The Mount Hood National Forest has traditionally been
a weekend haven for many Oregonians, but it might not be for long.
The three wilderness areas that lie within the forest have eight
times as many visitors as they did 10 years ago, and an average of
900 hikers crowd the Mount Hood Wilderness Area during a typical
summer weekend. Forest officials, concerned that solitude in the
wilderness is hard to find and popular spots are getting trashed,
have proposed a drastic reduction in the number of people allowed
on 20 of its most popular trails. Some reductions would be as much
as 90 percent to ensure a “primeval” experience as mandated by the
1964 Wilderness Act. Opponents have already spoken up. “I haven’t
heard of many people supporting the proposal,” says Doug Wilson of
the Mazamas, a Portland-based group of hikers and climbers. “We are
very much in support of wilderness, but we feel this is
unreasonable.”
Forest officials say they are
listening. “We are looking at this in terms of a floor and a
ceiling,” says Glen Sachet of the Mount Hood National Forest. “The
floor is resource damage the forest cannot tolerate, and the
ceiling is limiting use for solitude. We are looking for a decision
somewhere in between.” The final plan should be released later this
year.
For more information or a copy of the
proposal, contact the Mount Hood National Forest at 503/668-1700 or
write 16400 Champion Way, Sandy, OR 97055.
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Juniper Davis
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Less climbing to the top.
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