[ropes]

I am a hiker (have been hiking since I was a kid, living in Montana's Rocky Moutains around Missoula and the Bitterroot areas between Stevensville and Hamilton), and with my busy life these days (four kids of my own, now, and work, and...) most of my hikes end up being afternoon walks, and so forth. I am also a resident of a beautiful part of the country, the Olympic Peninsula. I am in the south part of Jefferson County. This is situated between the Olympic National Park/Forest of the Olympic Mountains (on the West), and the Hood Canal of the Puget Sound (to the east). As most of you might know by now from another post I saw in here, we have a situation here, brought on by a group of enviromentalists. There's ONE road into the major trail heads. I live right on that road. It is called, "the Dosewallips River Road." (Dose-ee-wall-ips). We locals call it the "Dosie." This road has been in place for over 70 years, and Teddy Roosevelt used it to get up into one of his favorite areas - and it was because of his love of this area that it is now a National Treasure. This road, and this access point, are in Jefferson County, Washington. A large part of the southern Jefferson County economic opportunity is tied to tourism. We have suffered, over the past years, the changes in economic opportunity due to the changes in logging and fishing industries. Tourism is now the main source of revenue for us. We are bound on the west by the wilderness and mountains. On the east, we are bound by the Puget Sound water and the Hood Canal (a natural fjord, actually). There's one road through this part of the county, and our little town of Brinnon. That is Hiway 101. Several years ago, we suffered a heavy blow to our tourism with the washing out of the Dosewallips River Road. Now, the National Forest System is planning on rebuilding and repairing this vital access into the Olympics. This road brings in a large percentage of our local tourism traffic. Without this road being restored, we lose the precious tourism traffic that brings economic opportunity to our area. As I have said. this road is historic. It was used by the very President that was the key player in establishing our National Treasure in the Olympics. It has been the sole access point to the Eastern side of the Olympics for the last 70-some years. There are developed, handicap-accessable campgrounds and trailheads. There are key access points used by search and rescue. But, all of that is unreachable. No easy access for emergency purposes. A hiker in need of medical assistance no longer can have reasonable access to help - because the road is washed out. You cannot easily get a helicopter into these upper areas. The handicap access is totally blocked off, too. And, the idea that a trail can be made from the washout point denys a large amount of the normal "day trippers" that frequented our area. No longer can someone head over from Seattle in the morning, and expect to do a day hike. To get around the washout up to the normal trail heads itself is a very long hike. So, groups of students, elderly, and so many others are now locked out from the National Treasure. The National Forest System has made the decision to repair the road. They have done a wonderful job in caring for all of the environmental concerns. They plan to protect all of the tributaries, and to only take out a VERY limited number of old-growth trees (a mere handful). The opposition would have you believe that a whole 2.5 acres worth of trees will be knocked down. This is a lie. Only a limited number of trees where the actual road must pass would be taken out. The survey identifies a path around most of the growth. The NFS has worked hard to provide the access to our loved National Park. This plan for repair is excellent. There are two appeals now filed against the restoration of this road. These appeals are filed by folks not even living in our County. They do not represent good science nor do they represent the local communities. You may read an exhaustive background at http://brinnonprosperity.org/focusitem_dose.html - and if you are in favor of repairing a road that's been in service for over 70 years, allowing access to the eastern side of the Olympic Mountains, you may create a letter to the Appeal Reviewing Officer in support of the Forest Service Decision to Rebuild. You can do this in a matter of moments, using our automated letter-creating tool, at: http://brinnonprosperity.org/support_letter.html PLEASE DO THIS TODAY, as the deadline for filing your letter is May 25, 2004. WE DEPEND UPON THIS ECONOMIC RESOURCE. YOUR SUPPORT IS MOST APPRECIATED. Since this is a decision that effects ALL of the citizens and visitors of the United States, who might wish to enjoy a vacation in this National Park and Forest, I think that this is of concern to all of you. Some of you might have, at some time, even come here and had a visit. Please take the time today to show your support. I know that Teddy Roosevelt would be pleased to see the support, since he had the vision of preserving these National Treasures for the world to enjoy. But, more so, we who want to have the opportunity to partake in this National Treasure on day hikes, whether we're old or young, fit or disabled, appreciate your support of rebuilding this road up to the trail heads and campgrounds. Thanks -=-=-=-=-=-=- ropes -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-