The Enchantments are on the up and up. 

Or at least, things are looking better than last year.  

The 18-mile stretch in the Cascades has long been a popular destination for hikers and backpackers in Washington.

But federal cuts and staffing shortages last year made the Enchantments pretty disenchanting.  

In 2025, only one ranger was in charge of patrolling the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - which spans 900 miles. 

That made trail maintenance really difficult.

We’re talking trash on the trails, overflowing garbage cans, and overflowing toilets. 

It didn’t help that last summer, the area saw record-shattering crowds - with 2,400 people visiting on one day during the July Fourth weekend. 

It’s been a year, and while some things have improved, there’s still a lot of work to be done in the region.

Guest:
Gregory Scruggs, outdoors reporter for The Seattle Times

Related Stories:


Here’s where the Enchantments stand for WA summer hiking season | The Seattle Times


The Enchantments face dire conditions amid staffing shortage | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The Enchantments are on the up and up.&nbsp;
Or at least, things are looking better than last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The 18-mile stretch in the Cascades has long been a popular destination for hikers and backpackers in Washington.
But federal cuts and staffing shortages last year made the Enchantments pretty disenchanting.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In 2025, only one ranger was in charge of patrolling the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - which spans 900 miles.&nbsp;
That made trail maintenance really difficult.
We&rsquo;re talking trash on the trails, overflowing garbage cans, and overflowing toilets.&nbsp;
It didn&rsquo;t help that last summer, the area saw record-shattering crowds - with 2,400 people visiting on one day during the July Fourth weekend.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s been a year, and while some things have improved, there&rsquo;s still a lot of work to be done in the region.
Guest:
<ul>
<li>Gregory Scruggs, outdoors reporter for The Seattle Times</li>
</ul>
Related Stories:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/heres-where-the-enchantments-stand-for-wa-summer-hiking-season/?utm_source=marketingcloud&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Morning+Brief+06-24-26_6_24_2026&amp;utm_term=">Here&rsquo;s where the Enchantments stand for WA summer hiking season | The Seattle Times</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/the-enchantments-face-dire-conditions-amid-staffing-shortage/">The Enchantments face dire conditions amid staffing shortage | The Seattle Times</a>
</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

The popularity of The Enchantments in the Cascades has many asking... how should we manage Wilderness Areas? 

Has TikTok ruined the Enchantments?

One of Washington’s hottest statehouse races is for a district representing northwest Seattle, Shoreline, parts of Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood. Legislative District 32 has an open seat, because longtime representative Cindy Ryu is challenging for a state senate seat.

For Position 1, the candidate field in this solidly-blue district is crowded with Democrats. 

For this round of interviews before the primary, Soundside is focusing on candidates who have raised more than $50,000 to fund their campaign. 

The first of four interviews is with Keith Scully, a Shoreline councilmember and a lawyer. He’s also Shoreline’s former mayor. 

He lives in Richmond Beach with his family. 

Guest

Keith Scully, Shoreline councilmember, lawyer

Related Links

Six candidates vie for open House seat in 32nd District- The Daily Herald

Seattle-area state House race draws crowded field of Democratic hopefuls - The Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

 

One of Washington&rsquo;s hottest statehouse races is for a district representing northwest Seattle, Shoreline, parts of Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood.&nbsp;Legislative District 32 has an open seat, because longtime representative Cindy Ryu is challenging for a state senate seat.
For Position 1, the candidate field in this solidly-blue district is crowded with Democrats.&nbsp;
For this round of interviews before the primary, Soundside is focusing on candidates who have raised more than $50,000 to fund their campaign.&nbsp;
The first of four interviews is with Keith Scully, a Shoreline councilmember and a lawyer. He&rsquo;s also Shoreline&rsquo;s former mayor.&nbsp;
He lives in Richmond Beach with his family.&nbsp; Guest
<a href="https://www.shorelinewa.gov/government/elected-and-appointed-officials/shoreline-city-council/scully">Keith Scully</a>, Shoreline councilmember, lawyer Related Links <a href="https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/07/03/six-candidates-vie-for-open-house-seat-in-32nd-district/">Six candidates vie for open House seat in 32nd District</a> - The Daily Herald <a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/16/seattle-area-state-house-race-draws-crowded-field-of-democratic-hopefuls/">Seattle-area state House race draws crowded field of Democratic hopefuls</a> - The Washington State Standard
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.
&nbsp;

The 32nd includes some of northwest Seattle, Shoreline, parts of Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood.

Primary Elections 2026: Keith Scully, candidate for Position 1, Legislative District 32

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.

Guest: KUOW newscaster Paige Browning

Related Links:
KOMO: Seattle records first homicide-free June since 1970
Seattle Times: Seattle’s population boom has hit the brakes, new data shows


The Athletic: Folarin Balogun available for USMNT vs. Belgium as red card ban suspended
The Athletic: ‘Thank you FIFA for reversing a great injustice!’ How Trump, teammates reacted to Balogun’s ban reprieve

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.
It&rsquo;s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.
Guest: KUOW newscaster Paige Browning
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/nyregion/mamdani-politics-influence.html"></a><a href="https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-had-no-homicides-in-june-for-the-first-time-since-1970-chief-shon-barnes-police-department-spd-law-enforcement-real-time-crime-center-visitors-international-events">KOMO: Seattle records first homicide-free June since 1970</a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/24/nyregion/mamdani-politics-influence.html"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattles-population-boom-hit-the-brakes-in-2026-new-data-shows/">Seattle Times:&nbsp;Seattle&rsquo;s population boom has hit the brakes, new data shows</a></li>
<li>
The Athletic: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7423410/2026/07/05/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-available/">Folarin Balogun available for USMNT vs. Belgium as red card ban suspended</a>
</li>
<li>The Athletic: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7423606/2026/07/05/fifa-world-cup-balogun-ban-trump/">&lsquo;Thank you FIFA for reversing a great injustice!&rsquo; How Trump, teammates reacted to Balogun&rsquo;s ban reprieve</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Front Page: The boys are back in town ... and facing controversy. Plus, are the boom years behind Seattle? 

Last summer, hundreds of people protested outside of an ICE facility in Spokane. They were trying to stop agents from taking two asylum seekers to an ICE detention center in Tacoma. 

As the day wore on and the protest grew in size, law enforcement ordered demonstrators to disperse… and then deployed pepper balls and smoke grenades on the crowd. The mayor issued a curfew. 

By the end of the evening, around 30 people were arrested.

But the government’s response didn't end there: A month later, federal prosecutors indicted nine Spokane protesters on felony conspiracy charges.   

In May, three of those protesters were found guilty of charges related to “conspiracy to impede” federal officers. They face up to six years in prison.

It’s an example of the escalating legal strategy the Trump Administration has been using to charge anti-ICE protesters across the country, most recently in Minnesota.  

And, according to new reporting, federal law enforcement turned to an atypical surveillance tactic to fuel the Spokane case.   

An investigation from Mother Jones found that the FBI secretly extracted data from protesters’ cellphones confiscated during last year’s protest. 

Guest: Schuyler Mitchell, an assistant editor at Mother Jones

Related links:
Public Records Show FBI Secretly Extracted Data From ICE Protesters’ Phones | Mother Jones
More than 30 arrested at immigration protest in Spokane sparked by arrest of 2 immigrants | The Spokesman-Review

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Last summer, hundreds of people protested outside of an ICE facility in Spokane. They were trying to stop agents from taking two asylum seekers to an ICE detention center in Tacoma.&nbsp;
As the day wore on and the protest grew in size, law enforcement ordered demonstrators to disperse&hellip; and then deployed pepper balls and smoke grenades on the crowd. The mayor issued a curfew.&nbsp;
By the end of the evening, around 30 people were arrested.
But the government&rsquo;s response didn't end there: A month later, federal prosecutors indicted nine Spokane protesters on felony conspiracy charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
In May, three of those protesters were found guilty of charges related to &ldquo;conspiracy to impede&rdquo; federal officers. They face up to six years in prison.
It&rsquo;s an example of the escalating legal strategy the Trump Administration has been using to charge anti-ICE protesters across the country, most recently in Minnesota.&nbsp;&nbsp;
And, according to new reporting, federal law enforcement turned to an atypical surveillance tactic to fuel the Spokane case.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An investigation from Mother Jones found that the FBI secretly extracted data from protesters&rsquo; cellphones confiscated during last year&rsquo;s protest.&nbsp;
Guest: Schuyler Mitchell, an assistant editor at Mother Jones
Related links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/06/cellebrite-phone-protest-ice-dhs-spokane-fbi-conspiracy-surveillance-privacy/">Public Records Show FBI Secretly Extracted Data From ICE Protesters&rsquo; Phones | Mother Jones</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jun/11/protesters-including-former-city-council-president/">More than 30 arrested at immigration protest in Spokane sparked by arrest of 2 immigrants | The Spokesman-Review</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Free speech advocates are worried about the tactic being used to investigate First Ammendment-protected activities.

Has TikTok ruined the Enchantments?

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