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EastKing
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EastKing
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 1:44 am 
A couple of us went up Keechelus Ridge via the route mentioned in a large number of trip reports and ran into a couple "No Tresspassing: Private Property Signs". I thought this was National Forest Land. Anyone know anything else about this. Here is the route I am refering to... This was the route we followed

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Randito
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 12:36 pm 
The lands either side of the Northern Pacific railroad line are "checkerboard" lands -- alternate square mile sections were granted to the railroad to encourage them to builld the rail line. Many of the clearcut areas along I-90 are the private lands (now owned by Plum Creek) and in recent decades they have been selling parcels within their private sections for recreational development.

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BigBear
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 1:36 pm 
Its now private property, gated at the bottom and at the top. The whole side of that ridge is for sale or now privately owned. It pisses me off but what can you do. Not that its much of a loss to anyone here but it was very good hunting area. I would find a new route.

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zephyr
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 2:37 pm 
BigBear, I need to ask a dumb question here. According the Green Trails map (Snoqualmie Pass, WA--No 207) and the topo I printed off of Alpine Topo online, this entire area is part of the Wenatchee National Forest, right? I guess I am unclear on private property in a National Forest. Though I know you can have leased acreage and cabins. Looking at the Green Trails map, I do see some checkerboard shading, but nothing in the legend to indicate what this might mean. I wonder if this discussion has already occurred here. I could start digging, but if anyone has some links to share it would be nice. Meanwhile, does anyone know if the it's acceptable with the stakeholders to use the roads and just not wander off the track. There were many ski, snowshoe and particularly snowmobile tracks in the roadbed. Thanks, ~z

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kbatku
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 2:40 pm 
If a USFS road passes through private property you are welcome to use it.

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TrailPair
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 8:50 pm 
Our favorite route up Keechelus is to head up between Price and Noble Creeks. This route avoids the roads (mostly) and is safe from unintended encroachment on private lands as well as safe from marauding snowmobilers.....until you are near the top paranoid.gif

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Joey
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 9:44 pm 
Kittitas County has a GIS: http://gis.co.kittitas.wa.us/compasviewer If you poke around with it then you see that the land in that area is owned by a mix of USFS, Plum Creek, Cascade Land Conservancy and some other private parties.

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tlake
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 10:32 pm 
Quote:
"If a USFS road passes through private property you are welcome to use it."
Only if the USFS has a legal right of way can you use the road. Just because it has a USFS number does not make it legal for the public to use.

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zephyr
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 10:40 pm 
'Great to get all this response and information. Not really clear just yet, but learning more by the minute. dizzy.gif Thanks, ~z

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EastKing
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 1:54 am 
Thanks for the feedback here. I think everyone who heads for this peak must take note of all the signs in the area.

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TrailPair
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 10:14 am 
Is anything posted at the Sno-Park?

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zephyr
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 1:24 pm 
TrailPair wrote:
Is anything posted at the Sno-Park?
That's actually a very good question. I don't recall seeing much of anything though. We were the first car there and the only car when we got back. From talking with a ranger at REI yesterday, it appears that Price Creek Sno-Park is not used as much since you have to access it from the east. We drove to Exit 62 and then backtracked on I-90 to get there. Incidentally, if we wanted to pursue it further, the ranger suggested calling the ranger station at Snoqualmie Pass. Apparently they are representing the Cle Elum District. ~z

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TrailPair
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 1:37 pm 
One would assume that is the Sno-Park is open it is OK to use the roads for recreation. But there is such a lack of communication between different departments that you never know what is really going on.

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John Morrow
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 5:17 pm 
zephyr wrote:
TrailPair wrote:
Is anything posted at the Sno-Park?
That's actually a very good question. I don't recall seeing much of anything though. We were the first car there and the only car when we got back. From talking with a ranger at REI yesterday, it appears that Price Creek Sno-Park is not used as much since you have to access it from the east. We drove to Exit 62 and then backtracked on I-90 to get there. Incidentally, if we wanted to pursue it further, the ranger suggested calling the ranger station at Snoqualmie Pass. Apparently they are representing the Cle Elum District. ~z
I would call the Cle Elum Ranger District directly as the Snoqualmie Pass Visitor Center is mostly for recreation inquiries and not lands issues.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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yukon222
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 5:26 pm 
The FS 4832-124 road officially ends at the Section 3 boundary (that is the chunk of private land). See the Cle Elum Ranger District road map here (page 5 has this area shown, with the White square corresponding to private land). While the physical road continues beyond the boundary line between public Forest Service land and private land, that is the private landowners road going thru their property and eventually connecting up with other Forest Service roads up higher. http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5317428.pdf

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