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Show Points of View on Park Planning Outlined in Talks on Recent Trip By Dick Wilson There were three prominent promin-ent views expressed during last veek's Interagency Field Trip to the isolated regions south of Canyonlands National Nat-ional Park. Representing the Sierra Club, John Flannery stated in behalf of his organization, organiza-tion, "We favor caution on the part of all agencies in putting in a transportation system that may very well be obsolete 20 or 30 years hence and would be difficult to remove from the landscape." land-scape." Flannery said that he was here to look at the proposed route to the south entrance of the Needles and the proposed pro-posed Kigalia Scenic Way. Although he was not able to visit the region south of Chesler Park or the gorges of Dark Canyon, Flannery stated that he "favors the south part of Canyonlands aj an undeveloped area," and expressed his opposition against ag-ainst any further road extension ex-tension in that area. "I'm very impressed with Dark Canyon and feel it has great wilderness potential. If should be included in the Wilderness System," Flannery Flan-nery added. Commercial Viewpoint Another vievpoint expressed expres-sed during the Interagency Field Trip was that of commercial com-mercial organization personnel. person-nel. Canyonlands Resort interest in-terest holders, Dick Smith and Tex McClatchey feel an automobile route should connect con-nect Squaw Flat (where the present auto road ends) with the road in Devils Lane. The two expressed their belief that the uncertain time element ele-ment for the accomplishment of the proposed highway coming com-ing from Beef Basin would be detrimental to the interests inter-ests of the people of Grand and San Juan counties as well as to their own establishment estab-lishment outside the east boundary of the park. Superintendent Bates E. Wilson stated that the change of the Canyonlands Master Plan should not be detrimental detrimen-tal to the interests of Canyonlands Can-yonlands Resort personnel. In reply to Smith and McClatchey, Mc-Clatchey, Wilson stated that "Canyonlands Resort has it made. With the new plan in effect, the Resort will have a captive audience." Go Over the Barrier Times Independent Editor, Sam Taylor and San Juan County Commissioner Calvin Black were among those who also favor a route over the Elephant Hill barrier. "The road would not have to be located at the present site of the jeep trail over Elephant Hill," Taylor suggested. sug-gested. "To the north are a number of side canyons protruding pro-truding into the Elephant Hill barrier. The road couid be aligned into one of these side canyons and a short tunnel tun-nel could be constructed to connect the two parts of the Needles District that are separated se-parated by the Elephant Hill barrier." Taylor added that it seemed a little ridiculous that the agency which had constructed the amazing road up the cliff behind Arches Monument headquarters was now saying that a hill of only a third the height should pose an impossible construction construc-tion problem. "The main interest of the Needles is not in the section north of the jeep trail. The attractions to the south such as the trails to Druid Arch and through the scenic canyons can-yons attract the majority,". Taylor concluded. The project pro-ject Taylor and Black favor would be outside of the areas having most of the scenic values. Not Another Yosemite No voice was heard expressing ex-pressing desires of developing develop-ing the Canyonlands with Yosemite and Yellowstone facilities. It is generally felt that the hotel-supermarket complexes should forever reman re-man outside of Canyonlands. Superintendent of Canyonlands, Canyon-lands, Bates Wilson, spoke from a third standpoint. Let's Be Different "We have a wonderful chance to provide a different differ-ent park," Wilson said, emphasizing em-phasizing the word, "different." "differ-ent." "It is not the obli'gation of the Park Service to get everybody ev-erybody to every corner of the park. It is more important impor-tant in our estimation to let preservation of scenic values be the keynote of our policy, even if it means turning away the man with the pink Cadillac,'' Wilson said. "I would never recommend a road from Squaw Flat to the Silver Stairs and I hope we never have a bridge across the Colorado River, connecting the Needles with the White Rim," he further added. "This is the reason for the change in our Master Plan," the Superintendent continued. "We're letting the land dictate dic-tate as to where we should build a road. We've decided not to cut cross-grain across the features near Elephant Hill, but rather to go with the grain of the country by coming in from the south. |
