Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Venard. Good morning, Senator. I'd like to summarize basi cally what I have in my prepared statement. I've lived in Bonners Ferry for 24 years, and for 22 of those I've made a hobby, you might say, of exploring the Selkirk Mountain area in general. I feel that the Selkirk Crest as originally proposed by the Forest Service has omitted some important areas. There are four areas that I believe are in the Eneas Ridge, which is primarily State lands: Fisher Ridge, which is Government land—U.S. Government land, which also includes the highest peak in north Idaho, which would be appropriate for the crest; Smith Ridge, which contains three fine peaks and two great lakes: Smith Lake, Cutoff Lake, and Lake Peaks; and Long Canyon, which lies between Smith ridge and Parker Ridge, and should naturally be a part of the Selkirk Crest. Some people argue that there sould be no wilderness at all in Boundary County, and I feel that a lot of the people who say that feel that by so doing, we will keep wilderness hidden from the rest of the country. And I feel that doing such a thing is wrong. An enlightened society should show to all its members what areas we have available for their different uses, and any attempt to hide places in our system is a form of greed in no other manner. I believe that the Selkirk Crest deserves wilderness protection and identification, and Long Canyon along with it. Thank you.