[Scrooge]

This morning, Sultan Guy and I attended the latest in a series of meetings on the Henry M Jackson Relicensing Project, the project that determines the fate of public use of Spada Reservoir and the Sultan Basin. It was in this series of meetings that it became public knowledge that DNR planned to cut off public access to Sultan Basin entirely. As of September 2007, DNR was planning on this evacuation timetable

[Backpacker Joe]

Great write up Scrooge. Question, what's Nighthawk?

[Scrooge]

Nighthawk is the main recreation area at the east end of Spada Lake, the one with the boat ramp that'll get you into the lake most of the year. Also an amazing collection of underutilized picnic areas, including a number of covered sites. When it was new, and the PUD could afford to maintain it, it was truly a class act. edit - When we get that map, the relationships will be obvious.

[Dogpatch]

Hey, me and Campking were at that meeting too - although we left a little after the break and didn't stay for the whole thing. Thanks to Sultan Guy for posting the meeting info here. And Scrooge, I wholeheartedly second your thanks to the PUD. They are definitely picking up the slack here, and trying to maintain some road access into the area. I also asked about the North Shore road being reopened. Their map of proposed recreational sites included a North Shore access across Culmback Dam. In a wild flight of fancy, I thought that meant they were going to restore access to Williamson Creek. But they're actually planning to reopen the road as a 1.5-mile long trail to the old North Shore viewpoint (which I've never been to). And not any further than that - no surprise there, I guess. During the break, I asked a woman from the DNR about regulations for the National Resource Conservation Areas (since the Morningstar NRCA covers a huge area up there). She kindly got some brochures for us - apparently the Cutthroat Lakes area is in the NRCA now, too, as is the Bald Mountain Trail area. Sounds like the PUD is also going to provide parking and access to a trail that leads down into the Sultan River gorge from the dam. At any rate, they are to be applauded for keeping the South Shore road open. A 2-mile road walk to Greider Lakes trailhead is a drag, but it could be a lot worse.

[Backpacker Joe]

Did anyone ever ask WHY there is any access to Spada at all? There isn't access to the Chester Morris, or Tolt or any other water shed I know of. Just curious.

[Hulksmash]

I'm relieved to hear that the whole south shore road is not going. But this plan makes Boulder Lake at about a 14mile round trip. This is out of range for most people to do a day hike. Grider lakes will be around 9 miles. Granted this is a vast improvement over hiking in from Onely Pass. I have a feeling that Boulder Lake trail will fall into disrepair Grider lakes will most likely be a lonely area as well.

[Sabahsboy]

Scrooge, many thanks for your persistent attention to this very favored area. And, the frequent updates. As an aging person, the ever longer trails will make access prohibitive...and that goes for all the Boomers who are aging and soon retiring....and looking to hike, fish, etc. Boulder Lake Trail was hard enough for me two years ago, now would be near impossible...and, it appears, unlikely or even illegal since the trail is not built from Grieder Lakes TH and the road is officially closed (to every walker?) plus the elimination (sans humour! LOL!) of the permanent potty at old Boulder Lake TH. What a shame...it was a nice spot to park and dump and head up the trail...and the lovely bridge over the creek was worth the destination of itself, though so very close to the TH. Nice to know one public agency has not blinded itself and is open to good thinking and working out planning and sharing landscape with more than fish. I find the 10' dia. culvert ludicrous...unless the fish are whale size. A series of 60" (huge) culverts would seem amazing. All that needs be done is allow free flow of stream and passage under the road. The 10' dia. culvert means road base would need be rebuilt, thus the extravagant costs...all unnecessary and a ploy to divert attention toward the intentions of the Spada people. What they want is $$$$ for their projects and abandonment of all recreation in the area, using any number of excuses or "pitches" whether dealing with "9/11", National Security, Water Rights, Fish Rights, Insect Rights, Pure Water, and an endless set of created excuses. Mismanagement is mismanagement...observe Wall Street! A shared resource is a happy resource with happy users willing to care about it. Except the "yahoos" (not of the now defunk WaMU sort) that go up Spada way to run around and shoot at any log or Coke can or beer bottle and leave the trash. A little policing goes a long way (written about in today's P-I of the area just north of the Public Market where Wild West social culture seemed to rule streat life and smack into residents, many in high end high rise buildings). I think the State needs to step in and call "foul" and organize the planning into a more uniform beast. Maybe the Fed, since some of the lands are Federal...certainly the watershed has plenty of Fed land (National Forest). As far as I know, boats are still running wild on Lake Mead and Lake Powell and no one is curbing excessive recreation, campers, hikers, boaters (and should...the carbon footprint of those monsters...etc!). Ah, but the tiny mini-minnow darter of upper reaches-fork of the fork of the north fork of the east fork of the Spada drainagfe cum Sultan must be saved at all costs...even if it was created in a lab to be released to prove a point! LOL! Sucks! That is what I say! Sucks!

[Backpacker Joe]

The Boulder toilet was still there as of August 8th. Speaking of boulder.... I did Boulder one day and then came back for Grieders the next day. Between the two I liked Boulder best.

Boulder lake

Boulder lake trailhead

[Dogpatch]

[Backpacker Joe]

Isn't that funny (peculiar, as opposed to funny ha ha) no hiker representation. It seems to me that the hiker population would out number all others combined, and yet no representation......

[Hulksmash]

Now if i remember correctly there are a bunch of bever dams, in the area beween the southshore site, and night hawk...do the bever's need a EIS before blocking fish passage?

[33teeth]

The resolution (as it stands) isn't ideal, but is better than what was in store for us. Thanks to those of you who aren't to busy or lazy (and are informed enough) to fight the good fight. It's appreciated.

[Scrooge]

Dogpatch said

[Scrooge]

Sabahsboy observed that it's

[Dogpatch]