Pratt River fans try to protect it as wilderness
Reichert doesn't expect much opposition to plan
NORTH BEND -- Washington has scant federal wilderness acreage in lowland valleys or close to its urban core and little that hasn't involved political warfare between conservationists and industrial and private-property interests.
But Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., and a host of leaders of environmental and outdoor-recreation groups are optimistic about developing a plan to protect the wild Pratt River valley, less than 50 miles from downtown Seattle, and nearby lands along the South and Middle forks of the Snoqualmie River.
"It's not contentious, and I don't expect it to be," the Republican congressman said as he, state and King County officials and hiking, mountain-biking and wilderness advocates unveiled their work-in-progress proposal to add the U-shaped Pratt valley to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It is within Reichert's 8th District.
Reichert said he hopes to introduce legislation in September or October after his staff and outdoor groups get public comment and work out the precise boundaries. The additions are expected to amount to between 20,000 and 25,000 acres, mostly in the Pratt River drainage.
The proposal would make the Pratt the state's seventh federally designated wild and scenic river. Only about 11 miles long, the remote river roars down the west slope of the Cascades from the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness west of the Alpental ski area and empties into the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie east of North Bend.
"This drainage is just a tremendous resource," said Thomas O'Keefe, with American Whitewater, a national group.
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Pratt River fans try to protect it as wilderness
