News Release
Enchantment Permit Changes
 |
USDA Forest Service
|
August 7, 2008
The Wenatchee River Ranger District announced today a fee increase for overnight camping in the Enchantment area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, beginning in 2009. The Enchantment Permit Area is comprised of five zones that encompass Snow, Colchuck, Stuart, Eightmile, and Caroline Lakes and the trails leading to them. Fees for the 2009 season will be $5 per-person, per-day. The permit season runs from June 15 to October 15. There are no changes to the self-issuing day-use permits.
The increase in permits was allowed after two years of public comment and review from the Pacific Northwest Recreation Resource Advisory Committee. “We had strong support from our recreation community,” said Vaughan Marable, District Ranger of the Wenatchee River Ranger District. “The cost to administer the program such as providing more on-the-ground wilderness patrols in the Enchantment area, rising administration costs for education and information services, and implementing credit card services for fee payment have risen." Marable explained, “Enchantment permits fees have not increased since 1997, and for several years the current revenues have not covered program costs or improvements.”
The limited entry permit system was implemented in 1987 when recreation use skyrocketed. One of the most popular hiking areas in the country, the program involves issuing roughly 1,500 overnight permits to approximately 5,050 people during the June to October permit season.
Reducing the total amount of use was necessary to reverse a trend of environmental degradation. Fragile alpine meadows and water quality were being destroyed at an alarming rate, from thousands of users vying for camp spots at the scenic lakes.
“Limiting overnight use helped dramatically, but trail work, public education, and providing toilets away from water, have also been important,” said Rich Haydon, Wilderness Resource Manager. "Revenues from the overnight permit program allow us to have a field program. Wilderness Rangers have a lot on their plate because they provide education and law enforcement, while also completing upkeep of campsites, toilets, and trails.”
The majority of the revenue from permits pays for Wilderness Rangers and the fee increase would allow the district to hire an additional Wilderness Ranger for the area. At least three Wilderness Rangers are needed to provide enforcement and education, maintain signs, cairns (stacked rocks used to show routes) and backcountry toilets- to date, current revenues have not been enough to fund an adequate amount of rangers.
The permit system has successfully helped reduce the environmental impacts from the high use of the area, and resulted in an improved experience for wilderness visitors. Haydon added, “Some people who were initially opposed to the permit system, now support the program after seeing the on-the-ground benefit of vegetation restoration, decreased degradation of the natural resources and more of a Wilderness experience.”
For further updates, check the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest website at: www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/passes/enchantments, or call (509) 548-6977.
