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Show Banquet In S. L. Honors Retiring Forest Ranger Honoring Vivian N. West, forest ranger of the Wasatch national forest, for-est, who is retiring from active service, ser-vice, the United States Forest service ser-vice held a farewell banquet at the Ambassador hotel in Salt Lake City recently. Mr. West is now on leave from his duties, and his retirement will become be-come effective in the near future. Mr. West has been a ranger for 28 years, 21 of which have been spent in the American Fork division of the Wasatch national forest. He began his career in the Humboldt forest in the Ruby division in Nevada. Ne-vada. From there he was transferred transfer-red to the Uinta division at Spanish Fork, and from that assignment to the American Fork division. Mr. West was born here, Sept-ember 19, 1884. He grew up here, be-' be-' coming interested in outdoor life as a child when he played around the old sawmill, in American Fork can-!yon, can-!yon, owned by his father, Nathaniel West. As did most rangers of that period, he acquired his training in the school of experience and private duty, there being few forestry schools. The forest service in the American Fork division has grown, during Mr. West's connection with it, from a grazing and reforestation program to a vast recreation center. Under his supervision, Timpanogos cave has been developed; Mutual Dell, M. I. A. summer recreation home, was built; the Alpine Scenic Loop road was constructed; a new recreation area at Granite flat has been completed, com-pleted, as well as new hiking trails to Mt. Timpanogos. Mr. West well recalls his first years in this forest, when there were no trails to Timpanogos from the American Fork canyon side. Hikers had to climb all the way from Wild-wood Wild-wood in Provo canyon carrying their bedding on their backs as they went. Parties numbering hundreds now can follow the fine trails to the peak. |