The Mountaineers
As a recreationist adventuring in the Pacific Northwest, you know how the eastern slope forests, grasslands, and shrub steppe of central Washington offer special ways to experience the outdoors through recreation. Visitors and residents alike cherish the opportunity to paddle the Tieton and Yakima rivers, climb the Royal Columns near Tieton, and hike and mountain bike trails that crisscross a unique and diverse landscape.
Last week, Outdoor Alliance Washington and other local recreation leaders gathered with Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) while he was home in his district for Congress’ summer break to discuss outdoor access issues and the importance of passing the EXPLORE Act. The meeting highlighted the importance of outdoor recreation throughout the 4th congressional district - which spans the Methow Valley down through the Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities to the Columbia River.
Outdoor Alliance Washington member groups have staff and members living and recreating in the 4th district, and this meeting was a great opportunity to strengthen the connections among the local human-powered recreation community in Central Washington.
Recreation & Brews in Sunnyside
Rep. Newhouse is a leader in our state and on wildfire and natural resources issues (he currently chairs the Congressional Western Caucus). The 4th district boasts some special outdoor recreation opportunities that residents are eager to enjoy - 4th district residents of the district spend $1.88 billion on outdoor recreation each year. There’s opportunity to increase access and continue to grow outdoor recreation across the district, bolstering the outdoor recreation economy and connecting more community members to the transformative experiences on our public lands and waters.
Outdoor enthusiasts often appreciate pairing a trip on public lands with a visit to a local brewery. With Congressman Newhouse home, meeting constituents and attending to hops on his Sunnyside farm, we organized a casual opportunity for him to hear from several constituents working to increase outdoor access and build community through recreation.
This small gathering at Varietal Beer Co. in Sunnyside introduced the congressman to Outdoor Alliance Washington and connected him with human-powered recreation leaders living and working in the district, particularly Yakima, the Tri-Cities, and White Salmon, along the Columbia River.
Connecting Paddlers, Climbers, Hikers, and Mountain Bikers
We were joined by local representatives of Washington Trails Association, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Washington Climbers Coalition, Yakima River Runners, and Shrub Steppe Trails Alliance. Each group shared their organization’s activities, priorities, and challenges they face that highlight the need for increased outdoor access and additional funding for land managers.
“I’ve experienced the value of nearby access to nature for biking, and there are currently no mountain bike trails within an hour of the Tri-Cities,” shared Julie Nelson, president of Shrub Steppe Trails Alliance, based in Kennewick. “There’s a great need for a multi-use trail system to support both mountain biking and hiking for our community.”
Regardless of how you recreate outdoors, we all face similar challenges when it comes to the recreation landscape in Washington. We grapple with the impact of wildfire, lack of resources for land managers to restore, maintain, and expand recreation infrastructure, and the growing need to support groups and businesses connecting communities to nature.
“In this region, we don’t have a recreation coalition bringing organizations together across outdoor activities,” shared Tyler Forman, President of the Cowlitz-Naches chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. “Making connections and increasing our awareness and collaboration across groups is extremely valuable - we’re stronger together.”
Meeting discussion between Rep. Dan Newhouse and our group of human-powered outdoor recreation leaders from central Washington. Photo by Mountaineers staff.
Getting the EXPLORE Act Across the Finish Line
Throughout the meeting, partners thanked Rep. Newhouse for his support of the EXPLORE Act. Two key pieces of the EXPLORE Act, the SOAR Act and the Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act, are particularly important for The Mountaineers, as well as the wider recreation community and outdoor businesses, outfitters, and guides. If passed through Congress and enacted into law, this legislation would:
- Improve public lands access and management.
- Cut the red tape with recreational permitting for outfitters and guides as well as groups that take people out to experience public lands for the first time.
- Protect wilderness climbing, which is currently under threat from the Administration.
Over the last three years, Outdoor Alliance Washington has been working to forge strong relationships with lawmakers and recreation partners so that we can effectively advocate for shared conservation, recreation, and climate priorities on behalf of more than 75,000 paddlers, climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and winter recreation enthusiasts.
We’re continuing to work through Outdoor Alliance Washington to urge Congress to pass the EXPLORE Act by the end of the year. Join our advocacy by using our action form to urge your members of Congress to pass the EXPLORE Act to improve sustainable outdoor recreation for future generations of Washington outdoor enthusiasts.
A version of this post will also appear on Outdoor Alliance’s blog. For more information on future advocacy opportunities to help pass the EXPLORE Act, sign up for periodic email updates from Outdoor Alliance.
