13,700 pounds and counting: Community cleans up illegal dumping on Green Mountain
Community removes 6 tons of trash from Green Mountain
In the nearly three months since the illegal dumping issue on Green Mountain was first exposed, the Granite Falls community has mobilized, removing over six tons of trash.
GRANITE FALLS, Wash. - Over the summer, a makeshift shooting range on private logging lands along the Mountain Loop Highway turned into an illegal dumping ground. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office warned without change, access to the Green Mountain area could be shut down.
In the nearly three months since the issue was first exposed, the Granite Falls community has mobilized, removing over six tons of trash from Green Mountain.
Stefan Welch, owner of Granite Falls Hardware, has been a long-time shooter at Green Mountain. He’s shocked by the uptick in trash left behind by visitors.
"Your story was eye-opening, and I think a lot of people knew Green Mountain had some garbage up there, but I didn’t think that much was going to come down," Welch said. "There’s a bunch of old cars that have been abandoned."
Makeshift gun range, dumping ground takes over WA wilderness
A stretch of Snohomish County wilderness has become a makeshift shooting range and dumping ground, overrun by trigger-happy amateurs armed with military-grade weapons.
Beyond hundreds of shell casings and beer bottles, much of the debris consisted of everyday items like microwaves, which had become targets.
Welch, recognizing that he couldn’t control the actions of all visitors, devised an incentive to encourage people to clean up after themselves. He began offering raffle tickets in exchange for collected trash. Anyone who turns in three pounds of trash will receive one ticket.
"It’s not just our community coming up there shooting. We have a lot of people coming up from out of town," said Welch. "They just had somebody from Kirkland go up there, go shooting, and they heard about this and brought their garbage down here."
Welch’s initiative has paid off, with the community removing over 13,700 pounds of trash.
"Holy cow, yeah. This community has just showed up and showed off," Welch said.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has documented heavily armed trespassers firing rounds on private logging land and leaving behind large amounts of litter. Despite community efforts, the illegal dumping continues, prompting calls for a more permanent solution.
Illegal shooting range in Washington exposed
A stretch of Snohomish County wilderness just outside Granite Falls has become a make-shift shooting range and dumping ground, overrun by trigger-happy amateurs armed with military-grade weapons.
Welch hopes that local and federal officials can step in to provide resources, such as dumpsters or even designated shooting lanes to deter people from trespassing on private land.
"We want to see Green Mountain stay a shooting area," Welch said.
Welch has also partnered with a scrap metal shop in Lake Stevens, which offers gift cards in exchange for collected items. The first winner of the trash raffle will be announced on November 1.
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