Protecting land's natural beauty

The flat piece of land at the crest of Mount Peak would make a perfect spot for a million-dollar home.

The property on the Enumclaw-area minimountain offers sweeping views of the rushing White River and a green valley leading to Mount Rainier. It has been clear-cut. There's even a gravel road leading up to the property.

But a McMansion isn't going to happen here.

This piece of land — along with nearly the entire mountain — is protected. King County bought some of the mountain last year, ensuring that the picturesque open space will remain open to the public.

The county bought 117 acres of the mountain in the late 1980s and early '90s, naming it Pinnacle Peak Park.

In December 2007, the county bought four adjacent pieces of property on the south side of the mountain, bringing the total to 82 acres. The county paid the three owners a total of $1.35 million for the parcels, which brought the total park area to 199 acres, King County Parks Director Kevin Brown said.

It took the perseverance of an Enumclaw conservation group to draw King County's attention to the rest of the 1,800-foot mountain. For years, the Enumclaw Forested Foothills Recreation Association has been asking that the mountain be protected against development.

When hikers reported that some of the remaining private property owners on the mountain put up for-sale signs on their land in the last two years, the group strengthened its efforts, President Pat Traub said.

As often as possible, Traub tries to get county officials out to the country so they can see why the land is worth saving.

"The view should be for everybody, not just a limited few," Traub said.

The group wants the mountain preserved because it's something that's important for the communities of Enumclaw, Buckley and surrounding areas, Traub said.

Rural communities need to work together to stay rural, Traub said.

It was only a matter of time before high-end home developers became interested in the property, King County Executive Ron Sims said. King County officials worked for more than a year to buy the land from private owners before it could be sold to developers.

"We knew that [the property owners] were going to be under development pressure," Sims said.

Pinnacle Peak — or Mount Peak King County Park, as it's known to the locals — is used mainly by hikers. The mountain is an inactive volcano, evidenced by the pockets of columnar basalt volcanic rock found on the mountain.

The official trailhead is on the north side of the mountain at 276th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 472nd Street, but there's also access on the south side at Southeast 481st Street. Most of the terrain is too muddy to ride horses through. Equestrians leave the area to hikers, Traub said.

The trails gain elevation quickly, topping out with a 180-degree vista of the Enumclaw plateau and nearby Buckley. The skyscraper tops of downtown Tacoma and Seattle are barely visible in the distance.

"The only noise we hear up here is the river," Traub said, as she climbed to the top of the mountain with her two dogs, Rio and Amiga.

The clear-cut area and gravel road are popular with local hikers.

Enumclaw-area resident Deanna Bruhn used to hike to the mountain several times a week. She recently had a baby and now she's hiking again to get in shape.

She'd seen the for-sale signs and wondered about the fate of her hiking route. She was thrilled to learn her walking path would remain untouched.

"Me and my girlfriends love to come up here," Bruhn said.

The county is planning to mostly leave the property as it is now: natural space and trails.

They'll likely improve emergency-vehicle access and add some trail signs and restrooms on the south side of the mountain, Brown said.

Lauren Vane: 253-234-8604 or lvane@seattletimes.com