all at TrailsFest! jeep routes from being carved groups are determined to Been wanting to explore the North through Foothills forests. These prevent this from happening, Cascades? Attend a clinic with machines have transformed much and want DNR to stop the Craig Romano, author of Day of the area into something looking ongoing destruction at Reiter. No Hiking – North Cascades published by Mountaineers Books. Learn like a World War I battlefield, private timberland owners put how to whip up a tasty backcountry with muddy, eroding quagmires up with ORVs and the damage meal in no time from the author of everywhere. they do. ALPS believes that Freezer Bag Cooking. Want to be a responsible hiker with your dog? It appears that DNR wants by allowing uncontrolled ORV use at Reiter, DNR is failing in Check out the clinic on hiking with to turn the area into an officially dogs and trail etiquette. Wanting to designated ORV “park.” They its most basic responsibility of try backpacking? Go to Hilleberg the have set up a “Recreation Advisory protecting public trust assets. Tentmaker’s clinic on smart packing Committee” comprised almost DNR may also be in violation and learn how to take less, still be of the Endangered Species Act comfortable and safe, and have lots entirely of motorized recreation more fun! advocates. ALPS believes that by allowing uncontrolled runoff TrailsFest is presented every the Reiter area, sandwiched as it from Reiter to pour into Chinook salmon spawning grounds in summer by Washington Trails is between the newly-designated Assocition. Sponsors for the braided channel reach of the TrailsFest Wild Sky Wilderness, Wallace 2008 include Hilleberg the Falls State Park, and Forks of the Skykomish. ALPS will continue Tentmaker, KPLU, Green Trails Sky State Park, is the wrong place to follow all developments closely, Maps, REI, CLIF Nectar, Outdoor Research, Gregory, Chaco, for such a facility. The area is and will take appropriate steps as necessary. Teko, Helly Hansen, Erin Baker’s located directly above the “braided Wholesome Baked Goods, Freezer channel” reach of the Skykomish Bag Cooking, and Marmot Mountain River, the most productive Works. spawning area for anadromous TrailsFest is your passport to the fish in the entire Snohomish great outdoors this summer, and watershed. Streams from the admission is free! Reiter area are delivering ORV- To get to TrailsFest, take I-90 to generated sediment directly into exit 32, then turn right on 436th Ave SE. Follow this road 2.7 miles to these spawning grounds. Rattlesnake Lake. ALPS believes it would cost For more information on TrailsFest: tens of millions of dollars to put (206) 625-1367 / www.trailsfest.org. an ORV “park” there, although ALPINE 3 ALPS and ALF Confusion A recent incident has made make. Sometimes the company Tax-deductibility was the reason your ALPS board realize that even will place additional restrictions. the Alpine Lakes Foundation our own members still confuse For example, Boeing restricts its was founded back in 1994. After the Alpine Lakes Protection matching gifts to organizations receiving some sizeable gifts, Society (ALPS) with the Alpine that are primarily education or ALPS decided that there should be Lakes Foundation (ALF). The cultural in nature. But foremost, a tax-deductible organization to confusion is understandable.