Tevis Forum 2013

34 ★ TEVIS FORUM 2013 The Good Partway down fromEmigrant Pass and Watson’s Monument at the Sierra crest the Western States Trail enters the Granite Chief Wilderness Area near the intersection of the Pacific Crest Trail. This area was set aside by the United States Congress on September 28, 1984 as a part of the California Wilderness Act and inclusion to the National Wilderness Preservation System. This wilderness designation ended several decades of controversy between preser- vation and commodity user groups. The Granite Chief Wilderness Area was a celebration for many of us. One of the principal values of the Western States Trail Foundation is to protect the delicate ecological balance and fragile beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains along the Western States Trail. We had known for years prior to the Granite Chief Wilderness designation that this area of the Sierra offered solitude in a pristine and natural setting. Wilderness enthusiasts expect to find a basic quality in the area of Gran - ite Chief, namely Solitude . This means different things to different people, but mainly it means freedom from the intru- Accessing the Granite Chief Wilderness Area: The Good, The Bad . . . The Solution by Hal V. Hall sion of unnatural sights and sounds. The response of each of us who venture through Granite Chief varies widely, but for the most part, the experience is psychologically and spiritually fulfill - ing to all who enjoy the solitude of the wilderness environment. While the opportunity for most people to be in open country comes seldom, the Tevis Cup Ride partici- pant becomes part of the harmony of nature on an annual basis as we travel through Granite Chief’s rugged terrain and magnificent pine forests, which we treasure as a rare privilege. As this once lonesome trail continues to grow in popularity, so has our responsibility to- ward preserving the environment in its natural, untrammeled state. As a result, in 1984 we hadwelcomed the California Wilderness Act and the Granite Chief Wilderness Area. However, we did not foresee what was about to come. The Bad When we discovered this Congres- sional action, the Western States Trail Foundation believed that the Granite Chief Wilderness Area would retain the crown jewel of this area of national photo by Casey Spencer splendor, and we openly celebrated the Congressional passage of the California Wilderness Act. However, word came from the U.S. Forest Service that the Foundation would have two years to find a new Tevis event route and cease using the Western States Trail through the newly-designated wilderness area. The Forest Service written notification informed the Foundation that both the annual Tevis Cup 100 Mile Ride and Western States 100Mile Endurance Run, both founded by Wendell Robie, were inconsistent with their wilderness man- agement policy of holding competitive events and, as a result, there would be a two-year grace period inwhich to locate an alternate route. In essence, this was an eviction notice and the Foundation was completely caught off guard, which nearly eliminated the Tevis Cup event as we knew it. At about the same time of the noti- fication by the U.S. Forest Service, the Western States Trail Foundation had faced a series of significant challenges. The Foundation’s Founder and long- time President, Wendell Robie, passed away in 1985. Robie had operated the Tevis Cup Ride through the generos-