Glimmers of hope for Lyle attempt at shore access to sandbar

Within the Draft SR 14 congestion study, WSDOT identified seven hot spots with recurring congestion and parking overflow between Washougal and Maryhill; notably absent from the list is the Lyle Sandbar.

The seven sites the agency identified are: Cape Horn Viewpoint, Cape Horn Trailhead/Salmon Falls Park and Ride, Beacon Rock State Park, Dog Mountain Trailhead, Drano Lake Boat Ramp, Swell City, Coyote Wall Trailhead (Courtney Road and SR 14) / East Syncline (Old Hwy 8 and SR 14) and Catherine Creek Trailhead.

According to the draft report, the Lyle sandbar area, referred to as the Klickitat Spit by the state agency, is not currently associated with a “formally sanctioned recreation site,” leading to them not detailing the site further, while acknowledging that the site is listed as a “heavily utilized resource by the recreation community within the (Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area management plan).”

Lyle Community Councilors last week sent a letter to the agency requesting the addition of the site on their list of sites to survey, noting that “omission of the Klickitat Spit misses the goal of the Study and Report, to study and suggest improvements to unsafe recreational sites along SR-14.

“The Klickitat Spit suffers from the same problems as the other sites you do include: Uncontrolled access, overflow parking onto SR14 and adjoining roads, pedestrian conflict with cars on SR14, and no recognized path of travel across SR14,” the letter continues.

The Lyle sandbar has become a hot spot destination for kitesurfers in recent years. In a blog post on comekitewithus.com, a kiteboarding school publication, recreationalists note that the Lyle sandbar has steadier wind than the world-class site down the river in Hood River. That, along with its shallow and warm water and uncrowded conditions offer a spot “that has much more steady wind for students that want to learn to kiteboard in one of the best spots in the USA.”

The blog post continues to note that access is achieved by crossing railroad tracks, and is “not a designated area for crossing and could result in a warning, fines, or possibly arrest.”

Lyle resident Vern Harpole has been vocal in his support for attaining public access to the sandbar. He stated that for years, the spot has gradually grown in popularity, causing parking overflow onto Old Highway 8 and unanticipated crossings along SR 14. He noted that besides crossing the railroad tracks, the only other access is by walking underneath the bridges, but the unofficial trail contains poison oak and spill holes, and also crosses property reserved for native fishing purposes. Either way, the crossings are problematic at best and dangerous at worst.

Despite the omission of the sandbar as a priority for a safety study, Harpole said its recognition as an “active recreation site” by the report shows marked progress on the community’s interest in attaining legal and safe access to the kitesurfing spot.

“What was important that the study did show is it is a quote ‘recognized high traffic recreational site,’” Harpole said. “That’s really important, just that statement by the highway department.”

The greatest hurdle that the community has yet to overcome is attaining legal access to the sandbar. While the U.S. Forest Service owns the property, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad has placed restrictions, prohibiting public access to the site.

Despite public ownership of the sandbar, Harpole said he has not yet received an answer to why the site has not received official designation as a recreation site, which would allow for further consideration of improvements by public entities.

Meeting held

With that in mind, community councilors have been meeting with officials from the railroad, Klickitat County, Washington State Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Last year, the Lyle Community Council successfully lobbied the Klickitat County Board of Commissioners to endorse their proposal.

Harpole said the effort has seen additional support by Klickitat County Commissioner Dave Sauter, who sits on the committee to seek access to the sandbar.

Sauter said that, as a lifelong Lyle resident, he has seen the spot become more of a problem over the years. Even before it became public land, people used the site for recreation, “which was really the reason for the Forest Service’s acquisition.”

But what got the county’s interest in resolving the issue was when BNSF began “escalating the physical barriers” to access the site, he said.

The county has had a hand in facilitating talks with the interested parties, including BNSF, U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of Transportation. The Yakama Nation is also involved, but they primarily only speak to federal authorities, Sauter said.

The county is also currently researching historical easements, if any, to substantiate the community’s argument for improving access to the site.

“If it doesn’t have legal access, it’s hard for the state to recognize it,” Sauter said. “If there is an actual access there that would totally change the conversation with the railroad.”

A finalized report is expected this spring. In spite of the sandbar’s omission, officials say work will continue towards realizing their goal of attaining pedestrian access, but ultimately, Sauter said the “Forest Service would have to be a willing partner for anything moving forward.”