Providing for human use and enjoyment of natural resources is a mandated responsibility of North Cascades NP. The diverse resources of the park provide a wide range of recreational opportunities for park visitors, especially given the inclusion of Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas within the park complex. Typical recreational activities include sightseeing, hiking, camping, skiing, rock climbing, boating, and fishing. These activities occur in the front country (near roads) and back country, as well as on various waterways, especially the major rivers and lakes.

As the human population of the greater Puget Sound region grows, so too will recreational use of North Cascades NP and adjacent lands. It will benefit park resource managers to know about trends in visitation (including demographic trends in visitor sub-populations), as well as how recreational use is apportioned to different activities and geographic areas. It will also be important to have an assessment of the current (baseline) and future conditions of natural resources, so that the effects of human use can be monitored over time and ideally linked to indexes of visitor use. If various resource-condition thresholds (e.g., carrying capacity, limits of acceptable change) are exceeded, then it may be appropriate to modify management of a particular resource or area.

There are various ways to determine the amount of visitation for a particular location. Some of the relevant variables include: number and types of users, party size, number and types of vehicles, use of stock, timing of visit, trip distance and duration for hikers, duration of stay at campgrounds or other attractions, primary activities, place of origin and other demographic characteristics. All of these variables can inform park managers about who their recreational "customers" are, and suggest priorities for future management actions. Quantifying visitor use at North Cascades NP is challenging because there are no official entrances, fee stations, or heavily used visitor centers where park users can be readily surveyed. Consequently, visitor-survey methods will logically target several locations that are considered to be representative of specific recreational opportunities (e.g., organized campgrounds, back country trails, river rafting, etc.). In addition, the effects of park management activities, including operations, construction, and maintenance, should be included in overall monitoring efforts.

Measuring social and demographic trends in western Washington will provide insight into recreational use patterns in North Cascades NP, because visitation is closely tied to population characteristics of nearby urban areas. Information is also needed on the status of recreational use on other lands, as well as any changes in recreational opportunities, fees, and land-use policies. Cooperative ventures with national forests, state of Washington agencies, and other governmental partners would lead to an improved approach to the management of outdoor recreation in western Washington.

As a preface to the recommendations below, it is assumed that estimation of overall park use by park staff will continue and that it will be available on a monthly and annual basis (e.g., wilderness and other overnight use). We also assume that an information management system will be in place to aggregate data and to make them available to users. Data should initially be collected for three consecutive years to establish a baseline (constituting an inventory of current use). Thereafter, data will be collected every 3-5 years or as appropriate to site and other considerations.

1. Comprehensive monitoring system including overnight and day visitors at the following sites (in prioritized order). Many of these sites are relevant to other components of the LTEM plan. In general, they represent a range of sites from high to low elevation, westside to eastside environments, heavily to lightly used recreation areas, difficult to easy access, and terrestrial to aquatic ecology.

• Cascade Pass, Boston Basin
• Thunder Creek basin
• Stehekin Valley, including Rainbow Loop, McGregor Mtn., Goode Ridge, Juanita Lake
• Goodell Creek, Thornton Creek
• Chilliwack River, Hozomeen Lake
• Pacific Crest Trail at Bridge Creek

Diablo Lake Overlook and Mt. Shuksan also have characteristics that are appropriate for inventorying visitor use. For example, entry to the Mt. Shuksan area is through Forest Service lands

2. Monitoring seasonal activities (not listed in priority order) not designated by specific site:

• Snowmobile use (Highway 20 marker 134 to 139 and beyond)
• Winter rafting (Skagit)
• Summer rafting (Skagit)

Additional areas, or more specific definitions of sampling sites, may be added depending on other resource monitoring components. Specifically noted are possible elements associated with fish harvest, human perception of atmospheric visibility, human vegetation impacts, human impacts on wildlife, and human impacts on aquatic systems. Subject to individual site circumstances, the above data for non-winter activities should be collected from Memorial Day to October. Winter activities data should be collected from November to February.

3. Initial inventory and monitoring should include data from the following items:

• Party size
• Number of users (parties and individuals; including park operations or other official business)
• Vehicles (number and type, e.g., RVs vs. other)
• Place of origin
• Use of stock (numbers and type)
• Time of week (weekday vs. weekend)
• Trip distance and duration (dayhikers, backpackers, etc.)
• Duration of stay at attraction site
• Primary activity or activities
• Place of origin and other selected demographic characteristics

The above variables will improve understanding of park trends in visitor use. They also provide linkages to external social and demographic trends in market areas, making projection of future visitation scenarios more feasible and accurate. Other variables may be added as needed, depending on linkages with other ecosystem components.

4. Sample sizes and methods will be negotiated on a site-by-site basis as determined by research design requirements the sensitivity of affected biological resources. Considerations should include a power analysis balanced against cost/effectiveness concerns for each monitoring component. Some components and associated concerns will be motivated by biological monitoring of specific natural resources. Sampling should be done such that statistically valid comparisons can be made across sites within any given year and across years of data collection.
   
   
5. A method for establishing a baseline and monitoring park management activities should also be developed. These activities include park operations, enforcement, construction and maintenance, monitoring activities, and research. Their impacts on both resources and visitor experiences should be considered.
   
   
6. Conduct a comprehensive inventory and evaluation of existing visitor information to assess existing sources, highlight the largest existing needs, and suggest opportunities for improving the quality of existing data through modified collection and reporting procedures. External social and demographic trends are needed to improve inferences regarding data from North Cascades NP. Regional population information should be gathered (to the extent possible) from existing sources and projections. This information could be acquired in conjunction with other national parks and agencies in the area. Regional information should also be collected and monitored concerning the existing policies and changes in policies of other recreation opportunity providers in the region. For example, surrounding Forest Service areas are now beginning to charge visitors a fee. A summary document could be created as a cooperative venture among some or all recreation opportunity providers in the region.
   
   
7. These previous recommendations were developed in the context of biological and ecological concerns as they relate to systems of visitation to the park. It is important to note that the NPS mandate includes an emphasis on the provision of opportunities for visitor enjoyment. A monitoring system to assess the quality and nature of visitor experiences and any changes in those experiences is an important aspect of park management. Baseline data regarding experiential dimensions (e.g., perceptions of solitude, perceptions of human impact to pristine natural systems) of wilderness visits would be an important first step.