Fortune Creek, Van Epps Pass

99redtj · Aug 10, 2014

Have fun, I will not be able to make it.

Alan · Aug 12, 2014

Thanks Murkman!

-Alan

Murkman said:
Many years ago (96' or so) there was a proposal generated by the Anti-motorized community to close the Fortune Creek area to motorized. Much of the land up there was acquired by the Forest Service from Plum Creek. The FS had three proposals. (1) was to close the area to all motorized. (2) Was to leave a 100' wide corridor adjacent to the existing trails with not motorized out of that zone.(3) No action.

There were public meetings in the Cle Elum, Wenatchee, North Bend area to allow public opinion about this. There were also other proposals but these areas had no motorized interest. Thru the PNW4WDA there was a letter writing campaign to express interest in seeing that the no action proposal in the Fortune Creek area was to be the decision. The decision in the Fortune Creek area came to be No action because mankinds intrusion was to great the be considered Wilderness.

Well many years have past. There has been new Wilderness established that has much intrusion by mankind. Wild Sky was pushed thru with support from Murray, Larson, Smith and Cantwell. WTA has seen this and was a big part of Wild Sky. Now WTA has expressed interest in taking up the effort again with Fortune Creek. Mankinds intrusion has not the meaning it has had in the past.

Fortune Creek, Van Epps Pass, Gallagher Head Lake area are all at risk. As well as Lake Ann if you are a snowmobiler. These areas were listed on an inclusion list I think 2 years ago. As the Forest Plan and Travel Plan come up You can expect to see some changes coming. Public Comment will be asked for and this community needs to be proactive to such request.

I'll do a search thru the FS site and find the link to post about this proposal.

Corey Y · Aug 17, 2014

This area is real nice. It would be a shame for it to be hike in only. There is alot of roads and old mines. Good place for rockhounding.

mark · Aug 17, 2014

Crazy Daze said:
This area is real nice. It would be a shame for it to be hike in only. There is alot of roads and old mines. Good place for rockhounding.

If it was turned into Hike Only no one would go there. From last time I remember being up there is was a cool area, but it was very open and dry, mostly old mining roads cut into the hill side. Great to wheel and explore, but I don't see a huge hiking contingency waiting to use the place up.

Unless things have changed, I don't see motorized traffic negatively effecting the wilderness up there at all. But logic had little to do with it.

Murkman · Aug 17, 2014

mark said:
If it was turned into Hike Only no one would go there. From last time I remember being up there is was a cool area, but it was very open and dry, mostly old mining roads cut into the hill side. Great to wheel and explore, but I don't see a huge hiking contingency waiting to use the place up.

Unless things have changed, I don't see motorized traffic negatively effecting the wilderness up there at all. But logic had little to do with it.

There is a large hiking community in there. It's mostly on what is known as (I believe) the County Line Trail. Also Lake Ann and access to the Stuart Range. The WTA types complain about the noise from wheeling. It ruins the serenity of their experience. I know that sounds like a crock, but the serenity/solitude defense has legal standing in the reasons for creating Wilderness areas.