No monument status for Sierra National Forest
I would like to respond to the article on the Sierra National Forest in the Aug. 21 Bee. First, I would like to correct some of the statements. There are closer to 50 miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (not 20 miles) contained in the Sierra National Forest.
The endangered sheep are the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep not the California bighorn sheep. Additionally, the map lists only two wilderness areas in the Sierra National Forest John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness. There is also the Dinkey Lakes and the Kaiser Wilderness.
Most of the Sierra National Forest is designated “wilderness.” The spirit of the Wilderness Act of 1964 was to “leave no trace.” I don’t know what more could be accomplished by adding national monument status to the Sierra National Forest.
As someone who has traveled thousands of miles on trails hiking and backpacking, I have had to reserve wilderness permits to travel on those trails if I intended to stay overnight. Access is limited on each trail head in the Sierra National Forest each day for those wishing to stay overnight. The trails in the Sierra National Forest are disappearing. We need more access not less.
Dale Matson, Fresno
This story was originally published August 29, 2016 at 1:18 PM with the headline "No monument status for Sierra National Forest."