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The Newsletter of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society (ALPS) 2016 Issue No. 2

Conservation History of the Alpine Lakes Part I Bill Beyers & Don Parks1

While 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Alpine Lakes Management Act, proposals for preservation of the region date back almost another 40 years. In fact, events critical to conservation in the Alpine Lakes Region date back to 1864 with the authorization of the Northern Pacific Railroad (NPR) to build a transcontinental railroad that could receive a federal land grant. The resulting land ownership pattern, coupled with the extremely high environmental values, have measurably added to the challenge of efforts to protect the area. Figure 1 Land Ownership Classification Pattern Prior to Settlement of NPR Land Claims in 1940. Northern Pacific Land Grant Source: Cascade Mountains Study, by State Planning Council, dated May 1940. The land ownerships (1864-1941) depicted are as of 1937. The NPR expected to receive title to every other square mile This pattern included all of the Wilderness. There were several (odd numbered sections) 40 Alpine Lakes region (Figure 1; variations in the selection miles north and south from uncolored sections promised to procedures that evolved over NPR). the track route that crossed the Continued on page 2 Cascades at Stampede Pass, as In order to acquire the deeds to well as along track that went all this land the NPR was required through the to complete several steps including Also in this issue: Gorge and north to Tacoma surveying. The Secretary of and Seattle. Consequently, the Interior would then grant a patent Ben Hayes, an ALPS founder dies... 9 checkerboard ownership pattern (deed). However, due to litigation North Fork Snoqualmie hydro generated by the land grant in over mineralized lands and other stopped, Sunset project still a the Alpine Lakes region could issues, the Secretary did not issue threat...... 10 potentially have extended from patents in certain areas, including New Index-Galena road to be Grizzly Peak (north of Stevens a significant amount of land within built?...... 12 Pass) south to near White Pass. what became the Alpine Lakes Fate of Wallace Falls and Singletary Timber Sale now uncertain...... 13 1The authors would like to acknowledge the comments received from Dave Mountains to Sound Greenway Knibb, Charlie Raines, Doug Scott, Ron Eber, Dave Redman (USFS), and Gary begins major initiative...... 14 Paull (USFS) on the text of this article. ALPINE 1 History continued from page 1 for preservation as Wilderness by the Study Team. time. The details of some of these Note that this proposal included variations are beyond the scope the Enchantments and Mt. Stuart of the Alpine Lakes discussion. In as well as the upper Middle Fork 1941 a settlement of all outstanding Snoqualmie. land claims was reached between the federal government and NPR with the result that the grants in the core of the Alpine Lakes were Figure 2 Proposed Ice Peaks National Park withdrawn and those lands were retained by the federal government as part of the national forest. Except for a few land exchanges (e.g., Teanaway and Whitepine Creek), landownership patterns in the area remained stable until after the Alpine Lakes Area legislation of 1976. (See Appendix on page 9 for further discussion of land grant process.) Ice Peaks National Park Proposal (1937) and the Forest Service “Limited Area” Designation (1946) In 1937 a National Park Service committee led by O.A. Tomlinson proposed an Ice Peaks National Park, as depicted in Figure 2 at right. Tomlinson was Superintendent of Mt. Rainier National Park, and he and a committee surveyed the from Mt. St. Helens to the Canadian border. This study, predated by one year the establishment of Olympic National Park, was not the subject of Congressional action, and was strongly opposed by the Forest Service and the timber industry. The proposal was for a fairly narrow swath of parkland, hugging the main stem of the Cascade Mountains plus all the volcanoes in the range. In the Alpine Lakes region, the Source: O.A. Tomlinson, R. M. Bond, E.A. Davidson, J.V. Lewis, and F.J. Overly. Report of Committee Northern Cascades Ice Peaks National Park proposal Investigation. National Park Service, August-September 1937. was quite narrow at Snoqualmie and , as shown in Figure 3 on next page. However, the proposal encompassed the area between the two passes that overlaid most of the lands proposed nearly forty years later

2 ALPINE Figure 3 Ice Peaks National Park proposal in the were originally managed by the Alpine Lakes Region FS. In an effort to appease their detractors, the FS designated Primitive Areas that would provide increased protections to some of the most pristine regions they managed. By the mid-1930s, forester Bob Marshall argued that this region should be set aside as wilderness, as that would keep the National Park Service out since their mandate would force them to construct roads and build “improvements” for the sake of tourism. Rival interests continued to argue over whether the lands should remain under the management of the FS or the National Park Service but by the 1960s, the environmentalist argument advocating for a national park prevailed. All this had implications for the Alpine Lakes area just to the south. North Cascade Study (1963-1965)

Source: O.A. Tomlinson, R. M. Bond, E.A. Davidson, J.V. Lewis, and F.J. Overly. Report of Committee Northern The National Park Service and Cascades Investigation. National Park Service, August-September 1937. the FS continued their long history of contending over which agency would administer wild lands in the West. In the years after World The Forest Service (FS) strongly impact their economic situation. War II, the U.S. FS gradually opposed the 1937 National Park The FS was also not in favor of Service proposal, and in apparent a park as that would mean they response established an Alpine would have to relinquish control Figure 4 (below) Lakes Limited Area in 1946. The over the land, an event that was Alpine Lakes Limited Area Limited Area—a land classification not uncommon since many parks Source: Wilderness Society, The Living Wilderness, Spring unique to the northwest region that were being established 1960. Inter-agency Competition (1930s-1950s) of the FS—encompassed 256,000 acres astride the Cascade Crest that extended in the north from Cady Pass (near Fortune Mountain) where it met the Peak Limited Area south to . Figure 4 shows the portion of this Limited Area south of US2 Even before the North Cascade region was provided some protection when it was designated a Forest Reserve in 1897, activists argued that the region should be afforded greater protection as a national park. Not all locals supported the idea of a national park, as they felt that such a designation would negatively

ALPINE 3 became a more active player in recommendations of the North action with regard to the Alpine timber harvest activity, building Cascades Study Team for a Lakes in 1967. roads into de-facto-wilderness national park proposal before Environmentalists were valleys in the North Cascades. Congress in 1967, culminating disappointed with the lack of This led to strong opposition to in the establishment of North action on Wilderness status for these timber-driven developments Cascades National Park and a the Alpine Lakes, and in 1968 the from environmental organizations number of other classifications Alpine Lakes Protection Society such as the North Cascades (, and (ALPS) was founded with the Conservation Council, the Sierra additions to primary purpose of seeking Club, and . In Wilderness). However, there was permanent protection for the 1963 President Kennedy played controversy over Wilderness values of the region. Almost a key role in establishing a joint recommendations in the Alpine immediately, the forest products agency study to identify areas Lakes region since the National industry and motorized recreation suitable for wilderness and Park Service had proposed a interests established a competing potential National Park protection much larger Wilderness Area than organization—the Central in the Cascade Mountains between the FS (See Figure 6), as had the Washington Cascades Study Team Mt. Rainier and the Canadian conservationists as well. Given (CWCST)—to oppose a large border. The resulting North that the establishment of North wilderness area in the Alpine Cascades Study team, composed Cascades National Park involved Lakes Region. of National Park Service and FS transfer of a large amount of personnel, was tasked to develop land from the FS to the National Alpine Lakes Area Study a joint recommendation for Park Service, and pressures from (1972-1975) the North Cascades. The Team the forest products industry to After the North Cascades was composed of the Director maintain timber supplies for the National Park designation in of the National Park Service, a industry from lands in the Alpine 1968, interest turned to the Alpine consultant to the Secretary of Lakes, Congress did not take Lakes Region. Conservationists Interior, the Deputy Chief of the were dissatisfied with the FS, a consultant to the Secretary of Agriculture, and a fifth member jointly selected by the other four members of the study team. Figure 5. Final Wilderness Recommendation for the Alpine Prior to the initiation of Lakes Region in the North Cascades Study Team Report the North Cascades Study, conservation groups sought protection for the area and developed several wilderness proposals for the Alpine Lakes Region, including a 1963 proposal totaling 334,000 acres to replace the Limited area and also to protect additional areas. This was a single unit proposal that included checkerboard lands in the Chiwaukum Mountains, Waptus River, Creek, Mt Cashmere and the Pratt River areas. In 1965 the North Cascades Study Team made its report that focused on the establishment of the National Park in the North Cascades. The report also proposed two small Wilderness Areas in the Alpine Lakes (194,691 Source: The North Cascades Study Team, The North Cascades. U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department if Agriculture. acres), as shown below in Figure October 1965. 5. Senator Henry M. Jackson took leadership in bringing the

4 ALPINE Figure 6 North Cascades Study Team National Park Service contained no checkerboard lands. recommendations for Wilderness in the Alpine Lakes After reviewing the substantial public input, the formal Alpine Lakes Area Study was completed in 1975 and included a recommendation to Congress. The Final EIS recommended 292,192 acres of Wilderness on federal lands and plus an additional 82,150 acres of checkerboard lands as ‘Potential Wilderness.’ Public input had paved the way for a substantial increase in Wilderness, almost twice the size of the proposal of the North Cascades Study Team report (See Figure 7) ten years earlier. The Congressional Process and the Alpine Lakes Area Management Act of 1976 (1975-1976)

Source: The North Cascades Study Team, The North Cascades. U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department if Agriculture. Meanwhile, ALPS joined other October 1965. environmental organizations in 1975 to seek maximum protection North Cascades study and its (WSA) were withdrawn from the of lands as Wilderness, and to Alpine Lakes recommendation. FS’s cut base to eliminate pressure surround the Wilderness with a ALPS and other environmental to enter and log these areas before National Recreation Area. National organizations pressured the Forest wilderness studies were complete. Recreation Areas are a multiple- Service to revisit its wilderness Six WSAs were identified in use concept, consistent with the recommendation in the Alpine the Alpine Lakes Area totaling USFS Multiple-Use and Sustained Lakes, and in response the Forest 401,880 acres. While a significant Yield Act (Public Law 86–517), but Service undertook a formal and recognition of the wilderness define recreational activity as the focused study of the area, forming values of the region, these WSAs superior multiple use. a dedicated study-team in 1972. excluded checkerboard lands. The In 1975 Congressman Lloyd This was one of the first land use Alpine Lakes Area study was one Meeds took leadership in studies conducted pursuant to of the ‘committed’ studies and it introducing alternative legislative the requirements of the National started with the evaluation of these proposals in Congress and in Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). WSAs. holding hearings before the This act required, among other A Draft Environmental Impact House Interior Committee on the things, a study that included the Statement (DEIS) was completed in Alpine Lakes legislation. Hearings development of alternative courses July 1973 that included a preferred were held in Washington D.C., of action, analyses of the impacts alternative. The FS scrapped Seattle, and Wenatchee. Figure 7 of these actions, and prepared with the two-unit recommendation below documents the proposals full public involvement. of 1965 and proposed a single considered by Congress. CWCST During the early 1970s the FS unit wilderness of 285,193 acres. supported what was essentially the also completed a national study of Public hearings were held on 1965 North Cascades Study Team roadless areas, the Roadless Area both sides of the Cascades where Proposal. The dotted line shows Review and Evaluation (RARE), the proposal proved highly the proposal by the FS (HR7792), pursuant to the Wilderness Act controversial. Over 1,200 people the recommendation from their of 1964. That study identified attended the hearings and 2,750 1972-1975 study (checkerboard those roadless areas most suitable written comments were submitted lands not shown). ALPS joined for wilderness and ‘committed’ in the subsequent comment period. with other environmental these areas to further study. The Although a step in the right organizations to support HR3977, commercial forestlands within direction, the proposal left out too the dashed line inside the these Wilderness Study Areas many places, often with trees, and boundary of a proposal National

ALPINE 5 Recreation Area (about 563,000 question of the ultimate size of When environmental acres). an . organizations learned that The hearings in 1975 were The FS FEIS estimated that the CWCST consultants (UW strongly divided between Forest Service proposal would College of Forestry faculty) environmentalists and timber/ reduce the national forest cut in had calculated the impacts of motorized recreation interests, the Alpine Lakes Region by 10.8 to the allowable cut on lands with little support for the USFS million-board feet/year (mmbf/yr) proposed by environmentalists proposal. There was strong co- including the wilderness proposal, as Wilderness outside the FS sponsorship and bi-partisan ‘scenic areas’ and other deferrals. boundary proposals, there was a involvement from the Washington The timber industry challenged need to respond. Don Parks and congressional delegation including the FS volume reduction estimates Bill Beyers undertook an analysis Congressmen Brock Adams (D), as being too low. ALPS addressed of these parcels, based on timber Floyd Hicks (R), Joel Prichard these issues also, and part of suitability data and methodology (R), Mike McCormack (D) and our strategy in dealing with the from the FS, and calculated the Tom Foley (D). Congressman timber question was to ensure allowable cut implications of each Meeds staff in the winter of 1975 that decision makers understood of the parcels shown on Figure began a process of brokering a the context of any theoretical 8 below. Data from this analysis compromise Wilderness boundary reductions in cutting volume showed that timber supplies in and management unit language, and to stress the importance of the region could be impacted by starting with the FS proposal recreation. It should be noted that an additional 37.9 mmbf (29.7 as the mark-up vehicle, and during this period (1970-1974) mmbf federal & 8.1 mmbf private) then considering lands outside the annual average cut volume in over the Forest Service proposal. it proposed by environmental the three-counties of the Alpine This figure included the RARE organizations. Timber industry Lakes (King, Kittitas, and Chelan) WSAs which had already been interests opposed including any was 697 mmbf. Consequently, withdrawn from the cut by the FS lands larger than those proposed the entire FS proposal was in 1974. In any event, 37.9 mmbf by the FS. theoretically impacting 1.5% of the represented about 5.4% of the local timber supply. current timber supply in the three- Timber had always been the county region. Even if the largest central issue surrounding the Wilderness were to be adopted, the regional timber supply would not Figure 7 Alternative Wilderness Proposals 1975 be impacted in a significant way. The ALPS analyses helped reduce hysteria the timber industry had hoped to create with its own timber report. The net result of House Interior Committee decisions between October 1975 and May 1976 was the deletion of a few areas from the Forest Service recommendation, but many more areas were added. This process was completed in the spring of 1976 when the Alpine Lakes Coalition proposed about 9,000 acres of Wilderness additions in exchange for the elimination of management unit language they felt would reduce timber cutting in the perimeter. The ensuing negotiations led to the addition of about 10,000 acres to the Wilderness package. At final passage the Wilderness and Intended Wilderness was

Source: Alpine Lakes Protection Society. An Alpine Lakes Wilderness and National Recreation Area: A Legislative Analysis of H.R. expanded by 19,018 acres beyond 3977. June 1975. the FS’s recommended starting 6 ALPINE point. The FS opposed the three years. The legislation also 4. direction to the Forest legislation in its final form largely included a provision protecting the Service to prepare a because of the mechanisms that landowners from any decline in single management plan dealt with private land acquisition the value of their standing timber encompassing both national and the possibility of setting new during the acquisition period. forests to address the newly precedents. established Alpine Lakes Management Unit. Figure 8 Parcels of timberland located between boundary of In the final map that defined HR 7792 and HR3977 the eventual extent of the Wilderness there were nine blocks of “Intended Wilderness.” that included 40,690 acres of non- federal land, 99.8% of which was owned by the three principal land owners. These lands are depicted on Figure 9. Congress authorized $57 million in the Alpine Lakes legislation to cover the cost of acquisition should inverse Red - High Timber Productivity condemnation be required for all Orange - Medium Timber Productivity the Intended Wilderness lands. Yellow - Low Timber Productivity The Intended Wilderness lands Green - Below threshold for timber- were added to the Wilderness land as commercial (20 cubic when the intermingled private feet per year per acre biomass lands were acquired, the last accumulation) parcels being added to the Blue - Lands outside USFS Wilderness by the mid-1980’s. However, the final bill was In its final form, the Alpine Funding from the Land and signed into law (PL 94-357) on July Lakes law incorporated these Conservation Fund helped to 12, 1976 after Governor Dan Evans major features: acquire these Intended Wilderness lands. The total package of personally lobbied President Ford 1. an instant Wilderness of permanently protected lands was for its passage. 306,934 acres (solid federal 393,360 acres. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness ownership); legislation included several novel 2. an Intended Wilderness Final Timber Accounting provisions, articulated by ALPS (checkerboard land including (1974-1976) lawyers and Mark Houser of both national forest and The claims and counters claims Lloyd Meeds staff. Given the large private lands) of 86,426 by the timber industry on Alpine amount of checkerboard land left acres with a mechanism for Lakes Wilderness cut impacts over from the Northern Pacific acquiring the private lands th were ultimately played out when Railroad land grants from the 19 and adding them to the the FS updated it formal timber century that was still technically Wilderness without further management plans as directed in classifiable as Wilderness, several Congressional action, plus both the RARE study and then provisions were inserted in the provisions requested by finally adjusted after the final legislation to ensure that these private owners; boundaries were defined. In the lands would become part of 3. a “Management Unit” end, the FS cut reductions from the Wilderness system. They the 1960s timber management were designated as “Intended surrounding the wilderness of about 547,155 acres. The plans totaled 14.2 mmbf, including Wilderness,” and a provision was a giveback (increase) on the written into the legislation to allow Management Unit concept evolved out of the ALPS Wenatchee National Forest of 1.9 “inverse condemnation,” meaning mmbf when that forest apparently that the three principle land proposal to surround the wilderness core with a over estimated the cut reduction owners (Weyerhaeuser, Burlington initially. Accounting for the best Northern, and Pack River) could National Recreation Area where recreation was contemporary estimate of private sue the US government to have land cut volume reductions their lands taken from them if recognized as an important value and; (probably over estimated), the they were not acquired within impact to the three-county local ALPINE 7 timber supply may have been These places were named and and “Dispersed Recreation” were as much as 2.5%. All the heated included the Mt Index Scenic added to the above total as other discussion over the FS cut Area, Nason Ridge Recreation private lands outside the Intended calculation was really over ~1% of Area, Teanaway Recreation Area, Wilderness were acquired in the local timber supply. Tumwater Canyon Scenic and succeeding years. Botanical Areas, and Annette Another important feature Alpine Lakes Area Lake Recreation Area. Additional Management Plan (1981) of the management plan was to specific administrative protection establish criteria for a long-term Congress directed the FS to through the land allocation of land ownership pattern. The land develop a single management “Dispersed Recreation” was acquisitions within the Intended plan for the region on both sides applied to specific, mapped Wilderness only addressed of the Cascade Mountains. In areas that were also unroaded, part of the need to consolidate 1981 this management plan was many being contiguous to the ownerships since about one third articulated, and it included a wilderness. This land management of the area of the management number of administrative actions allocation was applied to a many unit (outside of the Wilderness of significance. places such as Kachess Ridge, and Intended Wilderness) in 1976 remained in private hands. This plan recognized the need Figure 9 Intended Wilderness for adjustments in these land ownership patterns. Once the controversy of Wilderness designation had passed, more realistic assessments of timber capability were developed in the 1981 management plan. The 1981 study showed that 38% of the management unit area was unproductive forest land, while nearly one third of the commercial forest land was low productivity. In 1981, the 10- year actual annual average cut volume on national forest land in the region was measured at 39 mmbf/year. This figure could be compared to the planned short- term programmed cut in the plan’s preferred alternative of 30.1 mmbf that included 150,000 acres of administrative protections. The above estimates are a far cry from the somewhat misleading figures documented in DEIS of 1973 of Source: U.S. Forest Service, Final Environmental Impact Statement Alpine Lakes Area Management 81.9 mmbf (long-term potential Plan. 1981 yield without wilderness). In 1985-89 the three-county cut was The management plan McClain Peaks, Maloney Ridge, still averaging 659 mmbf with the recognized recreation and the and . These two land national forest component being value of undeveloped lands allocations totaled 149,516 acres of 10% greater than 1970-74. This outside of the Wilderness. The unroaded lands in 1981. Timber would change as the story unfolds. plan established management cutting was not scheduled and So in 1981 the total acreage of direction (through land new road construction was to wilderness and administrative management allocations) for be avoided. For the purposes of protections in the region totaled “Special Areas.” These areas were timber planning, these lands were about 540,000 acres, an area similar generally unroaded and many virtually equivalent to Wilderness. to that sought for Wilderness were contiguous to the wilderness. Additional acres of “Special Areas”

8 ALPINE by environmental organizations legislatively in 1975/1976! Ben Hayes: ALPS’ First President Look for Part 2 of the Conservation History of By Dave Knibb the Alpine Lakes in the next issue of The Alpine. August 17, group planned to meet members 2016, the of the Yakima River Conservancy for a hike and organizing meeting. day Ben Brock could not attend but thought Hayes died, I should. marks the It was raining so I stayed home. Appendix end of an But Ben Hayes and others from our In 1864 the Federal government era. little westside group met Hal and Gloria Lindstrom, Jeb Baldi, and authorized the construction of Ben had a transcontinental railroad (RR) others from the eastside. The most long since keen of them sloshed together across the northern tier of the U.S. passed the This act of Congress offered a to Hyas Lake and then they all torch, but we retreated to a shelter and campfire grant of 40 sections of land for each still looked to mile of track built (in alternate at Salmon La Sac to conduct some him as the co- business. odd numbered sections 40 miles founder and north and south of the track) in inspiration for On that rainy afternoon of territories and 20 sections, 20 miles Alpine Lakes October 6, 1968, this little group north and south of track in states Hal and Gloria Lindstrom Protection of wet hikers signed articles (Oregon and Minnesota); plus the Ben Hayes Society. In of incorporation for ALPS and track right of way (200 feet wide) hiking at Indian the last two selected Ben Hayes as its first and for depot/maintenance sites. Heaven, 1977. months of his president. He held that critical The railroad was to carry mail life he had position for the next five years and support military movements. faded more than we knew, but we and left his imprimatur on the It was intended that the RR sell were still wondering if we could organization for many more. the acquired checkerboard lands persuade Ben to write something It was a wise choice. Raised to settlers, thereby raising cash to for the 40th anniversary of ALPS. in Spokane, Ben’s roots were support RR construction. It was Ben had retired and moved away, in eastern Washington. He had not intended that mineralized but his early influence is still part hunted and fished, and thus lands be part of the grant. The of ALPS’s DNA. related to sportsmen. A former RR was to be completed by Frederick & Nelson’s furniture 1876. Congress granted multiple I met Ben Hayes in the summer buyer, he had contacts in the extensions to the completion of 1968. We were both part of a business community. He held deadlines. loose-knit group that was trying to start something on behalf of a masters degree in retailing The RR would develop a the Alpine Lakes, regarded at the and understood merchandising. proposed route and submit the time as the stepchild of the North As a University of Washington proposal to the Department Cascades. Ben was a pipe-smoking, administrator, he knew of Interior for approval. When seemingly jovial, university academicians. Finally, he was approved, the RR was given administrator – one of a half a climber, backpacker, and the right of way, and when a dozen unaffiliated but concerned hiker – strong credentials in the particular section of track was folks worried for the future of the environmental community. ALPS built, RR would submit a map Alpine Lakes. was indeed lucky to have Ben showing the lands to be granted. Hayes as its first president. When approved by the General Brock Evans, who was Always mindful of appearances, Land Office (predecessor to the Northwest Conservation Ben insisted that ALPS maintain Bureau of Land Management), representative for a number of strong eastern Washington ties. the RR was issued a “patent” as groups, was urging us on. He He understood the east side’s legal title. However, before the RR phoned me early in October 1968 to suggest that I join a Sunday hike sensitivity to west-siders telling Continued on page 15 to Hyas Lake. Members of our little Continued on page 11

ALPINE 9 North Fork Snoqualmie hydro stopped, project still a threat Kevin Geraghty

Low snowline on the Middle The threat of damming of Wilderness. It also drew and diverting the North Fork tremendous local opposition. Fork Snoqualmie. Snoqualmie out of “Ernie’s Perhaps the backers of the Canyon” at the northwest foot project did achieve their goals. concluded that the P.U.D.’s real of Mt. Si appears to be over. Likely we will never know. The goal isn’t even to get the project Black Canyon Hydro LLC has project flew right in the face of built but to keep its legions withdrawn its application to just about every environmental of managers, engineers and send the of the North Fork law and regulation, yet backers consultants fully employed. In through pipes rather than the river persisted in pushing it over the this respect, the project has been a bed. course of a decade, seemingly success. It is hard not to wonder what unperturbed by the enormous Supposedly a hydro project has the real purpose of this project obstacles facing it. to demonstrate “extraordinary was. The North Fork Snoqualmie Meanwhile, the Snohomish environmental benefits” in is designated a protected river P.U.D. continues pushing its order to be built in a NWPCC reach by the Northwest Power and even more destructive and costly protected river reach. The P.U.D. Conservation Council. The project hydro project at Sunset Falls on is pinning its hopes on continuing would also have dewatered the the South Fork the operation of a trap and haul North Fork where it flows through between Index and Skykomish. facility that moves salmon above the Mt. Si Natural Resource It too is within a NW Power and a series of falls on the South Fork Conservation Area, the state of Conservation Council protected Washington’s near-equivalent river reach. Some observers have

10 ALPINE Skykomish as its extraordinary and haul offers any environmental and are now operated to provide benefit. Backers of the North Fork benefits, let alone “extraordinary” maximum benefit to them instead Snoqualmie project never even ones, since it introduced salmon of the public. P.U.D. managers claimed any sort of environmental into waters where they naturally and employees often move into benefits. never went, and displaced native highly paid positions at consultant Canyon, Eagle and Sunset falls resident fish. companies after leaving the P.U.D., were always natural barriers to What isn’t debatable is that this the same consultants who work on anadromous fish on the South Fork hydro project would produce very projects such as Sunset Falls. Skykomish river. The Washington expensive power for which there is The Sunset Falls project is a sad Dept. of Fisheries tried to build a no need. No private, profit making example of the decline of the once- fish ladder at Sunset Falls during entity has ever wanted to build proud public power movement. It the 1950’s but gave up on it after a hydro project at Sunset Falls. really doesn’t matter to the P.U.D. deciding that it was cheaper to But the “public” utility district whether the project ever actually operate a trap and haul. The doesn’t need to make any profit. gets built. Even if it is ultimately useless fish ladder can still be seen The public power movement was abandoned, it will have served there. The state now says it cannot a progressive cause during the its purpose by providing years of afford to operate the trap and 1940’s, and it did deliver cheaper lucrative employment to P.U.D. haul any longer and the P.U.D. is electricity for some years. But managers and a veritable army of hinting they might keep it going if like so many public agencies, consultants and “experts.” Let’s they can build their hydro project. most P.U.D.’s have now been hope the damage stops there. It’s debatable whether the trap captured by their bureaucracies

Ben Hayes continued from page 9 professors and administrators, Kachess. As others in that group Boeing scientists, lawyers, can attest, there was a great deal of them what to do. Thus, while teachers, an architect, a banker, shouting between Ben and me, an Ben was president and for years and a professional photographer. erratic course across the lake that thereafter, ALPS maintained its Not only did he seek the best, but included an unplanned 360 degree permanent address and bank he urged them to do their best. turn, and finally a crash into the account in eastern Washington. “If there is one trait that shore. Canoes do not react well to With chapters in Ellensburg and I recall about Ben,” says Bill headstrong men, but we remained Wenatchee, as well as Seattle, in Beyers, “it was that he always solid friends despite it. those early years ALPS sought wanted positions taken by ALPS Ben and an honor roll of tireless a balance in the number of to be based on sound analysis, trustees worked together to build trustees from each side of the with evidence about why those ALPS and set its direction. They Cascades. While Ben was president positions were right.” held countless meetings, wrote and for some time thereafter, These policies paid big articles, letters, and press releases, ALPS trustees held meetings at dividends. When the congressional pounded the halls of Congress, Snoqualmie Pass every snow-free crunch came, the credibility that and testified in congressional month so that east and west- ALPS had built over the years hearings. The culmination of that side trustees could gather, and brought bipartisan support effort came on July 12, 1976 when in winter they held weekend from most of the Washington President Gerald Ford ignored the sessions in the different chapters, congressional delegation, and the Forest Service request for a veto, often with a potluck dinner to critical support of Washington’s and signed the Alpine Lakes Area meet local members. They met Republican Governor Dan Evans. Management Act of 1976. with Forest Service rangers and We can thank Ben Hayes for supervisors, and also held annual Ben and I worked together in much of that success. Sadly, an meetings, where Ben insisted that ALPS, but oddly, never hiked era has ended, but ALPS and the ALPS invite hunters, horsemen, together. Perhaps we never found Alpine Lakes Area Management and other users of the Alpine the time, but it was more likely Act are Ben’s legacy, and they both Lakes to participate. He favored because of our one attempt jointly live on. Inclusiveness. to paddle a canoe. We were part of a “paddle-in” designed to Ben recruited high-powered highlight concerns over Little Lake people to the cause – university

ALPINE 11 New Index-Galena road to be built? John Roper

Ten years after a 2006 flood ALPS is asking whether the North Fork Skykomish washed away about a half mile North Fork road is the best way to with mounts Index and Per- of the North Fork Skykomish, permanently maintain motorized sis. or “Index-Galena” road as it is access to the upper North Fork also called, Snohomish County valley. The road appears to want to proceed with also leads to the upper North The Beckler route may offer constructing a new road to replace Fork, and has been serving as the a better long term solution. It the missing segment. motorized access route for the past does not thread its way through ALPS has raised questions decade. The North Fork road has canyons and across such badly about the cost of the project, and a long history of washouts, slides eroding slopes as the North Fork whether it is the right course to and failures. Much of it follows a road does. It does not cross as take to the upper North Fork. The precarious course near the river, many streams. It is positioned pricetag for this segment of road through a narrow canyon near and farther east in the Cascades and less than a mile long has ballooned above Troublesome Creek, and has a greater extent of mountains over the years to something across steep, unstable slopes above to its west than the lower North around 30 million dollars. Garland Mineral Springs, a section Fork Skykomish, which to some Snohomish County appears to of road subjected to rockfall extent shield it from the worst be planning on getting Federal bombardment almost every day. of the intense storms that hit the emergency road repair money for ALPS has asked that some sort lower North Fork valley. The the project. Questions have been of study be done to compare the forests in the Beckler drainage raised as to whether the project long term viability of the North are less brushy and more open qualifies as an “emergency” ten Fork road versus the Beckler road, than those of the lower North years after the washout. before $30 million dollars is spent Fork, reflecting its somewhat drier on this project. .

12 ALPINE ALPS believes that Snohomish County needs to step back and Fate of Wallace Falls and take a better look at what it is really trying to accomplish before Singletary Timber Sale now spending $30 million for this small piece of a road with such a history uncertain of failures. There are a couple dozen or so cabins at Galena, a few miles above the washout, whose owners must now drive to them via the Beckler route. It is possible that a main motive for rebuilding the North Fork road is to provide quicker, easier access for these cabin owners. If so, it will be a ALPS Board Member Thom colossal subsidy for a handful of Peters and DNR Planner people, at a time when there are David Way look at proposed innumerable road problems in route of road to Singletary the parts of Snohomish County timber sale. where large populations of people actually live. There are also engineering problems and short cuts being taken with the road rebuild project, even with its $30 million pricetag. No provisions are being made to deal with runoff, even Karl Forsgaard though the road sits right above a salmon bearing river, and such provisions are made on practically The fate of the controversial A new Commissioner of Public every other road project in the Singletary timber sale, in the Lands, Hilary Franz, will be taking county. The road rebuild also Skykomish valley on state office in early January 2017. Franz skirts the toeslopes of some very Department of Natural Resources ran a campaign oriented toward high mountains, and the county lands (Reiter Forest) immediately protecting the environment, is proposing to anchor it to these bordering and finding new ways of doing mountainsides by drilling into to the east, is yet to be decided. business at DNR. The Singletary them horizontally. This carries The timber sale would log directly sale came close to gaining final with it a significant danger of over a planned and partially approval for sale in November, but punching into a pressurized completed trail system on the east this was narrowly averted. DNR aquifer, which could send huge side of the State Park. This non- has temporarily suspended final amounts of debris into the North motorized trail system resulted approval of the sale to allow more Fork Skykomish. from our advocacy to protect most time for efforts to lessen its effects ALPS hopes that Snohomish of Reiter Forest from the negative on the Park. County will take a hard look impacts of motorized recreation. ALPS and other groups will at the real “purpose and need” ALPS and members of other continue working to find a of this short but breathtakingly groups have met several times solution. It is hoped that Franz, the expensive segment of road. If the with Snohomish County Executive new Public Lands Commissioner, purpose is to provide recreational Dave Somers, who has been very will take an interest in it and help access to the upper North Fork supportive and tried to reduce the efforts to preserve the critical areas valley, all the alternatives, size of the timber sale by means not only near Wallace Falls but all including upgrading the Beckler of the county giving up its share across the state. route, should be looked at before of revenue from it. So far, Somers committing such a large sum of has not been able to find a practical money to such a failure prone way to do this, although he is road. continuing to explore options.

ALPINE 13 Mountains to Sound Greenway begins major initiative for Middle Fork Mark Boyar

The Mountains to Sound shooting, dumping and vandalism. View of Middle Fork Valley Greenway has begun a major ALPS and other groups worked from CCC Road. initiative to promote, enhance and to reverse that, and consolidate manage public use in the Middle nearly all the valley in public Fork Snoqualmie valley near North ownership. Now a new and Bend. possibly more difficult threat large clear zones on either side, The Middle Fork valley has has emerged with skyrocketing levels of public use in the valley. cutting a huge swath up the valley. been a top ALPS priority for ALPS and other groups lobbied decades. Starting with opposition As the road system on Forest Service lands crumbles away, successfully to make the road to a large proposed timber sale match the valley. Trees still grow in the Pratt River valley in the and increasing traffic makes it ever more difficult to reach other together over the road in many 1980’s, ALPS has been continually spots. involved in all Middle Fork issues outdoor destinations, more and ever since. It has now been almost more use will be focused on the The Middle Fork’s proximity two years since the Pratt valley, Middle Fork. to Seattle now means exploding the largest tributary of the Middle The Middle Fork road is now levels of use. New trails and Fork, was added to the Alpine paved up to Taylor River. The recreation facilities are planned Lakes Wilderness. project was successful in keeping and under construction. The main threat to the valley is now the For many years the Middle the drive a forest experience. Initial proposals for the road were ever increasing number of private Fork had a reputation as a place vehicles on the road. Nobody has to avoid, plagued by reckless for a wide, high speed road with

14 ALPINE wanted to pave over big parts of the valley just to create enough parking to accommodate peak use levels. It has been estimated that there is enough parking space in the valley to accommodate about 500 vehicles. There have already been days with more than 1500 vehicles going up the valley, a figure likely to grow much, much larger. It seems unavoidable that the limited number of parking spaces will be quickly overwhelmed. Although the road will be signed “No Parking,” and most of it is too narrow to park along, it is inevitable that people will park on and block the road’s travelway, probably in large numbers. This may leave one lane open for travel. What will happen when cars going up and down valley meet, with no place to turn around? What will happen when dozens of other cars come up behind them and become immobilized? It could produce traffic lockup on an epic scale. Vehicles could be trapped in the valley for a long period of time. There will be no access for emergency vehicles. Tom O’Keefe Rafting the Middle Fork below Mt. Garfield Clearly, some other way needs to be found to get people in and out of the Middle Fork valley, such as a shuttle service. The number of private vehicles allowed in will need to be limited in some fashion, ALPS history for mineral potential. There were as has happened in Yosemite Continued from page 9 several variations in the selection valley, Zion National Park, and procedures that evolved over other heavily used places. could gain title, the land had to be time. The details of some of these The Mountains to Sound surveyed. Once the RR received variations are beyond the scope of Greenway has convened a large the patent, it had legal title and the Alpine Lakes discussion. number of people to tackle this could then sell the land. Sale to This process lasted until the and every other issue facing the another party was through the 1920s for some of the mountainous valley. Twenty years ago, when transfer of a “deed.” areas in the west. Controversies initial planning efforts for the If the selected land was developed over this land transfer valley were underway, no one ever considered mineralized, or had process by the 1930s and resulted imagined that use levels would been previously homesteaded or in massive litigation over a variety reach such stratospheric levels. It reserved for some other purpose, of issues. The litigation was will require creative thinking to the RR could select “in-lieu land” resolved in 1941, in which the NPR allow the valley to best serve the in a strip ten miles wide on either gave up their claim to over 300,000 most people, and to avoid traffic side of their existing grant area. acres, a large portion of which was lockup on the Middle Fork road. In practice, there was limited ‘on in the Alpine Lakes region. the ground’ review of the land

ALPINE 15 alps Non Profit alpine lakes protection society US Postage PO Box 27646 PAID Seattle, WA 98165 Seattle WA Permit 1244

ALPS Officers & Trustees: 2013-2016 2014-2017 2015-2018 President: Karl Forsgaard Natalie Williams Art Day Bill Beyers Vice President: Rick McGuire Gus Bekker Thom Peters James Chapman Secretary: Natalie Williams Frank Swart Karl Forsgaard Kevin Geraghty Treasurer: Frank Swart Don Parks Charlie Raymond

The newsletter of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society (ALPS). ALPS is dedicated to protection of the Alpine Lakes area in Washington’s Cascades. Editor: Rick McGuire Layout: Pat Hutson To join ALPS or renew membership, send $15 to: Natalie Williams 5627 – 47th Ave. SW Seattle, WA 98136

Kevin Geraghty For information, send email to: Remembering the “old Middle Fork.” The Middle Fork campground [email protected] now occupies the spot where this car sat for several years.

16 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER ALPINE