Heading for the Horsehoe Curve

Week #3 of clearing the North Cascades Highway wrapped up yesterday with crews making steady progress toward the hairpin curve below Washington Pass as the big blower was chipping away at one of the larger slide deposits, Cutthroat Ridge 10 (CR10). With the colder temps and occasional snow flurries, one thing is for sure: Not much snow melting is going on up there.

– Paul Butler

View of highway from Delancy Ridge. Photo by Larry Goldie

T-shirt and shorts weather

View from Carlton swim hole.

Lo and behold, some actual warm weather is here. It could be actually somewhat balmy, perhaps tropical. Enjoy, because it most likely will be a brief respite.

– Paul

Is it time to get rid of riders?

In Ann McCreary's story this week, "Delisting of wolves will not affect Methow pack", we learn that two politicians - a Montana senator and an Idaho member of the House - slapped a rider onto the beleaguered federal budget bill to delist wolves in their states (and parts of Washington and Oregon as it turns out).

Obviously, the endangered status of wolves has nothing to do with the federal budget, and I would argue that it should be dealt with by scientists, not politicians. But that's the nature of riders. According to Wikipedia, "Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision which would not pass as its own bill." The federal budget is important - everyone agrees on that - and this rider was confidently attached for two reasons: 1. The congressmen knew that the president wouldn't veto this important bill because of some silly wolves, and 2. The president (unlike many state governors) doesn't have line-item veto power.

Okay, let's say for argument that you don't really care about wolves and you're just as glad to have them delisted. But what if something you really cared about got wiped out or drastically changed when some politicians who don't even represent you attached a rider to a bill? Like, let's say an education program, or tax protection for religious institutions, or gun rights? Perhaps legislative riders are really a sneaky, low-down dirty way to get things done in our nation.

Perhaps it's time to reconsider the Line Item Veto Act of 1996. (Look it up; it's pretty interesting).

And while we're at it, maybe we ought to reconsider "corporate personhood." I'm just sayin' . . . . but that's another rant.

~Laurelle Walsh~

NCH clearing start

The east side crew started clearing Highway 20 last Monday just past the winter closure near Early Winters Creek and seemed to make some decent progress despite only having a few machines up there (a Cat with a huge V-blade, a blower, a loader and a grader, though not all of the equipment was up there at the start.

The information coming out of WSDOT about the progress is handy and up to date, but should be taken with a small grain of salt. For example, one recent update mentioned the crew had reached Silver Star Creek when actually they hadn't. Another one mentioned a large slide in a forested area near Silver Star Creek had recently come down and prevented the crew from reaching Lone Fir Campground. Not to be too picky, but that slide barely hit the side of the road and it didn't seem plausible that it would cause any delays. The crew just simply hadn't reached the gate yet alone the campground, probably because of the amount of snow and the number of machines working up there.
Anyway, as helpful as the progress updates are, stay tuned to the Snooze for the real scoop.

– Paul Butler