Forum Index > Public Lands Stewardship > Wild Horse Wind Power Project - Whiskey Dick Mountain
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Stones
funk soul brother



Joined: 08 Apr 2004
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Location: in your soul kitchen
Stones
funk soul brother
PostSat Jul 23, 2005 8:37 am 
One website that I check on now and again is the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC). I worked on an application for a project up at Cherry Point a few years back. The Application for Site Certifications and EISs make for some interesting reading for local geology, plants, critters, and cultural resources for various locations where these energy facilities are proposed, some of which occur near our favorite hiking locales. One in particular, is likely to have some visual impact on Whiskey Dick Mountain near Hike 17 in your "Best Desert Hikes - Washington" (Bauer & Nelson). This is the Wild Horse Wind Power Project. The location of the project is best shown on this figure. The project is pretty much a done deal. EFSEC has recommended approval of the project. Governor Gregoire will announce her decision on Tuesday in Ellensburg (Daily Record). You might want to schedule a hike or two in this area next winter or spring before the windmills show up on the horizon. This post is an FYI to get out before visual changes take place in an area we hike. This post is not about the merits of wind power or its environmental impact.

Let me stand next to your fire
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ActionBetty
Im a dirty hippie!



Joined: 06 Jul 2003
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Location: kennewick, wa
ActionBetty
Im a dirty hippie!
PostSat Jul 23, 2005 1:54 pm 
Thanks Stone , will have to get this one in this year....its actually not too far from me. Have to nab it on my way to Wenatchee to raid wildernessed's garage.

"If you're not living good, you gotta travel wide"...Bob Marley
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Snowshoe Hare
Defunct lagomorph



Joined: 03 Dec 2004
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Snowshoe Hare
Defunct lagomorph
PostTue Jul 26, 2005 5:59 pm 
The August 2005 National Geographic I just received has a story about alternative energy worldwide, and interestingly wind machines- huge ones, and pros/cons/impacts.

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Stones
funk soul brother



Joined: 08 Apr 2004
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Location: in your soul kitchen
Stones
funk soul brother
PostWed Jul 27, 2005 11:05 am 
Done deal, Governor Gregoire approved. I heard on NPR this morning that construction will start this fall. Governor OKs Wild Horse wind farm - Daily Record

Let me stand next to your fire
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Snowshoe Hare
Defunct lagomorph



Joined: 03 Dec 2004
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Snowshoe Hare
Defunct lagomorph
PostWed Jul 27, 2005 4:18 pm 
But wait.......I hadn't read that Nat'l Geographic issue yet to make up my mind about them! mad.gif I wonder if regular commercial newsradio anywhere had the news too? uhh.gif This NPR name-dropping has to stop. tongue.gif

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lookout bob
WTA proponent.....



Joined: 12 Apr 2005
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lookout bob
WTA proponent.....
PostFri Jul 29, 2005 7:15 am 
thanks Stones....the info on your post was great. I read most of the information and am saddened and gladdened at the same time. I've been going to the Whiskey Dick area for 5-6 years now faithfully every spring to observe Hedgehog cacti and other magnificent flora there. I am saddened that they are going to build such a massive disruptive project there. It is a beautiful haunting area filled with history and failed homesteads that pull at my imagination. I am glad that this alternative energy resource is being built to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. I did indeed enjoy this months national geographic article outlining the problems with our continued dependence on oil. Thanks for providing links and information. I guess I'll have to find my middle ground......

"Altitude is its own reward" John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
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marta
wildflower maven



Joined: 07 May 2003
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marta
wildflower maven
PostSat Apr 22, 2006 1:00 pm 
There is a lot of activity going on for this project. We went along Vantage Highway between Ellensburg & Vantage yesterday. We didn't go up in Quilomene area with our low passenger car but there is a truck crossing across Vantage Hwy so you can tell the region where the windmills are going to be located. It looks like they are starting to build the platforms for the windmills. I found a bit more about the project in this FAQ . There is also a large building and tall cranes at the end of the farm region out of Ellensburg just before you start into the canyon area. It wasn't signed so we couldn't tell if it was part of the project or not. We were guessing it might be. Why else would you have tall cranes in the middle of nowhere except to construct windmills?

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Newt
Short Timer



Joined: 21 Dec 2001
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Location: Down the road and around the corner
Newt
Short Timer
PostSat Apr 22, 2006 3:50 pm 
They were erecting high voltage transmission towers at one time. Not sure if they used cranes or choppers for that. Might even be done by now. Had various new roads also.

It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
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Wapiti
Hik'abili



Joined: 09 Feb 2004
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Location: Ellensburg, Wa
Wapiti
Hik'abili
PostSat May 06, 2006 4:04 pm 
marta wrote:
There is also a large building and tall cranes at the end of the farm region out of Ellensburg just before you start into the canyon area. It wasn't signed so we couldn't tell if it was part of the project or not. We were guessing it might be. Why else would you have tall cranes in the middle of nowhere except to construct windmills?
That is a new contruction heavy machinery training facility - nothing to do with the windmill construction. I have to say - hearing both sides of this battle here in the valley over the years - I'd much MUCH rather see windmills on the horizon than houses and the No Trespassing signs that seem to appear with each and every one of them. I swear, with every new house that gets plopped in here, the "owners" must think that everyone here plans to jump to the opportunity to walk all over it - they put up new No Trespasing signs before they do anything else it seems. Whats with this mentality anymore??? The Winchester Ridge development that has sat idle for so many years is actually starting to show signs of development ... ugh ... Don't think that only windmills will be along that ridge - the hike is going to look (be) a whole lot differently if it keeps at this pace... I suppose the windmills will have their own no trespassing signs as well - but those things, ugly as they may be, have a whole lot less attitude... <edited to soften the rant> shakehead.gif <\rant> rant.gif

Take a kid hiking... It'll make a World of difference! Kittitas County Search & Rescue - Backcountry Ground Team Leader
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Dale
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Joined: 28 Jun 2002
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Dale
Member
PostSat May 06, 2006 5:04 pm 
Wapiti wrote:
I swear, with every new house that gets plopped in here, the "owners" must think that everyone here plans to jump to the opportunity to walk all over it - they put up new No Trespasing signs before they do anything else it seems. Whats with this mentality anymore???
We used to allow children to play in our forest but not anymore. For decades we did not have any property insurance on our house and 3/4 acres. But nowadays parents are way too quick to sue if one of their little darlings gets hurt. I guess they assume that the deep-pockets insurance company will pay for damages, emotional losses, whatever. So now we do have insurance but no more children except rarely on the front lawn where we can watch them.

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