I would like to inform this committee that during the heavy snows in the winter, there is virtually nobody in the higher areas, where we want the ski lifts. As a matter of fact, with considerable research I have never found anyone that has skied down from the San Bernardino Peak area, the Anderson Peak area, or any area west of Forsee Creek during the winter months. These are minor objections by the opposition. Let us go to the only serious objection, which is that the opposition doesn't want to give up a single portion of the San Gorgonio/San Bernardino wild area, regardless of whether it is being used now, or whether the entire community could use it to tremendous advantage as a ski area. The reason is simple: they have it now, why give it up. I hope the committee will probe these people as to why giving up the San Bernardino Peak area or the Anderson Peak area would do the slightest harm. To show you more clearly the picture of San Gorgonio, may I have permission to display this map [indicating] and point out the major potential ski areas and what effect skiing would have on the area. This identical map was submitted to this committee 3 years ago with the exception of the brown line at the bottom [indicating]. The orange line represents the border of the wild area [indicating]. The outside red line represents the approximate 8,500 feet mark [indicating]. The inner red line represents the 10,500 feet mark [indicating]. The yellow represents parking for automobiles and access areas [indicating]. The green represents the potential ski areas [indicating]. The purple represents the area above 10,500 feet [indicating]. Let us note first that the lower portion encircled in red is outside the wild area and above 8,500 feet, reaching a height of 9,830 feet at Galena Peak and 9,140 feet at Little San Gorgonio Peak. This entire area on the bottom of the map encircled in brown consists of many thousands of acres above the 7,200 feet level and is pure wilderness by classification in its nature; this could be added to the wild area in replacement for a few thousand acres that would be suitable for skiing. This would take care of the Dyal amendment for land replacement. Starting at the westerly point, the first green area shaded in, is under the San Bernardino Peak. I have traversed this area on horseback, as have a few others. It would be a good area starting at above 8,000 feet and going to 10,500 feet. In my opinion, this is the least desirable area, but as you can obviously see, it just removes a small portion from the wild area and is approximately 6 miles from the best area. An exchange of this area for an area on the opposite side of the map called Fish Creek Meadows would be about equivalent. As you will notice, the Fish Creek Meadow area is all above 7,200 feet. Čertainly there could be no legitimate objection to this. The second area is under Anderson Peak, and I have been through this area and know that it provides great beginner's and intermediate's runs. Unfortunately, to get to the area is almost impossible by automobile, so a preliminary lift outside of the wild area would have to be used; this has been done in many other areas and its presently done at Mount Baldy locally. As you will note, the parking provided is outside of the wild area [indicating]. The next area is a large area and next to the main area and is probably the best. It would be under Shield's Peak and High Spring Meadow. If this area were used, the parking could be located in Horse Meadows and all parking could be done on the outside [indicating]. Also, if this area were used, people would traverse over to Charlton Peak and come down from there, getting some benefit out of the best area. The last area, and what I consider to be the best, is in a class by itself. The yellow shows parking within the area and which could be moved outside of the area in the vicinity of Poopout Hill [indicating]. The cars could be parked there and an ingress could be made with a rapid transit system capable of bringing in people at the rate of 3,000 per hour, thus it would not be necessary to bring automobiles into the present wild area. This would be expensive, revolutionary, and new, but there is no reason why it couldn't be done. With my experience and knowledge of ski areas, it is my opinion that if this were done, this would become one of the greatest ski areas in the United States. I am sure people would come from all over the world for the sole purpose of skiing here. This area was the basis on which my brother and I solicited 20 firms in southern California to make a pledge of $1,000 per year for 8 years, totaling the sum of $160,000 as contributions for training of Olympic skiers. It was not much of a job to convince them, since this area provided access to more people within 2 hours driving time than all the other good ski areas in the United States combined, and if the United States is to have Olympic skiing championships, then southern California would furnish the athletes. The opposition has criticized our stand, saying that if we were serious about winning the Olympics, we would raise the money regardless. I want you to know that the men we solicited were hard-nosed businessmen, who not only are interested in promoting southern California, but had to be convinced that what we represented was correct. We showed them the only way the United States could win the Olympics was to make more ski areas available to the youngsters of the Nation on a daily basis, because it takes about 8 years to develop a really good skier. I repeat, we can offer more good training areas in San Gorgonio to more young people on a daily basis, than in all the other areas in the United States combined. There are 11 million people in southern California and 5 million are less than 2 hours drive from this area. Add up all the other good areas and the population within 2 hours driving time, and you will have far less than 5 million people. We can with one blow here, double the number of Olympic trainees. I can also state without hesitation that if this particular area is opened, the $20,000 per year will go up to $50,000 per year. This is in line with Vice President Humphrey's program that private enterprise should finance our athletic programs. In conclusion, let me say again we skiers want an area. If we can't have the best, please give us as close to the best as possible-but give us something. Mr. BARING. All right, Mr. Speicher, do you have any others? Mr. Chandler P. North. Mr. BARING. All right, Mr. North. STATEMENT OF CHANDLER P. NORTH, IN SUPPORT OF FAR WEST SKI ASSOCIATION, DIVISION OF THE U.S. SKI ASSOCIATION Mr. NORTH. Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen of the committee, I am Chandler P. North, my business is director of research in plant sciences, University of California at Riverside. My avocations are nature study and photography. My background is that of a "nature boy" with academic training at the University of California in biological sciences including ornithology, mammalogy, ecology, botany, geology and paleontology. My boyhood was on a farm in the Sacramento Valley where I was able to spend time exploring wild river bottom land along the Consumes and Mokulome rivers. I did not let the sound of a tractor detract from my enjoyment of catching bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), trying to catch turtles, watching herons, chasing baby ducks, watching a mink "loop" along the river bank or investigating wild honey bees in a hollow buckeye tree. I learned to take my wilderness where I could find it and did not worry about rules on where and under what conditions I should enjoy it. Some conservationists appear to have rather rigid rules on where and how to enjoy nature. I enjoy seeing a whitefooted mouse or pocket gopher out on top of the snow under a ski lift and usually ski down to get a closer look if possible before the small creature goes back under the snow. I know the Sierra Nevada mountains and the local mountains from foot and horseback travel in each. One north California Sierra club member asked me, "What's all the argument about over this pile of dry rock?" I do not agree with the implication in this question because the local mountains including the San Gorgonio wild area do have some beautiful and unspoiled forest land if you want to find it. However, in my opinion, the east end of the San Gorgonio-San Bernardino Mountain Range (San Gorgonio wild area) have been removed from true wilderness status by the many careless hikers and campers who have left their tin cans, bottles, and other trash together with their spray-can painted initials on rocks to prove that they did indeed arrive at a given point in the forest or at San Gorgonio Peak. Conservationists and the U.S. Forest Service would spread this spoilage further by establishing more camps like those at Slushy Meadows and Dollar Lake. Since there is no natural water for more camps, water would have to be developed by digging thus marring the wild character of the area even more. More camps would mean more sanitary facilities of the truly primitive type that would filter down into the waters that feed South Fork Creek and then down into the Santa Ana River-to be blunt, a source of bacterial infection. Septic tanks are not used in these primitive facilities, therefore raw sewage filters down into the water supply. A ski area would have septic tanks. This particular mountain range (San Gorgonio-San Bernardino Peaks) is some 7 miles long and has seven peaks over 10,600 feet high on its crest. There are a number of trails traversing this range both across it and the length of it. Most of these trails have very little use because they are rather steep, for those not in good physical condition, and lead to a peak lower than San Gorgonio Peak. But it is along these seldom used trails that the true wilderness land is located, it is here that you can hike all day and be alone. There are also one or two nice meadows that are bypassed by the hikers and campers where one can spend the day alone, although the Poopout Hill parking lot is full of cars and volley ball and football are the mode of entertainment at Slushy Meadows (October 30, 1965). The issue is not simply whether this area is to remain "primitive and unspoiled" but rather can a compromise be reached and controls instituted that will allow downhill skiers to use the only dependable snow in southern California during the winter when no other use is being made of the land. I have viewed a beautiful and emotional presentation by the defenders of the San Gorgonio wilderness. This presentation showed use of the area in late spring, summer, and fall when there is insufficient snow for downhill skiing. During that time of year, responsible skiers request that skiing facilities (chairlifts) not be operated. Therefore, damage would be to the psyche of some persons. Other persons would be able to enjoy the wonders of nature as they find them. I have found that damage to the psyche is quite variable, depending on the individual and his desire to resist or welcome damage to it. Youth organizations use trails at the east end of the San Gorgonio wild area from Poopout Hill to Slushy Meadows to Dollar Lake to San Gorgonio Peak extensively when there is not enough snow for skiing. Slushy Meadows is used for winter camping when the road is clear of snow to Poopout Hill. Slushy Meadows is approximately 800 feet (vertical) elevation below a proposed ski site at the San Gorgonio Peak region of this mountain range and it is approximately 5 miles from a possible site at the west end of the mountain range on the north facing slope of San Bernardino Peak. Therefore, if persons desired to camp out at Slushy Meadows or Dollar Lake in winter they would be well insulated from any prospective downhill ski develop ment. I represent many skiers in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties who believe that a ski area should be operated in winter only and we request that no sightseeing summer operation be authorized in order to preserve maximum summer hiking and summer camping values. Summer access should in our opinion, be by foot or horseback only. There is a newly discovered "lake" just below San Gorgonio Peak on the south side of the peak. It is in a shallow rock depression and exists until snow water is evaporated. This pond could not be seen or damaged by winter skiers. A U.S. Forest Service official has stated that "once the skiers get a foothold in the San Gorgonia wild area we could not stop them from taking it all over.” This statement appears to be in some error since no ski area operator or other leasee in a national forest can cut a tree or bush or alter the natural terrain without previous approval of the U.S. Forest Service. Thus it would appear that the Forest Service can set a limit on extent and type of development on all lands under its jurisdiction. If this is not the case, then I am sure the Congress of the United States can give the Forest Service means to limit development in the national forests. A downhill ski area development is requested for the recreation of several hundred thousand persons in southern California and not merely a commercial development to make money for a private corporation. If commercialism is feared, then let the State, county, or city government operate the area and regulate profits. There are two sides to this 7-mile mountain range and on the south side (away from any possible ski area) are long sloping mountain meadows. However, these meadows require some exertion to reach and so remain relatively unspoiled. Use of wilderness lands is, to a large extent, limited by easy or difficult access, or the lure of climbing a high peak. Many persons cannot maintain physical fitness so that they may climb steep trails with ease. This lack of physical fitness deters most skiers from climbing a ski hill all day. An average day of skiing is 8,000 to 10,000 feet of descent and may be as much as 25,000 feet. All this physical exertion is performed at 8,500 to 10,500 feet altitude and it is real exertion to manage 6- to 7-foot-long skis. It brings some physical fitness to secretaries, teachers, nurses, engineers, office workers, children, and housewives, during a time of year when other outdoor sports may not be feasible. Descending a ski hill on skis, however, demands considerable skill and physical exertion, thus contributing much to physical fitness and great personal pride of accomplishing an athletic feat of coordinating the movement on 6- to 7-foot skis. The flora and fauna of the San Gorgonia wild area are in no danger whatsoever by any downhill skiing development. Bears regularly visit camps in all national parks and deer, fox, raccoons, skunks, and bobcats enter the outskirts of cities that border forested lands. The desert mountain sheep dwell, mainly, on the mountain range south of the San Gorgino-San Bernardino Peaks range. The many summer and winter visitors to the Mill Creek Canyon which lies between the two mountain ranges apparently do not bother the sheep by their presence. Skiers are asking for only part of this mountain range, not all of it. There is much wilderness-type land in southern California, in fact the Angeles National Forest was recently described as "Primeval Playpen the size of Rhode Island, abounds in wildlife and giant ageless trees." With this magnitude of national forest land available, everyone should be able to enjoy a "wilderness experience." Thank you very much. Mr. BARING. Are there any questions by any member of the committee? Mr. HOSMER. Mr. Deutsch, where on that map have you depicted the access roads? Mr. DEUTSCH. I am glad you asked that. The access road, for instance, in the Anderson Peak, there are no roads. The parking is outside of the wild area [indicating]. Mr. HOSMER. There has to be roads to the parking lot, do there not? Mr. DEUTSCH. Well, I will draw my finger along the road [indicating]. Here is a road here [indicating], it is to Barton Flats and there is a small road that is only a matter of less than one-half mile to the parking area [indicating]. Mr. HOSMER. Where is there anything in this bill that says that the access roads will be limited to the presently used area? |