will ease matters a great deal due to the fact that it will be hours closer than Mammoth and provide nearly ideal conditions for all classes of skiers. However, this change may prove the most difficult of all to make because of the great variety of diversions bombarding everyone here in the Southland all year long. 3. A change in legislation covering the administration of all of the few remaining wilderness areas of this country and substituting in its place legislation that will guarantee iron-clad protection against any further despoiling of any of these areas for any purpose whatsoever other than maintaining them status quo.

We, the majority, need San Gorgonio as it is now, an unspoiled sanctuary of retreat in which to forget, for a while, the trials and tribulations attendant with carving out a livelihood. We need it as it is now to serve as a living laboratory in which our students can carry out their research covering the ecology of the only remaining unspoiled alpine plant and animal association left in Southern California.

The need for protection against the inroads of commercialism is imperative. Let us make certain that San Gorgonio and all of the other wilderness areas will remain a living testimonial to the foresight of our present administrators through the enactment of legislation that will preserve these areas for us the living, now, and for those unborn generations of the twenty first century and beyond who will inherit a desperate need for places like San Gorgonio-places utterly beautiful, as well as useful, in their pristine nakedness.

STATEMENT OF BEULA EDMISTON, LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

Although I am a scheduled witness, circumstances beyond my control make it necessary to send my testimony by Special Delivery Mail and request that it be entered in the proceedings of the Hearing.

I oppose H.R. 6891 and related "Family Recreation" bills because nature has provided everything needed or desirable for family recreation in this matchless wilderness area. Any commercial development would down grade and destroy the quality of wilderness family recreation the San Gorgonio Wilderness area now so ably provides.

I speak from personal knowledge and experience. For three generations the Edmistons have enjoyed family recreation in the heart of the San Gorgonio Wilderness area-the very part proposed for commercial development. My husband climbed "Gray Back" when a lad with his father. It means a lot to climb a mountain with your dad when there are no commercial helps or hindrances along the way. As a girl, I explored the wonders of the heartland wilderness with my family and friends. It was an experience never to be forgotten because it was alone with nature, a rare retreat from commercial enterprise. My husband explored the San Gorgonio wilderness extensively with youth groups from his Riverside County home. I can never forget the particular meaning of singing "There's a long, long trail a winding" as my San Bernardino County high school organizations and family parties enjoyed the exquisite wilderness experience in the heartland of the San Gorgonio area. The quality of such experience would be destroyed or made false, perhaps even shoddy, by adjacent or present commercial development. Now my family and I live in Los Angeles. Still the San Gorgonio Wilderness area provides some of our most cherished wilderness outings. Our son rejoiced with us when, after full airing and discussion, the San Gorgonio Wilderness was established. We know from first hand knowledge that the area now serves a maximum quality family recreation experience to the maximum quantity of people the area can well support. My husband and I have long been associated with a number of youth serving agencies. We help Los Angeles youth groups enjoy wilderness outings. Why do they want to go to the San Gorgonio Wilderness area? Perhaps it is because it is the best place, and almost the only place a young man can really grasp the meaning of "Give me men to match my mountains!" Commercial development would destroy that priceless quality.

Families come to us continually pleading for knowledge of places where they can find family recreation away from the commercial pull for Coke or stronger drink, funny books and juke boxes, and commercial mechanization of any sort. People need places of wilderness quality family recreation. There is no shortage of commercial fun spots. Wilderness recreation is rare and should be protected.

To the skiers, I say, "Come join the family recreationists. Just don't expect to be pulled back up hill here." The San Georgonio Wilderness should be kept inviolate. It is meeting a tremendous need for family recreation. Any development would be a decimation.

STATEMENT OF EDGAR C. KELLER

I am not a member of the Sierra Club. Unless the couple of dollars I contributed a long time ago automatically conferred membership, I am not a member of the Defenders of San Gorgonio or any similar conservation group, nor have I ever attended a meeting of any such organization. I am not a naturalist, and not much of a hiker. Aside from my son's tenderfoot membership in the Boy Scouts I have no connection or affiliation with any of the many youth groups and church groups that use the San Gorgonio area. Although an attorney, to the best of my knowledge, I have no clients who have any economic interest in the preservation of the area, in skiing, or in hiking, and I appear only on behalf of myself and my immediate family-and, indirectly perhaps, of the unborn children of my children.

I think, however, I am representative of many in Southern California, who, like me, enjoy and love the San Gorgonio area more than any other portion of Southern California.

It is not my purpose today to discuss comprehensively all of the issues concerning this controversy, but merely to touch briefly on four considerations which merit attention:

(1) The irrevocability of the opening of the area for promotional purposes. (2) The inadequacy of detail in the proposal to permit its proper evaluation. (3) The illogical nature of the argument that more people would be served by a ski lift.

(4) The incompatibility of wilderness and nonwilderness.

MAN CANNOT MAKE WILDERNESS

It said,

An editorial in the November 13 issue of the San Bernardino Sun-Telegram was illustrative of the failure to comprehend the nature of wilderness. in part, that it did not quarrel with the argument: "That a part of this country should be left as it was created ***. do argue that there are other fine regions that could be made wilderness areas *** ??

But we

A wilderness area is a virgin land, untouched by man. How, then, does man "create" wilderness area? The Sun-Telegram has obviously come a long way from the simple philosophy of Joyce Kilmer that only God could make a tree. Because a wilderness area is by definition virgin land, the day the dozer bites the first dirt, the San Gorgonio area becomes no longer a wilderness area. Man can do many wonderful things. He has built fantastic bridges, planes to carry him through the air, rockets to carry him through space, artificial arteries, and so forth. He has learned how to make artificial snow; and as those of you from the Midwest or South know, he has in recent years even built the mountains under the snow-to be sure they may be more like hills now, but they are substantial, are enjoyed by thousands of skiers, and will doubtless increase greatly in number and size.

But there is one thing man cannot do: Man cannot restore virginity. And the king's horses and the king's men will learn how to put Humpty-Dumpty together again long before man, be he naturalist, ski promoter, or congressman, will be able to undespoil that once virgin land that has been despoiled. A decision not to open this land to promotional activity now, may be reversed five years from now, twenty years from now, or whenever it becomes crystal clear that such is wise. But a decision to open the land is forever.

Should such an irrevocable decision be made in the absence of 100% certainty of its advisability? The irrevocable nature of such an opening of the San Gorgonio area must be borne in mind throughout any discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages thereof.

THE WORLD'S ONLY SUPER-WILDERNESS—WITH SIX-LANE HIGHWAYS Of course, the enabling legislation which is now sought by the resort promoters cannot be specific. But its generality permits a great deal of inconsistency in the arguments of its supporters. These inconsistencies would be apparent if an actual usage plan were presented in form detailed enough to permit evaluation. Thus, sports writer Vincent Flaherty stated in support of the proposal that "you may be certain 60,000 people would visit Gorgonio every week-end...." Let us assume that this means 30,000 people on Saturday and 30,000 on Sunday. Presumably to make the trip and the daily chair-lift worthwhile, most skiers would come in the morning, and stay all day. Further assume, an average of three skiers per automobile. This would require a parking lot which can accommodate 10,000 cars. Assume further that the automobiles arrived, not in spurts, but steadily over a four-hour period from 8:00 a.m. to noon each day. That would mean 2,500 automobiles pulling into the parking lot each hour, 42 each minute, or one every 1.4 seconds.

No two-lane mountain road can accommodate that kind of traffic. Even if all automobiles were equal in power and all drivers identical in driving habits, a four-lane highway would be severely taxed. And those of you who are familiar with mountain driving know that this might well be inadequate due to the interruption in steady flow of traffic which is caused by the slower vehicles even on multi-laned traffic.

The cost of such a highway, of course, in this particular area, would be astronomical due to the cutting, filling, and blasting which could be necessary to create a level roadbed of such width over, around, and through steep granite terrain. The ski lift promoters obviously will wish, not that the world beat a path to their "better mousetrap," but that county, State, and Federal Government taxpayers build that road for them.

If it has not been done already, I suggest that estimates of the cost of building such a super-access highway through such mountainous terrain be determined together with the cost of annual maintenance, snow plowing, and highway patrolling. A better evaluation of the true cost to taxpayers as compared with the profits of promoters would be facilitated by such a study.

JUSTICE FOR MINORITIES

One of the principal contentions of the promoters is that more people would use the area for skiing than previously used it for hiking, and that, therefore, it should be opened so as to benefit the greatest number of people. That more people would use the area for skiing on a certain day than would ever use it for hiking on a certain day is undoubtedly true, and would be true of any place in the country. Were 60,000 people to go hiking in that area, or in any area of comparable size, in one day, the solitude which makes it desirable would be lost and few would want to come back to hike the following day.

Whether over the course of a year more individuals would derive enjoyment from the skiing than now enjoy the area, is highly speculative. But assume that they would: Is that an adequate argument for taking away one of the few areas that those who love wilderness can now enjoy?

If San Gorgonio is so much superior to Mount Baldy, or Snow Valley or Big Bear for skiing, it is unfortunate perhaps that many years ago one of these areas was not set aside as a wild area and San Gorgonio then developed for skiing. This was not done. Instead, Baldy, Snow Valley, Big Bear, and many other areas were permitted to develop as resort areas, and they cannot now be converted back to wilderness. Only a very small portion of Southern California today is set aside as wilderness, and of this, San Gorgonio is by far the most nearly ideal. Should it be taken from those who love it as it is merely because they are a minority?

At any one hour of the day, more people would like to watch "Peyton Place" on television than would want to watch "Hamlet," "Meet the Press," a news broadcast, or a symphony. Probably more people would enter the National Gallery of Art on any one day if the paintings were removed, beer served, and go-go girls entertained. Should we then eliminate all news broadcasts, press confer

ences, and other programs in favor of continuous re-runs on television of Peyton Place? Should we install the go-go girls in the National Gallery, perhaps as a form of pop art? If the few are always to be sacrificed to the greater number, this must follow.

And if you should decide so to alter the television programming to cater to immediate mass preferences, it would not matter much because next month or next year, if you found that this was a mistake, you could reverse your action and nothing would be permanently lost. Almost instantaneously after "Peyton Place" was shut off, the air waves would be as free to telecast "Hamlet" as ever. The air waves cannot be destroyed by one decision. But, as already pointed out, a decision to remove a portion of San Gorgonio from wilderness is irrevocable.

ONE MAY KNOW WITHOUT SEEING

Last June my daughter, son, and I took a short hike of perhaps three miles down into the village of Idyllwild, which is in the San Jacinto mountain area across the pass from Mount San Gorgonio. The trail was a pleasant one. Although it paralleled the road to Idyllwild, which was about one-quarter mile away, the trees and ridges screened the road from our sight after the first hundred yards or so, nor could we see the houses being built near the road. But because we knew the road was there and houses were there, because of the occasional distant hum of a skill-saw, this walk, although pleasant, was akin to a walk through a park; it was not the equivalent of a wilderness experience.

The ski lift promoters suggest that wilderness lovers could still walk through much of the San Gorgonio area without seeing the ski lift, the bulldozed slopes, and the macadam highway, and that what you can't see can't hurt you. If they believe this, if they cannot understand the difference in feeling that is occasioned by knowing a ski lift, parking lot, and resort are on the other side of the ridge, whether one sees it at the moment or not, then dialogue or communication with them may be impossible.

A wilderness area is of value, not only because of its beauty, but also because here one can look around him and know that for miles it is an area "untouched by human hands." Southern California, like the rest of the United States, has many man-made wonders, but is it not important to retain some area as God made it, unaided by man? It is this feeling that here is an area which has had no changes except those of nature since the time of the American Revolution, the time of Norman conquest, the time of Christ, and for eons prior thereto, that causes such an area to be a well of inspiration. That is why many churches choose the periphery of San Gorgonio for inspirational camps, and why many people who are not active in organized religion also find spiritual inspiration here.

Man can destroy all this, however, in the twinkling of an eye-not with a nuclear weapon, but merely with an uncautious vote followed by a bulldozer. If he does so, it can never be regained, and those millions of children in Southern California will be denied an experience which they cannot otherwise gain in this part of the country. Yes, man can sell his birthright for a mess of pottage. We ask of Congress, don't be the broker for such a transaction.

STATEMENT OF ROBERT E. CROWDER, GARDENA, CALIF.

My name is Robert E. Crowder, residing at 2904 West 139th Place in Gardena, California.

I would like to express my appreciation to the members of this committee for taking the time from your busy affairs of state to hear a plea to retain this region as an unspoiled wilderness area.

I represent no monied organization, club or association, but I am appearing here as a private citizen, a family man with three teen-age sons and as a resident of an area adjacent to the Watts riot area.

As a former scoutmaster and volunteer leader of other youth groups it has been my good fortune to take many groups of underprivileged boys and young men from our neighborhood for a week to ten days of wilderness camping, fishing and swimming in this last "close in" high mountain wilderness area. For a transportation fee of a buck for the 75 mile trip, a potential delinquent youth can develop into a better citizen by learning to have self respect and be self reliant.

The skills that thousands of youngsters off the streets learn from a wilderness back pack hike in this region and the ability to work as a team, to respect the property of others, cleanliness and to help others is something that money cannot buy. Unfortunately, these kids do not have the money or organization for professional people to represent them at a hearing of this type.

It is ironic that while we spend millions of dollars on juvenile delinquency, slum clearance, etc., here at our doorstep we are utilizing an area to combat this menace without any cost to the taxpayer in retaining it in its present forma wilderness area.

True, there are the San Rafael, Cucamonga and Devil's Canyon wilderness areas, but these are without water during the summer months and the only vegetation is sage brush, manzanita and cactus, Furthermore these areas are closed during fire season which usually extends from May to November and is the prime camping season. This situation in regard to the retaining of the wilderness areas for hikers and campers reminds me of the way the Indians were shoved out into the wastelands in deference to money interests of the white man.

Commercial groups from ski manufacturers to motel chains and including professional ski clubs have been after this area as a posh resort that would be available to only those who could afford the tariff of using the chair lifts, motel, bars etc.-that would someday be located in this area. A thoughtful person would examine the cost of skis, ski boots and other gear necessary for skiing and would realize that an average family with children cannot afford skiing as a recreation for such a period of the year.

The proponents for converting this to a ski area the last time it was discussed used the arguments that our winter Olympic ski teams needed this area for development. After our dismal showing in the winter Olympic cross country ski events and other international meets it was quite evident that our skiers had spent too much time on ski lifts and not enough time on physical conditioning for cross country meets. In fact a more spartan type wilderness training is what our skiers need. The evidence of long hours of conditioning is shown in our long distance runners in the Olympics. Therefore the arguments for conversion are not valid.

Gentlemen, the money interests who pushed for the change last year and the year before are back here again only under a different banner-the sanctimonious sounding "family winter recreational area", but the end results are the same: neon lights, bars and gaudy commercialism.

A tour during the snow months of our family winter recreational areas from Mt. Pinos on the north through Mts. Waterman, San Antonio and into the Big Bear-Arrowhead area will show that there is an overabundance of facilities that are available to the average family. As a youth leader, I have taken a church or scout group to the snow for a weekend every year for the past ten years and never once did we have trouble in obtaining weekend accommodations; use of ski slopes or sled runs. Our groups would range in size from 15 to 30 people and we have used accommodations in Wrightwood, Big Pines, Arrowhead, Big Bear and Seven Oaks regions.

I would like to conclude with a fervent hope that your findings will sustain this wilderness area for the youth of the future.

STATEMENT OF SYLVESTER MORNING, SANTA MONICA, CALIF.

My experience in skiing dates back some 15 years, when the first two of my four children were at an age when my wife and I had to find some athletic outlet for them or risk losing our minds because of their boundless energies. Through friends who skied, we were introduced to the sport-cold weather, running noses, wet feet and all of the unglamorous facets of a very glamorous sport. We survived somehow despite the seemingly endless long week-end trips to the High Sierras and other equally distant places. After a month or so, we were "hooked" and would go skiing despite the weather, long drives and equally difficult Monday mornings. When snow existed on those rare occassions in Southern California, it was like a quiet week-end to drive a few hours to and from the local areas.

Time progressed and so did our family-to the tune of 4 children and many dogs and cats. The one thing that didn't change was the long drives to Mammoth