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Mountain Biker/Attorney Argues For Making Wilderness Safer

Aug 31st - 11:31am | Kurt Repanshek

Zeb, The line in the table on page 4 that you're referencing refers only to "National and State parks and related recreational areas, national and State wildlife refuges, and national wilderness and primitive areas."

Aug 31st - 11:20am | haunted hiker

If a sign is "necessary to meet minimum requirements for the administration of the area for the purpose of this Act (including measures required in emergencies involving the health and safety of persons within the area)" To say that the suggestion an agency place signs in certain locations is a wedge that will allow mountain bike in the wilderness is a ridiculous leap.

Aug 31st - 10:55am | Richard Smith

I have knees that are arthritic, and I cannot hike more than 4-5 miles at a time without it becoming painful. If I were given the chance to mountain bike in a wilderness, I could go much farther, because there is less impact on my knees. Llamas and horses have more of an impact than bikes on designated trails.

Aug 31st - 10:42am | Zebulon

Kurt, I simply looked at the table 1 on page 4 and it is in million of acres, so 100 would be 100 M acres. You stated earlier that approx 53M acres of wilderness were in the lower 48, and all those are closed off to bicycles, hence my 50% comment (i.e. 53/100). My high level % does not take into account other exclusions (i.e NPS and other local agencies especially in CA).

Aug 31st - 08:57am | Kurt Repanshek

Sabattis, Doesn't your point about measuring the 109 million acres of wilderness against the *remaining" natural lands actually lean in favor of wilderness designation and protection? After all, the figures you cite demonstrate that we've already lost half of the natural lands in the country to development, making it even more important to preserve what little is left, no?

Aug 30th - 22:04pm | Zebulon

Sabattis, thanks for the find. Reading the study, I believe that the proper read is: National and State parks and related recreational areas, national and State wildlife refuges,and national wilderness and primitive areas: 100M acres in the lower 48, 242M acres for the whole country.

Aug 30th - 21:47pm | Sabattis

I was certainly surprised by the use of the word "just" 109 million acres of wilderness and the phrase "only" 5% of the United States (equal to California!) and "only" 2.7% of the contiguous U.S. (equal to Minnesota!) as protected and designated wilderness.

Aug 30th - 21:00pm | Zebulon

Danny, One can ride a bike, want a few signs and a rescue helicopter once in a great while and have solitude. They're not exclusionary concepts.

Aug 30th - 19:53pm | Anonymous

In my opinion it is not a lack of signage that is getting these people lost...it is lack of backcountry skills.

Aug 30th - 18:46pm | Danny Bernstein

Wilderness areas are supposed to stay wild. The same people who want signage, bikes and instant rescues also want solitude. You can't have it both ways. Danny http://www.hikertohiker.com

Aug 30th - 18:28pm | Zebulon

For more on Mr. Vandeman: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?entry_id=64903 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/06/01/18649474.php

Aug 30th - 18:02pm | Mike Vandeman

In 16 years of discussing the issue of mountain biking with mountain bikers and others, I have never heard a single good reason to allow bikes in natural areas. Every mountain biker is capable of walking. The prohibition of bikes and other mechanical forms of transportation is a very humane way of keeping the human footprint small, while still allowing everyone access to Wilderness.

Aug 30th - 17:29pm | y_p_w

Kurt Repanshek: I believes exceptions for helicopter use in wilderness for just this thing have been granted, no? And let's not forget that exceptions are granted to ferry crews and tools into wilderness for work details. Emergency use of motorized vehicles or aircraft is written right into the Wilderness Act.

Aug 30th - 17:17pm | Zebulon

It is the same Ted Stroll in both cases, and he was right in both cases. The 2.7% argument is a nice way of deflecting the obvious: 50M acres in the lower 48 is a huge amount of land off limits to bicycles, and a number that is continually growing and taking away more and more trails away from us.

Aug 30th - 16:35pm | MikeD

I was told that when there was a big storm that went through the BWCAW years ago, they had to have Congress pass legislation to grant a one-time exception to the Wilderness rules so they could go in there to clean it up, it was that bad.

Aug 30th - 15:56pm | Kurt Repanshek

I believes exceptions for helicopter use in wilderness for just this thing have been granted, no?

Aug 30th - 15:44pm | haunted hiker

A Yosemite ranger told me a story about a wilderness mgmt training course he attended. A question was posed during the course: If a hiker is severely injured in a designated wilderness area is it appropriate for a helicopter to be used to save him? The dilemma posed was that the hiker might die if the helicopter wasn't used.

Aug 30th - 14:53pm | Anonymous

Isn't the Wilderness Act a "Living Document?" I mean, if it's good enough for what used to be "the Constitution" ........

Aug 30th - 13:51pm | Mike Vandeman

Ted Stroll is not honest enough to admit that he is a mountain biker promoting mountain biking (he euphemistically called it "trail cycling"). Nor the fact that mountain bikers are capable of walking, just like everyone else -- just too lazy to DO it.

Aug 30th - 11:57am | Cornell

In his posting, Jim Davis argues for mountain biking.

Another Daring Rescue at Yosemite National Park Uses a Bean Bag/Short Haul

Aug 31st - 11:02am | Anonymous

Do they have to pay for there rescue? If so how much? Great story and good job.

Aug 31st - 06:36am | Connie Hopkins

WOW! Hats off to the SARS team! Climbing is of no interest to me, I'd rather hike. Probably has something to do with my fear of precarious places! I get the willies looking over the edge of Nevada Falls! I hope these climbers realize how fortunate they are that they had such a professional, skilled team, rescuing them!

What Should Gettysburg National Military Park Do With Its Empty Cyclorama Building?

Aug 31st - 11:00am | Catherine

Nothing is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places simply because it is old. It has to have historic significance in order to be eligible.

Aug 30th - 17:19pm | Kevin in Atlanta

Hold an auction for the building, with the caveat that the winning bidder will be obligated to move the building to another location by a date certain. If there is no preservation group or individual able and willing to take on the challenge/opportunity, then it should be torn down as planned.

Could Joe Miller Really Force the Federal Government to Hand Over Denali National Park to Alaska?

Aug 31st - 10:59am | tahoma

This is red meat for rednecks and a bluff-charge by this 'papa grizzly'. Without it's massive federal subsidies, Alaska would be a frozen Guatamala: http://www.adn.com/2010/08/30/1431200/can-alaska-really-curb-its-appetit...

Aug 31st - 10:35am | rdm24

Alaskans are hardly the examples of independence. They are more dependent on Federal largesse than any other state in the Union. And Mr. Miller wants to take even more....

Aug 31st - 10:31am | JP

Perhaps Mr. Miller would like to lead the charge for Alaska to secede. That way, he and his Alaska Tea Party colleagues could live entirely free and independent of the billions of dollars of federal aid that keeps the state running each year. They all could enjoy the liberty of being 100% responsible for all of their own needs.

Aug 31st - 10:27am | Anonymous

I agree with Danny. Some Alaskans live in very remote areas, but when something happens that affects their chosen way of life their quickly holding out their hand waiting for Government assistance.

Aug 31st - 09:25am | Anonymous

I wouldn't dare let Mr. Miller cross the street escorting my mother. The man is a potential hazard to Alaska's natural resources...rape, greed and pillage is in his focus.

Aug 31st - 09:15am | Brad

100% agree. Americans have become way too dependent on Uncle Sam to take care of them. We need to get back to our roots of personal liberties and responsibilities. It's called independence.

Aug 31st - 08:36am | plet39

Todd Palin could pull out his old secessionist paperwork and get the ball rolling really fast!

Aug 31st - 08:21am | Anonymous

Barky, Why are Tea Partiers nutbags????? Because they value personal responsibility? States Rights? The widest degree of personal freedoms? It is easy for someone living in the continental U.S. to say what Alaskans should or shouldn't do. No one except the destitute and helpless need the government's help. It is amazing how capable people become when they have to.

Aug 31st - 08:03am | Anonymous

AGREE!!

Aug 31st - 07:31am | Anonymous

AMEN

Aug 31st - 07:20am | Danny Bernstein

Denali is a **National** Park. So unless he's talking about Alaska leaving the Union, I doubt it.

Aug 31st - 06:14am | Barky

Why do 30% of the American people think these Tea Party folks are anything other than nutbags? I've so had it with these people ...

Is Another "International Park" on the Horizon for the NPS?

Aug 31st - 09:18am | Gaelyn

Yes, it is time! What a great way to continue connecting the world.

Aug 31st - 06:34am | Jim Burnett

Barky - Those questions will certainly be part of the discussion if this idea actually moves ahead. However, if any new "international park" designation only includes areas already protected by the two countries as existing parks or preserves, the question of limiting "access" to oil, minerals and other resources wouldn't seem to be a big issue.

Aug 31st - 06:18am | Barky

Although I'm not familiar with the area, it is an interesting idea worthy of study. Pragmatically speaking, however, I wonder if there are natural resources in the area that would be blocked by such a preservation. Is this an oil- and mineral-rich area? What about fishing?

Updated: Improving Weather Aids in Search for Missing Plane at Katmai National Park

Aug 31st - 07:55am | Anonymous

Thank you for the updates. As a friend of Mason it is very had to keep waiting for these men to be found. Without the updates it would be maddening. If these guys survived the apparent crash I know they are still alive just waiting to be found. A million thanks to the men and women involved with the search.

Aug 30th - 18:52pm | Ben Jones

Neal is very capable of handling the extreme conditions that they might be facing, there was also a lot of supply on the plane. I know that if the plane went down survivable, then they are going to be found. I am grateful to all those concentrating their efforts to try and find these guys and look forward to their safe rescue.

Aug 30th - 18:31pm | Anonymous

It's all about money and who is on board! I wonder why Sen. Ted Stevens was flying on a plane not participating in the Medallion Foundation Program (said with extreme sarcasm)

Aug 30th - 16:32pm | Anonymous

Its frustrating to see this plane has not been found. The question is why it was not equipped with the new 406b ELT that is actively monitored and the old 121.5 ELT is no longer monitored unless there is a known aircraft missing. The new 406b ELT signal narrows a search area much smaller than the one they are now doing.

Yellowstone National Park Officials Working on Management Plan for Lake Area

Aug 31st - 05:32am | debbe

Sad to hear of all the problems there. I'm a EMT in a big city and I have seriously thought of looking for a position in a Nat'l Park just to be near all that beauty but I will not risk my peace of mind (no one should have to). I would think that after continually being treated like that one would close their eyes to the beauty that is our inherent right as citizens and human beings.

Weather Conditions Continuing To Hamper Search Efforts For Missing Katmai National Park Plane

Aug 30th - 19:52pm | Anonymous

Thanks for the updates. My brother in law is chief ranger at Katmai. This has been a very difficult time for him and I know he is doing all he can in this search.

RV Accident in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Injures 6

Aug 30th - 19:27pm | Caroleblanc

We were slightly inconvenienced by the accident, but truly glad no one had died. We are curious as to how the 13 year old boy is doing? We've been praying for him.

It's Ambitious and Expensive: History-Making Effort to Restore Elwha River Takes a Big Step Forward

Aug 30th - 15:16pm | tahoma

It's unlikely the Elwha fishery will ever be fully restored to it's former glory. Besides the well-documented rise in ocean temperatures and acidity, Pacific salmon face numerous dire threats, not the least of which is overfishing by commerical boats. Just twenty miles from the mouth of the Elwha, the city of Victoria, B.C.

Search For Missing Plane in Katmai National Park and Preserve Has Covered 17,500 Miles

Aug 30th - 12:37pm | cheryl a. charles

august 30, 2010 we will pray for all the families and also for my brother District Ranger of Trego, Wisconsin Chuck Carlson. Chuck left this morning to comfort and give full support to the families.

Aug 30th - 12:28pm | cheryl a. charles

my prayers are for all the families up there and for my brother District Ranger Chuck Carlson from Trego, Wisconsin...he left this morning to go up there to be with the families and to comfort them.

North Carolina Wildlife Officials Thinking of Reclassifying Status of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Elk

Aug 30th - 12:35pm | Ben

I have always recognized hunters a conservationist but they are often polarized in heated debates and controversies, especially about predators. As a hunter it is pleasing to here more civilized comments from hunters on the subjects. Elk should be confirmed stable and sustainable before hunting is considered. Predators were a key component when elk were here originally.

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