Everyone is Welcome 



553 



the national forests are in the Rocky 

 Mountain area and westward in the 

 Cascades and Sierras, but there are 

 also some in Minnesota, Wisconsin, 

 Michigan, New Hampshire, and Ver- 

 mont. The Lake States and New Eng- 

 land States have many winter areas on 

 private and State land. 



THE NATIONAL SKI ASSOCIATION 

 has organized the National Ski Patrol, 

 whose members are qualified first-aid 

 men and expert skiers and moun- 

 taineers. They are volunteers who serve 

 without pay, except at some larger 

 areas where paid ski patrols are main- 

 tained. 



The National Ski Association has 7 

 divisions and 384 member clubs from 

 coast to coast throughout the snow belt. 

 The Association and the National Ski 

 Patrol have helped greatly by consult- 

 ing with the Forest Service on the needs 

 in development and administration, 

 planning the expansion of sports 

 centers, finding new areas, and caring 

 for the injured. 



Skiing is done under widely varying 

 conditions. In some places the temper- 

 ature may be just below freezing and 

 storms may be rare; in others, sudden 

 blizzards and temperatures of 20 be- 

 low zero are common. Snow conditions 

 and danger of avalanche also vary. All 

 skiers are advised to learn about such 

 conditions when they are in areas new 

 to them and to be guided by the forest 

 ranger, the National Ski Patrol, or 

 experienced local skiers. They are ad- 

 vised also to be on the alert for warn- 

 ing signs especially warnings of dan- 

 gers of avalanches. 



A good skier is a safe skier. He is not 

 reckless. He respects the rights of other 

 skiers. He skis only the trails he can 

 handle and enjoy. He knows when he 

 is tired. He saves time and money and 

 gets more skiing by not getting hurt. 



ORGANIZATION GAMPS,, 65 in all, 

 have an average capacity of 100 each. 

 They generally include the bunkhouses, 

 mess hall, and the recreation building. 

 Running water and electricity are usu- 



ally available. In 1947, visits that to- 

 taled 242,000 days were made to them. 



The camps are rented on a noncom- 

 mercial basis to organizations inter- 

 ested in providing a low-cost vacation 

 to people who otherwise would not be 

 able to have one. 



Organizations using these camps 

 must generally furnish bedding, mat- 

 tresses, dishes, counsellors, and kitchen 

 and janitor help. The Government 

 equipment is limited to cots, stoves, 

 icebox, light plants, and similar equip- 

 ment. 



All camps are located in attractive 

 forest settings, have ample play areas, 

 and are relatively isolated from other 

 uses that might interfere with camp 

 programs. Many have facilities for 

 swimming. 



All arrangements for using these 

 camps are handled by the local forest 

 supervisor. 



WILDERNESS AND WILD AREAS,, 77 in 

 number and some 14 million acres in 

 extent, are preserved in as primitive a 

 condition as is consistent with their 

 protection. The only improvements in 

 the areas are those that are essential 

 for fire protection. No commercial tim- 

 ber cutting is done. 



Most wilderness areas are in high 

 back country and above timber line 

 where commercial timber values are 

 small. Watershed values are tremen- 

 dously important and the areas are ex- 

 tremely valuable for watershed protec- 

 tion and water production as well as 

 for wilderness recreation. There is no 

 conflict between water and wilderness. 



These areas represent the last fron- 

 tier of the United States. There will be 

 little opportunity to increase their 

 number or size, and it is therefore im- 

 portant that they be preserved as far 

 as possible from invasion. 



Wilderness areas are ideal for pack 

 trips. The American Forestry Associ- 

 ation conducts trail-rider trips through 

 some of the areas each year at a cost 

 of about $10 a person a day. Inquiries 

 about them should be addressed to the 

 American Forestry Association at 919 



