A very nice reflection of being out there and the value of protecting as much of it as possible.
Rebecca Giddens: Over the river and through the forest without roads
By Rebecca Giddens and Mark Singleton -
Published 12:00 am PDT Friday, November 2, 2007
Paddling a river is an ancient activity – possibly the first human mode of transportation not involving putting one foot in front of the other. Yet while the world has grown since people first took to the water, there are still some places in our country where you can dip a paddle into a pristine river, feel the tug of the current and silently glide downstream. And thanks to the roadless areas found in our national forests, there are more such havens than most would expect.
Unfortunately, roadless areas occupy a legal netherworld where they are neither easily developed nor really protected. Even worse, efforts to weaken protections for these last undeveloped places, by the Washington allies of mining and logging interests, have put these regions in serious jeopardy. Leaders in Congress, however, have kicked off a renewed effort to protect such natural treasures once and for all.
Paddling along remote rivers and waterways – the original highways used to explore our great nation – offers a truly unique way to experience our national forests and some of the last vestiges of wild and unspoiled lands in America. Indeed, roadless areas are home to some of the most scenic and challenging whitewater paddling opportunities around, as well as family-friendly rivers and lakes.
Roadless areas, frequently at lower elevations than wilderness areas, provide accessible backcountry recreational opportunities for millions of Americans. For example, roadless areas in North Carolina's Smoky Mountains, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and West Virginia's Highlands provide world-class paddling opportunities. Out West, roadless areas preserve the water quality for headwater areas of the famous "River of No Return," Idaho's Salmon River.
