More Wilderness
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Looks like we are close to getting additional wilderness areas in the Northwest: "The legislation passed today would protect 202,000 acres in Oregon as Wilderness. Also gaining Wilderness [in addition to Mt. Hood] protection are Soda Mountain and Copper Salmon in southern Oregon and Badlands and Spring Basin in eastern Oregon. Currently only 3.7% of Oregon is protected as Wilderness compared to 14% in California, 11% in Washington and 7.5% in Idaho." http://www.oregonwild.org/about/press-room/press-releases/mount-hood-wilderness-protection-here-at-long-last
Oregon really needs some more wilderness, especially when you consider how much wilderness there is compared to all of the surrounding states.
bkarge
The Owyhee Canyonlands may have been part of the same wilderness bill. Would be nice to see that added. I need to plan some good trips into Idaho. I haven't done too much over that way, even when I lived in Spokane for a year, we weren't able to get out too much and explore. I had a few trips up in the Selkirks that never panned out...but one of these days..
Forrest
I wish Idaho would add some additional wilderness. Since Frank Church left office it has been a battle. It seem the off road vehicle crowd has the most pull in this state. Ranchers oppose wilderness in the Lemhi Mountains, because they graze cattle and sheep in the high meadows. Most people in Idaho consider wilderness a "Lock-up" of land, but the biggest lock up of land seems to be on private property.
Idaho has some of the most senic and wild lands in the west.
Check out: Lemhi Range, The White Cloud Mountains, The Pioneer Moutains, The Boulder Mountains, , The Selkirk Crest, Lost River Range, Malard-Larkins Pioneer area, The west Cabinets, The Beaverhead Range, and the list goes on.
Good News though, a bill has been sent to the President to add 517,000 acres of wilderness in Southwest Idaho known as the owyhee canyon lands. This may have already been signed. Next up, the White Clouds.