U.S.F.S. considers restrictions in Frank
Church River of No Return Wilderness
WASHINGTON, D.C. Idaho's Congressional delegation
recently asked the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to keep four
backcountry airstrips in the Frank Church River of No Return
Wilderness open to backcountry pilots.
Sens. Larry Craig and Mike Crapo and Reps. Mike Simpson and
C.L. "Butch" Otter said access to the strips in
critical for safety reasons and restricting access would run
contrary to the legislation that authorized the Frank Church
Wilderness.
"Dewy Moore, Mile-Hi, Simmonds, and Vines airstrips
have been used by aviators for over twenty years. These backcountry
airstrips provide citizen access to unique areas of the wilderness
and serve a vital purpose in emergency operations," the
delegation wrote in the letter to Secretary Ann Veneman.
The delegation also cited support for keeping the strips
open from the Idaho Legislature and the Idaho Department of
Transportation.