THE WILD CASCADES THE JOURNAL OF THE NORTH CAS CADES CONSERVATION COUNCIL SUMMER /FALL 2008 THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2008 1 The North Cascades THE WILD CASCADES Summer/Fall 2008 Conservation Council was formed in 1957 “To protect and In This Issue preserve the North Cascades’ scenic, scientific, recreational, educational, 3 President’s Report — MARC BARDSLEY and wilderness values.” Continuing New NCCC Board Members this mission, NCCC keeps government officials, environmental organizations, 4 NCCC Explores Park and Wilderness Additions — JIM DAVIS , EXECUTIVE and the general public informed about DIRECTOR , NORTH CASCADES CO N SERVATIO N COU N CIL issues affecting the Greater North Wolves Get a Breather — JIM DAVIS Cascades Ecosystem. Action is pursued 5 Calendar of Events for the North Cascades, Fall 2008 through legislative, legal, and public 6 40th Anniversary Dinner and Auction, October 3 participation channels to protect the lands, waters, plants and wildlife. 7 Chip Jenkins — Our New Superintendent of North Cascades National Park Service Complex — DAVE FLUHARTY Over the past half century the NCCC 8 Global Warming and Wild Lands — CO N WAY LEOVY has led or participated in campaigns to create the North Cascades National 9 Whitechuck River Update — RICK MCGUIRE Park Complex, Glacier Peak Wilder- 10 Blanchard Mountain Victory: the NCCC wins one in court ness, and other units of the National 11 Happy Birthday North Cascades National Park — KEN WILCOX Wilderness System from the W.O. Douglas Wilderness north to the 17 Backcountry Travels: Swamp Creek — TO M HA mm O N D Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Henry M. 18 National Forests ORV Travel Management Update, July 2008 Jackson Wilderness, the Chelan-Saw- Reiter Foothills tooth Wilderness, the Wild Sky Wil- 19 Pratt River Proposal Update with map — RICK MCGUIRE derness and others. Among its most dramatic victories has been working 22 Books from NCCC — Wilderness Alps: Conservation and Conflict in with British Columbia allies to block Washington’s North Cascades and 100 Hikes in the North Cascades the raising of Ross Dam, which would National Park Region have drowned Big Beaver Valley. 23 NCCC Membership Application The NCCC is supported by member 24 NCCC Attempts Native Plant Restoration — KEN WILCOX dues and private donations. These contributions support the full range Cover: Silesia Creek Valley from a camp on Copper Mountain Ridge, eve- of the Council’s activities, including ning; Border Peaks at left. —BO B GUNNING publication of The Wild Cascades. As Patrick Goldsworthy shakes President Lyndon Johnson’s hand at signing of a 501(c)(3) organization, all contribu- the North Cascades bill — 1968. tions are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Membership dues for one year are: Living Lightly/ The Wild Cascades Student $10; Individual $30; Family $50; Sustaining $100; Other, $______. Journal of the North Cascades Conservation Council EDITOR: Betty Manning North Cascades EDITORIAL BOARD: John Edwards, Tom Hammond, Conservation Council Carolyn McConnell and Rick McGuire P.O. Box 95980 University Station Printing by EcoGraphics Seattle, WA 98145-2980 The Wild Cascades is published three times a year (Spring, Summer/Fall, Winter). Executive Director, Jim Davis Letters, comments, and articles are invited, subject to editorial review. 1-360-296-5159 The Wild Cascades Editor North Cascades Conservation Council NCCC Website University Station, Seattle, WA 98145-2980 www.northcascades.org The Wild Cascades is printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink. 2 THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2008 NCCC Board PRESIDENT Marc Bardsley Founded in 1957 B OARD CHAIRMAN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Patrick Goldsworthy VICE PRESIDENT Charles Ehlert The President’s Report Summer/Fall 2008 TREASURER Tom Brucker s you read this edition of The Wild Cascades you will notice a number of refer- ences to the 40th birthday of the North Cascades National Park (NCNP). The North SECRETARY ACascades Conservation Council (NCCC) is justifiably proud of the park and the Phil Zalesky protection it has given to thousands of acres of our natural environment. In fact, the NCCC was formed over fifty years ago specifically to lead the creation of this park we EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR all love. It took about ten years to finally succeed in creating the NCNP. It took ten years Jim Davis to finally create the Wild Sky Wilderness; Alpine Lakes, Boulder River, and some of our other wilderness areas took nearly as long. Persistence, it would seem, is a virtue for those seeking protection of public land. When the NCNP was initially formed by Congress, several key areas were left out. Bruce Barnbaum Liberty Bell, Golden Horn, Granite Creek and portions of the Cascade River drainage were among the deleted highlights. The NCCC is working on a campaign to protect Jim Davis these and other areas in the vicinity. Although details are not quite ready for publication, readers of this journal will be asked to help. Polly Dyer I hope it doesn’t take another ten years to complete the process but even if it does, we intend to succeed. John Edwards Dave Fluharty Anders Forsgaard Karl Forsgaard Kevin Geraghty New NCCC Board Members Tom Hammond ANDERS FORSGAARD MIKE TOWN I was raised on Mercer Island, Wash., Mike Town graduated from Huxley Col- by a veritable eco-terrorist of a father lege of Environmental Science as a Terres- Phil Leatherman (perhaps “environmentally conscious” trial Ecosystem Analyst. He worked for the would be a more appropriate label for Karl Forest Service on the interaction between Betty Manning Forsgaard). Before I could even walk, my fire, lodgepole pine and mountain pine father introduced me to the Cascade wil- beetles. derness from the vantage of his backpack. Since 1985, Mike has been teaching Carolyn McConnell My childhood was marked by frequent hik- science at Redmond High School. He has ing, backpacking, and skiing trips across won many awards for his AP Environmen- Rick McGuire Washington’s wild spaces. Additionally, tal Science program including Amgen Karl’s work with environmental advocacy Science Teacher of the Year and Conserva- Thom Peters groups also profoundly impacted my de- tion Fund Environmental Educator for the veloping sense of humanity’s relationship United States. to wilderness. Mike has been active for over 20 years Mike Town I’m currently attending Whitman Col- on public land issues in Washington state. lege in Walla Walla. Despite the lackluster He has worked for eight years on the Wild Ken Wilcox location for any outdoors adventures, the Sky Wilderness Act and gave both the Sen- school has a surprisingly good outings ate and House testimony in congressional program and substantial student interest committees in Washington on this act. Ted Willhite in environmental issues. At present, I’m Mike and his wife Meg live in a solar considering a combined Politics-Environ- powered house outside Duvall. Laura Zalesky mental Studies major, and hope to develop into a more active player in NCCC affairs over the next few years. See New Members on page 6 THE WILD CASCADES • Summer/Fall 2008 3 NCCC Explores Park and Wilderness Additions JIM DAVIS Executive Director, North Cascades Conservation Council e have all come to take for granted already been degraded by road-building, concerned about protecting the North the North Cascades National Park logging, off-road vehicles, and other uses. Cascades. We would like to invite you to W and adjacent Mount Baker and If we do not act, all of the “left-out” weigh in on additions you think need to Pasayten wilderness areas. We know and area will eventually be degraded, slowly be included. love the trails, streams, ancient forests, but surely foreclosing opportunities for Tell us about specific places that you and scenic viewpoints that have been pro- meaningful protection of these wild areas. know and love. Send us stories about tected by designation as national park and Our favorite unprotected places will not experiences that you have had in these wilderness areas. We all have our favorite be there for future generations to enjoy. special places. Tell us why you think these places that we visit again and again. Park and wilderness are the only truly places should be included. Your passion Many of us also treasure portions of the permanent ways of protecting all that we can help make it happen. North Cascades that were left out. love in the North Cascades. The North Contact us at ncccinfo@northcascades. Much of the land that was “left out” is Cascades Conservation Council is looking org or mail your comments to North currently protected as Inventoried Road- at the “left-out” land to determine what Cascades Conservation Council, P.O. Box less Area, a temporary administrative would be appropriate for additions. 95980, Seattle, WA 98145-2980. designation that could be reversed by fu- It is likely that you would not be reading ture administrations. A small portion has The Wild Cascades unless you also were www.northcascades.org Wolves Get A Breather JIM DAVIS ederal endangered species protec- tion. It is likely that wolves will remain un- the scientific review and opportunities for tion has been temporarily reinstated der federal endangered species protection public comment on wolf conservation in Ffor wolves in the Rocky Mountains until the Rocky Mountain states develop Washington. Please contact Jim Davis at (including eastern Washington). Earth adequate plans to assure recovery and [email protected] to join our Justice, Defenders of Wildlife, and multiple long-term conservation of wolves. action network and receive email alerts on other conservation groups have success- At the Washington state level, the Wash- wolf conservation. fully challenged the US Fish and Wildlife ington Department of Fish and Wildlife On a more exciting note, state and Service’s decision to delist wolves. Federal (WDFW) is putting together a scientific federal wildlife biologists have confirmed Judge Donald Molloy found that the con- review team to examine the draft Wash- existence of a wolf pack with pups in servation groups are likely to succeed with ington wolf conservation and management western Okanogan County.