Your PUD News Release

Sage Hills Trail to close Dec. 1 for the winter

Chelan County PUD
News Release
11/25/2008

The Sage Hills Trail in the hills west of Wenatchee will close for the winter on Dec. 1, 2008.

Chelan County PUD, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust are working together on the closure to protect mule deer and other animals. The trail will reopen to people on April 2, 2009.

The PUD owns about 960 acres in the hills west of Wenatchee and manages the area as a wildlife preserve with state Fish and Wildlife oversight. About a third of the popular Sage Hills Trail, managed by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, crosses the PUD wildlife preserve.

PUD officials also want to remind the community that all of the PUD-owned wildlife preserve is closed to humans, except for use of the official Sage Hills Trail in spring, summer and fall. Federal authorities allow trail access, but the District is required to maintain the habitat for wildlife.    

“Our goal is to protect wildlife as required by our federal license and continue to offer access to the section of the Sage Hills Trail which crosses the wildlife area,” said Gregg Carrington, PUD Natural Resources director. “With the community’s cooperation, we can continue working with the Land Trust and the agencies to maintain trail access while protecting habitat.” 

Earlier this year PUD crews installed barricades across spur trails on the PUD land known as the “Home Water Property.”  This fall crews restored some 3,300 feet of damaged land by reshaping slopes, protecting against erosion and seeding with native plants. The restoration is part of the District’s commitment to maintain the wildlife habitat as required by its federal license to operate Rock Island Dam.

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For more information, contact Von Pope, PUD wildlife program manager,  at (509) 661-4625, or von.pope@chelanpud.org

Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
(509) 661-4320, office
(509) 679-6858, mobile