This article was submitted by Mazama resident Eric Burr:
Noparkexpansion.blogspot.com (NOPE) contains a wealth of negative ideas. I think however, that we need to answer the sincere concerns of park expansion proponents with some positive suggestions too. I’m a retired national park ranger, who has also worked, as a Wilderness ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, and lived in the Methow for 28 years.
My first suggestion is the alternative of my title. The second is to endorse merging the north and south units of the park, by including part of Ross Lake NRA, The National Parks and Conservation Association has already proposed this, as part of their input to the Ross Lake NRA planning process.
Spring and fall are when the North Cascades really needs an economic boost, which I think these two ideas could best help provide. More overnighting in Marblemount would be encouraged because it facilitates early starts to enjoy not only Cascade Pass, but also our east side spring skiing and flowers, or fall colors, with para-gliders, climbers, snowboarders, and skiers, to watch and rub shoulders with. This NFRA should have more trails that encourage, not just allow, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes, in addition to hiker-only foot paths for birdwatching. The short loop trails envisioned by N3C’s Alps Project are only a start on what’s required if this NFRA is to serve as an effective buffer for the Park and Wilderness. Longer trails too are demanded by today’s fitness sports.
When the pass is closed, we have the announced intention of WSDOT to install additional east side closure gates, which would enhance spring skiing. Ski huts are standard in Europe and Canada to absorb the impact of increasingly popular backcountry skiing, and at last beginning to catch on stateside, but still usually not allowed in American National Parks. They were rejected from the 1968 national park and Wilderness establishment, (“Hickel’s Hostels”) and a good thing too, because the eastern planners sited all but one in avalanche paths. Early Winters has plenty of safe and sunny places for more huts, if demand and impact warrants them. For details, read my Ski Trails and Wildlife book.
MVSTA (Methow Valley Sport Trails Association) has proven that ski trails allow summer and shoulder season use by a wide variety of users, without the potential conflicts managed too often in national parks, on limited trails, by regulations, permits, and cop-rangers. Trail design and maintenance as zoning tools are the user friendly ways to help recreationists do the right things. The Methow has pioneered this better way, than the “police state Wilderness” typical of national parks. An NFRA could encourage the Forest Service to continue to improve their recreation management by inspiration, instead of regulation.
Perhaps the most cost effective aspect of this plan is that it doesn’t require expensive Congressional action to implement. Ross Lake NRA is already run by the Park and the windshield wilderness tourists think they’re in the “park” now anyway. That arrowhead symbol, and the Smokey Bear hats on rangers have them fooled or confused. Their ignorance is also an opportunity for education, if designed for the urban visitor, who needs more basic orientation than the old traditional visitor center.
A highly visible Information (not “Visitor”) Center, right on Highway 20 proper, before the Marblemount turn-off to Cascade Pass is what’s needed. This Information Center run jointly by Seattle City Light, the U.S. Forest Service, North Cascades Institute, and the Park, is the critically missing facility that could let pilgrims know they’ve arrived in the Wilderness Alps. They could also learn where they can go to find the recreation and lodging or camping they seek, without getting busted for breaking some rule they never had the opportunity to learn about. And yes, the dams are part of what’s interesting here, just as in the European Alps. National parks are for history and culture as well as nature. Organic farms too, on both sides of the divide, are a critically important biological saga that needs a greater audience. The European Alps don’t allow pesticides or GMOs.
Early Winters NFRA too, like the “park,” already exists – although in neglected form. If it could reopen the old ranger station and more old trails, we’d be on our way to filling those shoulder season slumps. So the westside could provide the traditional style American National Park, Seattle City Light provides dramatic boat tours, and the eastside provides the alpine huts, heli-skiing, lift and self powered skiing, with plenty of sunny user friendly trails, much like the European Alps but more like Canada, only sunnier and less crowded. The American Alps Legacy Project needs an Early Winters NFRA if it is to pass political muster and truly fulfill the alpine vision many, on both sides of the controversy, had back in the 60s.
