On June 19, 2013 the US Senate approved the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act, bringing it a step closer to becoming the law, but still requiring passage in the House. Before celebrating, it’s sobering to remember that we’ve been here before — in 2010 the 111th Congress passed the bill in the House, but not Senate. Then last year the bill did not come up for a vote in either branch of the 112th Congress. Originally introduced in 2007, there’s a chance that 2013 will finally see passage, bringing wilderness status to the lowland forests of the Pratt valley and increased protection for most of the Middle Fork river.

Alpine Lakes Wilderness additions passed by Senate

Spider Lake and the Pratt River valley