[Schroder]

Over the past 2 decades we’ve seen gradual restrictions on access to Sultan Basin. Now the Department of Natural Resources and Snohomish County P.U.D. want to phase out all public access to the basin and remove the remaining roads between 2011 and 2015. Culmback Dam was constructed in 1965, creating Spada Lake as a primary reservoir for the City of Everett water system that operates out of Lake Chaplain, about 400 feet lower in elevation. At that time, recreational improvements were made as a condition of the permit to construct the dam. Two boat launches were built, a campground below the basin was developed and a scenic overlook above the lake was developed. Overnight camping within one mile of the lake was prohibited as well as use of motorized watercraft. In the 1970’s, a trail system was developed over Bald Mountain, connecting Ashland Lakes on the Mountain Loop Hiway to Sultan Basin. Historically, this area had many mining trails that connected to other areas: Marble Pass and Headlee Pass to the Mountain Loop and Sheep Gap to Mineral City on the Skykomish River drainage. The Williamson Creek road on the North side led to the 45 mine operation at the base of Big Four and Hall Peaks and the outlet of Copper Lake. The Bren Mac mine on the upper Sultan River operated until the 1970’s. In 1984, the Snohomish County P.U.D. built the Jackson Hydroelectric Project, raising Culmback Dam by 62 feet and flooding the road at the South Fork and Williamson Creek. The South Fork section of road was relocated and the access to Williamson Creek was provided by a new road that traversed Bald Mountain. Several new boat ramps were built for the public and a large picnic area above the North shore was also built. Then things started to go downhill for public access. In the late 1980’s, the road up the Pilchuck River to Culmback dam was gated. This was a heavily used 15 mile long road for access to the west end of Spada Lake and the south side areas of Mt Pilchuck. Most of the problems that resulted in its closure were with illegal camping and dumping. This road closure shut down access to the western end of the Ashland Lakes trail and about 36 square miles of land to public access. The new Williamson Creek Road could be driven until the late 1990’s when a washout off the steep slopes of Bald Mountain closed the road. The DNR then decommissioned the road and tore out all the culverts. This shut out another 16 square miles to public access, including Copper Lake and the Hall peak-Big Four area. In 2001, the PUD closed access to the dam and the North Shore picnic area. Work is underway right now to close the Elk Creek (East side valley) by decommissioning the road down to the Boulder Lake trailhead. The remaining access – the South Shore road is the next to go. When this is gone, it will shut out another 25 square miles and access for climbers to Prospect Peak, Static Peak, Red Mountain and Little Chief (already impossible). Greider and Boulder Lakes will be out of reach for most as another 7 to 8 miles is added to the trail. The total: 80 square miles of public land shut off to the public. This article by Washington Climbers coalition gives more background on some of the issues. The P.U.D. relicensing document can be found here.

Big Four, Sperry, Vesper, Little Chief

Copper Lake and Williamson Creek

Falls from Copper Lake

[wolfs]

Good lord. That is Lame with a capital L. Now mind you I understand some of the underlying issues. For sure roads are expensive. And overall it's a pretty trashed up area back there, full of not very nwhikers type outdoor activity such as Fridge Dumping and Portamethlabbing. I don't happen to go there very much because that kind of thing turns my stomach. But: I've hiked Greider Lakes a couple times and they are nice, and it's a good hike for kids just the way it is. And I've climbed Static a couple times too, it's a nice place because it is a little farther in there and not quite the zoo that exit 38 is too many weekends. As far as the road issue: note that they plan to log more. So, not only do they actually need MORE roads to do so, they also have a cash source that could pay for maintenance of existing roads (need to finance state schools notwithstanding). There seem to be a lot of dishonest justifications. A quote from the climbers statement listed, the quote being from a DNR land manager, re: much longer access to Boulder and Greider Lakes:

[Schroder]

The week-long backpacking trip comment also doesn't make sense since overnight camping is prohibited near Spada Lake.

[Scrooge]

[Scrooge]

I almost think this should be posted in the History forum, as well, since it eloquently discusses the past, as well as the future.

[Sultan Guy]

[Sultan Guy]

Schroder, Thanks for starting this thread. I have known about the South Shore Road issues for about two years but just recently found this forum so I apologize for appearing to be a bit tardy... I will post further updates as I hear about them to this thread, just be prepared for a never ending lengthy drawn out process.

[Sabahsboy]

Page, "Hiking in Sultan Basin" still lists both trails, Boulder Lake and Greider Lakes; however, a side bar notes that the road from Grieder Lake TH to Boulder Lake TH is gated and closed. Also, Sultan Basin Road will be clsoed on Sept. 8 until October 18 (from Hy 2); hiking is allowed until DNR/whoever removes porta-potties at Greider Lakes TH or about October 15. There is no note that road access from Olney Pass will close sooner...but, there is cavalier account of conditions and the over-all report of 2006 seems smug and resolute. Just when and where were all the public comments made, etc.? I think this comprises a shady deal and was created to exclude the public. What reasons? Well, for the fishies. Well, to keep out noxious weeds. Well, to bar garbage dumping. Well, to keep out loners and friends with shotguns....etc. It may be cheaper to hire rangers than to spend millions closing up territory. And, keeping secret the "real reasons for closure". Heck, there might be spies hiding behind bushes just yards from Grieder Lake TH...! Worse, traiters, scum, baby peddlers, weed farmers, who knows? Closure of This vast area means ever more pressure on other areas by a public who has had declining interest in outdoors activities in lieu of "virtual play" and fat-ass sitting. Get the kids out and maybe they might lose a few lbs. of lard! What ever happened to Boy Scouts? Cub Scouts? Girl Scouts? Our culture took a 90 degree turn somewhere between KFC, Golden Arches and tech games. Even I find myself ever so much more viewing "reality" from a chair in front of a screen than on my feet, in my boots, on natural, un-virtual dirt, roots and rocks! The Devil IS in the details and it frightens me. We can read of the thinning and melting of the Arctic ice, Global Warming, Greenland's slipping glaciers and Antarctic's collapsing ice shelves and glaciers plus the melt of glaciers, both marin terminous and alpine, around the globe...and we can get real disturbed...but, WHO DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT? I never heard of Obama addressing the issue(s) nor of McCain standing up to his cronies that want him to continue the Bush Years. Are we doomed to balloon into fat ass kids and oldsters, die of diseases related to fatty arteries, clogged veins, busted heart valves, etc. while China opens two coal belching power plants a week and particulate falls on once pure snow to melt the last snowdrift that might have been the seed of the last glacier? Are Americans so cowardly as to give up our independent mindset of wilderness and lay back, dance fingers on keyboards while downing McDonalds shakes and fries, and just believe that "some one will take care of everything..."? The "someone" is us! We ARE they and it! No one else will do it! If Obama will be President, then we must pressure him and Congress to ACT NOW...to open treasured walks and trails, let our sons and daughters discover wildness beyond concrete swimming pools and paved basket ball courts. We humans have a gene somewhere that needs to explore....address that and follow the course....explore more than the tucked away acre park down the street and seek taller peaks, wider rivers and creeks, examine flora a fauna, not as a middle school projects but as a family events. The terrible automobile allowed some of us to reach the edges of wilderness even before Wilderness became political and institutional. From those margines of wildness emerged at least one generation that loved the excitement of Grand Canyon, the soaring Grand Tetons, the wide meadows dotted with elk, moose and bear (and, now, ever so fortunately, wolves) at Yellowstone. Kids learned the names, geography and content of many, even all National Parks, monuments and other historic or wild places. What happened to that ethic and moral wonder? Now, we must sit back and let God - like Agencies of Our Great White Father Government, whether Snohomish P. U. D. or BLM, decide where we will ever tread again. Hell, THIS IS OUR LAND! Those "decommissioned roads" should be trails, improved to quality standards and set aside as primeval access for those of us who care. Heck, maybe the new trails will become all the rage! If several railroad grades can be that, so could abandoned roads that travel into areas long unlogged and left to wither (or, flourish). Access to Sultan Basin must be enhenced, not decommissioned! This is not China...and, the China that we perceive is changing so rapidly that they may end up being the true environmentalists as the 1.3 billion Chinese discover wilderness all around them and want to be in it, not as an urban experience, but as a lonesome, soul-purifying experience. 'nough written.

[xan]

[Backpacker Joe]

[Gil]

The very first hike we went on with our kids when we moved back here in 2000 was Greider Lakes. My son (then 7) and I went swimming in Big Greider. Granted, I haven't been back in there for three years, but those are great hikes. It'd be sad if that road were closed.

[peltoms]

It is interesting to see a desire to ban all access to reservoir lands. In many regions of the nation, the plan is just the opposite, keep all development away, but allow minimal impact day use recreation. This helps keep the land patrolled and patrollable and opens up lots of open space for recreation.

[Stefan]

Folks, it's all about money. You want it open? Then you gotta allow logging.

[Hulksmash]

Much of this is simply reposting what i have posted in other threds, but maybe it will be easier to find here. The past week or so i've been trying to read as many documents available on line regarding this subject, sultan guy obviously has a two year head start. No doubt he has much more information that me. Here's my gripe. This quote is from the PUD's Pre-Application Document vol1 http://www.snopud.com/water/relicensing/relicensingdocs/pad.ashx?p=3121#

[Backpacker Joe]

Ole Hulker and SG sure are good for information. Thanks guys.