Introducing Cascade Backcountry Alliance

It seems to me the current Jim Hill/Arrowhead access and its problematic  parking situation would be a perfect issue for the newly formed CAB to work on.  Jim Hill has been a traditional ski touring destination for DECADES, before some TAYers were even born.  In my experience, parking was NEVER an issue in the past.   In recent years, WSDOT has started throwing hissy fits about it.  Why now and not before?  A clearly defined and posted policy allowing - not prohibiting - parking by the ventilator station would be a nice accomplishment.

Recent post:
Jim Hill-ish

Cross-posted from the other thread:

"Hi All,

I called and spoke to the WSDOT Wenatchee office today. They didn't have a clear or ready answer about this, after getting passed around to a few people. Jere (Jerry? Gerry?), the very nice lady who answered the phone is doing more research and will hopefully get back to me shortly. I will pass that on as soon as I hear something more. I think Clevo is basically right in what he says but it would be much better to hear it from the DOT and have a map or a stated policy.

Others have brought up this issue to us already, and we are well aware of the problem. Here's our understanding of the situation: The DOT, not unreasonably, sees Highway 2 as a transportation corridor that they are mandated to keep open and safe. Unfortunately, they also see people parking on or near the side of the highway as a threat to this mission. Parking in general along the highway 2 corridor is a big can of worms, especially with the resort. Our hope is that as we establish a better relationship with the resort, we can lean on the DOT together to create better alternatives.

The current situation of total ambiguity benefits no one, and we will keep hounding the DOT until they at least present some sort of policy or concrete information to help people. If we can work from there to make a good-faith effort to follow these rules, we will have more leverage to change them.

-Conrad"

is the following sentence something you were told by the WSDOT or something you made up.

"Unfortunately, they also see people parking on or near the side of the highway as a threat to this mission."

Conrad states clearly "here's our understanding of the situation," making it obvious that he is relaying an impression he got from his phone conversation. I'm happy to have this information even if it is secondhand and even if you haven't endorsed his source. If you have a better source at WSDOT that can give a more definitive, please check with them and relay back here what you find.

I take issue with the confrontational tone you've taken with CBA. We all understand that you harbor animosity, but your criticisms of CBA are not relevant to this discussion. At the very least you should acknowledge that Conrad's call to WSDOT was a timely gesture to address a long-standing conflict that involves almost exclusively private skiers.

You can read the terms of use here. It is not OK to imply you are a serial killer. Likewise, it is not OK for you to use TAY as a forum to repeatedly impugn folks that have somehow crossed you. I appreciate your anti-commericalisim message (sincerely). I don't appreciate your personal attacks. Charles created TAY as a community, and your strident behavior is harshing our mellow. Please chill out.

 
Sometimes timely jesters are just that. Especially when it involves a political organization that springs forth from commercial backing with a prime interest in public land.

Most Jesters have poor timing so they are just that.

I've asked for transparency and those transparency questions have not been answered and that makes me suspect. Yeah maybe I was a bit rude about it but I respond emotionally. It's that passion that drives my reason.

One thing that I've tried to convey to Backcountry skiers who occupy this  site, is that they are free to contact and pursue public Authority on issues that directly affect them.

I do get it. You're trying to run a business here and my constant questioning of commercial interest in public land maybe upsetting some of your sponsorship, possibly including those who directly employ  members of the CBA.

So you'll have to excuse me if I think there needs to be one place on this planet ( Nature's natural wonders) where I can get away from the commercial interest agenda.

My question with your issue with commercial interest on public lands is what about all the people that willing seek out these businesses for their services to access nature? Are they driven by commercial interest? What drives them to seek guidance? How will they find the services to access these natural landscapes safely if no one provides what they need or are willing to pay for?

Your assault on the CBA for being a tool for guide services needs facts, seems like a feeling and not actual data.

Also since when is a non-profit a business? Again needs facts to substantiate this claim.

Is transparency a judgement call based on your satisfaction with the answer or just the exchange of information? How will we know when your level of transparency is achieved?

Curious if any of the CBA folks, or anyone else for  that matter,  has thoughts  with respect  to the goals I tried to reverse engineer out of what I've read from CBA so far (i.e. do they seem right, is something missing,  would you  replace any  or all of them...?). Call  it  transparency if you like, but whatever you  call  it, having clarity on goals may help enlist energy and maybe even $ from the community. Not having them may breed one or another type of lack of trust (whether about intentions or about competency to choose projects well, or about likelihood of project choices aligning sufficiently with one's own hopes and  goals). Trust, particularly among people who don't know each other, is typically earned through good communication and some sense of being "in it for the same things."

My impression is that CBA is doing a lot of the right things. It's hard to get an organization off the ground, but every step taken has been in a positive direction.

I'll be excited to chip in when the Donate link goes live, and excited to chip in again when the bylaws and finances are public.