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Re: [pct-l] Banning Horses? Yes!



From Tom Reynolds,

I always am civil and I assume that others are also even if their posts
seem inflamatory to me. Even if you call me a complete jerk I assume that
you are talking about my opinions not me personally. I expect that people
who feel strongly about things tend to get agitated.

I am more familiar with the areas somewhat south of the area you discribe
although I have hiked that area. The worst packer I have seen is from Rock
Creek Pack Station. It was from here that these huge trains of saddle and
pack animals originate. On the west side, in Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP
the pack stations are not nearly as active. The High Sierra Trail does not
appear to suffer more damage than horse shit. I say this because the first
4 miles are not used by horses and I can't tell the difference.

On the east side the Bishop Pack station goes mostly to Humphrey's Basin
and Onion Valley and Bishop Pass pack stations carry mostly dunnage and
fishing trips into the near back country but have trashed some near
destinations with day rides. Are these trails wider and rockier than they
would be without horse travel? Undoubtably. Are the areas trashed? Not to
me.

Outside the National Parks and Wilderness areas nature is marred by
clearcutting, road building and zillions of cows in otherwise fantastic
meadows. I am thinking here mostly of the areas north of Lake Isabella
along the highway that crosses at Sherman Pass. These seem a far better
target because the issue is merely economic [cheap wood or beef] not
denying older peolpe [geritols] access to the wilderness.

Now to politics.

Statistically, most people don't vote. If you remove the geritols that vote
as a 90+ rate, the average person is less than 40% to vote. Second, those
who do vote are typically swayed by well marketed sound bytes that cost
lots of money. {I am not saying this is how it shoud be, just how it is.}

The sad fact is that the budget for our National Parks and Wilderness areas
simply suck while low level economic operations continue in our National
Forests because of a well organized and financed interest group. If it was
politicallty popular to support the natural areas over these economic
interests the politicains would do it. It ain't happening man! We ain't
getting shit!!

To change this we need those "well marketed sound bytes that cost lots of
money" We need our low level economic interest groups [the packers] to fund
some hype!


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