Wild Sky Proposed Wilderness Bill:

Conceived in 2001, inroduced in 2002, the bill passed in the US Senate 96 to 3, but failed to get to the floor in the House before years end. In short, the bill continued to be brought up again and again in the years that followed, but couldn't seem to get passed Rep. Pombo who kept it in committee at the House. Pombo did not get relected and lost his seat, clearing the way ahead.

Finally, in 2007, many Congressional seats changed, and in the spring of 2008, the bill passed the Senate and in the House, then was signed into law by President Bush during the month of May. It was always my opinion as with the others below, the Wild Sky bill seemed to be the best piece of legislation going to preserve this area for future generations as well as the environment at hand.

The Pros of the Wild Sky Wilderness Bill:

1. Establishes 106,000 acres into wilderness classification which will enhance and help protect the landscape (Sky Peaks, Ragged Ridge, Troublesome Creek, West Cady/North Fork, Rapid River, and Kelly Creek areas) as well as provides recreational opportunities.

2. Removes the possibility of commercial logging and eliminates commercial interests pertaining to the natural resources.

3. Helps prevent further degradation to the habitat.

4. Benefits salmon & steelhead spawning areas already considered diminished - Nfk Sky area & Rapid River area.

5. Provides key old growth forests as well as lowland forests to the ecosystem.

6. Nurseries wildlife in their natural environment.

7. Allows for fishing & hunting under the 1964 Wilderness Act, which is consistent with all other wilderness areas of the state & country.

8. Provides for plenty of access, i.e., Beckler River - Jacks Pass - Nfk Sky.

9. Provides for plenty of recreation: hike, camp, hunt, fish, kayak, picnic, ride horses where designated, ski, snowshoe, rock climb, as well as prospecting compatible with the preservation of the wilderness environment.

10. Excludes motorized travel within its boundaries, consistent with all other wilderness areas.

11. Helps local communities diversify their economy attracting some new businesses, residents, and visitors seeking wilderness experiences or the aesthetic value it brings to mankind through scenic backdrops.

12. Sets aside land - the greatest gift we can give to future generations.

Therefore, I am asking for your support and the endorsement of your "John Hancock" in joining the others below, thus adding your name to the mix. note: the list will be sent to our Washington State Congressional Deligation and other powers to be during the month of Feb 2003 to hopefully help aid the passage of the bill.

added note to Fishers & Hunters: Fishing & Hunting is allowed in wilderness areas as defind under the 1964 Wilderness Act, and is consistent with all other wilderness areas of Washington State. Further, there are no provisions in the Wilderness Act that "eliminates" fish stocking or planting in wilderness areas where there has been stocking histories, which is consistent with the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife's on-going high lake fishing program and management plan for recreational angling enjoyment.

2003 Personal Endorsements for the Wild Sky Wilderness conducted & prepared by Ken James McLeod:

-- Campers/Climbers/Hikers/Fishermen/Hunters/Skiers/Outdoor Recreationalists --

www.AlpineQuest.com - Ken J. McLeod - past pres. Steelhead Trout Club & Trail Blazer Club member
www.kuresman.com (Hiking Northwest) - Jim Kuresman
www.waterfallsnorthwest.com - Bryan Swan
www.mountainwerks.org/cma/2002/gunn.htm - Michael V. Stanton - climber
Rich Baldwin - conservationist, hiker & nature photographer
Don Bearwood - past pres. Steelhead Trout Club, fisherman & hiker
Mark Boyle - wildlife/nature artist, avid steelheader & Trail Blazer Club member
Steve Bucher - past pres. Hi-Lakers Club & Trail Blazers Club member
Norm Burke - climber, past pres. Trail Blazers Club & Hi-Laker member
Michael Caver - landscape photographer, hiker, http://photos.mcaver.com
Bob Chesterman - hiker, snowshoer, trail maint.,amateur photographer, Mountaineers Club member
Cliff Church - fisherman, hiker, hunter and Trail Blazer Club member
Brian Curtis - past pres. Trail Blazer Club & Hi-Laker member
Walt Curtis - hiker, fisherman, Hi-Laker Club member
Tom Davenport - hiker & photographer
Ron C. Dunn - past pres.Steelhead Trout Club & past pres. King Co. Outdoor Sports Council
Ben Eacker - Trail Blazer Club member, climber & hiker
Jeffrey Early - Trail Blazer Club member, fisherman & hiker
Michael Edgett - hiker from Cashmere, Wa.
John Evensen - current pres. Steelhead Trout Club, WDFW Anadromous fish Advisory Panel, Old Timers Reunion Committee member
Frank Fenimore - Snoh. Sportsmen's Club member, steelhead/salmon fisher
Steve Fox (rubberlegs) - trail historian, climber, backpacker, member of Boealps, The Mountaineers, Washington Trails Association
Bruce Gaumond - photographer, hiker, and former pres. Boeing Employee's Alpine Club
Virgil Harder - past pres. Trail Blazers Club, Hi-Laker Club member
Jim W. Hearn - past pres. of Steelhead Trout Club
Bob Heirman - noted fisherman/outdoor writer/longtime member of Snohomish Co. Sportsmen's Assc.
Hans Helm - Hi-Laker & Trail Blazer Club member
Alan Hill - Index property owner, Steelhead Trout Club member
Jim Jacobson - Trail Blazers & Hi-Laker club member, flyfisherman
Rex Johnson - Hi-Laker & Trail Blazer Club member
Phil Leatherman - climber & Trail Blazer Club member
Wally Long (now deceased) - conservationist, life member Steelhead Trout Club
Keith Longman - Issaquah school teacher, camper & hiker
Sue Longman - retired airlines worker, camper & outdoor person
George Kniert - Trail Blazers, Steelhead Trout Club and Mountaineers member
Bruce McFarlane - camper, hunter & steelheader
Sandy McKean - past pres. Hi-Laker Club & Trail Blazer Club
George McLeod - past pres Steelhead Trout Club, longtime fly fisherman & hunter
Kenny G. McLeod - (youth) hiker, fisherman, hunter
Craig Mecklenburg - climber, hiker, photographer
Dan Miller - past pres. & current V.P. Steelhead Trout Club
Henry Mills - past pres. Trail Blazers Club
Jeff Mix - climber, hunter, hiker, fisherman, Trail Blazer Club treasurer 2003
Mike G. Quinn - climber, fisherman, hunter and Trail Blazer Club member
Patrick Penna - climber, hiker, wilderness advocate
Bob Pfeifer - past pres. Hi-Lakers Club, Trail Blazers Club VP, former fish bio WDFW
Mike Rice - climber & hiker
Jack Rollo - Trail Blazer Club member and retired Seattle School Principal
John Roper - climber & outdoor writer & photographer
Chuck Russell - hiker, skier, past pres. Trail Blazers Club, Snoqualmie Valley Trails Club member
John Sharf - Steelhead Trout Club member, fisher & hunter, SFK Sky River land owner
Laurence Smith - climber, hiker, nature photographer, writer
Pete Smith - past pres. Trail Blazers Club & Hi-Laker Club member, flyfisherman
Rick Spindler - avid hiker, outdoorsman, and amateur photographer.
Howard Stevens - Trail Blazers Club member, longtime outdoorsmen
Tim Stevens - Trail Blazers Club member, hiker & fisherman
Mike D. Swayne - climber & Trail Blazer Club member
Karen Sykes - avid hiker & outdoorsperson
Gene Tabaka - past pres. of King County Outdoor Sports Council (KCOSC) & Poggie Club member
John Taylor - past pres. Trail Blazers Club, hiker & fisherman
Jamie D. Van Etten - past pres. Trail Blazers Club, Hi-Lakers Club member, Snohomish Co. Sportsmen's Ass'n. member
Chuck Van Etten - past pres. Trail Blazers Club, longtime outdoorsman
Ross Venema - Trail Blazers Club member, fisherman
Mike Ward - past pres. Trail Blazers club, climber, school teacher
Dave Weyrick - past pres. Hi-Lakers Club & future Trail Blazer Club member
Steve White - past pres. Trail Blazers Club & Hi-Laker Club member
Yanling Yu - Researcher of University of Washington, Hi-Laker & Trail Blazer Club member
Laura Zimmerman - climber, skier, Washington Ski Touring Club & Washington Trails Association member

note: Feb 11, 2003 the Steelhead Trout Club of Wa. voted to "endorse" the concept of creating the Wild Sky Wilderness and "support" the bill. Let the record show that STCW (as a club endorsement) supports the Wild Sky Wilderness.

The below list of endorsers compiled by Wild Washington Campaign:

Elected Officials:
Washington Congressional Delegation

* Senator Patty Murray (D)
* Representative Rick Larsen (D-2)

**Senator Maria Cantwell (D)
**Representative Jay Inslee (D-1)
**Representative Brain Baird (D-3)
**Representative Norm Dicks (D-6)
**Representative Jim McDermott (D-7)
**Representative Jennifer Dunn (R-8)
**Representative Adam Smith (D-9)

* Original Sponsor of Wild Sky Wilderness Act
** Original Co-sponsor of Wild Sky Wilderness Act

State Legislators and Local Officials:

State Representatives:
Fred Jarrett (R), District 41
Aaron Reardon (D), District 38

Mayors:
Mark Asmundson, Mayor, City of Bellingham
Bill Baarsma (D), Mayor, City of Tacoma
Cary Bozeman (D), Mayor, City of Bremerton
Kem Hunter, Mayor, Town of Index
Greg Nickels, Mayor, City of Seattle

City & County Council Members:
Monroe City Council
Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel
Laurie Caskey-Schreiber, Whatcom County Council
Seth Fleetwood, Whatcom County Council
David Irons (R), King County Council
Kathy Lambert (R), King County Council
Rob McKenna (R), King County Council
Dan McShane, Whatcom County Council
Sharon Roy, Whatcom County Council

County Commissioners:
Rhea Y. Miller, San Juan County Commissioner
John Roskelley (D), Spokane County Commissioner
Steve Tharinger (D), Clallam County CommissionerRichard Wojt (D), Jefferson County Commissioner
(note: some of the above elected officials may have changed since the Nov.2002 election)

Organizations:
1000 Friends of Washington
Alpine Lakes Protection Society
Association of Bainbridge Communities
Backcountry Horseman of Washington
The Backpacking Club
Betts Meadows Wetland Preserve
Biodiversity Northwest
Black Hills Audubon Society
Bridgeport Way Community Association
Cascade Chapter - Sierra Club
Clear Creek Council
Crystal Conservation Coalition
Earth Ministry
Eastern Environmental
Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs
Friends of the Loomis Forest
Friends of Miller Peninsula State Park
Friends of the Wild Sky
Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
Gifford Pinchot Task Force
Gonzaga Environmental Organization
Issaquah Alps Trails Club
Kettle Range Conservation Group
The Lands Council
Leavenworth Adopt-A-Forest
Lighthawk
Monte Cristo Preservation Association
The Mountaineers
Mt. Baker Wilderness Association
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) -- PNW
Native Forest Network
The Nature Conservancy- Washington Chapter
North Cascades Conservation Council
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
Olympic Park Associates
Pacific Biodiversity Institute
Pend Oreille Environmental Team
PCC Farmland Fund
Pilchuck Audubon Society
Republicans for Environmental Protection
Seattle Audubon Society
Sierra Club
Spokane Audubon Society
Spokane Canoe and Kayak
Spokane Mountaineers
Steelhead Trout Club of Wa.
Tatoosh Group - Sierra Club
Trout Unlimited – Washington Council
Tulalip Tribe of Washington
Upper Columbia River Group - Sierra Club
Washington Association of Churches
Washington Coalition of Citizens with disAbilities
Washington Environmental Council
Washington Trails Association
Washington Wilderness Coalition
Washington Wildlife Federation
WashPIRG
Whidbey Audubon Society
Whidbey Environmental Action Network
The Wilderness Land Trust
The Wilderness Society
Wild Steelhead Coalition

Businesses:
The Avid Angler
Bellingham Benefits
Canoe and Kayak Magazine
Chinook Expeditions
Clearwater Construction
Ellensburg Pottery
Feathered Friends
Hyperspud Sports
KAVU
Livetoplay.com
Montrail, Inc.
Mountain Gear
Mountain Madness, Inc.
Northside Physical Therapy & Sports
Oakstream Enterprises
Orvis Company
Outdoor Research
Patagonia Seattle
Pro Mountain Sports
Rehabilitation Center
Recreational Equipment, Incorporated (REI)
Shuksan Trading
Sparks Home Furnishings
Tom Bihn Company
Water More Precious Than Gold
WRQ
Zumiez, Inc.


Newspapers:
Everett Herald
Seattle Post Intellegencer
Seattle Times

-- To all the endorsers, we thank you for your support in hopes to establish the Wild Sky Wilderness --