Protecting Public Land That Is Already Protected

[slowp]

This got my blood pressure up this morning. The area they want to add to the park is not timberland, and is already protected by forest planning.

Note the reference to the North Cascades Park being one of the least visited. Note the group wanting to protect the rest of the area. Note the mentioning of paving roads and increasing visitor use. All in the name of "protection".

I hate having more area under the park service. When the parkies are in charge, visitors cannot have any spontaneity. Reservations for hikes must be made, permits filled out, you are restricted to camping only where you have a permit for, no dogs are allowed, no hunting is allowed, and it becomes the land of NO.

Note the mention of logging as a threat. Not likely. The area on the east side is high in elevation. The timber is of poor quality.

I can't follow the money. But that must be a factor. Maybe the businesses in the Methow Valley can put more pressure on the state to keep the North Cascades Highway open all year? That road has some extreme avalanche chutes on it and each Spring, mass quantities of dollars are spent to reopen it by fishing season, and often reopen it again after more slides come down.

Well, here is what I'm ranting about. Make your own decision.

Push is on to expand North Cascades National Park | Local News | The Seattle Times

 

[Walt41]

In our current spending crisis, the expansion of anything makes about as much sense as a screen door on a submarine. Nature areas should be just nature areas, not parks that allow idiot access.

 

[northmanlogging]

so a bunch of city folks and retired rich idiots want to make a park that very few people visit, Because its not very nice or easy to get to from downtown Seattle. Then they want to spend MILLIONS of public dollars on a project that will not change how many people visit it. Just so they can "protect" a butt load of scrubby pine trees, a few aspens, and a bunch of granite rock formations, Yeah I get it, Its pretty what ever, Its allready protected BECAUSE there is no access, building access would take many millions of dollars, not to mention its blocked of for 5-8 months of the year because avalanches kill people, and there just isn't an effective way to control them on this pass, I have crossed this in winter on a snow mobile and its gods d----ed scary is more than a few places. also there are no mills within easy reach of these areas so logging is going to be a losing venture since all the wood is very low grade and hard to get out i.e, helicopter only type stuff

 

[GASoline71]

That "park" is just to the East of where I live. I've been all through that park, and around it over the last 25 years. There isn't a damn thing there to do for "common folk" (non-outdoors types). It's so remote and steep, the only people that would benefit from it's use, are the extreme backpacking/mountaineering cats. I can't argue that it's scenic beauty is phenominal. But there is limited fishing (unless you have a big boat because the lakes are so large and deep), the streams are run off/snow melt streams with no fish, hunting the outskirts of the "park" is near impossible without horses or mules (there are no roads), and even trying to get to any area to look at the scenery is next to impossible. Like Patty said... it was skipped over from logging eons ago, with not much marketable timber.

Typical beaurocratic BS, and a bunch of uninformed "conservationists", that want to preserve something that is already preserved.

Friggin' retards...

Gary

 

[Gologit]

Typical beaurocratic BS, and a bunch of uninformed "conservationists", that want to preserve something that is already preserved.

Friggin' retards...

Gary

Yup. Good intentions...no brains.

 

[madhatte]

Hoooo. Hope this one blows over quickly. It's not worth the fight.

 

[northmanlogging]

there are huge chunks of this state that are already set aside as wilderness, state parks, national parks, national forests, etc. most of them are already unappreciated by the majority of the public. the parks dept and forest service already whine about being under funded and under staffed (both true) the state is running out of money, what the Hel are they thinking wanting another park? But they most be fought or the sneaky sods might try to get something snuck into the legislation that nobody noticed.:msp_angry:

 

[madhatte]

the state is running out of money

See, if they get this one expanded, it'll be Federal dollars instead of State. I know there's a lot of DNR land on the Methow side of the area in question; the ownership transfer would relieve the State of responsibility for its maintenance.

My worry is that a well-funded park would look like a "Park" in all the ways preservationists DON'T want: new roads, lots of traffic, invasive species tracked in, restrictions on use of the land by individuals, etc, as noted elsewhere. I don't see that that particular chunk of real estate needs much of anything, least of all bureaucracy. In fact, if the Highway washed out one winter and was never repaired, who but tourists would be adversely affected?

 

[northmanlogging]

"supposedly" DNR is "self sufficient" and all the money they "make" off of forests around here goes to schools? as far as mineral stuff I got no idea... and Highway 20 as much as its a real nice drive and a great way to waste a weekend, there really isn't a commercial reason to keep it open except tourism in Winthrop, and the damns at Ross and Diablo (seem to remember there being a third damn???) unless you count drug traffic coming down the trails from kunukia?

 

[H 2 H]

Yeah; there is three dams on the Skagit in Washington State - Ross Dam; Diablo Dam and Gorge Dam

Man I was on Skagit Watershed Group for 12 + years; I really got sick of what I was being told was the best for the Valley that's the main reason I'm not there now

I agree what was writing here by members

It's all a bunch of BS

Sure sounds like there spending our money on a vary few people

I live in Stanwood

 

[slowp]

Anti-expansionists better get their ducks in a row and write some letters to our leaders. Otherwise, I fear this is going to happen. Parks are considered a good thing, unless you are someone who likes to do stuff without planning months in advance.

I had to submit 3 different dates and plans just for backpacking in the Grand Canyon, IN MARCH! You pay a pretty good fee to do so, and then are constantly reminded that there are no garbage cans in the bottom. I felt that for all the restrictions, rules and money they should at least have a shower facility in the campground at the bottom!

From what I've seen, wildlife gets tame in parks. They can't be hunted so get too familiar. I guess I broke a rule when I thumped an aggressive turkey with my hiking pole. There were two wild turkeys, both males, that had been blown off the rim and into the canyon bottom. They checked out every new camp and tried to get food. After I thumped them, they never bothered us again, but went on to everybody else. You can't even close your eyes and take a nap without having some critter try to chew into your pack. I woke up one of my hiking partners when she tried to nap along the trail and a ground squirrel started chewing on her pack. Camps have poles to hang packs on and you better use them immediately upon arrival. Deer stroll through traffic, looking for handouts, etc.

I live close to Mt. Rainier but I never go there. Too many rules--too many people.

 

[GASoline71]

Yeah; there is three dams on the Skagit in Washington State - Ross Dam; Diablo Dam and Gorge Dam

Man I was on Skagit Watershed Group for 12 + years; I really got sick of what I was being told was the best for the Valley that's the main reason I'm not there now

I agree what was writing here by members

It's all a bunch of BS

Sure sounds like there spending our money on a vary few people

I live in Stanwood

I live in Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island... I've been hunting, fishing, four wheeling and camping in Whatcom and Skagit county for over 25 years. Not too much ground I haven't covered. Not as much now as when I was 20 years younger... but I'm familiar with the entire area.

Gary