Comments on: You’re not the boss in wilderness

By: John Clayton

John Clayton — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 20:23:04 +0000

In reply to Susan Rhea. 1491 is a great book! And you constructively identify a difficult tension. I have an article coming out shortly about pre-European civilizations in Yellowstone. It's in a different venue, but I you can look for it via my website (johnclaytonbooks.com) or newsletter (naturalstories.substack.com). Thanks for asking!

By: John Clayton

John Clayton — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 20:17:28 +0000

Thank you all for the kind words and inspiring stories. Here’s to another 60 years! 🙂

By: Michael Schwartz

Michael Schwartz — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:12:27 +0000

The core premise of the article is exactly right, and very well done. In addition, the timing for such thoughts is critical as more people think they want to go there. Some discover they do not, as they begin to realize…. they are not the boss. As a pilot for 50+ years I clearly recognize the incredible privilege we have to be able to fly into such spaces, which was ‘grandfathered’ into the creation of these areas. And after going there we are reminded on how important it is to respect those below on the trails, rivers, and elsewhere simply not wanting any contact at all, visually or aurally. It’s essential. We do support the values that John Clayton has presented, as we are also hikers, trail volunteers, and vocal advocates for wilderness. I and others will keep the concerns that he has presented in our flying, which can be intrusive or impactful as many human activities are in these special places. See you out there.

By: Kirk Johnson

Kirk Johnson — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 18:24:09 +0000

Great article. As Tionesta, Pennsylvania native and Wilderness Act of 1964 author Howard Zahniser once said, “we must remember always that the essential quality of the wilderness is its wildness.”

It is not about generating “boots on the ground” or “heads in the beds,” etc., per se, but rather first and foremost it is about permanently preserving the WILDNESS of the wilderness as an end in itself. No developed rec user groups are ever entitled to any kind of development exceptions to the Wilderness Act. The visitation will be there, but we visit the wilderness on the wilderness’s terms — we do not dumb down the wilderness to the lowest common denominator or otherwise make accommodations.

By: Susan Rhea

Susan Rhea — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:20:10 +0000

I recently the old book 1491. I knew some of the history, but was still surprised by a lot of it. One focus in the book is on the manipulated environment of the pre-European Americas. There is ample evidence that the Americas Europeans saw was not untrammeled by human’s influence, but was sustainably managed to improve crops, grazing lands, and vibrant civilizations. Some of the crises in our wilderness, national forests and parks is that we have not managed well, we have allowed overgrazing, over growth, suppressed natural fire and not done enough prescribed burning. Could you please address this POV in another article?

By: Hank Perry

Hank Perry — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:55:05 +0000

John- absolutely loved this article.

By: Rick Freimuth

Rick Freimuth — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 22:45:10 +0000

Thank you, John, for a realist’s point of view regarding wilderness areas and the Wilderness Act. Two of my favorites are the “first name” wildernesses, The Bob (1,009,352 acres) and the Frank (2,366,827 acres). Before the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness received it’s final name (for Idaho’s finest, last statesman) and designation, the general area was known as the Idaho Primitive Area established in 1931. Living in Idaho then, that was the name I knew it by until the 1984 renaming. Of course those two are a couple of the biggest wilderness areas. Another favorite of mine is much smaller, the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness in NE Oregon at 20,299 acres.

By: Sherri Gronli

Sherri Gronli — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:48:37 +0000

Really liked your article. Nowadays there is such a sense of entitlement. I see this all the time when I hike. People just don’t get it. Wilderness is wilderness. Period.

By: Mick Smith

Mick Smith — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:58:38 +0000

John Clayton: In the summer of 1987 my wife and I went on a two month backpacking trip through 7 different Montana Wilderness areas: From June 15 to August 15. The hike was sponsored by the Montana Wilderness Association. We started at Lewis and Clark Pass and ended at Holland Lake in the Swan Range. We hiked 356.25 miles led by Walking Jim Schultz. We were +/- 60 might in a tent. When the trip was over, I didn’t want to leave the wilderness (Bob Marshall). It’s so quiet and it’s just you and the animals; plus, you get in great shape. At one point Mountain Goats were coming down our trail. We stepped out of the way and let them pass: Upon doing so I touched a Mountain Goat. Just one of the wonderful things that happened on our two month trek. We packed 10 days of food and gave it to the Montana Wilderness Assn. Upon arriving at a certain trailhead…we’d hand over our trash and get 10 more days of food (we’d earlier packed). Consequently, we never left the wildness during our two month hike. Nice article…THX! Mick