Page 11 - 2006 AMA Summer

Jo on Guides Wall 5.9+
conservationist, echos my thoughts; ‘when all the dangerous cliffs are fenced off, all the trees that might fall on people are cut down, all of the insects that bite are poisoned... and all of the grizzlies are dead because they are occasionally dangerous, the wilderness will not be made safe. Rather, the safety will have destroyed the wilderness. ’ It is however not as clear cut as this and the opposing argument is that of access. After all why should only those that can read a map be the ones that can experience such natural
beauty and is not making the wilderness accessible to wheelchairs discriminating against the disabled? I would argue that there needs to be moderation, some areas should be made accessible to all but it must be remembered that those areas will then be lost forever as wilderness.
The appearance of wilderness from a personal experience perspective is as Important as preserving wilderness from a conservation perspective. A signpost in the wilderness in reality is not a permanent structure and can be removed as easily as it was placed there without any lasting damage. It does however destroy the wilderness experience for those who pass it as it is a reminder that someone else has been there before them.
A signpost destroys the ideal of self sufficiency and reliance on personal skills that would be necessary in true wilderness, or an area that
Cath Stephens on west face variant, 5. 10b
appears to be wilderness to the person that is experiencing it. This of course depends on the person, and their knowledge of wilderness and the history of the landscape.
A further component of America’s National Park
system that, I believe,
devalues the wilderness experience is the need for a permit. In the Grand Tetons the permit system was particularly draconian, stating the exact location of each nights camp. I go trekking to escape schedules and deadlines. In the wilderness the only schedule that you should have to adhere to is that which the environment inflicts upon you and the compelling need to see what is in the next valley. In the
Tetons groups of only 6 are allowed to trek together. I was leading a group of 8 in accordance with the boundaries of my JSMEL qualification. We had got around this problem by having two permits in the group. Despite requesting for campsites in the same locations when applying for the permits, this had not been granted on a couple of occasions. On our second night I had a decision to make, to abide by the permit and
split the group, sending half to their designated campsite 2 miles further along the trail on a high pass, or keep the group together and therefore within the qualifications held by the group. I chose the latter, however the Park Ranger patrolling the area did not
Mike Fearn on Direct Exum Ridge, 5.8+
agree. I was cited under section 10.2c for violation of my permit conditions (actually Tania was as the permit was in her name). This was despite discovering the next day that there was no water on the pass where we had been directed to camp, which I had suspected.
The previous trek, in the Wind River Mountains, was a more enjoyable experience with a far higher wilderness value. There were very few signposts and bridges, and the trails were often barely visible. My group had to rely on their map reading skills and route selection to negotiate the terrain and were
rewarded with stunning views shared with few other people.
I admire the heritage of the American National Park System and its ideals that have been recognised by the rest of the world. I believe that the National Park Service does a fairly good job of preserving wilderness from a conservation point of view. It is not, however, so successful in preserving the wilderness experience for those who are privileged enough to visit these areas. I feel that the National Park Service has lost touch with what it is trying to achieve and in the process is destroying the wilderness it is
trying to protect. The Grand Tetons was particularly bad
and this was perhaps due to it being one of the smaller National Parks. If you want to experience the true wilderness of America, I would advise avoiding the National Parks, or only going to the larger ones with fewer restrictions. Instead do your research and go to the less well known places, like
the Wind River Mountains, and you will have a far better wilderness experience.
W e do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.'
Haida Indian Saying
Rapping off Pingora in the rain.
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 9