North Cascades National Park Service Complex Wilderness Statistics 1999
National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Stephen Mather Wilderness
Statistical Summary - 1999

The following summarizes wilderness management statistics for 1999.

The ranger staff of the Wilderness District conducted 122 wilderness patrols during 1999. 18 different persons contributed patrol reports, which covered 37 of the park's 64 trail segments and 5 of the park's 66 cross-country zones at least once. 1,201 hours of patrol time were documented, and 1,135 miles of ground were hiked.

Ranger patrols heard 1,464 overflights (1.22 per hour) of all types of aircraft. Rangers heard aircraft noise for 1,721 minutes (2.4% of the time) over wilderness.

In 1993 data gathering began on using social impacts to a draft set of Level of Acceptable Change (LAC) indicators. In addition to its potential application for establishing and quantifying future LAC indicators, this data has value for determining patrol assignments, evaluating the effectiveness of education efforts, establishing compost toilets, and determining other management actions.

Staff observed 43 incidents of vandalism, 66 piles of toilet paper and/or feces (0.06 per mile), 23 illegal fire rings (0.02 per mile), and collected 823 pieces of litter (0.73 per mile).

The staff observed 107 groups storing food properly and 12 (10.1%) groups with improper food storage techniques. Five commissioned rangers issued 39 violations notices for permit violations (22), pet violations (11), bicycle violations (2), and fire, food storage, weapon violations (1 each).

The Staff received 11 compliments and 17 complaints.

Staff encountered 0.96 group per hour, 1.02 group per mile.

The Staff observed 73 hiking groups in violation of park regulations (5.5% of all hiking groups encountered), and 1 stock group in violation (20.0% of stock groups).