2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Park

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Peder
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2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Park

Post by Peder » February 16th, 2012, 12:08 am

DSC04318.jpg
The ranger is hidden behind the car
Today I planned to hike VanMarmot's "long loop" on Hamilton and Hardy. I have not been thrilled with the new Discover Pass (just like I stopped hiking on Sauvie Island when the fee went to $10), so I planned to park outside the official parking area. I pulled up 1/4 mile east of Beacon Rock and this is what I saw outside the car window:
DSC04313.jpg
Woops! Don't park here without a Discover Pass!
These signs were not there a few weeks ago! So I drove further east and parked on a large pull-out 1/2 mile from the park:
DSC04314.jpg
Where I parked
I walked back along the road and stopped at a signboard within the Beacon Rock State Park to put on a fleece. I could see a ranger roaming around the solitary car at the other end of the lot. As I started walking, she drove up and greeted me. She asked if I had a Discover Pass and I said no. She then explained the importance of money for the State Park service to maintain toilets, trails, etc. I said that I understood the service's financial problems. She tried to sell me a pass, but I said 'no thank you" as I already had passes for National Parks, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc. and did not feel the need for any more passes, as the costs add up.

The ranger asked where I was parked and I said 1/2 mile down the road (she almost looked impressed!). She again tried to sell me a pass, saying that she had some in her truck. I reiterated that I was not interested. She then stated that I was not allowed to hike within the Beacon Rock State Park without purchasing a Discover Pass. I answered that I thought the Discover Pass was basically just a parking permit that was required at specific sites in Washington. The ranger firmly repeated that I was not allowed to hike within the State Park without purchasing a pass. Not wishing to cause a scene, I said that if this was the case I would go hiking elsewhere. I then said goodbye and headed back to my car.

Once home, I checked the requirements for the Discover Pass. The pass is indeed a "vehicle-access pass" and as they put it "The Discover Pass is required for access with street-legal motor vehicles." So, in my mind, if you arrive on foot or by bus, you do not need a pass!

If the ranger's statement was correct, there would be considerable ramifications: I hiked from the Aldrich Butte Trailhead today, and I discovered that much of the Hamilton Creek area is part of the Beacon Rock State Park. So in theory, I would then be required to have a Discover Pass hanging from the rear view mirror in my car parked at the Aldrich Butte Trailhead. [Or maybe I would need to bring my car along on the hike, so that I could show the Discover Pass to any patrolling ranger! :shock: ]

If such a run-in should occur again, I will state to the ranger that the Discover Pass is solely a vehicle-access pass and is only required if you park a car within their area. It goes with this that it is legal to hike within their State Park without purchasing a Discover Pass.

The only good news I got out of all this is the following:

Following are the 2012 State Parks "free days":
• March 18 and 19 – In honor of Washington State Parks’ 99th birthday on March 19
• June 9 – National Get Outdoors Day
• Sept. 29 – National Public Lands Day
• Nov. 10 through 12 – Veterans Day weekend


So now you know when the Pass is not needed!
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

sasquatch22
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by sasquatch22 » February 16th, 2012, 2:14 am

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Last edited by sasquatch22 on June 5th, 2012, 3:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Guy
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Guy » February 16th, 2012, 6:11 am

Wow!!
By 'ignorant' I do not mean ignorant in knowledge, as in ignorant of the law.
I'm betting the Ranger wasn't ignorant of the actual law at all, otherwise she would have told Peder that he needed a pass to access on foot before asking where he was parked!

I think I'm going to call if the Park HQ today and see what they have to say about park access on foot. It will also be interesting to see if Discover Pass Required signs start popping on the roadside outside of Park Boundaries!
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Peder
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Peder » February 16th, 2012, 6:39 am

geographics wrote:the PNW is chock full of ignorant LE's.
Good morning! I had to Google that: LE = Law Enforcement!
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Eric Peterson
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Eric Peterson » February 16th, 2012, 6:49 am

Looks like you were parked west of Beacon Rock?

We parked east towards the Pierce National Wildlife Reserve and had no problems in
those turnouts, maybe they have added signs since last September though.

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Peder
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Peder » February 16th, 2012, 7:10 am

Eric Peterson wrote:Looks like you were parked west of Beacon Rock?

We parked east towards the Pierce National Wildlife Reserve and had no problems in
those turnouts, maybe they have added signs since last September though.
Good morning Eric! No, I was on the east side and well outside the range of the Discover Pass signs. The problem was that the ranger wished to charge me a "use" fee; i.e. I had to pay $11.50 to be allowed to hike inside Beacon Rock State Park.
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beag
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by beag » February 16th, 2012, 7:38 am

They need the money to pay for the nice trucks the rangers ride around in.Why could'nt she walk or ride a bike. If I want to hike Hamilton I will ride my bike from a mile away.With the new law they have put signs east of the regular parking area something that did not happen a few years ago when the fee was $5.

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Peder
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Peder » February 16th, 2012, 8:18 am

beag wrote:Why could'nt she walk or ride a bike?
Good question! When I drove by, the truck was parked in front of the Ranger Station. When I arrived on foot, the truck had driven across the street and was inspecting the solitary car in the parking lot (the car in the background in my first picture) - I guess the distance is about 200'. Then the ranger drove another 300' to check on me! You are right that those distances could be done by bicycle or on foot.
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Lurch
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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Lurch » February 16th, 2012, 8:29 am

There are legitimate reasons to be close to your vehicle (for LE and the like) that I'm not going to get into here.

There is also a significant difference between "law enforcement", even a FS-LE and a "Park Ranger"

That experience does suck though :(

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Re: 2012-02-15 Run-in with a Ranger at Beacon Rock State Par

Post by Lurch » February 16th, 2012, 8:37 am

Just a side note.. judging by the vehicle and not seeing the actual person, I would say they were a ranger, and not law enforcement.

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