My OC in North Cascades... NP...

imported post

This weekend some of the family and I hiked from Rainy Pass on HW20 to Stehikin on Lake Chelan. It was a great hike, good weather most of the way. I OC'd as usual (Glock20), and I have never had a problem (even in NPs.) We passed four groups of people on the trail, they never took a second glance.

In town we stopped and ate at the Bakery, not a second glance there either. Good food btw. On our way to the lake, I passed a ranger on a motorcycle, he waived to me. Anice guy in atruckdriving by actually stopped and gave me a ride to thelake.When we got there andwere waiting for the boat to come pick us up, another ranger came up to me and got upset.

He asked why I was carrying, if I was on duty, etc.. I was short with him, I had to bite my tongue (I would have argued if I had time (and he looked like he was ready to arrest me anyway).. only one boat for the day, and we all had to work the next day..) I told him I wasn't looking for any trouble, and he told me he would give me a warning if I unloaded, took off the slide,and put it in my pack. He made me take my knife off my hip and put it there too. He was really perplexed that I wasn't scared of his authority, and that I was really frustrated with him. Afterwards he got in his car and wouldn't look at me. officer Fitzgerald.
he was the brunt of a lot of jokes afterward from my family, though . They were glad I carried after we saw a bear too

imported post

Stehekin is south of the North Cascades National Park; why did you disarm? Is the town of Stehekin within the jurisdiction of the National Park Service?

imported post

Rainy pass that is in the North Cascades National park. It is illegal to carry a fire arm into a National Park.

imported post

If you were in a NP, it sounds to me like you got off lucky. It is still illegal until this coming Feb to have a functional, loaded firearm within the park. I'm surprised that you didn't get arrested.

I wonder if the rangers have been told to take it easy on people carrying in light of possible confusion about the effective date of the new firearm regulations.

imported post

Yeah Stehekin, is in the park according to their NPS maps on their wesites.

Did not know that... probably better that my planned hike waits til next spring or summer.

Still ridiculous, I mean hiking back country unarmed is.... ill prepared, to put it politely.

imported post

triehl27 wrote:

Yeah Stehekin, is in the park according to their NPS maps on their wesites.

Did not know that... probably better that my planned hike waits til next spring or summer.

Still ridiculous, I mean hiking back country unarmed is.... ill prepared, to put it politely.

Click to expand...

Ill prepared? As my daughter would say, it is nucking futz.

imported post

Unless you are lugging a rifle or a .500 SW around I would say you are far better off with this:





Will be far more effective than any of the normal calibers people carry a handgun in.

Edit: Side note. Spent a week in Glacier NP in August (my 9th or 10th trip). Was with in 20 feet of a bear. Walked up below the trail through some thick brush. By the time it was visible and audible it was less then 10 yards away. Started slowly backing up with the camera in one hand and a can of ^ in the other. Came right up on the trail. Walked along it for a few yards then dissapeared in the brush again...

imported post

Rainy pass is outside the park. Steheikin is inside the National Rec Area, which is administered by the Park Service, and has the same rules as the Park itself.

Interestingly, I have 20 acres just off Lake Roosevelt. I cannot get to the property without passing thru the National Rec Area. Next February will not come to soon for me!

imported post

David.Car wrote:

Unless you are lugging a rifle or a .500 SW around

Willl be far more effective than any of the normal calibers people carry a handgun in.

Click to expand...

Interestingly enough, the Alaska Hiway Patrol carries Glock 20's, and does so not because they need more gun for people, but because it afforded them more when called on to dispatch large game animals.
A glock 20 is plenty for black bear, which is what you'll come across in North Cascades Park. There have been reports of griz, but they are very rare.
It happens to be my carry piece, too, so I pick up these minutia
And to the OP, yes, OC was/is quite illegal for the time being. Better to conceal until the date for legal park carry arrives. They really don't want to have to arrest you in Stehikin, tho. Then they are responsible for your safety until you get to jail, which from Stehikin is quite a journey.

imported post

Why did you have to remove the knife? Is there a rule against hiking or camping in the NPs with a knife?

imported post

the knife is a "weapon" I guess (big 12" bowie). Yeah, I don't hike without my Glock20. I carrypepperspray as backup to my gun.I don't care what the law says, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by six." According to our constitution, OC in NPs is LEGAL. screw those liberal bastages. :cuss:I'm going to be carrying next time and everytime. Ill just cover up in town ughh :?


won't it only be CC when the court desiscion goes through anyway?

imported post

won't it only be CC when the court desiscion goes through anyway?

Click to expand...

Negative - carry per the laws of the state

See section 8 (b)
(2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State in which the unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System is located.

Full Text of Legislation (Word Document)

imported post

thanks, M1gunner.

imported post

In a way it's good that that judge enjoined the enactment of the new rule, which basically allowed concealed carry of a handgun, because under the new law, one can carry a 45-70 rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun, and an openly carried .44 magnum. We probably wouldn't have the new law if the new rule had been allowed to take effect. We were delayed slightly, but ultimately the outcome is far better.