The North Cascades have lots and lots of habitat, need grizzly bears.
Starting at Stevens Pass and going north to the Canadian border, there are well over two million acres of National parks, recreation areas, and wilderness areas, broken only by S.R. 20. After Yellowstone, it’s the biggest concentration of wild lands in “lower 48.”
The Trump Administration, ignoring public opinion and scientists, last week ruled against reintroducing Ursus Horribilis. It was a small nasty gesture in a week full of atrocious acts.
En route to Methow, passed the Easy Pass trail, which leads to 6,500-foot defile — eye blasting views of Mt. Logan and Douglas Glacier — and down into Fisher Creek Valley. This is where, prior to national park creation, the last grizzly was shot.
I suspect transient grizzlies come over border in the Pasayten Wilderness and Kettle Range. (“Transient” is dreadful thing to call a grizzly bear.)
Old Bill Lowden, for whom Payasten tarn is named, once mounted ridge to see grizzly heading up from other direction. Luckily, the wind was with him.The American Alps are vastly popular among hikers.
The lineup of cars along S.R. 20 at Blue Lake trailhead must be seen to be believed.
But. . . The focus of popularity is on a limited number of hikes.
Old logging roads are being put to bed.
I’ve hiked in grizzly country, the Purcells in B.C., where you simply have to be loud. (My solution, old Cassius Clay line on Sonny Liston, “I’m gonna whump you, you big ugly bear.”
At Abercrombie Rapids on Alaska’s Copper River, went skinny dipping with friends, having eerie feeling we were not atop food chain.
(We didn’t do anything dumb like bring along a salmon with us.)
The grizzly has lost 95 percent of its habitat in the “lower 48.” We should not allow a few reactionary cattlemen and behind-the-times Representative Dan Newhouse to deny reintroduction.
President Biden, revisit this issue. Democrats in Washington delegation, it’s time to growl.
