Trail rerouted past gun range

The arrangement, announced at the Oct. 6 meeting of the City Council, calls for a new trail -- approximately one-quarter mile long -- to loop around behind the gun range.

The deal was recently worked out among representatives of the Gun Club, Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates, the Bingen-White Salmon Police Department, the Kreps family (which owns the land the trail is on), and members of the White Salmon City Council.

"We worked together to solve the issue in a way that benefits everybody," said Police Chief Rich Cortese.

"People ignored signs in the past, so we'll see how well this works," said Joe Camp, a member and past president of the Mount Adams Fish & Gun Club. "We'll reroute it, and put fences and gates around the trail."

Camp added that the Bingen-White Salmon Police Department will continue to be allowed to use the facility for firearm training.

"The city Police Department is sure welcome to use it. As far as we're concerned, we'd love to have them," Camp said. "We haven't charged them in the past, and we'll stand behind that 100 percent."

Camp added that the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office and the Washington State Patrol have not been practicing at the range over the past two years, and are not expected to do so in the future.

As a courtesy, Chief Cortese said that when his officers go to the Gun Club for practice in the future, the department will inform residents living in the vicinity as to the day and time of the training.

Cortese was supportive of the alteration of the trail's course.

"If the trail is rerouted, a lot of concerns will be solved," he explained.

Members of the City Council were pleased to hear of the resolution of the safety issues regarding the trail.

"It sounds reasonable. It was good to get everyone involved," said councilor Susan Gookin.

Mayor Linda Jones expressed enthusiasm for the deal.

"I'm happy," Jones said. "Working together was the solution. If the safety issues are addressed, that's the point for me. I think this meets those concerns, and I hope that's the end of it. If this resolves the liability issues, as far as I'm concerned it should be over with."

Ann McDonald, a White Salmon resident and a board member of Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates, praised the Gun Club for its efforts concerning the trail.

"I went to the meeting, and they said `we'd like to move the trail,' and I said `great, we'll help you,'" McDonald explained. "They're letting us put the trail on their property, and that's a big deal."

The new trail is expected to be opened by the end of October or early November. A work party comprised of bikers and Gun Club members is expected to get together to move the trail.

McDonald was happy that the two groups could work out a solution.

"It resolves the issues and makes the land owners happy, and that's what is important, " McDonald said. "It's a nice solution and a good resolution to an issue. It's cool to be working with the Gun Club. It's a lot better than everyone fighting. We gain a lot in community relations."

The old trail will be barricaded after the new route is opened.