Ground Truth

On June 21, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act, S. 1272. Senator Wyden and his staff deserve extra kudos for patiently and expertly moving this bill forward to the Senate floor. Full Senate consideration of...

We must continue to move the Devil's Staircase bill through the Senate. It had a hearing in October. It is time for mark-up. Help us protect this coastal gem forever. Personalize and send an auto letter to Sen. Wyden now.

In 2009, we made steady progress towards securing protection for Oregon's last Coast Range wilderness. With leadership from Rep. Peter DeFazio and Sen. Ron Wyden legislation to designate 26,000 acres of amazing forests and wild streams was introduced in Congress....

Last night, Oregon Public Broadcasting's Oregon Field Guide aired its epic trek into Devil's Staircase. Cascadia Wildlands led the expedition. Kudos to all for finding the Staircase and getting everyone back safely!

On October 28, the House Natural Resources Committee marked-up and passed the Devil's Staircase Wilderness Bill, H.R. 2888. The bill now goes to the House floor where it will be voted on next year. Three new House co-sponsors have signed on in support of Devil's...

One of the Devil's Staircase Coalition members, Umpqua Watersheds, is hosting a wilderness conference that includes Devil's Staircase information and a hike into the area the next day. Saturday, Nov 7, 9-3:30 in Roseburg, Oregon.

by Andy Stahl I admit that Washington, D.C., is not my favorite place to visit. But yesterday was special. The House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Peter's Devil's Staircase Wilderness bill (HR 2888) could not have gone any better. Bureau of Land Management...

I'm camped outside Peter DeFazio's office -- it opens at 9 a.m. -- going over my testimony for today's hearing. Read it belo. -- Andy Stahl. Congressional testimony of Andy Stahl, Executive Director, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics Thank you, Mr....

The Roseburg News-Review reported yesterday on the second group of hikers to spend an unplanned night in the Devil's Staircase. Warning: Do not attempt to find the Devil's Staircase waterfall without an experienced guide. That means someone who has been there before...

Cascadia Wildlands will be guiding a series of hikes to the proposed Devil's Staircase Wilderness this summer. The hikes will explore various parts of the proposed wilderness and won't necessarily go to the Devil's Staircase itself. Cascadia Wildlands cannot be held...

Oregonian story from Sunday, July 5 featuring Oregon Wild's Wilderness proposal and video.

Today, June 16, Rep. DeFazio, D-Ore, and Sen. Wyden, D-Ore, introduced companion bills, H.R. 2888 and S. 1272, designating the 29,650-acre Devil's Staircase Wilderness. The bills also protect Franklin and Wasson Creeks as Wild Rivers. The bills will be referred to...

Cascadia Wildlands led intrepid Register-Guard reporter Winston Ross to the Devil's Staircase. Read his story here.

Write to Congress Write your two U.S. Senators and your Representative. Ask them to support Wilderness protection. With the recent passage of the Public Lands bill in March that provided new Wilderness protection to many areas in the U.S., now is a great time to...

If you live in Oregon, be a contact person or host for a slideshow or PowerPoint presentation on the Devil’s Staircase. Help in letting more people know that this one of a kind wild gem exists and needs protection. If you belong to or know of a group, club or civic...

Oregon Wild's Erik Fernandez extolls Devil's Staircase virtues in the Oregonian. Read Erik's op-ed.

Smithsonian Magazine reports on a visit intrepid tall tree climbers made to Wassen Creek. They ascended some of the tallest trees in the proposed Devil's Staircase Wilderness. Read it here.

The Cascadia Wildlands Project will be leading more hikes into the enchanted forests of the proposed Devil’s Staircase wilderness starting in February. Note that the April 4th hike will be to the actual Devil’s Staircase waterfall whereas the other hikes will not. The...

By Dave and Dee Tvedt Thanks to everyone who supports protection for this one of a kind remnant wild area in the Oregon Coast Range. Almost all of the coast range has been logged. I’ve heard the statistic that only ~3% of the native forest remains there. Driving the...

Last September, I found the access to Wassen Lake an easy stroll downhill from the logging road to the east. The lake is full of stumps and downed logs, not really suitable for a swim, but there is plenty of wildlife and total silence. I went cross country (a...

The following fine letter appeared in the 11/20/08 edition of the Eugene Register-Guard. Devil’s Staircase is Stunning Last weekend, I made my first trek into the proposed Devil’s Staircase Wilderness (Wassen Creek). What a spot! I’ve hiked to almost every remote...