Deer off-trail on skyline

[bluerail]

...and everytime I hit a lite switch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPixjCneseE

and then I drove home in a car !

[HikeUp]

So what the &%*$ does this have to do with deer?

[bluerail]

everytime I'm standing in the middle of the wilderness, or the middle of a shortcut, and I look around and see how relatively small a meandering trail is through an area, even when laced with other use trails. How insignificant our fairly gentle footsteps are. I notice how much easier it is for hoofs to penetrate and furrow the soil, and laugh when I realize that these hoofed guys generally are the ones that we follow on these shortcuts. And then I think about the human individuals that criticize and get up on a soap box about ruining the wilderness by cutting trails ? These same individuals are using electricity everyday, driving cars, most of them consuming animals (horribly inefficient for the planet) and they are serious about a switchback ruining a mountain ? I look around when I'm out there and I see a wilderness that will be there so much longer than mankind, unless we trash the whole thing by way of all the other shit we do to the planet.

REALLY ? little shortcuts ? Give me a f'in break !

[zippetydude]

Incidentally, Steve never takes shortcuts, he's just speaking hypothetically. He's a very philosophical guy.

z

[recordalley]

The largest coal deposits anywhere are found in the grand staircase escalante NM in utah. Clinton made this a monument (thank you) on his last days in office & these coal companies have been fighting it ever since trying to get to these reserves. & it's these same companies along with the oil drillers that slow our progress toward clean energy. Oil & coal usage is the largest source of pollution & environmental disasters, yet in the 21st century we are still dependent on them. I just hope that in my lifetime I will be able to turn on the lights, cool my house, & drive my car without feeling guilty about the damage I'm causing to the environment.

http://www.suwa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=work_arwa

[bluerail]

I hope my KIDS might ...

[recordalley]

REALLY ? little shortcuts ? Give me a f'in break !

Shortcuts are inevitable & not really an issue, but The Palm Hills area (Murray Peak) is really bad. After decades of non-use the old roads almost disappeared but now they look worse than ever. Mountain bikers did most of the damage...I hope it doesn't spread to other canyons like the Art Smith area above Cathedral City.

[Cy Kaicener]

Pack animals like mules do a lot of damage also. I think Skyline will be safe as long as they dont allow one on a tram car

[neverwashasbeen]

Of course, the Skyline was originally a horse trail.