The memory of Matthew Hubner lives on in those who knew the 13-year-old Oak Harbor boy and in the travelers who are introduced to him for the first time on Pass Island, where a bench perched on a breathtaking vantage point bears his name.
Hubner was killed in May 2006 when he slipped while trying to access a cave northeast of Deception Pass Bridge. He fell 150 feet to the water below and attempts to recover his body were in vain.
Almost a year-and-a-half later, the historically-romanticized cave that attracted Hubner and many other hikers to its entrance on the treacherous rock face was effectively sealed off Tuesday night.
A crew of three highly-trained, acrophobia-immune workers from Sedro-Woolley’s Buckhorn Construction installed a “bat gate,” aptly-named grating that will allow Townsend’s big-eared bats access to the cave while dissuading spelunking. The rock shelf in front of the entrance will also be inaccessible with the addition of what Jack Hartt, Deception Pass State Park manager, called a “cow catcher.”
“There’s no place to comfortably sit or stand up there anymore,” Hartt said. “The crew did a great job. They finished it in two days and it’s done and effective.”
Shortly after the accident, the knee-jerk reaction was to completely seal off the entrance. The plan changed when the Department of Fish and Wildlife and other local experts determined that the cave is home to Townsend’s big-eared bats. The species hibernates in the cave during the winter.
“It’s perfect timing,” Hartt said. “It just finishes the project.”
Rare raptors have also been known to use the cave and similarly need protection at certain times of the year.
Hubner’s parents had the bench at Pass Island installed in memory of their son. With the new gate serving as a deterrent for other curious hikers, closure is now attainable.
“I’m so pleased, not only for the park’s sake, but for the family’s sake, and for the community’s sake,” Hartt said. “Nobody needs to go up there now.”
Installing the grating was no small feat. The Buckhorn crew, all professional climbers skilled in the specialized work, accessed the cave from the top and lowered the material by rope.
“That’s where they earned their money,” Hartt quipped. “They did it piece by piece. It was not easy. That’s thousands of pounds of grating plus all of their tools. It was fun to watch.”
In spite of repeated safety warnings, Hartt has observed tell-tale signs of activity around the cave since Hubner’s death. Hiking to the impressive 8-foot by 10-foot opening, which led into the natural cave expanded in the early 20th century for mining, was not illegal. Park officials could only caution people and the mere thought of another tragedy was terrifying.
“I’m so relieved this is done,” the park manager said.
