🚁 Reckless Hiker Fines & Race to Launch Forest Youth Success - Skamania BOCC 5/5

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🏛 May 05, 2026 Meeting

The Body: Skamania County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)

The Bottom Line: The BOCC is moving forward with a potentially precedent-setting ordinance to fine reckless hikers, while urgently scrambling to save the Forest Youth Success program after a sudden federal funding rejection.

The Vibe: Urgent and pragmatic. The room balanced celebrating community events like Spring Fest with serious troubleshooting for imperiled youth programs and strained public safety budgets.

Executive Summary:

🔎 What Changed:

• The Board officially appointed Jaynee Cavaness to Fort Vancouver Regional Library Board Position No. 5.
• Approved a local liquor license application for Carson-based Skunk Brothers Spirits.
• Authorized a $25,296.61 purchase for a new Public Works brush mower head.

⚠ What Escalated:

• The Forest Youth Success (FYS) summer program is on the brink of cancellation if a new federal contract isn't approved by June 1.
• The County officially scheduled a public hearing for Ordinance 2026-01, which would levy a $1,000.00 civil fine against individuals whose negligence or recklessness triggers a formal Search and Rescue (SAR) mission.
• Parking conflicts and access issues are worsening near Tunnels 1 and 2 due to increased kiteboarding and canoeing traffic.

🧭 What’s Next:

• May 21, 2026: SBA Disaster Loan information session at the Skamania Chamber of Commerce (4:30 PM).
• June 1, 2026: Ultimate deadline to secure Forest Service funding for the FYS summer program.
• June 10, 2026: SBA deadline for home and business physical damage loan applications.

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🗣 Public Comment

Resident Mary Repar offered a brief comment thanking Parks and Recreation staff, specifically noting the success of the recent Spring Fest event at the Grange. She highlighted the tie-dyeing activities and perfect weather.

🌲 Youth & Workforce Development: The FYS Funding Pinch

• The Facts: The federal government recently rejected a previously approved contract for the Forest Youth Success (FYS) program.
• WSU Extension has already interviewed 54 local students for the summer program.
• Local Forest Service staff (Aaron Black) and WSU Extension coordinators are aggressively working to draft a new contract.
• The Deadline: If the new contract is not cleared by June 1, the summer program cannot launch.

Founded in 2002, the Forest Youth Success program has employed over 900 local teens to maintain trails and restore public lands, serving as a critical, and often the only, first-job opportunity in a county that is 90% forested.

The sudden administrative rejection of the FYS contract highlights the vulnerability of these local youth programs when they rely on complex federal partnerships. While local Forest Service staff and county extension agents are aligned and working overtime to salvage the season, the bureaucratic friction at the federal level represents an existential threat. If the funding is not secured by the June 1 "pinch point," the county will be forced to cancel a program that provides essential wages and life skills to dozens of local teens, potentially damaging trust with the 54 families already engaged in the onboarding process.

"I appreciate everybody's willingness to, on all fronts, the buy-in and the recognition that if we can make this go, we certainly want to. And I'll keep you posted with any news that I get. And if there is anything where I think, hey, I could use a little support here, I could use a phone call there, I will absolutely let you know." — Marcus, WSU Extension Program Coordinator

🚁 Public Safety & Recreation: Fining Reckless Hikers

• The Facts: The BOCC approved scheduling a public hearing for Ordinance 2026-01.
• The ordinance introduces a $1,000.00 civil fine for individuals who require search and rescue resources due to negligence or recklessness.
• Fines would only apply to missions requiring a Skamania County SAR Coordinator and a mission number from the Washington State Emergency Management Division.
• Negligence factors include: failing to carry the Ten Essential Systems, lack of reasonable physical condition, disregarding weather, improper footwear, and actions creating substantial risk.

Skamania County's vast, rugged terrain attracts thousands of tourists, but the financial and operational burden of rescuing unprepared visitors falls heavily on local taxpayers and volunteer responders. Ordinance 2026-01 represents a structural attempt to recoup costs and deter reckless behavior through a civil infraction rather than a criminal charge. However, defining "negligence" in the outdoors is legally complex. The county will need to clearly differentiate between an unavoidable accident and a preventable emergency to avoid discouraging people from calling for life-saving help when they truly need it.

🛠 Jargon Buster: The Ten Essential Systems A standard wilderness survival checklist referenced in the new ordinance. It includes: Navigation, Headlamp, Sun protection, First aid, Knife, Fire-starting tools, Shelter, Extra food, Extra water, and Extra clothes. Under the proposed law, lacking these could be cited as "negligence."

💼 Disaster Recovery: SBA Loans Open

• The Facts: The Small Business Administration (SBA), represented by Tana Moorhead, is offering disaster loans to assist with recovery from the declared December 2025 winter storms and landslides.
• Businesses can apply for up to $2 million in relief.
• A public information session is scheduled for May 21 at the Chamber of Commerce.

Federal disaster declarations often take months to translate into tangible local aid. The arrival of the SBA's Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience marks the transition from immediate crisis response to long-term economic stabilization following the devastating winter storms. Because these are loans rather than grants, the county faces a data blind spot regarding how many small businesses will actually assume new debt to recover, versus those that might simply choose to close.

🚧 Infrastructure & Public Lands: Access Friction

• The Facts: Commissioners met with the Washington State Fishing Guides Association to brainstorm conditions and solutions for the Wind River Boat Launch.
• Any new launch agreements are pending review by Skamania County Prosecuting Attorney Adam Kick.
• The board discussed growing friction "near Tunnels 1 and 2" where increased kiteboarding and canoeing access is causing potential parking conflicts and safety concerns. (Editor's Note: the more popular areas for parking for wind sports, and opportunities to identify better overflow areas, may actually be closer to Tunnel 4.)
• Improvements at Home Valley Park are currently being discussed with the Army Corps of Engineers.

The ongoing debates over the Wind River Boat Launch and the Tunnels area illustrate the broader regional friction between legacy recreational uses (like guided fishing) and outdoor sports (like kiteboarding). As the Gorge's population and tourism footprint grow, the county's limited infrastructure is being pushed past its designed capacity. The structural hurdle here is multi-jurisdictional: solving these access and parking issues requires navigating the legal frameworks of the Prosecuting Attorney's office, the State Fishing Guides, and massive federal entities like the Army Corps of Engineers.

The current negotiations with the Washington State Fishing Guides Association stem from a recent, forced policy shift. Earlier this year, Skamania County had to ban all commercial guides from the Wind River Boat Launch to comply with state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) funding rules, pushing commercial traffic to Drano Lake.

Meanwhile, the congestion at tunnels is the natural result of the Gorge's longstanding reputation as one of the world's most renowned wind and water sports destinations: as modern summer sports like kiteboarding and wingfoiling surge in popularity, visitors are forced to park along narrow highway shoulders and railroad tracks because the legacy infrastructure was not built to handle today's volume of tourism. Have an idea of where you'd like to see more parking support, or a place that might provide safer access to the Columbia River? The commission is eager to hear your ideas, and make the vision of our next years of growth a shared community project.

How to Join & Learn More You can access the full meeting packet, raw audio transcripts, and official agendas on the Skamania County BOCC Website. Meetings are held in person at 240 NW Vancouver Ave, Stevenson, WA, and are available remotely via Zoom. To submit written public comment, email the Clerk of the Board at emerson@co.skamania.wa.us by noon on the Wednesday preceding the meeting.

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