28 CWMP 2013-2014 Winter Field Season Report
Appendix D: Snow Tracking Survey Protocol Winter 2013-2014
Snow Tracking Survey Protocol
Winter 2013-2014
CASCADE WILDLIFE MONITORING PROJECT
Version: 30 No vembe r 2013
A volu ntee r -des ig ned collabo rativ e pr oject of
Wilde rness Aware ness School a nd Conservation Northwe s t
Purpose:
This document is intended to provide practical instructions for teams of snow tracking
volunteers and their team-leaders.
Introduction:
A major expansion project is planned for the Interstate-90 highway, known as the "I-90
Snoqualmie Pass East Project", for a significant stretch of the highway between the
Snoqualmie Pass and Easton. The project has progressed well into the planning stages
with construction intended to begin within the next 5 years.
The project includes widening of the road and safety improvements, as well as a series of
wildlife crossing structures. These structures are planned for sites known to be used
heavily by wildlife in the area especially in animals' attempts to cross the highway.
Planned structures include underpasses (such as long bridges), culverts, and overpasses.
Some planned overpasses are hundreds of feet long, covered with soil and vegetation, and
effectively form a 'tunnel' for the highway.
During the planning process, good relationships have been maintained between
government agencies and conservation groups. This wildlife monitoring project is a joint
project of Conservation Northwest and the Wilderness Awareness School and is intended
to provide more information about wildlife species presence and behavior at 4 sites of
interest to Conservation Northwest, three of which coincide with planned wildlife
crossings (Gold Creek, Price/Noble Creek, and Easton Hill). The other site, Hyack/Silver
Fir, is the site of a proposed expansion to the ski resort. This survey is also intended to lay
the groundwork for ongoing wildlife monitoring in the I-90 corridor and potentially more
widely in the Cascades.
One previous snow tracking study was conducted by Peter Singleton and others as part of
the planning process for the I-90 Snoqualmie East Project. Singleton's study combined
snow tracking data with roadkill records and habitat parameters to provide information to
help decide the locations of the planned wildlife crossings. Our current monitoring
