Hey, got me back on my heals coastie, take it easy. I'll start by saying that this was just for light discussion and I originally put up the post to see how people felt about trail conditions on the Forest. I'm also not defending my agency but stating my personal beliefs. I have mixed feelings about Wilderness management including how we take care of the trails. I won't say where the problem begins as far as why I as a lower level manager trying to take care things on the ground doesn't see enough funds to do what "I" believe should. We can debate this stuff till we're blue in the face but as long as I'm paid by the taxpayers to maintain the trails that's what I'll do. I've run chainsaws as I am a firefighter and I've built trails for the better part of 10 years, both Wilderness and non-Wilderness. Just so you know, I am not against fire fighters using chainsaws in the Wilderness for safety concerns with exceptions. If you payed close attention I've never said cross-cuts can out cut chainsaws but I do know that a well honed cross-cut sawyer can almost keep up with a chainsaw. It is a trade off between using whatever tools and keeping a Wilderness a Wilderness. I know coastie you want to debate what a Wilderness is probably. I love my Wilderness and I do what I think is right.

I had to come back and add something. Don't get me wrong about this. I believe we need to keep the trails open at the same time that doesn't mean we can allow unlimited access. I work in a Wilderness where I can go out on the trails and not see anybody in a week. I also don't want to see a trail into every nick and cranny. Each Wilderness is different and has it's own problems. I've worked in places that I thought had too many trails and was angry that I was told to build more. I've also worked in many where only a small percentage of the Wilderness was accessable by trail and you had to bushwack into areas if you wanted to hunt them. There is a balance and we can't make blank statements about this cause one size does not fit all. If there is an area that is being impacted by too many visitors than it's up to us managers to use the appropriate techniques to solve the problems. Hope you feel better. Now I have to go feed the horses and I think I'll ride up one of our trails today.