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: : Commentary B-4 EXPRESS Sports B-13 SECTION Classifieds B-17 B Wednesday, July 30, 2003 Editor Ken Retallic, 726-8060 ValleyValley Redefining Wilderness Simpson negotiates Boulder-White Clouds compromise By GREG STAHL and Gregory foley Express Staff Writers First Firstin ain aseries series of threeof three Stories and pictures begin on page B3 CASTLE PEAK Express photo by Willy Cook : CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK : Express • Wednesday, July 30, 2003 B-3 Is it time for a Boulder-White Clouds Wilderness? Rep. Simpson tries to appease groups with wilderness, economic stimulus bill First in a series of three By GREG STAHL Express Staff Writer At 11,815 feet above sea level, Castle Peak in Idaho’s remote and rugged White Cloud Moun- tains towers over more than 500,000 acres of contiguous road- free wildlands that bridge two vastly different cultures. This wild country,connecting the wealthy resort kingdom of Sun Valley with the rural and agrarian communities of Custer County, is a battle ground that has hosted land-use skirmishes for more than 30 years. In the 1970s, the people of Idaho staved off a massive molybdenum mine planned for the lower flanks of Castle Peak, drawing the White Clouds into the political limelight for the first time and helping to effect congressional designation of the 756,000-acre Sawtooth Na- tional Recreation Area. Now, 30 years later, w ith the region’s land-use conundrums still partially unresolved, Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, is at- tempting to strike a chord of compromise among the Boulder and White Cloud Mountains’ di- Express photo by Willy Cook verse and numerous stakehold- A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE BOULDER AND WHITE CLOUD MOUNTAINS reveals a landscape, twisted and crinkled, like a flattened piece of wastepa- ers. per. Hikers, bikers, motorcyclists, campers, off-road vehicle drivers, miners and nearby residents have all laid stake to this land. For proposed wilderness designation to become reality, the groups must look for common ground. Simpson’s pledge and the art that in this art of compromise, of compromise no one group will get everything it wants. In 1999, near the shores of “The Idaho Conservation Redfish Lake, just 15 miles I “ n some areas everybody is going League wants more than 500,000 northwest of Castle Peak, Simp- acres. We’re at half of that, and son stood before a burgeoning to have to swallow…(although)... the congressman is looking at crowd of environmentalists and boundaries that are similar to announced that he would try to what the Forest Service recom- craft a wilderness bill for the I have never met anyone who doesn’t mended, with adjustments to Boulder and White Cloud moun- protect traditional motorized tains. Four years later, Simp- agree that we ought to protect the pristine and snowmobile use,” Slater son’s chief of staff, Lindsay said. Slater said the congressman is Some groups—like the ICL, nearly ready to release a plan for areas of this state.” which has been brokering the public review, perhaps in Sep- deal on behalf of environmen- tember. REP. MIKE SIMPSON talists, and the Blue Ribbon Simpson’s proposal, an ap- R-Idaho Coalition, which has been work- parent study in the art of com- ing on behalf of motorized and promise, would designate about bicycling interests—have ac- 250,000 acres of the White Cloud knowledged that compromise is and Boulder Mountains as part of the game. Nevertheless, wilderness. The hybrid wilder- nervous apprehension appears ness bill, to be called the “Cen- to be gnawing at key players on tral Idaho Economic Develop- various sides of the issue as they ment and Recreation Act,” I “ n fairness ... maybe he’s got such a await the release of Simpson’s would also trade roughly 16,000 official blueprint. acres of public land to Custer compelling case ... that maybe I’m going “In fairness to Congressman County that it would sell to pri- Simpson, maybe he’s got such a vate interests, netting the coun- compelling case for what he’s ty up to $10 million. to turn tail. I want a little more ingenuous going to do that maybe I’m going Half of the proceeds would be to turn tail,” said State Rep. used to fund a new “Central Idaho information before I jump on this band- Lenore Barrett, a conservative Education Center,” and half Republican from Challis and a would be retained by the county wagon. But I don’t want more wilderness wilderness opponent. “I want a for economic development with little more ingenuous informa- very few strings attached. tion before I jump on this band- “Because Challis is basically and that is basically where this is headed.” wagon. But I don’t want more competing with 200 other com- wilderness, and that is basically munities like it in the West for LENORE BARRETT where this is headed.” economic development, we want Idaho state representative Stew Churchwell, a Boulder to offer an opportunity for peo- and White Cloud wilderness ple to gain higher education, supporter, has lived in Custer those kinds of things that would in wilderness areas, proposed County for 20 years and man- be very attractive to a business,” wilderness area would include Peak; Champion, Washington wilderness area boundaries ages a Custer County ranch on Slater said. relatively low-elevation land in and Fourth of July lakes basins; would not encompass areas of the East Fork of Salmon River Concepts disclosed so far also the eastern portions of the Warm Springs Meadow and traditional snowmobile, motor- for Western Watersheds Project, include potential grazing per- mountains to the east of the East parts of Warm Springs Creek; cycle and off-road vehicle use. In a Hailey-based environmental mit buyouts and ranch purchas- Fork of the Salmon River and Rough and Casino creeks; and general, the wilderness would group. He also is anxious to es that would allow ranchers in north of the North Fork of the Railroad Ridge, Slater said. include areas east of the spine of learn more details about Simp- environmentally sensitive areas Big Lost River. It would stretch Some of these areas are equally the White Cloud Mountains and son’s plan, but, unlike Barrett, to relocate. east to Jerry Peak. prized by environmentalists, some, but not all, of the Boulder he fears not enough of the As part of the compromise, Areas specifically omitted mountain bikers, off-road vehi- Mountains. mountain ranges will be includ- and because motorized and from the proposal include the cle riders and snowmobilers. A significant portion of the mechanized uses are not allowed Boulder Basin near Boulder Slater quickly acknowledged See WILDERNESS on page B7 B-6 Express • Wednesday, July 30, 2003 This Week’s Wilderness Act OPEN HOUSES TO CHALLIS mon Riv Sal er Mountains Friday & Sunday, STANLEY set rules for W h August 1 & 3 W i a te rm M S Railroad C ea p Ridge d d rin oa 12:00pm - 3:00pm lo o g R u w s on River wildland uses d lm Redfish Lake s a S k r 473-B Wood River Dr Sawtooth o F Castle Peak t s a Jerry Peak Ketchum By GREGORY FOLEY E Wilderness Horton Peak B o Express Staff Writer u Herd Peak l de Beautiful Ketchum Autumn With Rep. Mike Simpson, R- Area r M Alturas ountain Woods Town Home. 3BD, Idaho, preparing a proposal to L s designate 250,000 acres of Boulder 3BA, two-car heated 75 Basin garage, patio, vaulted ceil- wilderness in the Boulder and ings, laundry room, wood White Cloud mountains, north Jack Peterson, blinds throughout. Priced of Ketchum, many residents of well below market value Blaine and Custer counties are KETCHUM Broker for quick sale. $589,000. wondering how a federal wilder- ness designation might affect Jack Peterson • 720-8434 their use of the land. Some revel in the possibility of seeing mechanized or natu- Thursday, July 31 ral-resource extraction uses 11:30am - 2:00pm being restricted in the largest, unprotected, national forest Express graphic by Gavin McNeil and Tony Barriatua roadless area in the Lower 48 229 Alturas Drive, THE BOULDER AND WHITE CLOUD MOUNTAINS contain the largest Mid-Valley States. Others cringe at the no- tion of a potential increase in road-free land mass in the lower 48 United States. Rep. Mike Simpson’s pro- Custom home. 4.5BD, federal control over public posed wilderness boundaries, though still unofficial, would include about 4BA, 3 bonus rooms— lands in Idaho. And, at times, half of the total road-free area. The dark gray on this map represents areas including in-law apt. the debate is complicated by bereft of roads. Heated garage, hardwood vastly varying opinions on what floors, exposed logs, fire- true “wilderness” is. places, sauna, + more. Still, the real implications of 58 3,573 sq. ft. Home not creating a designated wilder- Wilderness Area by State on highway. Unobstruct- ness area in the Boulder-White ed views overlooking Clouds lie in the federal Wilder- 14 Starweather. $499,000. ness Act of 1964, the guiding leg- ness Mary Rau Sellers motivated. Just 720-6456 or 578-0120 $139.65/sq. ft. islation that enabled the estab- 4.5 lishment of 106 million acres of 4.3 protected wilderness in the 4 United States. 3.4 Thursday, July 31 The Wilderness Act de- 3.38 11:30am - 2:00pm scribes wilderness as “an area (millions) 3.1 where the earth and its commu- 317 N. 5th St., Bellevue nity of life are untrammeled by 2.2 man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” 1.6 Spacious family home 1.5 with upgraded master The original legislation es- 1.4 Acres of designated wilder bathroom, heated tablished 9.1 million acres of 0.8 Jaccuzzi tub and tile.