[pct-l] Letter of the Law

[campydog at verizon.net (Campy)]

Hi:

David C wrote in part:

    On another note, mechanized equipment CAN be used in wilderness 
areas if
it is used for trail maintenance.  Chain saws are allowed, for 
instance, in
Olympic National Park (90% designated as wilderness). I went to a chain 
saw
certification class and now I am allowed to operate one for trail 
maintenance. I
cut several hundred trees across a trail (Six Ridge) that had been 
neglected for
20 years due to budget reasons.
  They made an exception to the Wilderness act so that they could get 
the most
out of their volunteer labor and budget dollars. Using a hand saw (whip 
saw)
would have taken hundreds of more hours of labor on the trail I helped 
clear
    They reconciled an exception to the Wilderness act because it also 
says
that foot powered recreation is a primary purpose of wilderness. 
Therefore
trails and their maintenance are essential for that purpose. Of course 
reason, as
usual, must prevail. Using a bulldozer to build a trail would be 
outrageous
  David C

Uh, not here. I don't believe anybody made an exception to the 
Wilderness Act in Olympic National Park. I believe it was contravened 
for convenience - UNLESS chain saw use was deemed necessary for public 
safety. Or Olympic NP has their own little Wilderness Act. Use of chain 
saws for the purpose of saving time over crosscut saws, or saving 
budget Dollars, is not permitted by the Wilderness Act. The Act in 
general permits only three exceptions (in few words): safety (human and 
animal), insects and disease, fire. Special exceptions by individual 
states have been accommodated: Idaho to land aircraft, Alaska to permit 
snowmobiles, Colorado to assist grazing activites by vehicle. I can 
handle the public safety issue in Olympic NP, if a.) the trail in 
question could not be temporarily closed and b.) hikers were faced with 
death by rampaging trees. Nothing in the Act provides for trail 
maintenance convenience. At least not here, 'cause I asked!

==^=============================
Campy
Central California Trail Coordinator
"Home of the High Sierra Trail Gorillas"
Pacific Crest Trail Association
Bishop CA Tel.: 760-872-2338
Email: tap "Reply"

http://www.trailprojects.com  or
http://www.trailvolunteer.com  click on PCT

"Time spent doing trail work shall not be deducted from your life!"
==^