Summer-Fall 2013
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THE WILD CASCADES THE JOURNAL OF THE NORTH CASCADES CONSERVATION COUNCIL SUMMER/FALL 2013 visit www.northcascades.org • ncascadesconservation.blogspot.com THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2013 1 THe North CascadeS Conservation CounciL was THE WILD CASCADES Summer/Fall 2013 formed in 1957 “To protect and preserve the North Cascades’ scenic, In This Issue scientific, recreational, educational, and wilderness values.” Continuing 3 President’s report — Karl Forsgaard this mission, NCCC keeps government 4 Alpine Lakes Wilderness Bill gets House hearing, DelBene tours officials, environmental organiza- Middle Fork tions, and the general public informed Updates about issues affecting the Greater 5 Pollution Control Hearings Board agrees: flow should not be North Cascades Ecosystem. Action is reduced at Similkameen Falls pursued through administrative, legal, 6 NCCC Actions, June–September 2013 and public participation channels to 8 State enacts HB1632, a bad ATV law — Karl Forsgaard protect the lands, waters, plants and Fisher reintroduction announced wildlife. 9 NCCC co-founder and board chairman Patrick Goldsworthy dies Over the past half century NCCC NCCC challenges motocross decision has led or participated in campaigns Native vegetation service projects continue long NCCC tradition to create the North Cascades National 10 The Sustainable Roads Project — Ed Henderson Park Complex, Glacier Peak Wilder- 11 What are logging roads made of? — Rick McGuire ness, and other units of the National 12 State funds Yakima Plan “early action items” — Karl Forsgaard Wilderness System from the W.O. 15 State purchase of Teanaway lands raises disturbing questions Douglas Wilderness north to the — Rick McGuire Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Henry M. 17 NCCC, coalition address concerns around proposed Skykomish Jackson Wilderness, the Chelan-Saw- Geothermal Consent to Lease tooth Wilderness, the Wild Sky Wil- 18 North Cascade Glacier Climate Project 2013: 30th annual field derness and others. Among its most program — Tom Hammond dramatic victories has been working 21 New dams aren’t the way to address water needs — Chris Maykut, with British Columbia allies to block Brock Evans and Estella Leopold, Everett Herald the raising of Ross Dam, which would 22 Corvid’s eye have drowned Big Beaver Valley. 23 Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest planning update NCCC is supported by member dues Membership form and private donations. These contri- 24 Patrick Goldsworthy Memorial Service announcement butions support the full range of the COVER: AFLC private forestlands acquired by the State on Middle Fork Council’s activities, including publica- Teanaway River from Yellow Hill. — KARL FORSGAARD PHOTO tion of The Wild Cascades. As a 501(c) (3) organization, all contributions The Wild Cascades are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Membership dues for Journal of the North Cascades Conservation Council one year are: Living Lightly/Student EDITOR: Anne Basye $10; Individual $30; Family $50; Sus- taining $100. EDITOR EMERITUS: Betty Manning EDITORIAL BOARD: Philip Fenner, Anders Forsgaard, North Cascades Tom Hammond, and Rick McGuire Conservation Council Printing by EcoGraphics | Pat Hutson, Designer P.O. Box 95980 The Wild Cascades is published three times a year (Winter, Spring, Summer/Fall). University Station Letters, comments, and articles are invited, subject to editorial review. Seattle, WA 98145-2980 The Wild Cascades Editor NCCC Website [email protected] www.northcascades.org North Cascades Conservation Council PO Box 95980, University Station, Seattle, WA 98145-2980 The Wild Cascades is printed on recycled paper. 2 THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2013 NCCC Board PRESIDENT Karl Forsgaard BOARD CHAIRMAN Founded in 1957 Patrick Goldsworthy SeATTLe, WASHiNGTON VICE PRESIDENT Tom Hammond TREASURER Tom Brucker The President’s Report Summer/Fall 2013 ASSISTANT TREASURER A few years ago, I biked with my family on the Stehekin River road to the Athena Pangan Hammond road’s washout at Carwash Falls. The National Park Service, the Washington Trails Association and NCCC all agree that the road should not be rebuilt be- SECRETARY yond the Carwash Falls washout. Marc Bardsley This summer I backpacked to the alpine meadows north of Park Creek Pass. To get there I walked up the Stehekin River beyond Carwash Falls, bypassing the road for awhile via the Pacific Crest Trail, an old wagon road through mature OTHER BOARD MEMBERS forest, signed for use as a cross-country ski trail in winter. This pleasant trail would be obliterated if the Stehekin road were re-routed along it to bypass Car- Bruce Barnbaum wash Falls, which is one of the reasons we don’t want to re-route the road. Polly Dyer At Bridge Creek the Pacific Crest Trail swings north, and the route to Park Creek follows the Stehekin River road for a couple more miles, miles I had not Charles Ehlert walked in over thirty years. These miles have not been used by vehicles since the washout occurred at Carwash Falls; thirty years ago they were not being used Philip Fenner because the shuttle bus wasn’t running. Either way, it’s a nice stretch with some good views of the Stehekin River rushing by. Dave Fluharty It reminded me of traveling the Suiattle River road while it was closed by Anders Forsgaard washouts, with the river rushing close by the road. In the public comment process for repairing the road, NCCC, Sierra Club and others advocated for the Kevin Geraghty alternative that would repair it as far as the Green Mountain junction, allow- ing vehicles to get to the Buck Creek Campground as well as Green Mountain Ed Henderson trailhead. Beyond that junction, the last four miles of road are less-visited and are more prone to washout near Downey Creek. That alternative was not chosen Fayette Krause this time, so we will need to have that discussion again, the next time nature washes out the road near Downey Creek. Dave LeBlanc A similar approach was adopted for the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River road, Betty Manning when a consensus formed in the 1990s to improve and maintain the road and its adjacent recreation sites as far upstream as Dingford Creek, where a new gate Carolyn McConnell would leave the uppermost, less-used stretch of road to nature. Perhaps that sort of consensus will emerge in the future for the Suiattle, if enough parties put in Rick McGuire the time and effort to form a coalition and follow through. Road access to key trailheads is important for recruiting future generations of nature protectors by Thom Peters getting them out into the woods in the first place – the 100 Hikes books called it “green bonding.” The 100 Hikes authors lamented the trail community’s loss Thom Schroeder of trail miles to construction of logging roads up our forest valleys – and on occasion we may be able to get some of those miles back, some of those acres Laura Zalesky restored to suitable habitat. I’m confident there will be more time to bring to- Phil Zalesky gether a coalition for the Suiattle similar to the one that emerged for the Middle Fork, because nature will wash out the Suiattle road again. Karl Forsgaard visit www.northcascades.org • ncascadesconservation.blogspot.com THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2013 3 Alpine Lakes Wilderness Bill gets House hearing, DelBene tours Updates Middle Fork McLeod releases SR 20 guide Science teacher, photographer and NCCC member Jack McLeod has pub- Legislation to expand the Alpine Lakes 1st District Congresswoman Suzan lished The North Cascades Highway, Wilderness by 22,000 acres by addition DelBene surveys the southern end an illustrated natural history guide of the Pratt River valley and other nearby of her large district from the road that helps travelers and readers ap- areas in the Middle and South Fork Sno- bridge over the Middle Fork Sno- preciate the deeper beauty behind the qualmie valleys has received a hearing qualmie, with Russian Butte emerg- landscape. Organized as a series of in the House Resources Committee. The ing from clouds in the distance. stops at eye-catching sites along eighty bipartisan effort to expand the Wilderness —TOM O’KEEFE PHOTO miles of the highway, the guide tells and also designate part of the Middle Fork the geological story of each location as Wild and Scenic was originally spon- and describes how miners, climb- sored by Republican Rep. Dave Reichert. DelBene heard the story of the “taking ers, and poets have been inspired by His 8th Congressional District formerly in- back” of the Middle Fork valley, the long the geology and terrain of the North cluded the areas, which after redistricting and still ongoing process of blocking up Cascades. Published by the University are part of the 1st Congressional District, public ownership, driving out target shoot- of Washington Press and available at now represented by Democrat Suzan Del- ers and garbage dumpers, and developing bookstores and on Amazon. Bene, who has also signed on as a cospon- the valley’s recreational potential. The sor of the bill. Reichert remains an active Congresswoman saw the new Middle Fork sponsor and supporter. campground, the volunteer-built foot- Senator Patty Murray has sponsored the bridge over the Middle Fork, forests inside Video celebrates bill in the Senate, which passed it earlier the Wilderness proposal, and the giant this session. Supporters are hoping that Douglas fir trees at the confluence of the NOCA’s wilderness the House will act favorably on the bill. Taylor and Middle Fork rivers. Relive your favorite NOCA trails Representative DelBene toured the A splendid time was had by all. Con- in the five-minute video, “North Middle Fork valley on September 9, 2013, servationists are lucky to have such a Cascades Park: Experience the Awe- enjoying the spectacle of clouds clearing knowledgeable and committed supporter some.” The latest in a series of videos away to warm sun after heavy rains the representing the 1st Congressional Dis- celebrating wilderness posted by day before, which served to put down the trict.