Show Delta Utah $15 00 in county $18 00 out of county 6 months S8 00 and $9 00 (In Advance) USPS Copy 25C V 76 No ol 19 V) 1985 14 Time for Great Basin National Park? Could mean millions for local economy New legislation mating a (neat Basin National Paik nisi IOO miles west of Delta at W heeler Peak was approv eel Oel 70 I9KS by the House Interior anel Insular Allairs ( ommittee The House will vote this wmtei on the proposal to designate a 272 square mile parse! of eastern Nevada in eluding Wheeler Peak as the Silver State’s fust national paik Proponents slaun the park would pump millions of dollars into the loeal Delta and western Utah eeononuesol and f h and eastern Nevada Opponents claim the aiea would be better served by a wilderness designa non and doubt assumptions that a park designation would hoist ci the eeononn No one disputes the need to preset ve the pristine natuial setting ol the Snake National Range in the Humboldt oiest The proposed paik features not on ly the 11061 foot Wheeler Peak but a large variety of unique geographical features such as snow and rock glaciers six glacier fed lakes the world’s largest limestone arch ancient bristlecone pine the world’s largest akc Bonmountain mahoganv rate neville trout prehistoitc Indian site s and ehman Caves National Mm ment all in the context ol live distuu “life zones" ranging in a small arci from Sonoran deset to jumpet loiests then aspen highlands and up to alpm tundra At present there is no national pai k in the 200 (XX) square mile Great Basin Longtime park advocate Robot W aito Utah geogiaphy co a University fessor saidthat now is the time to preserve some of the basin and use it as a tool lor recreation and education of the nation’s 220 million people JoAnn Garrett Nevada wilderness advocate of Baker and resident Nevada the proposed paik’s nearest neighbor said attracting the nation to Wheeler Peak will destiov the verv thing trying to be pteseived "The park would only be 21 miles long and 10 miles wide II vou attiaet a people to see the aiea vou are going to she said change the mountain’’ In addition Ms Garrett said she and other eastern Nevada residents are not convinced bv arguments ol the park’s abihtv to promote economic giorvth “We think that you will see more motels gas stations and such but that overall the area is not going to see a " significant increase m jobs W aite and the Pai k Serv ice disagree They claim $10 million annually Irom increased tourism is a conseryame estimate and that tourist dollirs will stimulate the economy lar bevond the I' ' -- 11061 foot Wheeler peak is focus of proposed Great Basin National Park which could be by Congress VMthii a year Towering dills like those found on Wheeler are typical of impressive geography throughout the Great Basin's wide variety of Other e zones" features of proposed nark aiea just 100 miles st ot Delta are forests ot docent bristlecone pines rock glaciers and rugged canyons which road have thwarted building efforts for 100 years borders of the park “A paik in eastern Nesada will close the big national park gap betsveen Utah’s national paiks and those in California Since many Eastern families plan their Western vacations around national parks it would reroute them through Nevada" Mr Waite said Theoretically communities along the route to the park such as Delta and t ly would receive the fringe benefits ol increased tourist travel Politically the paik proposal seems to have a good chance at Congressional approval A similar proposal was passonly ed bv the Senate in the eailv 1960s vxn vL t) to be killed in the House some say bv mining and grazing interests In October ol this year the new paik legislation received enthusiastic recoin mendation from a Parks and Reciea lion subcommittee op Proponents tunisticallv look tor quick congtcs sional approval based on guarded sup the and House White from the poit Nevada congressional delegation The paik proposal emerged Irom the committee as an ammendment to tlu Nevada Wilderness Bill based on a bv Chairman Buicc recommendaton ento a Minnesota representative IK Barbaia and Nevada Congresswoman will hold a hearing Nov 9S ii he Bnstlecoiic Pme ( oil to get one last ion Cciiict in I chance to lieu local concerns and plain their positions on the park pioposal One group suic to be on hand to erill the politicians is the W lute Pine ountv hamhet ol ( otnmerce which has vet to take a position on the new legisla non Though a strong supporter ol the wants idea in the past todav’sWPCCC assurances the paik will bring much needed economic stimulation especial to Tlv "What we aie laced with now aie Vucanovich 2s ent tiadcoffs" PC ( said xccutivc Diector atrcll Hansen Mavbcapaik would brine tens ol millions ol dollars into the aua But what it the paik piedudes the building ol the White Pme Povvei Pioicct and loses us bun he ud dreds ot millions Pat k Set ices siud ics indicate While Pine (ountv would earn much and oi ex lose little tioni a n uional park ample they claim Nevada will onlv lose in grazing mining and liuntmL $ ‘to interests on the Snake Range il the paik as m the However were approved past opposition can be expected tioni minim: and iuichnie interests accoi id Range The paik would be a unique showcase ot geological biological anand historical thropological I ight scars ago n phenomenon estimated it would take $4 to bring it to full park stains tor 00 000 visitors The area currently sees about 00 (XX) isitors a vear The park would have a visitor’s ioadsidc and center and museum trailside exhibits rangei euided and self guided nature walks wildflowcr gardens a park hbrarv alpine research a Wheeler Peak lodge a station ehman Caves inn two mountain chalets several picnic areas and new automobile and hiker campgrounds Presentlv within the national nionu ment area visitor’s center testaurant souvenir shop picnic areas and camp grounds in the national forest The park itself would be adjacent to one of the major east west transion mental highvvavsU S 6 '() and a ma jor north south highway US 9) Here is a sampling of some ot the park's proposed features W heeler Peak Three miles ol expos ed strata has rocks as old as those at n iv n iicanov kb on ion il p u lust sum sevci d Si No Ik aside cs since N u n il P sc ion ci'll P lie s M nneso1 in as apt loved ft livington d be in sk e Cll Hell pnis Great Basin wonders the bottom of the Grand (anvon and Rock Glacierelle Wheeler (lacier The only permanent body ol ice in the Great Basin is at the head ol cliff lined cirque on a spectacualr W heeler Peak A 600 loot wall ol rocks is moving down the cirque in front ot u at the ate of about one loot per veai I exinglon Arch a 120 loot bridge ot limestone big enought to span a six this natural arch is story building cached over a bumpv dirt road south ot W heeler Peak Ancient bristlecone pme forests The South Snake Range has three forests ot these hauntinglv beautiful trees some as S000 years as old pre dating alilorma’s redwoods by s centunes Osceola This 1870s ghost town was the biggest and longest lasting of W hite earls gold mining Pine County's centers The rock remains ot its old general store still stand in a canyon on the east side ot the range Although u would be just outside the national park ii reflects the area's mining history Mount Washington Although “on Iv" 1166 feet high this mountain is triple the mass ot Wheeler Peak and has 2 (XX) toot clitts ot "snow white limestone ” It is in the seldom visited south end ot the Snake Range wheie two other peaks I incoln and ( iranue 000 feet also tower above This richlv torested Big Wash canvon which has never seen a logger s saw because its rugged terrain blocks vehicles is also in the nmole southern end ot the range to Rep l the coi pai ks Proposal to showcase As national paiks go the Great Basin National Park would be small The length is approximately 27 miles width 10 miles It would conform to the present boundaries ol the Humboldt includes ores! which National ehman Caves National Monument (It would exclude the Humboldt Na tional oiest on the noithern Snake 'f c noi cl ov M bccil tilled item sot 9 iili Nov 25 park hearing sef for Ely center public hearing on legislation to lircalc a (real Basin National Park which nears a House vote is schcdul cel lor Monday November 2S 198“? in the Bristlecone enter in ( (invention hi hearing will he conducted In Brine enlo ot Minnesota and in anov n h ot a national park is not done lightlv Indeed manv areas are tirst given national monument status hi tore tinallv being ilevated to the distinguished status of national park In I tah this has been the ease with ( apitol Reif and Arihes ion among others I his permits an area to hi reiogntid ovir time for (hi nature ot its geological and cultural contributions such rei ognitton has atreadv come to the proposed park area in the form ot ehman ( aves National Monument tin ini hor ot thi (real B ism National I Rip Rt p Barbara I he creation P us |