Letters to the Forest Service
Transcribed by AI from the original scan; may contain errors.
Document Collection Transcription
Pages 1–2: Letter dated August 7, 1969
To: Mt. Hood National Forest, P.O. Box 16040, Portland, Oregon 97216, Attn: Recreation Department
From: Scoutmaster, Troop 583 (signed "Cal Henderson," Scoutmaster, Troop 583)
Subject: Trip report and trail improvement suggestions, Wapinitia Pass to Breitenbush Lake, July 19–26.
Page 1 text:
Boy Scout Troop 583 took a trip from Wapinitia Pass to Breitenbush Lake, July 19-26. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know of the things we thought were good and the things we thought should be improved.
Would it be possible, where the Skyline Trail crosses a numbered road for the number to be posted, as it would be helpful when following the map and calculating distance. For example, the mileage marker where the Skyline Trail crosses S481 said 2 miles, but it took us 1½ hours to hike it. I question the mileage sign.
We thought the work done by the job corps was very nice in the Little Crater Lake area. Also, the new bridge across Crater Creek was much appreciated. Would there be any way of connecting the trail on the East side of Timothy Lake to Gone Creek campground? As of now, you must continue out to Hwy. S42, then take a three mile trail to Gone Creek Campground.
Clackamas Lake is a charge area and prohibitive in price for backpackers, and there is no information in your printed literature about the camping area at Clackamas Guard Station. If the camping area at the guard station is used, then it is difficult to get back on the Skyline Trail. Could a sign be placed at Clackamas Lake Campground where the Skyline Temporary Trail ties back into the Skyline Trail to avoid confusion. Until the Skyline Temporary Trail from Clackamas Lake south is the same as is shown on the 1969 Cascade Trail System Map, there is a problem in the area where the Mt. Wilson Trail takes off. The Central Cattle Drive, which is marked in yellow sheets and is also the Skyline Trail, makes a 90° turn and is very poorly marked at this location. There were three parties that questioned it all in the same day.
Also, where the Skyline Trail crosses S549 and runs parallel to the road and not up the Central Cattle Drive, this area is poorly marked in the temporary trail. From the fire road north of S649, there are very few trail crests in this section. The trail is very excellent and marked very well from 1½ Mile Camp to Slow Creek area. In the area of Slow Creek and the junction of Trail 741 there are some wooden trail signs which are pretty badly mutilated.
Page 2 text:
Mt. Hood National Forest — August 7, 1969 — Page 2
If asked, I believe any scout troop would be glad to build a bridge across Olallie Meadows where the trail crosses the creek. The rest station at Olallie Meadows was just refinished and was excellent. Russ Lake and the other lakes were enjoyed for swimming. I think that after staying at Top Lake and seeing the facilities that are being developed at Upper Lake - even though this is a change in the wilderness philosophy - I believe that the sanitary facilities that are being put in at Upper Lake should eventually be installed at Top Lake and other natural campground areas. If some of the cedar shakes were brought from Ollalie Meadows cabin to Breitenbush, some scout troop would probably be glad to reshake that part of the shelter at the south end of the lake.
We found your yellow bags were very excellent for soaking feet before we used them for picking up litter. The two park service rangers that we met at Olallie Meadows and Breitenbush were very pleasant to converse with and were very cooperative in all ways.
We found the Mt. Hood National Forest Activities Report to be an excellent reference, both for the scouts and our own family.
If there is some way that our scout group could be of service to the National Forest Service, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Cal Henderson
Scoutmaster, Troop 583
Pages 3–4: Letter dated October 19, 1970
From: Region 6, P.O. Box 3623, Portland, Oregon 97208 [Reference number: 2350]
To: Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Johnston, 7717 S.W. 50th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97219
Subject: Response to concerns about horse use on trails and wilderness areas.
Page 3 text:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Johnston:
I have received your October 1 letter expressing your concern about the use of trails and wildernesses by large groups of horses. I was also interested in the copy of your letter to the Oregon Appaloosa Horse Club.
I recognize that this has become a problem in several areas, and I appreciate receiving your thoughts on the matter. The Forest Supervisors and personnel on the National Forests involved are also concerned about the problem and are giving serious consideration to action needed to improve the situation.
You may be interested in some of the action the Forest Service has taken to accommodate and regulate horse use. Some of our trails are designated for hikers only and as such are not constructed to allow horse traffic. These trails have been posted prohibiting horses. On some of the trails where horses are allowed we have reinforced the trail tread by placing crushed rock on it.
Grazing, tying, or picketing horses has been prohibited within 200 feet of the shorelines of certain lakes. These lakes are primarily in wildernesses. Watering, loading, unloading, or through travel by horses on established routes is allowed at the lakes. This regulation will be extended to other lakes where horse use problems exist.
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail was established by Congress under Public Law 90-543. This law provides that this scenic trail will be used by both hikers and horsemen.
Page 4 text:
[Page 2 of the same letter]
Thank you for the information on the plans of the Oregon Appaloosa Horse Club concerning their future rides on the Pacific Crest Trail (Skyline Trail). We plan to contact the Oregon Appaloosa Horse Club and discuss this situation with them. I appreciate your interest in this matter.
Sincerely,
George W. Williams
for PHILIP L. HEATON
Assistant Regional Forester
Recreation
cc: R&WL
E (Trails)
Willamette N.F.
Deschutes N.F.
Okanogan N.F.
Mt. Baker N.F.
Wenatchee
Snoqualmie
Gifford Pinchot
Mt. Hood
Umpqua
Rogue River
Winema
Page 5: Letter dated October 1, 1970
To: Oregon Appaloosa Horse Club, Rt. 2 Box 254 – M, Dallas, Oregon
From: Mr. & Mrs. Robert G Johnston
Subject: Concern about large horse groups on the Skyline Trail.
Text:
Dear Members,
In August of this year our family group of nine hiked the Skyline Trail from Breitenbush Lake to Santiam Pass. I am sure that those of your group who attended your gathering at Hunts Cove will agree that this is one of the most beautiful and spectacular sections of our country. And I am sure that the Oregon Appaloosa Club is as interested in saving this magnificent area for future generations as we are.
Please consider then, the wear and tear on a trail by one backpacker, weighing 200 lbs. (170 lb. plus 30 lb. pack), clad in leather boots, as opposed to one horse weighing 1500 lbs., with four hooves, shod with steel shoes, which dig at a walk, and gouge at a gallop. Now multiply this by the 135 horses which your group brought into this area.
I invite you now to dismount, and hike over the same trails that you previously rode. You will see how unpleasant it is to try to hike through six inches of dust, to trip over roots, and thread your way through trenches worn 18 inches deep.
The Skyline Trail and the Wilderness Areas were meant for foot travelers and small groups of horsemen. They were not designed as bridle trails for large horse groups. Even one horse and rider can erode the trails more than eight to ten backpackers covering the same trails. PLEASE DON'T RIDE YOUR HORSES IN THE LAKES - This water is your and our drinking water. Horses and fragile Alpine ecology are not compatible.
Are there not BLM lands in eastern Oregon that are more suitable for a gathering of horsemen of this size? The horse in his wild state never ran in the mountains, anyway – his home was the plains and prairies.
I love horses, especially our lovely Appaloosas – as close to a "native" horse as we can get, thanks to the Nez Perce. Please don't alienate all us backpackers from horses because their owners don't use horse-sense.
THERE SHOULD BE ROOM FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY GOD'S NATURE. HORSEMAN AND HIKER – NOT HORSEMAN VS HIKER.
Very Sincerely,
Mr. & Mrs. Robert G Johnston
Pages 6–7: Handwritten letter dated October 1, 1970
Letterhead: Robert G. Johnston, 7717 Sw. 50th Ave., Portland, Ore. 97219
To: National Forest Service, 319 SW Pine [?], Portland, Ore.
Salutation: Dear Mr. Linnmon [?]
Stamp: F.S. RECEIVED OCT - 2 1970 RECREATION
Text (page 6, handwritten):
I am enclosing a copy of the letter I have sent the Org. Appaloosa Horse Club. As I told you on the phone, this is the group that brought 135 horses into the Mt. Jefferson primitive area the first week of August.
In trying to find the officers of this organization, I learned that they schedule a trail ride every month, that they took a large group of horses around Timothy Lake in September and that they plan to "do" all the Oregon and Washington sections of the Skyline Trail in the next few...
Text (page 7, handwritten — continuation):
...covering approximately 60 miles a year. Last year they did a section of Washington's Skyline Trail.
Could not these horse groups use old Wagon Roads, such as the Barlow Trail, the Santiam Wagon Road, or Jug Trails, or areas not so fragile? I doubt that these people are seeking a wilderness experience, and they are certainly depriving us of ours!
Do we have to stand still for this thoughtless destruction of the trails?
Most Sincerely,
Patricia Johnston