Closure of Stehekin road a deep loss

Residents of the Pacific Northwest, indeed of the nation, have lost a most precious resource, with few of them even being aware of it.

I am speaking about the unique opportunity to “benefit, use and be inspired by certain majestic mountain scenery, snow fields, glaciers, alpine meadows and other unique features in the North Cascade Mountains of the State of Washington …” to paraphrase the language of the enacting legislation for North Cascades National Park.

And the best way to “benefit and be inspired” by this magnificent park is to take the Lady of the Lake passenger boat up to the upper end of Lake Chelan to the tiny 1950s-like village of Stehekin, where people to this day leave the keys in their cars and seldom lock their doors.

After poking around a bit in Stehekin, one used to be able to hop on the bumpy but dependable National Park Service high-clearance shuttle bus for a day trip right up into the heart of this awe-inspiring park land.

Or even better, one could be dropped off by the bus at a trailhead from which to spend a few days to fish, climb a mountain or explore the mining ruins in Horseshoe Basin.

But these idyllic bus trips have come to an end.

As a result of severe damage caused by a 500-year flood in 2003, the Park Service announced in August 2006 that it was permanently closing the Upper Stehekin Valley Road, the only access (via Park Service shuttle bus) available to thousands of visitors every year into this area.

The road closure means that only an elite few who are able to take the extra day or two now required to hike into this area will be able to do so. People with disabilities or those lacking the time or the money to spend the extra days will no longer be able to gain access to the special rewards they previously found in this wonderful wilderness.

While this closure might seem an act of extreme selfishness by some, others see it as a way to protect this rugged area from further incursion by humans.

For them, the road closure is a step toward the ultimate goal: eliminating all humans but for a few caretakers from the entire Stehekin Valley.

The tiny town of Stehekin is a gateway into the core of this park. It can be reached only by boat up Lake Chelan, by floatplane, or by spending two or three days to hike in.

Since the road washout, there has already been a drop in visits to the park via Lake Chelan and Stehekin. Longtime visitors, as well as permanent residents, can give anecdotal evidence that the road closure is responsible for much of the decline.

Tony Maniglia is a down-to-earth mechanic who has vacationed for years in the valley and, while visiting, has provided services to nearly everyone here. He is so upset about the road being closed that he has decided to stop coming.

As he vehemently puts it, “I’m still so mad at the Park Service I can’t see straight! I will truly miss my visits to Stehekin. It was an honor to get to know the local residents.”

Roberta Pitts of Stehekin, who rents a cabin, says, “I know I had two groups that didn’t come as they wanted to hike across Cascade Pass. One of them was a gal that had done it with her young sons and wanted to continue this tradition with a trip with her grandsons.

“I had to break the news that she would have to plan at least one night on the trail, if not two. She wanted a day hike, so it just wouldn’t work.”

Randall Dinwiddie, who runs the Silver Bay Inn at Stehekin, spoke of several older couples who came yearly especially for the shuttle bus ride into the spectacular upper valley.

“Since the road closure, they just don’t come anymore,” he told me.

The Upper Valley Road serves as a valuable and essential portal to some of America’s most magnificent wilderness. It should be reopened so that hardy backpackers are not the only ones who can enjoy this treasure.

Don Duncan (not to be confused with a former Seattle and Tacoma newspaperman of the same name) lives in Renton. For more information on the effort to preserve the road, go to www.stehekinchoice.com/heritage.