(d) Wilderness is a scare resource and should be preserved for the enjoyment of present and future generations. 2. Commercial development of San Gorgonio would be a bad legislative precedent for the entire nation: (a) Under the Wilderness Act of 1964, approved in Congress by an overwhelming majority, federal legislation and a national policy was established to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness. Elimination of such a popular wilderness area as San Gorgonio would inevitably lead to pressure for piece-meal destruction of the Wilderness Act; (b) Commercialization would run contrary to statements made by President Johnson regarding the need for "America the Beautiful", for conservation, outdoor recreation and the need for wilderness. 3. Attempts at commercial development were rejected last year by countless individuals, newspapers, organizations of all types, government officials and our legislative representatives. California congressmen voted 28 to 7 to preserve San Gorgonio, and the House of Representatives passed the Wilderness Bill 373 to 1. 4. There are more than 26 youth camps immediately adjacent to the area, and many thousands of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA and similar youth groups, all of whom use and depend on this area for valuable outdoor experience. Commercial development would deprive our young people from absorbing the inherent values of a wilderness experience, and would close certain areas to families and children who could not afford the admission charge and the expense of commercial ski facilities. 5. Expert skiers and members of the San Bernardino Mountain Rescue Unit dispute the quality and quantity of the snow on San Gorgonio. The snowfall is extremely unreliable and inadequate to support profitable commercial development without restaurants, bars and overnight accommodations, which are inconsistent with the present character of the area. Warm daytime temperatures and freezing night temperatures cause icing, frosting, the exposure of rocks and occasional avalanches, all of which would be undesirable and dangerous for commercial ski development. Furthermore, clearing the slopes for skiing would require the removal of countless thousands of beautiful trees and other plant life. For the foregoing reasons, now, therefore, it is hereby resolved: 1. That the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area should be preserved in its present status, and remain under the protection of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which precludes the establishment of any commercial enterprise or permanent road within the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. 2. Congressman Dyal's Bill H.R. 6891 and all other similar bills requesting any form of commercial development should be rejected. PUBLIC LAND SUBCOMMITTEE, YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, GENTLEMEN: The Redlands Y.M.C.A. Board of Directors are still opposed to any changes in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. Once any part of this beautiful area (not alone the heart) is given over to commercial interest, it will mean the end of this area as we now know it. Our Camp Edwards is on the fringe of this area, along with a number of other youth camps. All of our hikers have gone in and enjoyed this wilderness. As our wilderness area begins to shrink, the youngsters in the future will have less and less opportunity to know and to enjoy this area as thousands of our youngsters do today. Sincerely yours, L. R. COBLE, General Secretary. PUBLIC LANDS SUBCOMMITTEE, SIERRA CLUB, SAN DIEGO CHAPTER, San Diego, Calif., November 8, 1965. House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, GENTLEMEN: It is respectfully requested that the following statement be made a part of the record of the Hearing on Bills 6891, 7490, 7654, 8033, 8176, 8859 to be held in San Bernardino, California on November 16-17, 1965. On November 8, 1965, the Executive Committee of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club unanimously approved the following motion: "that the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area remain within the jurisdiction of the Wilderness Act and not be subject to commercial skiing development and other forms of 'family winter recreation.' The basic reasons for the motion are listed below. Scores of members of this Chapter have hiked, camped, skied and snowshoed in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. Many have led youth and adult groups into the area over a period of several decades. These members know, from first-hand observation, that: 1. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Area is unique in Southern California in that it contains the only alpine-arctic zone with its rare fauna and flora. 2. San Gorgonio Wilderness Area has the highest mountain in Southern California. 3. That lands around the perimeter of the Wilderness Area, primarily to the southeast, offered as substitute acreage for the Dry Lake Basin area, cannot, under any stretch of the imagination, equal the natural resources, the offerings for scientific research nor the recreational opportunities of the Dry Lake Basin. 4. Other areas, with better and safer snow conditions for "family winter recreation," are available in the San Bernardino National Forest but outside of the Wilderness Area. Furthermore: 1. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Area comprises only 4.3% of the total area of the San Bernardino National Forest and yet, developers want the unrestricted use of 10% of this tiny area for facilities to be operated only during the winter season-about %-4 of an average year. 2. Routing and installing of roads and utilities would involve additional, but unspecified, amounts of Wilderness lands. 3. Commercial developers would deny citizens and the public the fee-free use of Dry Lake Basin area. Regarding the Bills specifically: 1. H.R. Bill 6891, et al, present no definition of "family winter recreation." The Bills do not establish responsibility for installing, maintaining and operating the facilities and attendent utilities and roads. Furthermore, the Bills do not indicate the procedure to be followed in case the venture fails. 2. The Bills offer no protection to the citizens who are dependent upon the lands of Dry Lake Basin and adjacent to it for their life, livelihood or recreation. Nor does it offer protection to groups of citizens who have established camps and other worthwhile centers for recreation. 3. Bills 6891, et al, violate the principals and intent of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which act was passed by an overwhelming majority vote in both House and Senate. 4. California Congressmen, at the time of voting on the Wilderness Act, voted 4-1 in favor of retaining San Gorgonio as a Wilderness Area. 5. Approving commercial development within the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area would set a undesirable precedent for other Wilderness Areas. It would be a carte blanc for the wholesale destruction of other Wilderness Areas, against the wish of the people and the law of the land. The San Diego Chapter, with almost 1,000 members, heartily endorses the principal of the Wilderness Act and most respectfully urges the Public Lands Subcommittee to uphold the Wilderness Act of 1964 in its entirety and specifically in regard to the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. Respectfully submitted. MIRIAM ANDERSON, Secretary. LA QUINTA, CALIF. RESOLUTION OPPOSING COMMERCIALIZING OF THE SAN GORGONIO WILDERNESS AREA Whereas the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area is being threatened by the possible deletion of one of its choicest areas for the benefit of commercial interests which was not the intent of the recently passed Wilderness Act, and Whereas this wilderness has been used for many years by youth groups and others, many of whom live in cities and have little other contact with nature, and Whereas the increased use by those not versed in the use of the wilderness may be careless with fire, and Whereas the building of roads, parking lots and ski-lifts would necessitate the cutting of many trees, which would cause erosion of the mountainsides, therefore, be it resolved, That the Coachella Valley Garden Club at a special meeting in La Quinta, California on November 3, 1965 opposes the deletion of any part of the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area as set forth in H.R. 6891 (Dyal), H.R. 7490 (Corman), H.R 7654 (Leggett), H.R. 8033 (Hawkins), H.R. 8176 (H. T. Johnson), and H.R 8859 (Roosevelt). Adopted November 3, 1965. PUBLIC LANDS SUBCOMMITTEE: Mrs. KERN H. COPELAND, President. FONTANA GARDEN CLUB, Fontana, Calif., October 30, 1965. The Fontana Garden Club is still opposed to opening up San Gorgonio to commercial interests in any form. We had hoped after this was rejected before that we would not have to keep reminding our representatives that we are very much opposed to ski lifts or commercial interests taking over the area as planned. We are mainly interested in preserving the wildlife and wilderness for the future. Reasons are many, but we do want to go on record again as opposed to all the bills to open up this area to commercial interests. Yours truly, LETA WILLIS. PUBLIC LANDS SUBCOMMITTEE, IDYLLWILD PROTECTIVE LEAGUE, INC., GENTLEMEN: Our organization, of over 500 members, wishes to go on record in opposition to the legislation which would allow commercialization of the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. We are in the San Jacinto mountains, where we have had ample opportunity to see how such control of public lands by private interests works. The Winter Park Authority, was given, without charge, the use of four sections of State land, and now are operating a tramway. It was to be a gateway to the wilderness but has been, instead, a way of exploiting the wilderness for private gain. It has been unsuccessful, financially, and has caused desecration of the area. We see how impossible it is to turn back, once the step has been taken. The public has been kept in ignorance of the real intent to develop a ski area in the San Gorgonio area, nor did they reveal that they were offered other land for their desired use. This is the choice spot and they will have no other. If this legislation is passed, it will set a precedent to be followed in other mountain areas. The matter was debated and voted down in Congress one year ago. The promoters have waited until the public has thought the danger was past, and then has had new legislation introduced. We are grateful for this opportunity to be heard. Sincerely, (Mrs. Chas. E.) GERTRUDE P. MILLIKAN, Secretary. HOUSE INTERIOR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, GROSSMONT GARDEN CLUB, La Mesa, Calif., November 8, 1965. GENTLEMEN: The Grossmont Garden Club of La Mesa, California composed of 45 very active members assembled in regular monthly meeting today, are greatly concerned about the preservation of the San Gorgonio Wilderness area, in California. Having just learned of the up-coming Field Hearings on San Gorgonio Bills unanimously and enthusiastically adopted a motion disapproving of H.R. 6891 by Mr. Dyal introduced March 29th, 1965 including five similar or identical bills. We are greatly alarmed also by the manner in which H.R. 6891 et al. completely bypass all the procedures of the Wilderness Act of 1964 setting a very dangerous precedent. Very respectfully, TOM J. CLARK, Conservation Chairman. IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA INC., PUBLIC LANDS SUBCOMMITTEE. ANAHEIM CHAPTER, Anaheim, Calif., November 6, 1965. DEAR SIRS: In reference to hearings of the San Gorgonio wilderness area, we the Anaheim Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America are opposed to any trading or removal of any boundaries of the San Gorgonio Wilderness area. This wilderness area is used by many Youth Groups throughout the year, in addition to many other outdoor enthusiasts. By taking the heart out of our wilderness area, we feel the entire effect of wilderness would be ruined. Thank you for your consideration on this matter. GEORGE R. BRADLEY, Jr., President. QUEEN ANNE DEMOCRATIC CLUB, Los Angeles, Calif., November 8, 1965. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, INSULAR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, San Bernardino, Calif. DEAR SIRS: Our Queen Anne Democratic Club wishes to advise you that we urge retaining the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area as was agreed and passed by Congress last year. Very truly, MARGARET JENKIN, Corresponding Secretary. To the Public Lands Subcommittee: THERMAL, CALIF., November 2, 1965. The Woman's Club of Indio, California, is on record through the California Federation of Woman's Clubs to support legislation protecting the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area. We protest the opening of any part of the Area for commercial development or any "family recreation" development other than those purposes for which the Wilderness Areas were originally established. We are opposed to H.R. 6891, as we believe it is nothing more than an effort on the part of commercial interests to breach our Wilderness Areas. These, as we understand it, were set aside to preserve certain small parts of our remaining wilderness in as unspoiled a condition as possible. They comprise less than three percent of our National Forests, as it is. We are sure there are vast portions of our National Forests which are well suited to the development of ski runs and "family recreation areas," without infringing upon these valuable remaining fragments of pristine American wilder DEAR SIRS: As members of the Antelope Valley Y.M.C.A. Y's Hikers Club, we express our sincere disapproval of the bills to declassify the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area to form a winter recreation site. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Area is one of two excellent back-packing areas that our club is able to use in Southern California. We have taken several trips here in the past and expect to take many more in the future. Back-packing is becoming an increasingly popular family activity in Southern California, especially in the Antelope Valley. We feel that the declassification of this area would be an unnecessary misfortune for the future generations of wilderness enthusiasts. Sincerely, JANET BELL, Y's Hikers Secretary. LOS MONTADOS DE FONTANA, INC., Fontana, Calif., November 3, 1965. PUBLIC LANDS SUBCOMMITTEE, Washington, D.O. DEAR SIR: The Los Montados de Fontana, a nonprofit riding group, with an active membership of 43,1 wish to enter our statements for record regarding the Field Hearings on San Gorgonio Bills. Our membership decided upon this action at the last regular meeting. We, along with many other groups use this wilderness often. Last month our group encountered over a hundred hikers and riders using it also. It is our feeling that snow can be manufactured. Wilderness can't. The people who seek to preserve San Gorgonio are asking for nothing. The commercial interests who wish to develop the ski lifts are asking to dip their hands in the public till to the tune of 3,500 acres. The areas left to the wilderness would leave nothing but ridges, narrow canyons, and 45% slopes. This wilderness in its present state is used by everyone, all the time. Developed "Snow Play" areas are for skiers only and take away its use from the majority of the people. We are sending our donation in the hopes that it will be of assistance in fighting this issue. GENTLEMEN: At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Memorial Garden Center in Costa Mesa held November 1, 1965, the enclosed resolution was adopted by unanimous vote. 1 Membership list placed in committee files. |