Legislature passed Wilderness for Boulder White Clouds; on to Obama!

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

I'm not familiar with the area at all, so maybe I have no business posting about it.

That said, I read Simpson's note on his website about the mountain biking issue, and it seems that while some trails will be closed to mountain biking, there are still many other popular trails that will remain open. He made a pretty good case that the area will still have enough mountain biking trails available that it will continue to draw in mountain bikers. He also made a good case that the area in which the trails will be closed was a core wilderness area that really deserved that protection.

It sounded to me that, as our own Mike says above, it's a case of in a good compromise nobody gets everything they are looking for, but everybody gets some of what they are looking for.

Dave

Yup. Simpson had some good examples he used to avoid the worst outcomes while retaining the best. He must have used the Escalante Staircase Monument as a starting place. At the time Clinton made it a national monument, the area was a little known secret to all but the most dedicated desert rats, and it's creation was bitterly fought in Congress before passage. Since then, it's popularity has far surpassed all expectations, as has some of the problems and benefits it brought to the surrounding small towns.

Simpson's bill foresaw many of the problems, and was designed to benefit the small surrounding towns, many of which have been struggling for survival for decades now. Challis in particular now has an opportunity for solid growth that it never had before, and I fully expect it will become financially sound at last.

The timing was perfect. Signing the bill adds to Obama's legacy, gives our congressional delegation some much needed prominence, and ended the Congressional session with a good solid bill that shows both sides can agree on something that benefits us all. Recessing on a high note is all good for the politicians, and Idaho gets another great tourist destination in the bargain. 15 years was a very long time in coming, but I'm glad it happened.

The Sawtooths are America's Alps. The Matterhorn alone draws millions of tourists every year to it, and has for 150 years, and brings in multi-millions to the Swiss. The Sawtooths have the same potential, in a much more scenically diverse area.

[Luvlylilac]

Must admit I don't know much about this or anything about that area but it sounds good to me. I like the idea of keeping some of Idaho wild.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Luvlylilac

Must admit I don't know much about this or anything about that area but it sounds good to me. I like the idea of keeping some of Idaho wild.

Lady, it's all still wild here. I'm happy so much of it will stay that way, especially whenever I take a trip to some of our neighboring states and see what happens without some protection.

I go back far enough to remember when Boise was a Big Town with 50,000 people, and Salt Lake City, Major League Big Town, was reached on a narrow 2-lane highway. Today, the drive from here to Boise looks much the same as ever. Only the cities have changed. But that will not last forever. Idaho has water, clean air, and lots of open space. More people will come for their share of it all.

Wilderness, something I took for granted my entire life, has turned out to be a necessary refreshment of the human spirit over my lifetime, and it's grand that folks will always be able to find it here in abundance now. All most folks need is a little elbow room once in a while to keep a steady mind.