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Show ce WASATCH MOUNTAIN TIMES Earth Day — Where, Oh Where, Have You Gone? Ss: years ago, a group of Utahns did what people all across the country were doing organize — got together celebration a big memorate Earth they 20th the to com- Anniversary of year of April of 1990, without lot of fan fare. and information munity hard work the celebration seemingly singing wonderful You feel it in the air. could People who activities in and become It appeared Day. One Something to a hitch There dancing booths. cleanups and was and There later, in went off but with the Earth eating and 1993 rolled around, com- came and drives. TV and went didn’t have was with contin- But when Earth burned out Day there Matthew little more Wallace, Day of Utah accompanying than time “From a we My background is that I was the problem 3) And that celebration SATURDAY, APRIL 22 PARK CITY RAQUET CLUB 1200 E. LITTLE KATE ROAD IN PARK MEADOWS and point of view, 10 a.m. © Globe Trot SK race, run, walk, ride or skate or four years orga- had it was had it just seem Harrison enough,” got to too to is that when the if that doesn’t the much have a he point work. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ¢ 30 environmental information booths ® Live Music: Mother Lode, Bear Tracks and Rich Wyman ® Food, juggling, kid’s games, massage therapists e Silent auction: weekend at Stein’s Lodge. Deer Valley summer lift I long-lasting values Bioligy a to celebration lack can be Professor of continue Ty interest the and Earth chalked up Day Harrison apathy into the in Utah is population,” said. “Mormons, by and large, have their eyes focused on the hereafter, rather than the here and now Outside may not of want mentalists areas, that, to In many be seen as Utah, in a poor the light, Southern residents as environ- well environmentalists painted of as other have says Utah been Ken Rait Wilderness Many Utahns mentalists media. have seen in a negative environ- “Environmentalism extreme,” get become “Earth Day because grand for like recycling, Club, for and Earth There day that public there LeGate, that nothing legacy, its former a big of volunteers lot of work minimal,” to ready LeGate — largely time items. 3 are says don’t do because that with envi- to many Other good the returns Wallace were continued. is some- their efforts and is that Park Annual In the Salt Lake-area Day City Earth Day with a a group affil- cleanup planting along Emigration and tree Creek. ‘In addition, there also will be a cleanup pressing news its Sixth iated with Prof. Harrison is celebrating Earth of the Wasatch Hollow area on Earth Day. Residents celebrating on fair took a heck of and Matthew head- It takes place “But the Jordan River cleanup commit environmental enough concentrated River cleanup, a And ference.” do to leave said. thing concrete that makes a lasting dif- But deal did president “The Earth Day a Day time to the Utah Wilderness issue. activists Utah of The Utahns,” he said, pointing to the recent wave Day causes, Earth here. the a difference,” Earth is holding issues of environmental that Earth Day will make celebration. is is an I don’t know to provided on every attention If that isn’t enough, tal issues of today. ronmentalism to the annually on Earth Day. a call he the con Day.” ed up by Robin Jenkins. be out make we are working that environmental has petered Rait in 1990 was a says Wilderness are things going bring that did 1990, don’t what beyond that maintains and it we between has little to do with most environmen- Utah but “because is portrayed are under attack.” Lawson environmental PAGE said nection But “Earth Day has not been a big deal Peter Lev Association, in Utah involved, should we Earth Day celebration momentum in bike celebration Day difference Nickas that is the Jordan should and Although Sierra a mountain Earth a he said. Rait said Utahns rhetoric arms, The make in news light by the popular press as being bad and said. and George crisis. Alliance he stalls for time on closing the road putting the situation into a possible “too late to do anything” compromise, which had led to the road being closed by avalanches. These delaying actions are always accompanied by orders for the forecasters to call Alta Central, the coordinating central radio, with Hale’s instructions, so the forecaster gets blamed if things don't work out. Hale never gives these instructions over the radio, himself. Rick Wyatt resigned, as Dan Judd and I did, because of this problem and others. You can’t be an honest person and work with this man. What about the new replacement highway forecasters? They have little or no experience in Little Cottonwood Canyon, with the exception of Paul Cohee. The newest replacements are generally held in low esteem due to lack of experience and demonstrated competence. This situation is absurd, considering the public safety issue, when there are several very qualified Little Cottonwood Canyon forecasters who could do the job but won't, because they wont work under Bill Hale. This situation is a scandal and a disgrace and I can’t understand why so many good and otherwise ethical people in Little Cottonwood Canyon and elsewhere are (apparently) covering it up. tickets, to the held by the local culture “Environmental inculcated high work, said volunteers way forecaster attempts to issue a forecast, projecting a road closure, 1) Hale forbids the written forecast to be disbursed to anybody (the forecast is generated with consultation with both Alta and Snowbird forecasters and often the Forest Service); 2) Hale has on several occasions ordered the forecaster to change his forecast. This happened to me as well as Wyatt; pres- to give so much impact.” ty to actually decide to open or close the road, and Bill Hale has been given that responsibility. However, Bill Hale does not live in the canyon, never leaves his truck, except to walk a very short distance to the nearest lodge for his free cup of coffee. Yes, he has taken avalanche schools (often taught by some of his own forecasters) but he is definitely not an avalanche forecaster. The the former group’s three we Westminster assistant forecaster to long-time lead forecaster Binx Sandah]. Sandahl retired and I resigned in 1990. During the 1980s, Rick Wyatt was the Big Cottonwood Canyon forecaster and part-time assistant in Little Cottonwood. Sandahl was the master forecaster and we were the apprentices. Whey Wyatt took over in Little Cottonwood after Dwain Bowles died in 1992, Dan Judd and Paul Cohee became assistant/apprentices. The master apprentice system is what the avalanche forecasting system in Little Cottonwood has relied upon. It is, and was all of our opinion, that detailed knowledge of the canyon was essential for successful avalanche forecasting. Further, the forecasters needed to live in the canyon, to stay awake with the storms and to go into the snow, into the avalanche starting zones in order to really know what is going on. The knowl edge is not all in books, it is the mind of the forecasters, especially the lead forecaster. Paul Cohee, a capable person, is now the last tenuous link with the master-apprentice system for the Little Cottonwood Canyon UDOT highway avalanche forecasting program. It should also be pointed out that UDOT inherited this master-apprentice system and the forecasters from the Forest Service. Apparently UDOT doesn't consider the master apprentice system something they want to support. The highway supervisor, Bill Hale, has for all practical purposes, destroyed the master/apprentice link in Little Cottonwood Canyon. (True, there is still Paul Cohee, and there are very expefienced forecasters at both Alta and Snowbird, who have considerable experience with the road. They agree they will step in and save the day if need be, but that is not what they should have to do. And that is not the point, here.) How has Bill Hale managed to destroy a worldclass tradition of avalanche forecasting? First, it is important to realize that it is the highway department's responsibili- volunteers activities “Personally, It didn’t The resignation (in December) of UDOT Lead Avalanche Forecaster for Litthe Cottonwood Canyon, Rick Wyatt, prompts me to speak up Free Earth Day Celebration In Park City and, was a flash in the pan and it was gone UDOT Avalanche Control in Little Cottonwood a Disgrace Dear Editor, no the the and said. became load Utah explained to had spent where BOARD were 4hh 4h happened work not continue April pop and a fizzle in the Salt Lake Valley. that volunteers the them. he could his things Day by apparently, to replace nizing SOUNDING the Earth ident of Earth celebration 1992. happened? that to do something for ued were and after all. Day a fair with recycling in 1991 you What Among motivated to get involved. as though the environment, The happening. newspapers to be a communist a was weren't there, saw the should check with municipalities or community for areas. Earth @ Day activities in local councils various |
