Tri City Herald “Thumbs Up”

Leaders with vision

For more than a decade the Friends of Badger Mountain have been working to provide public access to the summit of Candy Mountain. That access is a critical piece in group’s vision of a 20-mile network of ridge-top trails that starts at Amon Basin on the Kennewick-Richland border and extends to the Yakima River by way of the summits of Little Badger Mountain, Badger Mountain, Candy Mountain and Red Mountain.

Tuesday, Benton County commissioners approved an agreement to buy eight Candy Mountain parcels for $1.4 million, securing that access.

The land purchases are being paid for by $695,000 from Friends of Badger and matched by a grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Friends of Badger raised more than $850,000 with lead gifts of $300,000 from CH2M Hill Plateau and $100,000 from Bechtel National.

Thumbs up to the Friends of Badger Mountain and the Benton County commissioners for their vision.