WTA - Groundtruthing??

[Grumpy]

Coming soon to a forest closer to us.....

http://www.wta.org/action/current-is...tional-forests


And they are actively trying to get LEGAL trails closed to us......


Join a WTA Groundtruthing Hike
Come hike with us!

As the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forestgets ready to release its Travel Management Plan, Washington Trails Association will lead a number of groundtruthing hikes in the coming weeks. These exploratory hikes will gather on-the-ground information for specific trails and areas of concern. Data will help WTA better understand what areas of the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest need better protection or enforcement, and what areas should be closed to motorized use altogether.

Hiker activists will meet WTA's advocacy director, Jonathan Guzzo, at the trailhead. Then we'll explore the trail looking for any signs of resource damage, ORV incursions or access points into wilderness where motorized and non-motorized trails intersect. We'll document our findings through photos and mapping locations.

We hope you can join us on one or more of these groundtruthing hikes, and make an important contribution to WTA's efforts to protect hiking trails and wilderness during the National Forests' Travel Management process.

Groundtruth Hike schedule:
September 19 -- Lake Ethel Trail
(Wenatchee River Ranger District)
Distance: 10 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3500 feet
This hike, leading to some of the most untouched lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, is crossed twice by the 6930 road. This road, which is open to dirtbikes, leads to Scottish Lakes High Camp and ends at the trailhead accessing Larch Lake and Loch Eileen. Our concern is that 6930 may act as door for motorized tresspasses into the Alpine Lakes wildlands.

September 26 -- Golden Stairway
(Tonasket Ranger District)
Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2300 feet
Rolling hills, golden meadows, and wide-open views greet hikers who venture onto the Golden Stairway. Unfortunately, this old sheep drive has a motorized trail inapproperately located on it. The goal of this outing will be to ascertain whether resource damage is occurring from motorized use.

September 29 -- Domerie Peak
(Cle Elum Ranger District)
Distance: 10 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3170 feet
Views and motorcycles abound on this trail. Join WTA as we assess the state of this trail our way up to Mount Baldy.

October 10 -- Larch Lakes
(Entiat Ranger District)
Distance: 12 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2450 feet
This hike is a classic outing in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, yet motercycles use this trail to access lakes within .25 miles of the wilderness boundary. This hike will explore if motorcycles are breaching the Wilderness.
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