20 years ago — Oct. 20, 1994
40 years ago, Oct. 17, 1974
Forest Land Use Planning May Determine Future of Resort Project
Development of a major four-seasons ski resort near Mazama depends on the outcome of an environmental impact statement now being prepared by the Okanogan National Forest, according to Early Winters Project Director Jerry Blann of the Aspen Ski Corporation.
Blann said his firm, which has options on private property in the upper Methow Valley, is not interested if the top one-third of Sandy Butte is put in a roadless area.
The National Forest planning staff is now drafting a preliminary environmental impact statement, which will contain recommendations on whether the top of the mountain should remain roadless.
That statement is being based on public input submitted to the forest service through Sept. 28 as well as technical considerations by forest specialists.
The preliminary statement should be made public early next year with a final impact statement to be completed by the fall of 1975.
Although the base facilities for the proposed resort will be located on private land, the ski runs themselves will be on federal forest lands.
While the forest service is drafting its statement, Blann said, his firm is conducting snow tests of its own through the coming winter. The goal is to assure the ski company that snow conditions on Sandy Butte are suitable for such a major development.
The first phase of the project calls for development of a destination resort capable of handling some 3,000 skiers on the hill and over night.
60 years ago, Oct. 14, 1954
Local Ranger Says, ‘Thanks’
The Twisp District of the Chelan national forest has had a total of nine fires this season — all of which were set by lightning strikes. Prompt action by Forest Service personnel and “cooperators” kept the fires small. The fire on St. Luise Creek was the largest and that only slightly over a quarter-acre in size.
District Ranger Trotter made this comment, “When we get a lightning bust, we are certainly dependent on our cooperating friends. Forest Service employees are utilized to the greatest extent possible, but extra help is often needed. Then we call upon our cooperators. I’d like to say ‘thanks’ to those who helped us out this season.”
After a storm has passed, and the first smokes start showing, the lookouts, using radio and telephone, immediately notify the ranger’s office. Aerial patrols are flown by Forest Service planes; and, when fires are sighted, the pilots send information in by radio. In the ranger’s office, trained personal correlate all information about the fires and estimate the man power and equipment needs. Every possible effort is made to get firefighters to the fires quickly with all equipment needed for fire suppression.
If the fire occurs at night, and many do, men are sent as far as they can safely go in the darkness. Then they bed down. At first light, they are up and going. Smokechasers, as these men are called, are usually sent in pairs, carrying on their back their firefighting tools and rations for a day. It is rough, dirty work; often cold: and at all times hazardous. The ranger’s office attempts to maintain radio contact with these men, and the lookouts keep constant watch on the progress of the fire.
If the fire is larger than these men can control, additional men and equipment are sent. Very often these follow-up crews are composed of cooperators — public-spirited residents of forest areas who have had experience in fire control and are willing to assist the Forest Service in fire suppression.
80 years ago, Oct. 12, 1934
W.S.C. COUGARS BRING HOME FOOTBALL PRIZE
Washington State Cougars stole the spotlight from the national series championship in football by going down to California and drubbing the Trojans, arch enemy, by a score of 19 to a shut out. Of course, the Cards won the series, but that’s small change in comparison with the championship football staged by the Cougars, starting the game off with their first line men and giving all the players a chance to get in on the honors before the play ended. Second line men kept right on with the good work of complete subjugation of the Trojans, and California is not including this game in her general advertising program.
‘Rah for our Cougars!
100 years ago, Oct. 16, 1914
Far Surpassing All Previous Exhibits
As the News goes to press the sixth annual Methow Valley Fair is in full swing, and all forecasts that predicted merely that this fair would surpass its predecessors, have only partially expressed the magnificent exhibit on the grounds from every section of the valley — Pateros, Methow, Carlton, Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama, respectively, from the Columbia to B.C.
The big exhibit tent, covering a space of over 21,000 square feet, is entirely occupied with this splendid array of samples from the orchards and gardens of the Methow. It is easy to comprehend, after looking in the big tent, who is to win the grand honors at the Fair Hesperides a few days hence.
The enterprising people of the Methow valley are to be congratulated on the interest they have taken and the results wrought that marks an epoch in a united Methow valley, and causing the stranger within our gates to exclaim that ours are a people who ‘do things.’
