Ca-Sierra-Way.Pdf
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IN ANSWERING REFER TO UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON I ~ how ~ yw ~ &ari.ng yov brief vial'b to ~ aaa ~ tha'b - bMi nG ~- - 4180t1Sm 'tho lllgb • ..._ "84· ~p l ltMG NOel'IOCl 1'0W ~ relio- a'bivo '° l-9~ I em entsiNlr ia ~ fllVh ucnw ata~ idlat thaA) 1e 9 1.aok of UOObQl- ot tbfJ Bil.$ Slen& ve&d bl Wa tenlteeyff" 1 was uw.tous " ~ what mowo are belng mado by the ~ Se.Mee - e~ llft onl.111ble scotloa or bhG B!c.h 8:$ona 9'Y ~ .tbe cmbift> Pff39" flfC&. KeN D.t:vur iJo "*9G er ~. I '°I.I.eve 1*ab onr wo!l hlPraJ ou'btlng t~ougti 'the VGr/ ~ of tlhe OD'bt\n 81.ern. wl~i eountey la mt GBlV ~le Wis WOtllt.\ be o ~ AfllmdiW• Yem dll ~ .U tba-t. tltlGN wu e ftJeftlf!Eil~ bl ow l'latioiml P.eeou~ "'°" to ~ ~ tdlatt -- mp &ABR ~ PaWk be ~ etft wu1d ~ ~-- nmgta Uver ~ r._,!w ad '118 ~ moumt~ ~ abow ._.. msretal "'"""- lid.-. Whtie ouh a pnpnl1Jl&a b still on11 a 180mmtm,.,~ IWVG.»llhelen• tl'lld.- "'9 flOa8Bt ~'1 w&8'sw~l1lvlllmnsmdfi)'\iea~ lbe- 11.evo -= one ot the men ~- DBaDS d ~ t1h9 doVelop_.. of web a ,an wu1d be taa. ~ of iiho mp &l.Ol'N i1'0ati. av ~ ~. haB a VfAl'T NA1 in tend 1n ,_, nok propeuiidon• au&. vs.en,. ls tu~ wbloh I bad '"' mimi ·whH. l apn 1Jo veu a.bout tho pe1ai'ldlltr ot our diMUosing the '6ole '"'"'• Bea L Thompaon. Ae'!ag OhW, Wll41Sle Divlalon. BmtELG ce Mr. Wright Wildlife Division .. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON June 4. 1935· Mr. George M. Wright, 328 Hilgard Ball. Berkeley, California. Dear Georges Enclosed are i1wo maps whioh Superintendent Thomson bas just sent, indioa.ti.ng the general course of the Sierra Way and its de- tailed route through Yosemite National Park. I thought these might be of value to yeu in case opportunity to deal with the matter should arise. I be1!9'10 you reoe!ved oopy reoeniJly ot our memorancimu to the Secret.fU')" ocm.oerning "the Sierra Wq. That memorandum and the one of May 2.5 oonoerzd.ng the Great Central Valley Project a.nd Kings Canyon have been noised by the Seoretary and returned. On the latter there ns a note appeacl.ed from 'the Seoretaey saying. 1'I would. like to see• at some convenient t:tm.e, Mr. Wright, Chief ot your Wil4lite Division". 'l'his ha.s been handled according to the copy of a memorandum whioh will be sent to y-ou. Word hae reoently been received by the Serrloe that "the estab lishment of tour CCC camps at Isle Royale is desired. !o :f'a.oilitate this it will aeoessitate acquisition of the Island immediately. Options are being quieisl¥ sGOlU'Gd. It is probable that wi'bhin a couple of weks or leas a delegation from the Washington offioe will inspect the Island to dstermine ita proper development. It is believed that a wi~derness development will be preferred. lo information on this project is being given out at present. Would you please ask Dr. Murie to write aa eooa aa possible a oomplete report embodying his ideas about the development and cleeirable OOC activities on the Island? I would partioul&rq'ap preoiate a.'11.':f items which he oan suggeat that would provide emplOJlll&Dt and at the same time be of eoneervation iralue on the Island. Perhaps this should be sent airma.il. Sincerely, Ben u. Thompson. Bnolosure 618298 cc Wildlife Division. Washington BHT:ELG UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON Memora.D.dum for THE SECRETARY: Attention is called to the proposed Sierra Way, a $15,500 1 000 proposed Public Works project recommended to you by t)le California State Chamber of Commerce, April 18, 1935, and backed by the Forest Service. The National Park Service believes that such a road would be an unjustifiable and destructive iIIVasion ot a great national resource, the primitive and unspoiled grandeur of the Sierra. A highway built parallel to the axis of the Sierra would destroy the seclusion and a large part of the recreational value of every watershed, canyon, valley, and mountain crest which it traversed. An axial highway of this sort is psychologically wrong and physi cally wasteful. When one has driven the length of a mountain range, he has exhausted the recreational possibilities of the mountain in one, single, monotonous drive. At present, a dozen different highways cross the Sierra, each one of which provides a varied recreational experience, with constant variety of elevation, vegetative cover and scenic beauty. Each one differs from all the others. Consequently there are twelve Sierra trips instead of one, and there is still a great, primeval hinter land left for the camper, hiker, hunter, and the rest. A highway along the axis of the Sierra would inevitably produce great soars on mountain and canyon side. Arter we had suffered this destruction of wilderness and aesthetic values, the highway might~. not provide the human enjoyment for which it 'W8.S designed. The loss is definite; the gain is doubtful; the road is not needed, and there is not even a skeleton of the road in existence. The Forest Service is interested in the Sierra Way for the same reason that it is interested in the development of Kings Canyon and Mount Olympus. The fate of proposed national parks hinges rather defi nitely on this project. A. E. Demaray, Acting Director. BHT:ELG !be DirH\or SatLoaaL Po.r~ ~oe laab.tq'8a, D. C. l ae ao'L ba.il&n t.Ae.t u ne&d r1.=ut burlling om- .tin.pro 'bl halUag ea ac,1ve bafld la o~lq tJle j.>l'OJ208Gd ~nra 'fJaJ' froJen a\. W• t.iae. b• i".i.4.A 1• .a'1l.l ae lado1'1"1'8 o&d vitd\ ae IBUh suite over taa ~ pos~U>.Lo rout,ial.a ~iJ'OJl4>"4• it• ia quit.o U.aoq s.c-..1. oout.rw>tJ.ota ot t.M iroao wiii u\ \oh ~lun tor fatA.P1 :rsara t.o ~ 1l nt. all. 1 o.o be.U.•vo tiaa\ nr aod.tJl'li rovre~•'et t...t. Vlilil» anc.i-t.a.lc eoaai4.ler 1 t. iaoir o\lt7 ~o kff;;; ia toaeJl v1 ta \no ma'\t• 1a o.ni• ~aai \ho 6enie-e YJa1 lsht raatJy t.o t.do * DtaDtA at. a'1q ti.late tll\at a 4rU1ea.L aJ.Wa.Uo.a aev•io~:~. U' ant ~ of \boa ionioe 1e ~ue.s~1oaccL on Wlie. auoJ@~"• I '°iu t,,ru. :. ha r.i~a bt1 •A"•tla.ree \o a\a\& tdlat, \Q& bt..i<>hl .~ tionico coas ao\ ~¥ ,...nve of axial. nade a\ .aip n.l \1 tu~&e .-.Loq r ...H of tJile tjOD.9ral ~bl ai~,;·h.i.G eaar~~ot.er ot ~ $1erra IPaci&. Goors~ s. ~riih\ \Aicef ~1~6.J.i!o ~ivi»ioa GlliA \\G... ttr. 1-. A. Jl1t,\i..r•Og4 ~''tt ~II@ ~-ir1' 1' Wl\1 \.8 J~'\ lio.s>"11DI su., '1- CO..l.iJ..aa / Mdlf~I~./ \ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WASHINGTON September 3, 1935• Memorandum tor MR. DBARAYc I find myself most contused on these points& 1. Vfhioh units of the proposed Sierra Way would make use ot already existing roads? · 2. In suoh instanoee~ would the existing roads be reoon etrueted and 'bo what exten1::? 3. Which units would follow lines not at present ~raversed by existing roads? 4. What is the present status of the projeot, both as to the eouroe of eoll&truotion and maintenanoe funds and the actual allooation of suoh funds at present it any? Please note Mr. Kittredge•s oamment to the effect that this developed into a oritioal situation long ago. If you or crther members of the staff share rq laok of accurate de'bailed knowledge of this projeot, I euggea~ that you ask Mr. KS:ttredge to submit a brief covering all important aspects of the ei1mation. George 14. Wright, Ohief, Wildlife Division. Enclosure 678091 f cc Wildlife Division. Washington Wildlife Division1 Berkeley GMW:ELG ,f i\ ::16_ DESCRIPTION OF THE SIERRA WAY There is being developed in California a scenic mountain highway that will take its place in history as pne -0f the world's most famous projects of this nature. It is called The Sierra Way. The road will be more than--- eight hundred (800) miles long, extnnding the entire length of the Sierra. The project is located almost entirely within the National Forests of California near the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the last and most formid- able barrier encountered by the nation's hardy pioneers in their westerly trek in search of gold and adventureo Scenic, inspirational and recreational values are un• i surpassed. The spirit of Kit Carson, Jolm c. Fremont. the Donner Party. picturesque miners and immigrants pervades the atmosphere and depicts a good part of the ror.antic and colorful history.or the Stateo \ There are now several high standard highways crossing the Sierra from cast to west. None, however 8 ha~ been constructed or heretofore plam:?d in a northerly and southerly directiono There is unquestionably a need for such a. highway, and the requirement can best be met at comparatively little cost by development of The Sierra.