Can’t Get No Rest Among Skiers, Hikers And Bikers, Mount Spokane Could Be Loved To Death

Mount Spokane State Park has no off-season.

The high landmark northeast of Spokane attracts picnickers, hikers, horse riders, school groups and berry pickers. It’s the only Washington state park that offers alpine skiing, not to mention a superior trail system for nordic skiers and snowmobilers.

More recently, mountain bikers have swarmed the mountain, while scientists are taking an interest in the mountain’s natural systems, it’s diversity of old-growth trees, birds and wildlife.

But State Parks officials are concerned that Mount Spokane is showing signs of too much wear and tear.

Rutted trails, deteriorating camping facilities, a forest stoked for a major fire and parking shortages are all symptoms of potential problems.

A controversy erupted in 1993 after the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission proposed designating 4,870 acres of the 13,821-acre park as “natural forest areas.” Restrictions to protect these areas would preclude skiing, horse riding, mountain biking and off-trail berry picking.

“The natural part of the park is what attracts us there,” said Ken Carmichael, spokesman for the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington. “We’re not going to do anything to spoil it.”

A consensus was reached at a series of public meetings that restrictions affecting such large areas of the park should be postponed until a long-range plan could be developed for the entire park.

A year later, the 15 people the Parks Commission appointed to the Mount Spokane State Park Advisory Committee have the groundwork prepared.

“Now we need help,” said Cris Currie, committee chairman.

“The immediate goal is to raise $100,000 to match the money appropriated by the Legislature to do a master plan for use on Mount Spokane. Nearly $20,000 already has been pledged through a non-profit group the committee established called Friends of Mount Spokane State Park.

“It’s open to everyone, regardless of their specific interest in Mount Spokane,” Currie said. “The purpose is fund-raising and organizing volunteers, whether they’re horse riders or mountain bikers or whatever.

“Our committee is composed of representatives from recreation groups, but now we have to make a leap into the community.”

Mount Spokane is the largest of Washington’s state parks. “It’s the most recreationally and ecologically diverse,” Currie said. “But other than that, we don’t know that much about it. There’s been very little scientific research on the ecosystem. There isn’t even a good map showing the roads and trails.”

Currie called Mount Spokane “a jewel in our backyard” and a “major factor in our quality of life.” But too many people use it nowadays to expect the mountain to take care of itself.

In 1990, the park recorded 640,000 visitors. In 1995, visitation swelled to 860,000.

Swelling urban populations in Kootenai and Spokane counties send more and more people to the park seeking a retreat from the expanding traffic in the valley below.

On the other hand, the park is “home to bear, cougar, moose, deer and practically every species of tree found in the Northwest,” Currie said.

“If we don’t take some steps now, something’s going to have to go. We could love it to death.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 color photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BE A FRIEND For information on Friends of Mount Spokane State Park call the message phone at 467-9343. To make tax-deductible contributions, write Friends, c/o Bruce Boyden, 509 Flour Mill, 621 W. Mallon, Spokane WA 99201.