A group of hikers in September take a break atop Observation Peak in the Trapper Creek Wilderness of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. (ALLEN THOMAS/The Columbian)
CARSON — Visitor use of Trapper Creek Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest has exceeded Forest Service standards annually for the past decade.
The standard in the Gifford Pinchot’s land-use plans calls for fewer than 2,200 “recreation visitor days’’ in the small, steep and deeply forested wilderness north of Carson.
However, that number has been exceeded yearly since 2006.
According to the Mount Adams Ranger District Wilderness Monitoring Report, the average number of annual recreation visitor days for Trapper Creek between 2006 and 2015 is 2,997. The peak year was 3,578 visitor days in 2015.
The information comes for wilderness permits. Since 2001, wilderness areas on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest have had mandatory, self-issued permits.
The permits, available at trailhead boxes, collect information on number of hikers or horsemen, length of stay, destination, number of stock, number of dogs and locations from where visitors come.
There are some limitations in the data.
Trailheads often access multiple trails. Short-term data gaps can occur if a permit box is not stocked with forms due to vandalism, wildfire season or unexpected high use.
Not all visitors issue themselves a permit, although wilderness rangers often complete permit compliance checks and find rates overall good.
Trapper Creek Wilderness was created in the Washington Wilderness Act of 1984.
It is 5,969 acres protecting Trapper Creek drainage in the upper Wind River watershed. Old-growth Douglas fir make up the heart of the wilderness.
The wilderness has several trails including Trapper Creek No. 192, Observation No. 132, Soda Peaks Lake No. 133, Big Hollow No. 158 and Dry Creek No. 194.
Small Soda Peaks Lake, in a valley below Soda Peaks, is the only lake. Observation Peak, elevation 4,254 feet, is the site of a former fire lookout.
The Mount Adams wilderness report mentions concerns about overuse at Soda Peaks Lake.
“Rangers have been observing overcrowding at this destination for several years,’’ according to the report. “There are a couple of factors which can be inferred to be the cause of this.
“Geography plays a role as it is the only lake within Trapper Creek Wilderness, and it is easily accessible, being approximately 2 miles from the Soda Peaks trailhead. Furthermore, the geography of the lake basin limits camp site dispersion as there are few flat locations suitable for camping that aren’t immediately adjacent to the lake.’’
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