We recently received the following info and question from Lisa Robinson, so we did a little research to answer her question. 

Lisa writes: Not sure if it's the run of hot weather or just our yard, but we've seen about 6-8 snakes the last couple of days… My husband said he saw two big and one small bull snakes and several rattlers. Which brings up a question: Is there any truth to the tale that having bull snakes keeps rattlers out of the area? Someone told me that there used to be lots of bull snakes [around the river trail] and when they freaked people out they were supposedly removed--and that's why the rattlers have moved in.

We’ll answer this question below, but first, a few notes on the differences between bullsnakes and rattlesnakes. The two are easily confused, often causing bullsnakes to unjustly suffer the lash from rattler-phobics.

Bullsnakes (aka gopher snakes) have pointed tails without rattles. Confusingly, they may vibrate their tail when threatened, producing a sound like a rattle in dry grass. To tell the two snakes apart, look for the rattle and note the tail position. Rattlers raise their tail under threat, but bullsnakes keep their tail low to the ground.

The two snakes also have distinct heads. Rattlesnakes have triangular heads that are wider than their body, while bullsnakes have narrow heads streamlined to their body. Bullsnakes have eyes on the side of their head with circular pupils. Rattlers have forward-facing eyes with slitlike pupils.

Photo: Bullsnakes have narrow, pointed tails and narrow heads with eyes on the side.

Now, to answer Lisa’s question about whether bullsnakes keep rattlesnakes on the lam, we found this article from Denver zookeeper and rattlesnake researcher Bryon Shipley. In it, Bryon lays out and lays low some of the most common bullsnake myths:

1. Bullsnakes eat rattlesnake eggs.
2. Bullsnakes eat rattlesnakes.
3. Bullsnakes and rattlesnakes breed together.
4. Bullsnakes chase away rattlesnakes.

The myths, debunked:

1. Bullsnakes eat rattlesnake eggs:  Since rattlesnakes do not lay eggs, this cannot be true. Rattlesnake eggs hatch within their bodies; consequently young rattlesnakes are born live.

2. Bullsnakes eat rattlesnakes:  A thorough search of the literature and discussions with researchers who study both snakes has revealed next to nothing that supports the idea that bullsnakes eat rattlesnakes. Bullsnakes are primarily consumers of warm-blooded prey. In one instance, the body of a small rattlesnake showed up in the gut of a bullsnake, but no information exists on whether the ingested rattlesnake was already deceased or even what species it was. It is possible that a young bullsnake may eat a lizard, but no rattlesnake population could be significantly affected by bullsnakes. The natural mortal enemy of rattlesnakes is, in fact, the kingsnake.

3. Bullsnakes and rattlesnakes breed together:  Rattlesnakes and bullsnakes commonly hibernate together, along with other snakes and amphibians. Rattlesnakes are live-bearers and bullsnakes are egg layers, and even within the reptile group, where breeding between species of like physiology can happen (i.e. egg layers with egg layers, live-bearers with live-bearers), successful breeding between egg layers and live-bearers could never occur due to the biology involved.

4. Bullsnakes chase away rattlesnakes:  Bullsnakes and rattlesnakes have always coexisted in their habitat. Their activity schedules in a season can be very different. The sudden disappearance of rattlesnakes in mid-spring results from their switching to a nocturnal schedule, when they are not as noticeable as they were in early spring.

Other Myths:

• Bullsnakes kept in your tent keep rattlesnakes away.
• Bullsnakes kill rattlesnakes for sport.
• Bullsnake bites are worse because of the infection that results.
• Bullsnakes are venomous.
• Bullsnakes eat all of the rattlesnakes’ food.

To learn more about the differences between bullsnakes and rattlesnakes, read Bryon Shipley's entire article here.


Bull or rattle snake? Rattlesnake, with triangular head and forward-facing eyes. Venomous snakes bite 8,000 people in the U.S. annually, but only 10-15 of these bites are fatal. In other words, each Americans has a 0.0000048% chance of dying from snake bite. Still, if you're bitten: immobilize the wound and seek immediate medical attention.

Table Mountain Fire, September 2012.

The 2012 Pacific Northwest wildfire season was one for the record books.

In Idaho, the Mustang Complex alone burned 300,000 acres. In Washington, over 350,000 total acres burned and fire suppression costs alone totaled more than $88 million dollars. Not exactly chump change in this time of fiscal cliffs and sequestration.

Yet, fire always has been and always will be an integral part of our western forests. Fire is both inevitable and is the ultimate contradiction; often beautiful, terrifying, destructive, renewing and life-giving, all at the same time. Yet, our management of western forests over the past century has broken this natural link with fire, leaving our forests vulnerable to uncharacteristically large and destructive fire and insect and disease outbreaks. Climate change will only increase these vulnerabilities.

In my role as a forest ecologist I spend a lot of time talking about the risks of “uncharacteristic fire” (bad!) and the importance of “prescribed fire” (good!) in restoring healthy and resilient forests.

Our official tagline is “The Nature Conservancy works to maintain fire’s role where it benefits people and nature, and keep fire out of places where it is destructive”.  An excellent sentiment, but the line between fire that “benefits people and nature” and fire that is “destructive” can be quite blurry.

Last September an intense late summer lightning storm rolled across the Pacific Northwest, starting fires in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. That month I had a series of meetings across eastern Washington and northern Idaho. No matter where I traveled, I couldn’t escape the smoke. During the day visibility was terrible and at night my eyes stung and my throat hurt, even when holed up in my hotel room. No fun – that much smoke must certainly indicate a “bad fire”, right?

Not necessarily. This winter we were finally able to get out and take a look at some of the newly burned forests that had smoked-in my September travels. Matt Dahlgreen, TNC forester and intrepid explorer, shot a beautiful series of photos from one section of the Wenatchee Complex fires in eastern Washington.

Matt Dahlgreen Photo: A winter look over the Peavine and Klone Peak fires, eastern Cascades, Washington. Mt. Rainier is in the background.

His photos show rejuvenation and restoration, not death and destruction. These fires had burned with relatively low severity during a time of moderate weather conditions, and the net result were thinned forest stands that will be even more resilient to the next fire.  There were other patches with nearly all of the trees killed, but this occurred in areas where the forest is adapted to “high severity fire” and the bear, elk and other wildlife will greatly benefit.

What determines if a wildfire is good or bad? Suppression costs? Property destruction? Air quality? Impacts on wildlife habitat? Can a fire be good and bad at the same time?

Click onward to read the rest of Ryan's article on the Nature Conservancy's "Cool Green Science" blog.



This infographic shows how forests in Eastern WA have changed under the fire management regimes we've employed in the past 150 years. Forests in the Okanogan-Wenatchee NF span the gamut from "within historic range" to "severely departed" from their pre-European conditions. Click to see a larger version of this infographic.



Revisit the slideshow TNC's Matt Dahlgreen posted on WenatcheeOutdoors from his New Years' ski trip through areas burned by the 2012 Peavine and Klone Peak Fires.

The Voyager is a two-in-one lantern and flashlight tool, although the lantern is the real bread-and-butter of the setup. With a 75-lumen output, the lantern is bright enough for camp chores, reading, and walking a decent trail at night.

For the lone backpacker the Voyager may simply duplicate the function of a headlamp. For groups and families, however, the camping lantern eliminates the deer-in-headlights factor common to several people trying to spend time together by headlamp. On my own recent car camping trip in Oregon and California, the Voyager’s 360-degree illumination range made it much easier for my beau and I to play cards together at camp, although I did miss the satisfying revenge of searing his retinas with my headlamp when his aces trumped my jacks.

We primarily used the lantern from a tabletop, which limited the glow to a mere 18 inches in each direction. This was sufficient for one person reading or two playing cards, but would have left much of a larger group in the dark. For broad illumination, the Voyager is most effective from on high. When hung from a branch or a stand it has a reported 16-foot illumination range in each direction, which is a hefty ball of light for a lantern so small. The lantern has a clever double hook system that made it easy to hang under a tent roof and eliminated the angst that comes with positioning a hanging headlamp. For long nights reading or poring over a map inside a tent, the Voyager would provide much more steady, ambient light than a headlamp without the risk factors of a candle or gas lantern.

The Voyager has a frosted globe, and when viewed from above it glows pleasantly without blinding. However, the bright light is an eyeful to those that fall directly under its beam. This can be counterbalanced using a dimmer function. In addition, the flashlight, which shines from the bottom of the lantern, effectively illuminates a tent or other small area without blinding those below. In the hand, the flashlight beam has a twenty-foot range and is gentle enough to preserve night vision for star watching on an easy night walk. Still, for more extreme nocturnal wanderers the flashlight would be eclipsed by a headlamp on night hikes requiring scrambling or long-range vision.

Photo: The Voyager is considerably dimmer than a 60-watt bulb you'd use at home but in a dark tent or during a dark night it casts a nice, usable orb of white light.

The Voyager is collapsible, and at its smallest is about the size of an average walkie talkie. It’s small enough that it can be worn around the neck on a lanyard or attached to a belt loop, allowing the hands-free functionality of a headlamp without the coal miner mystique. Its 8-ounce heft (batteries included) may deter lightweight extremists, but the Voyager is plenty small and light enough to be carried in a jacket pocket or tossed into a pack. The lantern’s weight is a non-factor for car camping, which might prove to be the Voyager’s best use. While the Voyager doesn’t have the same soul-warming glow of a kerosene or candle lamp, it does have the advantages of being conveniently battery-powered, looking vaguely like a spaceship (instant cool!), and being much less likely to ignite a tent than its flaming lantern counterparts.

• Manufacturer: Black Diamond
• Weight: 8 oz (with 4 AA batteries)
• Maximum light: 75 lumens for lantern, 50 lumens for flashlight.
• Minumum light: 10 lumens.
• Burn time: 13 hours at 75 lumens, 100 hours at 10 lumens.
• Length: 16 cm extended, 11 cm collapsed
• Powered by: 4 AA batteries
• Retails for: $40

Best uses: Car camping, backpacking with groups or families, long nights in a tent when winter camping, emergency lantern for the home or the car.

More Info: www.blackdiamondequipment.com


Photo: Some Voyager models also come equipped with rocket boosters, allowing them to probe the edges of our solar system and the interstellar medium. Voyager Golden Record not included.

Lost and found. From left to right: Andy Dappen, John Dykes, Irene Godfrey, Steve Godfrey; Sarah Leyrer,:  and Brad Fitzgerald.

The meal’s appetizer was a beautiful spring evening and a clear sky as we were each presented a copy of a map with 11 specific waypoints we were tasked to locate. Some were easy to find, such as waypoint 2 – the viewpoint at the top of the trail above the parking lot.  Others were more difficult to discern, such as waypoint 3. To find this point, we were instructed to walk 160 paces directly toward Cashmere Mountain. Simple, right? But with students of varying sizes and leg lengths, this point wasn’t easy to identify.

Photo: Three hikers with three different plans for finding waypoint 3.
 
This is where a lesson on triangulation was taught. By taking compass bearings of two prominent points which are about 90 degrees apart and transferring the bearings to the map with a pencil, one can determine with relatively good accuracy that they are located at the intersection of those two lines. Fine lines make for better accuracy. One student discovered a fat sharpie doesn’t work very well for this exercise.

Mother Nature’s main course then started with the striking colors she presented on the hills across the Wenatchee River. The sunlight and shadows performed a spectacular evening show. One hiker commented that the last rays of the late evening sun made some of the greens look almost florescent. The sweet smell of sage filled the air, and as the sunlight gradually faded, the grasses took on a glow. A group of four mule deer slowly worked their way up the draw in front of us.Photo: Scrumptious views of the main course. 

Getting to waypoint 4 (a distant power pole) was interesting because it was located across a deep ravine. A bearing was taken of the pole, and before losing sight of the waypoint on our way into the ravine, the bearing was verified. When we arrived at the bottom of the ravine, Dappen introduced a technique to maintain a bearing even though the destination is out of sight. It’s a modified leapfrog technique.

Dappen went ahead of the group, zigzagging his way up the slope. Maintaining bearing surveillance on our compasses, we would yell, “Mark!” when he arrived at point where his zags intersected our bearing. He then marked the spot with a stick, and proceeded up the hill. We hiked to the position he marked, and repeated the process several times until we reached the top of the ridge. We could once again see our destination power pole, confirmed our bearing, and discovered we maintained our bearing well while hiking up the hill, even though we couldn’t see our destination.Photo: Sharp students needing little encouragement to leapfrog their Master.

With a drop of the sun came an accompanying drop in temperature. The breeze now felt cold. Jackets were pulled from packs and light gloves covered cold hands.

As we hiked up the side of the hill towards waypoint 8 on the crest of a small ridge, the flora changed dramatically from grasses to wildflowers and sagebrush. Dappen pointed the fact out and explained that the less flowerful slopes we had just passed through had been, in older times, farmed for dryland crops and grazed by cattle. Restoration of those fields to the kind of flower power witnessed on the untouched slopes is happening but is still decades away from exhibiting such diverse plant life.

When we reached the next waypoint, daylight had vanished and the final mile of the exercise was spent hiking with headlamps. By most of us, anyway. Several students turned off their lamps and enjoyed hiking by starlight.

Dappen had one last piece of advice before dispatching his students out into the big wide 360-degree world.

“Practice using your compass and navigational skills on your everyday outings,” he said. “When you know the terrain and the landmarks you can easily verify whether you’re reading the map or taking compass measurements right.”

“Trying to remember how to do this stuff when you’re lost isn’t the recommended way to practice.”

Photo: Sarah Leyrer shows her relief after finishing an assignment to take bearings to 300 different grass clumps.

Photo: Mark Shipman starting up the third pitch of Prime Rib. 

Although Prime Rib, an 11-pitch rock climbing route on Goat Wall near Mazama is outside our normal territory (it’s a little over 2 hours away), we include it because its unusual qualities make it a must-do route for Central Washington rock climbers.

Just what are its unusual qualities? Length for starters – it’s 9 to 11 pitches long depending on how you sling together the pitches. While there are many long rock climbs around the state, there are few this long established for sport climbers (you only need quickdraws for protection) that are so generously bolted (the route is super safe), that are of such an easy grade (the official guidebook rates this 5.9 but several of us locals who have climbed it, rate it 5.8 at hardest).

For rock climbers who are solid 5.8 climbers, this will be a true pleasure climb – the route is so well protected there is almost no risk of a long fall. For advanced beginning and intermediate rock climbers who are trying to push their grade and abilities, this is also an excellent route—you can try a harder route than you might normally attempt because the protection is so good. You can get the pleasure of moving along a long route, and work on your rope management skills. And while you do all this, you can enjoy beautiful views across the high peaks of the Cascades and down on the clear, meandering waters of the Lost River.  

Access. Drive about 14 miles west of Winthrop to the hamlet of Mazama, located just off Highway 20. Drive to the Mazama Store. From the store, drive 3 miles northwest on Lost River Road (you’ll be driving upstream) and park in a good-sized pullout on the left side of the road. You’ll have a good view of Goat Wall from the pullout. The big streaks in the middle of the wall (wet in early season and white after mid summer) is Restless Natives, another long bolted route. Sisyphus, yet another long bolted route, is slightly to the right of Restless Natives and Prime Rib is quite a long ways to the left (how the route runs is actually difficult to discern from this vantage point.

Approach. Walk about 100 yards northwest (upstream) along the paved road and take the old double-track road that splits off on the right. Walk this old road (a mining road) for a little over 100 yards and then follow an obvious, well-used path that splits off on the right side. After a few minutes the trail comes into an old mine site with some mining relics. At the far end of the mining site, take the small but obvious trail that climbs steeply uphill. Follow this until the trail hits another old, steep mining road that angles right. Follow this old road until it ends in a big talus field. Follow the talus straight uphill until you hit the lowest buttress extending down from Goat Wall. Now head left along the base of the wall, still climbing quite steeply uphill. After several minutes more the trail looks down on a stream and then switchbacks to the right toward a big gully system. The route starts at the base of this gully on the rock rib forming the right side of the gully.

The Route. As you approach the start of the route, you can see the general line you’ll be following as the crest of the rock rib confining the right side of the gully system before you. The route stair-steps up and right. Once you find the start of the route, you can follow it quite easily just by keeping a sharp eye peeled for the bolts (a topo or photo of the route isn’t all that necessary). When you need to walk from the top of one pitch to the bottom of the next, there’s usually a trail that’s easy to follow. Here’s a quick verbal description of each pitch.

1. Starting by a small fir tree to the right of the mouth of the gully, climb the rock rib confining the gulley system on its right side. Climb past several bolts and follow the low-angle rib to a tree near the base of the second pitch.  When you descend this pitch, you’ll rappel into gully a little higher up than where you started the climb (5.3, 140 feet). 
2. The rock steepens above the tree. Climb past about 12 bolts to the next anchor. You’ll be on or slightly left of the crest. About half way up, there is a two-bolt anchor that you’ll use on the descent because the pitch is too long for a one-rope rappel. (5.7, 140 feet). Following this pitch you’ll need to walk a rope length (Class 2) to the start of the next pitch.
3. Starting near another tree, this pitch makes multiple little stair steps up and right. The moves and route are well bolted but the complete scope of the pitch isn’t completely obvious from the bottom. About 80 feet up there’s a two-bolt anchor used on the descent. (5.6+, 160 feet).
4. Climb about 50 feet through non-continuous cracks and corners, then 60 feet straight up past many bolts to a distinct notch or saddle. Anchors have been established on both sides of the saddle (5.7 or 5.8, 110 feet).
5. Follow bolts straight up from the notch (5.6, 95 feet). Walk from the top of this pitch to the start of the next one.
6. Climb up and slightly right past about 10 bolts (5.7). About 80 feet up, you can belay or you can combine this with Pitch 7 into one long pitch. If you combine the pitches, skip a few clips and use longer runners to reduce rope drag.
7. After a boulder-move start (5.8), climb past 5 or 6 bolts to the next anchor (5.7, 75 feet). From the top of this pitch, scramble and walk upward for a few hundred feet. 
8. Starting from a particularly large fir tree, climb past 13 or 14 bolts to the next anchor (5.7+, 130 feet).
9. Climb past one bolt then traverse right past  4 or 5  bolts before stepping up to the next anchor (5.6). This can be done as a short 65-foot pitch or combined with the Pitch 10. If you combine it, skip a few of the bolts on the traverse and use long runners to reduce rope drag.
10. You could scramble easily up to the base of the last pitch by climbing straight up from the anchor, or you can move left and climb bolted, low-angle rock for about 60 feet (5.5).
11. Climb past the anchor following bolts into an airy slot. Move up and left from the slot, round a little rib, and them move up and right to the anchor (5.8, 70 feet).

The technical climbing ends here. The views are distinctly pretty even if the location is distinctly non-distinct. You can scramble upward toward Goat Creek Road (FS Road 5225) in search of a better place to lounge. This is, however, where the rappels start.

The Descent. It is possible to shuttle a car or bikes up Goat Creek Road (Forest Road 5225) and then walk up to the road from the top of the climb. This is a bit cumbersome (it’s about 10 miles back to the pullout where most people park), so most climbers rappel the route. In a few places, the rappel takes a steeper, more direct line down than the ascent route. After the first rappel, for example, scrambled downhill a little from the top of the 10^th pitch and then make two rappels that descend steeper ground and are located on climber’s left of the ascent route. As of June 2009, all of the rappel anchors have metal chains or additional metal links that properly equalized the rope between two bolts. Allow a few hours for the descent.

Rock. The rock on this route is solid and well cleaned. It's very similar in form and texture to the rock found around Little Mt. Si and Exit 38.

Gear. Bring 12 to 14 quickdraws in a variety of lengths, 3 or 4 single-length runners with carabiners, and one or and two double-length runners with carabiners.

Rope. The route was established to be climbed and descended with one 60-meter rope.

Clothing. The route has a western exposure that stays shaded until early afternoon. Once you’re up high, winds also hit the wall, so temperatures may be cooler than expected. Even when it’s warm in the valley, it’s wise to carry a windshell.

Permits. None needed.

Dates and Updates: Originally posted 6/2009

Info. More information about this and other new routes around Mazama can be found in Mazama Rock by Bryan Burdo ($22). See this link for information about camping while climbing around Mazama and for climbing topos to Fun Rock and Rhino Zone.

• Chiwawa Road No. 6200 is closed for the winter/spring until the snow melts.
• White River Road No. 6400is open to Tall Timbers Ranch and closed beyond.
• Little Wenatchee Road No. 6500 is closed for the winter/spring until the snow melts.
• Smithbrook/Rainy Creek Road No. 6700 is closed for the winter/spring until the snow melts.
• Mission Creek Road No. 7100 is closed due to flood damage from the junction of Number Two Canyon Road No. 7101 to the junction with Beehive Road No. 9712. The road is unsafe for travel. A new gate has been installed above the junction of Mission Creek Road No. 7104 and Sand Creek Road No. 7104 which closes the Mission Creek Road to motorized 4-wheeled traffic. This closure only affects the portion of the road located on the national forest. The road remains open to motorcycles, snowmobiles, mountain bikes, stock animals, and hikers. The closure is necessary to maintain the newly constructed drainage dips while they are still soft from construction and rain, and to prevent additional road damage. The road will be reopened in the spring.
• No. 2 Canyon Road is closed until the weekend after Apple Blossom Festival.
•  Tip Top Road No. 7202 is impassable one mile from the junction of Camas Creek Road No. 7200 due to road damage.
• Scotty Creek Road No. 7324 is closed to wheeled motor vehicles 3.5 miles north of Blewett Pass due to road damage. Bridge construction has begun just off of Highway 97, on the north side, so the areas above the bridge may only be accessed from the other side of the Old Blewett Highway.
• Walker Canyon Road No. 7510 is closed to wheeled motor vehicles due to a mudslide in Clark Canyon.
• Eightmile Road No. 7601 is closed for the winter/spring until the snow melts.
• Van Creek Road No. 7520 is closed for the winter/spring until the snow melts.
• Beehive Road No. 9712 will be open to the resevoir for Fishing Opening Day April 27, 2013
• Icicle Creek Road is open up to Chatter Creek Trailhead

ROADS:
North Fork Teanaway  No. 9737 is snow free to mile post the Johnson Medra Trailhead where 18 inches of snow remains as of April 22. Skiers reporting on Turns All Year have found out the drive to Bean Creek /Beverly Trailhead for Earl Peak good now, but that it will still be a few weeks before you can easily access Emeralda Trailhead leading to Ingalls Lake and Ingalls Peak.

Photo: Steller's jays can mimic sounds from all sorts of other creatures including cats, dogs, squirrels, chickens, humans, and machines.

 Birds, on the other hand, have wings. I step in for a closer look and… shoot. Bye-bye, birdie. Did it have a white crown or no crown? Were its wings red or green? How big was it? I should’ve brought my telescope. Animals on the trail are much more interesting if you know what you’re seeing, but it’s tough to identify what you see if it is small and it flies away from you.

Photo: American Kestrels can see UV light, which helps them follow urine trails from voles, much like we'd follow neon lights to a diner. 


To make birds less frustrating I’ve made a series of slideshow quizzes with the most common and recognizable birds you may see during an outing in the Wenatchee Valley. The quizzes have two photos for each bird. The first shot gives you a chance to ID the bird, and the second shot reveals its identity. The first quiz in the series covers trailside birds, focusing on the most common Wenatchee Valley resident and migrant birds you might see on a hike or bike ride. Later this spring we'll release a "waterside birds" quiz and a raptor slideshow.

Photo: The Rufous Hummingbird beats its wings 60 times per second. Some hummingbirds also have hyperspeed hearts that beat 1200 times per minute during flight. The average human heart rate is 72 bpm.

The slideshows also have some wacky bird facts. After scoping out the Trailside Birds quiz you’ll be able to tell your party guests which bird migrates 160,000 miles in its lifetime, or how fast the average white-crowned sparrow walks on a treadmill. You won’t, however, be able to tell your friends why scientists made sparrows go for a stroll on a treadmill.

+++

Note: Many thanks to Rod Gilbert, who provided most of the photos for this slideshow. There are also a number from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, which has an online gallery available for non-profit or educational use.

Mad River Photography Workshop 2013

May 21- 23

  John Marshall is pleased to offer the third Mad River Workshop to be held May 21-23.  This field-oriented workshop is timed to take advantage of the extraordinary wildflower displays in the upper Entiat River area. Pine Flats Campground on the Mad River near Ardenvoir will be our base. Tent camp, bring a small trailer or RV, or travel from town.  There are no trailer hook-ups or flush toilets, but drinking water is available. A large canvas wall tent with wood stove will serve as a shelter. We will walk up to four miles on a gentle trail and shorter distances off trail on steep terrain.

Although the workshop is field oriented, basic computer processing, and optimization of images using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and CS-6 will be demonstrated. We will have two review sessions at an indoor location during the workshop, where we will view examples of our work using a digital projector. The workshop will start with a noon gathering for lunch. The first afternoon we can expect to do some photography nearby and to see a slide show presenting principles and techniques. Dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday will be served around 5:30 P.M., allowing time to travel to evening locations. We will be out early in the mornings--- after coffee, granola, yogurt and fruit--- travelling via mini-van to various places including Silver Falls. Each day we will pack a large cooler with a wide assortment of lunch fixings. Thursday will be our last dinner, after which we will spend a relaxed evening. A pancake breakfast will be served on Friday, but there will be no formal instruction, as we have to vacate the campground. The very able Peter Bauer will be assistant workshop instructor.

Contact: john@johnmarshallphoto.com, 509-665-6451

www.johnmarshallphoto.com

• Read Peter Bauer's review and see his photos from the first Mad River Photo Workshop.  
• Preview a few of John's photography tips in this video from Icicle TV.

Photo: The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust recently purchased Saddle Rock to protect it from development. They will begin a stewardship project this summer/fall to rehabilitate the eroded trails on Saddle Rock.

The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is well underway with their Wenatchee Foothills Campaign. So far they have raised $6.5 million of their $8.1 million goal and have already used funds to protect Saddle Rock, lower Castle Rock, and parts of the Sage Hills. The ultimate campaign goals are to double the amount of land publicly available for recreation and wildlife in the Foothills, and to finance stewardship of those lands.

The next big event in the Foothills Campaign will be CDLT’s Hands Across the Foothills this Saturday, April 20. The goal of the event is to showcase community support for conservation and recreation by photographing a human chain across Saddle Rock. The Land Trust estimates it will take over 2,000 people to stretch all the way to the top of Saddle Rock. We spoke with Hanne Beaner, CDLT Stewardship and Trails Assistant, for more details.

Note: All information gleaned from interviewing Hanne is presented as closely as possible without being direct quotes. Our scribes are quick, but not that quick.

What’s the story behind Hands Across the Foothills?

Hands Across the Foothills is part of the Foothills Campaign. It was devised as an opportunity to publicly appreciate the Foothills. The goal of the event is not to raise money, but to allow different community groups, clubs, businesses, and local organizations to show their support for conserving the Foothills. We’re trying to get as many different local groups and individuals involved as possible because Saddle Rock is a local landmark that lots of people know even if they haven’t been hiking up there.

How will the group photo be shot and how will it be used?

We’ll have six photographers shooting from different angles, some with cameras on remote-controlled planes. Some will be aiming for broad landscape shots and others will focus on the human aspect of the day. All participants will receive a poster of the large group shot. A photo release waiver is involved as part of the sign-up process.

Your plan is to have 2,465 people up on Saddle Rock. This is an incredible goal, but sounds like a logistical nightmare. For starters, how will you get this many people to Saddle Rock?

We’re asking people to park at the Wenatchee High School and at the hospital. Parking at both of these locations will be free. We’ll have 8 buses shuttling people between the parking lots and Saddle Rock starting at 8:00 am. We’re also encouraging people to walk or bike to the Saddle Rock trailhead. We’ll have an attendant keeping watch over all of the bicycles while their owners are on the trail.

What’s the cost of putting on this event? It seems like buses and aerial photos would rack up a pretty hefty bill.

We’re not sure yet, because the transportation cost depends on how long we run the buses. All the photography is donated. We’re getting volunteers for as many tasks as possible to keep the cost minimal. Community support is making it possible to do this on a very small budget.


How can groups sign up?

Leaders can sign up their groups through the form on our website. We’re looking for a diversity of groups: Scout troops, churches, teams, neighborhoods, local businesses, etc.


Can individuals and small groups also sign up?

Absolutely. Individuals and small groups can sign up through the "event brite" site, which you can find on the CDLT website. We’d strongly prefer to have people sign up in advance to make logistics easier, but there will also be forms and waivers on-site the day of the event.

Are there any particular groups you’re hoping to reach?

I recently spoke to someone who works in Cashmere with people with disabilities. They’re hoping to come, and will be hiking to the lower part of Saddle Rock. It’s exciting to see them supporting this project because we do have a few ADA accessible trails in the Foothills. We are also thrilled that the Hispanic community is well represented in those who have already registered. High school students are involved at many levels, from volunteering to being on the hill. We’re excited to have anyone and everyone. It’s been fun to see groups come out of the woodwork for this event.

Photo: Hikers of all sizes are invited to Hands Across the Foothills.


The Wenatchee Marathon is on the same morning. Can marathon runners be involved?

The timing isn’t very conducive to doing both. We’ll start running the shuttle buses to Saddle Rock at 8:00, which is when the half marathon begins. We want to take the photo between 10:30 and 11:30 am, so it could be tough for Wenatchee Marathon runners to make the shuttles. However, if you finish the race fast enough, definitely come up and make an epic day out of it!

Any other special features for Hands Across the Foothills that we should know about?

We’re creating a logbook that participants will be able to sign, either at basecamp or at the Saddle Rock summit. They can write their name and any comments about the day or the Foothills that they want to share. We’ll also have cross country runners relaying a flag from the top of the trail down to the bottom.

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The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is planning a variety of other upcoming events to celebrate the Foothills, including guided hikes, art contests, and Foothills Day.

Foothills Day will include:

• Guided hikes
• Horse Lake trail runs
• Guided mountain bike rides through the Sage Hills and Horse Lake Reserve
• Educational booths and family activities
• Art displays
• Live music

Find more information about Foothills Day and other Foothills Campaign events on the WenatcheeOutdoors calendar or the CDLT website. 

For background on the Wenatchee Foothills Campaign, read this recent WenatcheeOutdoors editorial.

Photo: The unroaded areas above Clara Lake were once quiet escapes for snowshoers and skiers. Now, powerful modern snowmobiles have changed the game for both wildlife and muscle-powered recreationalists.

In early April big news went down in Idaho regarding snowmobile use on Forest Service lands. That news is described in the story below and is precedent setting. First, however, a little background.

Snowmobile use in most Western National Forests has received neither close scrutiny nor formal management. It has not been reviewed under the lens of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or a similar body of rules to determine its environmental impacts on forest resources. Also, very few forests have identified appropriate use and places to snowmobile within their Travel Management Rule, which is a more recent process that requires individual Forests to identify and designate roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use.

Instead of tackling a problem that promises to be difficult and contentious, most National Forests -- including the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest -- have chosen to ignore the Travel Management Rule when it comes to over-snow vehicles (OSVs) like snowmobiles. Since recreational snow machines first started arriving on forest roads in the 1960s, the rules governing them have boiled down to this: Snowmobiles must stay out of Wilderness Areas and other zones designated as non-motorized areas, but have otherwise been allowed to travel anywhere they are capable of reaching.

For many decades punting on wintertime management of motorized vehicles wasn't as contentious as it has become in recent years. Due to limited horsepower, snowmobiles were once confined to snowed-over roads and fairly flat open areas. Over the past 20 years, however, the power and traction of modern machines has improved dramatically. Snowmobiles can now wander far from road systems, and they can ascend and descend very steep slopes.

The spread of snowmobiles from the narrow corridors of roads to the wide canvas of the landscape has evolved gradually year-by-year and has steadily infringed on non-motorized recreation and driven those users away from many places where they once skied or snowshoed. Because the creep was gradual, however, motorized wintertime recreation seemed to escape scrutiny about how it was impacting wildlife, water resources, and fragile alpine vegetation. There was no studied look at whether machines moving at high speeds and emitting high-decibels affected wildlife, whether oil outputted from engines impacted water purity or vegetation health, or whether snow compaction from heavy machines was changing life below and above the snow.

Over the past several years at least two local groups (the Wenatchee Mountains Coalition and El Sendero) have lobbied for the management of snowmobile use in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and have been asking local Forest managers to designate more lands as non-motorized wintertime areas. These lands should be near our population centers and they should be near plowed roads so people traveling under their own muscle power can reach them. Here is a short article discussing the issue. And here's a more detailed look at the issue. 

The good news about the court decision described below is that it requires all National Forests to follow long-standing Executive Orders to develop a Travel Management plan defining the boundaries of snowmobile use on their lands.

Unfortunately there are strong corporate interests that will want to align with the Forest Service to appeal the decision. Which brings us to the bad news: We can probably expect the delay of more legal haggling before the issue is settled once and for all.


Photo: Only a very small number of local Forest Service roads are closed to motorized recreation. This decision should create the impetus to create more opportunities for quiet, non-motorized wintertime recreation .

Judge sides with backcountry skiers in use lawsuit
By JOHN MILLER and TODD DVORAK Associated Press                                                              

BOISE, Idaho—A federal judge in Idaho says the U.S. Forest Service broke the law when it didn't craft rules to govern snowmobile travel, handing powder-loving backcountry skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts a victory that could extend to national forests nationwide.

U.S. District Magistrate Judge Ronald Bush ruled Friday that the Forest Service must go back to work on its 2005 Travel Management Rule and draw up regulations designating areas of use and non-use by all off-road vehicles, including snowmobiles, on national forest lands. 

The Idaho-based Winter Wildlands Alliance had argued the agency's decision to allow individual forests to exempt snowmobiles from the rules was illegal and has created conflicts between snowmobiles and backcountry skiers.

The judge agreed with the skier's group, ordering the Forest Service to write a new rule consistent with his decision within 180 days. The decision will lead to changes in national forests in Idaho, but could also prompt national forests across the West and other states to revisit its off-road policies.

"The court finds the OSV (over-snow vehicles) exemption is contrary to law," Bush wrote. "The Court finds that the 2005 Travel Management Rule is arbitrary and capricious to the extent that it does not require designations for the use of OSVs upon the national forest lands."

Mark Menlove, executive director with the Winter Wildlands Alliance, said the decision was a monumental victory for backcountry skiers and other winter recreationists seeking a peaceful experience in the woods.

The group's goal is not to shut down snowmobiles in national forests, but to force the agency to designate specific boundaries that carve out distinct areas for those who want to explore on powered sleds and those preferring skis, snowshoes and hiking boots.

"Many of our members use snowmobiles more and more to get to certain places, so we're not in any way asking the forest service to ban them," Menlove told The Associated Press on Monday. "But we are asking for some balance there, where our constituents can go and find peace and powder snow in the backcountry."

The U.S. Attorney's office in Idaho, which represented the Forest Service in the case, said the review process has not yet started to determine if an appeal is appropriate. Government lawyers also declined to comment on the decision.

But the ruling was disappointing to Idaho's snowmobiling community and the groups that joined the lawsuit to defend the existing rule. Sandra Mitchell, public lands director for the Idaho State Snowmobiling Association, said she was prepared to take part in the process of drafting a new rule and defending the recreational opportunities and the rural economies that benefit from the snowmobiling industry each winter.

"Obviously we want to ride in a responsible way, and be in places where we don't have negative impacts," Mitchell said. "But we also want to ensure that opportunities exist not just now but for future generations. Snowmobiling brings thousands of people to Idaho to recreate, and that's a huge driver for economies in the winter for rural Idaho."

Monday afternoon in the Badlands of the Sage Hills.

 written by Shelly Forster

"Hang on," I clarified. "You need me to skip work and go hiking on what’s forecasted to be the nicest day yet of 2013? There's a catch, right?"

There wasn't ... which made this a weighty job. I needed to be professional and thorough, so I decided to run the whole length of the Sage Hills Trail just to be sure I could give a detailed condition report and to make sure I spent enough time outside to tell if it was really a beautiful day or not. My plan was to run from the Lester trailhead to the Horse Lake trailhead and back, which would have been approximately 10 miles.

I pulled into the Lester parking area toward the end of lunch break and couldn’t believe it was empty. “Really? It’s opening day! These trails have been waiting for visitors for four months! Where’s Wenatchee’s sense of duty?” I walked up to the start of the trail and discovered that the trailhead had been bulldozed. Ah.

According to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s signs, there’s a home being built on the property right next to the Lester Trail access, so the trailhead is temporarily closed for re-routing. Trail construction will probably be finished in May. Until then, the CDLT asks users to enter the Sage Hills through the Day Drive or Horse Lake trailheads.

I was pleased to see two other cars in the Day Drive lot. At least a few other ambitious slackers were fulfilling their obligations to outdoor play. From Day Drive my run went well for the first few miles. The Sage Hills are turning beautifully green, much like they did last November. However, this time around they're sprinkled with wildflowers, and it seems that the Wenatchee Complex fires did little to stem the tide of spring growth. I found sage buttercup, yellow bell, locoweed, yellow daisies, desert parsley, balsamroot, bluebells, and my first lupine blossom of the season. I saw a few hikers, bikers, and canines, but compared to my loop of the Loop on Easter Sunday, the Foothills felt deserted.

Conditions were excellent along the trail, which speaks well to the decision to keep the Sage Hills closed for the winter. The trail had none of the ruts and deep footprints found on the Jacobson Preserve, and was instead smooth, sandy, and intact. A fair number of dusty bike and footprints revealed that the trail had received plenty of homage earlier that morning.

About three miles into the run I discovered a well-used spur trail I hadn’t found before. “Yahtzee! I’ve unlocked a new level!” The trail wasn’t gated off and had fresh bike treads, so I assumed it was legitimate. Based on my brief map review at the Lester trailhead I thought I had discovered the Homestead Trail, and that it would loop up and over a chunk of hill to Horse Lake, adding a few easy miles to my run.

Half an hour later I realized the trail wasn’t going to quickly loop over to Horse Lake. Rather, it was going to climb. And climb. And climb.

Two shredded thighs and an imploded lung later I hit a clearing atop a saddle. The dry, dusty Sage Hills trail was far below, and I had climbed high enough to hit a sparse ponderosa forest. Here and there the charred leftovers from the Wenatchee Complex poked up through the soil. I was surrounded by deer and dainty wildflowers. Hmm. Had I hit a space vortex and been sucked into Fairy Land? The sandy trail that had seduced me into this painful climb soon disappeared in the clearing under a flurry of pine needles and soil. I zigzagged across the meadow like a drunken bumblebee, searching for a trail that would bring me back down into the lower hills.

Navigation over the next two hours was a bit confusing, but the condensed version is that I climbed a north-south ridge, trotting in the direction I hoped would lead to Horse Lake. I think the ridge spit me out just over the Horse Lake Reserve, affording me one of the most beautiful views of the Wenatchee Valley and the snowy Cascades that I’ve yet seen.

From here I eventually found a dirt road with some boot tracks and a few mucky patches of snow. I followed the dirt road northward, looping out and around the barbed wire fence of the Reserve. Two hours and three hopped fences later I hit the Horse Lake trailhead. By this time, the post-work crowd was just beginning to emerge from their indoor burrows. My moderate one-to-two hour trail run had taken four hours and had led me at least five miles farther than I had intended.

In hindsight, I was lucky to find my way back as easily as I did. The Foothills are open enough and the views long enough that I could use the ridges to sense my general travel directions and find my way back after losing the path. However, had the trees been thicker, I could have been very, very lost. I realized that there’s good reason why map and compass are listed as part of the “Ten Essentials”, especially in areas that are loaded with game trails and spurs. Looking at the map now I think the spur I climbed above the Sage Hills was the Lightning Trail, but I can’t be sure which dirt roads I followed after losing the trail. I do know for sure that I missed the Homestead Trail and that I definitely broke recreational protocol by wandering around off-trail on CDLT property.

Granted, I was traveling cross-country because I was lost, not because I had a vendetta against trail rules. Still, as a wannabe-responsible trail user I owe it to the Land Trust to study the maps and be familiar with the trail layout before I go out. Better yet, I should carry a map with me so that if I do lose the trail again I can re-connect as quickly as possible.

In spite of (or maybe because of) getting lost, opening day for the Sage Hills trails was a memorable one, and I’m excited to spend the rest of spring exploring the views from the real Homestead Trail. 

Finally, to fulfill the reporting obligations I committed to, here are some comments from other trail users on opening day:

• “The Sage Hills are almost as good as Halo!"
• “I saw 227 people in a couple hours on Saddle Rock this weekend. It’s nice to be out on a quieter trail.”
• “After a winter of running on pavement, it’s great to be running on dirt. I’m optimistic that my knees and I will soon be on speaking terms again.”
• On the views from the Horse Lake trailhead: “If only my spouse were this beautiful, I wouldn’t have to spend so much time outside!”
• On re-opening the trails: “A Sage decision.” and “This one sure is a trail for the sages!” (Groan.)
• On hiking from Day Drive: “I heard there would be a cooler of beer at Horse Lake.”
• From the mountain bikers: “Heavy flow, dude.”
• From a dog: “Woof woof woof woof WOOF woof.” (Translation: "Nice trail!")

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If you haven't made it up to the Sage Hills yet, whet your appetite with this slideshow of the wildflowers and the views you can find up there this week.

Use this guidebook entry to navigate the Sage Hills.

Photo: Balsamroot over the hills: the classic Wenatchee foothills picture.

Rattlesnake Encounters - Central Washington

While there is widespread (often irrational) fear of rattlesnakes, snake bites from rattlers are uncommon. The Western rattlesnakes we have here in Central Washington (Crotalus Viridis) are not aggressive and won't strike you if left alone. They will leave you be if you don't accidentally step on (or directly beside) them, or if you don't accidentally put your hand beside them while scrambling.

That being said, the hemotoxins of a rattler is powerful stuff that sometimes kills people (rare) but that commonly creates some permanent scarring of tissue. If bitten, it's important to get to a doctor and to get antivenom.

To greatly reduce the odds of such an accidental encounter, we recommend walking with hiking poles. With hiking poles you can sweep the sides of the trail ahead of you while walking. You can rattle bushes and shrubs you’re approaching, you can thump rocks and tree trunks you’ll be stepping on or over. You can pre-probe areas where you might be reaching with your hands. All of this gives you and snakes time to react to each other.

If you do encounter a snake, don’t poke or kill it. Just walk around it. Keep the basket of the pole between it and you -- you'll like the security of knowing you can deflect the snake should it move toward you (which would be very rare). Furthermore, the pole keeps the snake’s attention off you when you step around it. In rare instances the pole will also give you a tool to gently prod the snake along (or even flick it away) if you decide it’s sitting in a spot that will endanger the next hiker walking the trail. More about hiking in snake country.

 Cool Rattlesnake Facts:

• Diet: mainly rodents and ground-dwelling birds. About 80 percent of a rattlesnake's diet is made up of rodents and they will  eat as much as a quarter of an area's rodent population.
• A rattlesnake adds a rattle each time it sheds it skin and it can molt two or three times a year -- so there is not a one-to-one relationship between the rattles and the age of the snake. You rarely find a snake with more than 12 rattles because the outer rattles wear out and/or break off. The rattles are made of keratin -- the same stuff as our fingernails.
• Rattlesnakes have a heat-sensitive structure (loreal gland) between their eyes and nostrils--this is the pit that classifies them as 'pit vipers.' They use this gland to locate warm-blooded prey.
• Rattlesnakes can live up to 20 years in captivity.

Young barbarians paddle the Columbia, hunting for enemy ships.

Submitted by the Wenatchee Row & Paddle Club

"Youth on the Columbia" will start on May 1 this year. By the time it concludes in early June, more than 1,200 students (fourth-, fifth- and some sixth-graders) from

several local school districts will have participated. In fall, the program is held over a six-day period for third-graders. 

Youth on the Columbia started as a tribute to Canadian explorer David Thompson. In 2011, the Row and Paddle Club and the museum helped honor the 200-year anniversary of Thompson's expedition on the Columbia with a community awareness campaign that included a school field trip component.

Like last year, students will get to paddle on the Columbia River in 10-person Voyageur canoes, with adults serving as guides. They will also participate in educational stations at the state park and tour exhibits at the museum. Funding for the program is being provided by the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

One big change this year is that Wenatchee School District students will not take part in the paddling portion of the program. Instead, we'll substitute that part with a dryland water safety and river rescue class for WSD. The Row & Paddle Club is working with the Red Cross to develop the curriculum.

Students from all the other school districts - including Eastmont, Waterville, Cashmere, Cascade, Entiat and Quincy - will take part in the paddling portion.