Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I have come to know a fair bit about Bob Marshall in my

researches into public land recreational trail policy.

 

Bob Marshall instigated the first blow-up about the

impacts of pack stock use on US Forest Service trails

and land.

 

There was a recreational/environmental organization

based out of the San Francisco Bay area that had held

annual outings into the Sierra Nevada mountains ever

since the club's formation in the 1860's.  Each year tens,

and then hundreds of the members would gather for

their outing.  It was like one of those British Empire

African safaris--the club would contract with local

packers to ferry the 100+ participants, men and women,

and their canvas tents and cots and cast iron cooking gear

and hiking boots and clothing up into the Sierras.  The

members would *ride* into the back country, set up base

camp, and then go for day hikes into the higher elevations.

 

By 1946, the annual outing's safari caravan was employing

over 250 pack and riding animals!

 

Bob Marshall, back from his epiphany trip to Alaska, noted

the damage this annual flotilla of horses, mules, and donkeys

was inflicting upon the trails and took the club to task over it.

In response, they held a convention in 1946 to discuss the issue

and instituted the first voluntary restrictions on pack stock

use on USFS land.

 

The name of the organization?

 

The Sierra Club.

 

Linda Marins