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Effects on Wilderness 



Both the Snake through the Hells Canyon and the Lower Salmon represent 

 outstanding and nationally recognized wilderness areas. They also provide 

 outstanding multi-day wilderness experiences - for many a dramatic change 

 from everyday stress and civilization. However, two separate surveys completed 

 for the Forest Service (1988 - University of Idaho, and 1995 Washington State 

 University) demonstrates that jet-boat travel and jet boat noise provide the 

 greatest major and minor problems for nonmotorized travelers, and the #1 

 negative experience for those seeking an outstanding wilderness trip through the 

 Hells Canyon NRA (the 1995 survey collected responces from both motorized 

 and nonmotorized travelers). 



While wilderness can mean many things to many people, within Hells Canyon it 

 means "true" wilderness ~ three to five days in the second deepest gorge in the 

 United States."^ In his Sand County Almanac . Aldo Leopold described 

 wilderness areas as 'first of all a series of sanctuaries for the primitive arts of 

 wilderness travel, especially canoeing and packing."" 



And wilderness has historically been an integral part of Forest Service 

 management. In the past few years the Forest Service has embraced the vision 

 of wilderness as described by Mr. Leopold. In 1993, the Forest Service 

 established the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute near Missoula, 

 Montana to "obtain and provide the information necessary to sustain wilderness 

 resources in an ecologically and socially sound manner for the present and the 

 future.""^ In addition, the Forest Service has doubled the wilderness acreage in 

 National Forests in the past decade and continues to increase its emphasis on 

 the non-commodity values of National Forests. 



Wilderness is not much of a sanctuary (for wildlife or humans) with jet-boats 

 roaring up and down its waters. Under no definition can jet-boats be considered 

 primitive arts of wilderness travel, nor do they sustain wilderness resources in an 

 ecologically and socially sound manner. Again, this legislation ignores the 

 effects of motors in wilderness, and on other wilderness users. Today, primitive 

 arts (human-powered recreation) are strictly regulated and limited, while 

 motorized jet-boats have no limitations. 



Affects on Wild and Scenic Values 



The 1986 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act mandates in part, that rivers so 

 designated be maintained as "vestiges of primitive America." 



In 1975 Congress designated the stretch of the Snake from Hells Canyon dam to 

 Fishtrap Bar (32.3 miles) as "Wild", with another 34.2 miles as "Scenic." If this 



