Klickitat sandbar: is crossing the tracks off limits?

30knotwind · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 239 Location: White Salmon, WA

New signs have gone up at the crossing warning of fines--in the past 2 weeks according to Lyle Hotel. I have always seen tons of cars there when passing for Dougs this year. We just want to walk our dog on the sandbar on windless days.
Thanks

River-Lizard · Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 188

Its illegal to cross the tracks, yes they will fine you and at that particular spot, they are pretty serious about it due to too many people (kiters mostly) parking in the area and illegally accessing the sand bar via the train tracks.

I'm 99.9% certain that the only legal access to the Lyle sandbar is by boat or parachute.

Bret · Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 149 Location: Up State New York

I recommend the parachute idea, but you have to jump from the Yellow Cub plane that sometimes fly's underneath the Hood River Bridge..what a site. I have seen this twice.

sissybar · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Posts: 53

RR Cops are easy to spot and you have a right to access navigable waterway. If they cite you take it to trial. Criminal trespass, big deal. Jury will not likeRR cops or RR, RR is not a good neighbor.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

The court routine has been tried, with no success ... and that was before it became a federal offense. As soon as the law went federal, the emboldened RRs put up new signs staking out much larger territory ... clear to the Highway 14 pavement at many spots. When they spot WSing gear on land or water, they can come bust our chops pretty quickly. We see fishermen -- not commercial Indian fishermen, just guys goin' bank fishing -- at good illegal sailing spots all the time, but if a sailor joins them he can be in trouble. Even the mighty U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has admitted in open forum at the national level that the RR rule the roost with virtually complete immunity.

All the more reason to admire and support the CGWA for their success in gaining the RR's cooperation at Doug's Beach.

Mike \m/

ldhr · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 121

wmike · Joined: 20 Jan 2001 Posts: 207 Location: Maui

Dude - go for it. I'll contribute a week's worth of coffee money to your defense fun ($25).[/quote]

I remember a Doctor that fought the RR in Court and it cost him near $10,000, and he lost. One weeks of coffee will not do it. The train engineers call the RR cops. They did that to us one day out east when a WSer did a close call on crossing the tracks with his car.

Mike

scottwerden · Joined: 11 Jul 1999 Posts: 302

Mike, I remember that incident with the doctor 10-12 years ago. It was at a WS spot on Puget Sound. As I recall, he was arrested, not just cited, for trespassing. The RR obviously feels it is bad PR to smoosh people on their tracks. I would not think they would care otherwise.

wmike · Joined: 20 Jan 2001 Posts: 207 Location: Maui

Scott,

I think you are correct. I also think he had had a citation from Loroc's with BN RR which made it worse. I think a first time citation is now $1000. And that is more than I will gamble with.

Mike