In addition to the issue below, I have learned that Governor Otter has pledged Idaho’s ‘help’ in regard to the transportation of Tar Pit Sands equipment by offering up use of Idaho’s largest campground and gateway into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness as a parking lot for the Canada-bound vehicles.

Wilderness Gateway Campground has over 90 units and is located just off highway 12, which is along the proposed route of the equipment. It is the trailhead for Stanley Hot Springs. Weir Creek and Jerry Johnson Hot Springs are both accessible from highway 12 as well.

From Friends of the Clearwater…

The Exxon Mobil Corporation has been developing a huge open pit mine in Alberta, Canada for a few years now. This project has been referred to in the media as the Tar Pit Sands project. This project effects the Clearwater Basin because the oil processing equipment is being shipped up the Columbia River Basin this summer, and then unloaded at the Port of Lewiston. The equipment is then being loaded onto trailers and driven up the Wild & Scenic Lochsa River corridor, up and over Lolo Pass into Montana, and eventually into Canada. Transporting of these mega rigs are to begin in early fall. The dimensions of the rigs are between 170′–210′ feet long, approximately 25′ feet wide, and up to 30 feet tall. Over 200 of these industrial processing rigs will weigh up to 550,000 pounds.

As you may be aware, the local and regional media has just begun to report on this critical issue and citizen awareness has just begun. Many citizens and environmental groups are outraged about the fact that there has been no public involvement or scoping done by public officials and there has also not been any environmental review. Public meetings in townships along Route 12 are supposed to be announced, but so far they have not taken place. For the most part, the public has been kept in the dark and the potential ecological consequences have been swept under the rug.

Therefore, Friends of the Clearwater is asking you to Take Action and write a letter or send an email to the Idaho Transportation Department, Governor Butch Otter, and the editors of our local papers. You can reach Alan Frew of the Idaho Transportation Department at: 3311 W. State Street, PO Box 7129, Boise, Idaho 83707-1129, Attention Alan Frew or email him at Alan.Frew@itd.idaho.gov. You can also call the department to voice your concerns at (208) 334-8000.

You can contact Governor Butch Otter by emailing him at governor@gov.idaho.gov or submitting comments via his web site at http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html. You can call his office at (208) 334-2100.

If you wish to contact the editor’s of the Lewiston Tribune, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, or the Idaho Statesman they can be reached at letters@lmtribune.com, letters@dnews.com, and editorial@idahostatesman.com. Both the Tribune and the Daily News have 250 word limits and the Statesman has a 200 word limit.

Here are some important talking points you may wish to consider:

Rt. 12 is a federally designated Scenic Byway (Northwest Passage Scenic Byway) and All-American Road
Rt. 12 runs through the heart of the Nez Perce Reservation and historic Lewis & Clark country
Rt. 12 parallels 2 federally designated Wild & Scenic Rivers, the Middle Fork of the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers
Rt. 12 is already a dangerous, narrow, curve-hugging road to travel on

Travel/Tourism, Public Safety, Property Values, Recreation and Way of Life will all be negatively impacted. The Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers are an important fishery for both native and anadromous fish species. Numerous wildlife species cross in their pursuit of food and habitat.

Please continue to use this web site to get updates about this massive industrial transportation project threatening our lifestyles and precious resources. Another good source of information is http//:www.fightinggoliath.org and/or http://northernrockiesrisingtide.wordpress.com.

Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to get involved and make a difference!

Related: Visit Exxpose Exxon

After reading the hotspringsguy’s post on Skinnydipper it is hard to not want to go clean it up! Boise River Volunteers will be having a clean up on Tuesday 4/6/10- we will meet at 10am and clean then soak- plan for this to be an all day event. Tons of trash along with tons of fun, bring food, warm enough clothes for the weather, and money to chip in on gas if you can. Sign up at riverhelpers or comment for assistance in getting signed up. We are always glad to accept new volunteers!

- Amber

Come join us at 9pm this Friday for a fun night of good people, and good music (Voice of Reason!) at Terrapin Station in Boise, Idaho. All door costs go to the Boise River Volunteers. There will be raffle items donated by local businesses, information about our organization, opportunities to get involved and then some! $5 at the door- click here to get a $1 off coupon!

RSVP and Event Information on Facebook

The Idaho Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (SFW), Governor Butch Otter’s mostly out-of-state ultra-rich cattle rancher buddies, are back at it again with a Wildlife Killing Derby in Twin Falls, Idaho this Saturday.

Sadly, this disturbing event is sponsored not only by Idaho’s Governor and Fish and Game Chair Wayne Wright,  but by Cabela’s and Sportsmen’s Warehouse despite outcry from many reputable hunters and hunter organizations.

I always catch major flak when I post about the Idaho SFW and protecting wildlife in general in the form of nasty emails, comments and un-subscriptions. Even threats. With that said, I hope this post doesn’t offend any of you, my aim is to enlighten those that would like to see wilderness and wildlife around for generations to come.

Think for just a second before believing the hype. That is all I ask.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The Idaho SFW (most are not even from/live in Idaho) is a group of well-funded cattle rancher anti-wolf lobbyists that portray themselves as the average joe hunter in Idaho. Their agenda is to miss-lead Idaho hunters into falling in-line for their cause.

REAL hunters, educated hunters – that respect the animals and habitat for which they hunt sustainably revolt against the Idaho SFW, as we all should. Their Wildlife Killing Derbies are a front for their wolf killing agenda. The addition of coyotes and other animals are merely a bonus for the kill and waste types.

I know this is a hot springs blog, but wild animals are part of the last bits and pieces of semi-untouched wilderness, just like most natural hot springs. They represent the last of the wild places. An attempt need be made to preserve all components of these vanishing ecosystems.

TAKE ACTION!

From Wild Earth Guardian Wendy Keefover-Ring:

Wildlife will be running scared tomorrow in Twin Falls, Idaho.

The Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a wildlife-killing derby.  Participants are awarded points for each wolf, coyote, bobcat, or fox they kill.  Prizes are given to the shooters who have the most points.

Tell Idaho’s governor and Fish and Game Commissioner as well as the event’s co-sponsors, Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse, that this is unethical and should be stopped.

The wildlife killing derby encourages the use of live animals as targets. This practice directly contradicts the tenants of ethical hunting which include respecting all wildlife and taking responsibility to care for wildlife and their habitat.

Furthermore, carnivores such as wolves, coyotes, bobcats and fox have been known for decades to be crucial players in the health of the ecosystems that they inhabit.  Without carnivores, animals like deer over-populate and strip their landscapes of vegetation.  These barren habitats eventually lead to the demise of species in every link of the food chain.

Jim Posewitz, author of Beyond Fair Chase and founder of the Orion:  The Hunter’s Institute, promotes ethical hunting.  Tenets of ethical hunting include: an appreciation for the opportunity to hunt; respecting all wildlife, especially the animals we hunt; and taking responsibility for the care of wildlife and their habitat.

The January 9th Twin Falls animal derby is in direct contradiction to the tenants of ethical hunting. High-body-count-contest hunts tarnish the image of all sportsmen. This derby encourages the use of live animals as targets, encourages mass killing for no purpose other than to collect prizes. The bodies will not be used for food. Waste is encouraged.

The belief that killing carnivores will benefit deer was dismissed as early as 1941 by hunter and conservationist Aldo Leopold in his essay, “Thinking Like a Mountain.” In those days, wolves were seen as evil and ravenous and thus were exterminated throughout the continental U.S. But the consequences were dire. Leopold noticed that with the demise of the wolf came the over-abundance of deer and harm to the mountain. Deer stripped the mountain of vegetation. The mountain, now barren, could not support deer and other species. The deer died in droves. 

I urge you not to sponsor this event and to shut down this killing contest. It tarnishes the reputation of sportsmen, Idaho, and your business.

ACT NOW!

Note: Originally posted 12.31.09, Updated 01.02.10

First, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the fallen…

In 2009, we lost the pools at Molly’s Tubs, Vulcan and Rocky Canyon (more). All 3 hot springs are located in Idaho, and all 3 were deconstructed by the Forest Service due to reasoning centered around public abuse and misuse.

Over the last decade Idaho has lost many public hot springs in addition to the 3 above. It’s going down in Idaho in almost the exact same way it occurred in Oregon and Washington in the past. Ever heard of Cougar Hot Springs? How about Scenic, Wind River, Bagby, McCredie, Olympic, Austin? These hot springs were all once incredible public soaks. Legendary, in their own right. Epic among hot springer circles. They all are either closed, or feature restricted access, expensive permits and/or excessive vandalism and vehicle break-ins (and of course unreal amounts of trash).

The good news is we can learn from their example, but we don’t have much time. Jerry Johnson and Kirkham Hot Springs in Idaho are now closed at night. Skinnydipper has a range of problems; vehicle break-ins, flat tire/vehicle damage, gang fights, excessive trash, drunken and lewd behavior (meaning swinger gatherings). Skinnydipper was actually under nighttime closure for two years ending in 2009. However, it was rarely enforced, and signage was destroyed as fast as it was enacted.

The Moral of the Story

If we can figure out how to keep these sacred places clean and safe, I think we can actually save them. If we let abuse and misuse run rampant, the powers that be will have no choice but to either restrict usage or enact strict access measures.

This brings me back to the post title – Soaking Zen in 2010. This year, clean-up the hot springs before you soak. If there are disreputable folks trashing it up – do something sensible. Say something. Maybe start picking up trash in front of them, or snap a pic of their license plate and report them to the nearest Ranger Station or public lands office.

Believe me, a sweet soak in a natural hot springs feels a lot better this way. Hot springs need protection if they are to be enjoyed by the public for years to come, as it should be.

With that said, I want to express my gratitude to all of the unsung HS heroes. All of the trash picker-uppers, conservation and preservation supporters, volunteers, eco-friendly public land workers, petition signers, bloggers, news anchors and directors and outspoken enviro do-gooders. I thank you, mother nature thanks you and a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts, thank you.

It is not enough to UNDERSTAND the natural world.

The point is to DEFEND and PRESERVE it.

Happy New Year!

• Follow HSG on Twitter
• Subscribe to the Blog
• Meet Amber – New HSG Contributor!
• The 2010 Northwest Hot Springs Calendar on Amazon.com
• Check Idaho Road Reports/Conditions and WebCams

Idaho Hot Springs have a new group of champions; the Boise River Volunteers have expanded their cleanup efforts to now include hot water.

I would like to introduce Amber Hoid (Twitter), of the Boise River Volunteers as a new guest blogger here on www.hotspringsguy.com! W00t!

She’ll be posting (as in, has already posted twice) about BRV hot springs cleanup efforts… when they are, how to sign-up and pictures from past events.

Boise River Volunteer Information:

Official Website

Hot Springs Cleanup Forums

I’m getting a little tried of this anti-wolf business. The Idaho Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife (see how they are trying to sound all official with their name resembling Idaho Fish and Wildlife) is having an animal killing derby featuring, you guessed it, wolves.

This deceptive group of ultra-rich cattle ranchers is primarily based/funded out of state, and is the very same group that Idaho Governor Butch Otter supports… remember his epic FAIL anti-wolf speech? Say, isn’t that Butch Otter a cattleman?

The Idaho SFW wants your money because (they say) they represent hunters, and that to be pro-wolf is the same as anti-hunting. The problem is, educated hunters know that wolves keep their game healthy and mobile (less wasting disease and environmental impact).

Why Idaho SFW is FTL (for the lose):

• There’s this thing called … an ECOSYSTEM. Wolves need to be a part of it. Idaho SFW support anti-science, anti-environment, anti-wildlife and ultimately anti-hunting agendas.
• The Idaho SFW is composed of a bunch of ultra-rich cattle ranchers that provide disinformation in order to rally support for their hidden, true cause. Most of these guys don’t even live in Idaho.
• The Idaho SFW, instead of being straightforward about wanting to protect their cattle the cheapest way possible, mislead hunters into thinking that wolves are killing all of the deer and elk, when in fact, their return has increased deer and elk populations.

While we can continue to voice our opposition against the wolf hunt and support agencies like Defenders of Wildlife (which also compensate ranchers for cattle loss from wolves, which is much less than the number of cattle lost to disease every year), we can completely put an end to this Idaho SFW madness by not supporting them. Period.

Yesterday (Monday), the Boise National Forest Service used sledge hammers to remove the pools at Rocky Canyon Hot Springs despite tremendous public outcry.

Rocky was one of those rare, special places that encouraged people to form relationships with nature by merely visiting. It was a place that also fostered environmental stewardship, and even created a few activists. Just by visiting. Rare indeed. A true place of peace.

Thank you everyone who called-in, signed the petition, wrote letters, commented and spoke out. You are all awesome! A special thanks to Loyd for creating the petition and Brandt for speaking out. Lincoln (KIVI) and Kelsey (KTVB) for the media coverage, and the pool builder for creating pools that complimented the natural landscape. I had no idea that Idaho’s hot springs had so many defenders.

KTVB ran a story yesterday that was updated today with pictures of how Rocky looks right now. Here’s the video clip:

What the Media Can’t Tell You

1. The FS is considering rebuilding the mortar reinforced pools. Taxpayers footed the bill for their removal. This money could have been better spent.
2. The tarp-lined pools that existed before the mortar reinforced pools were an eye sore and bad for the environment.
3. The pools at Rocky were rock-walled, only reinforced with mortar. Many other area pools are composed of pure mortar. They looked more natural than those lined with blue tarps or all mortar walls.
4. There are many mortar reinforced hot springs pools that the FS knows about, which receive a TON more visitors and have abuse problems galore that include death. Hardly anyone visits Rocky in contrast… it’s more off the beaten path.
5. Complaints to the FS originated from a small group of people that represent a larger group that are known environmental abusers in the Boise National Forest. I didn’t believe it until I witnessed it first hand (read the last half of this post).
6. Over 400 people signed a petition against the removal of the pools in just a few days. Far fewer spoke out in favor of the demolition.
7. Most area FS employees loved and enjoyed the pools at Rocky and did not want to see them go. Pressure from a small group of influential people aimed at FS bosses was hard to ignore.

My heart sinks when I hear the complaints about the hot springs dealt with drugs, sex and alcohol. That is not a fair representation of geothermal enthusiasts. Like everything else, it only takes one bad apple.

Unfortunately, it matters not if the pools are rock/tarp or mortar reinforced. This type of abuse will continue. Removing the pools does nothing to address the situation. Which, if true, will be a problem again.

This means it’s up to us hot springers. If you see someone at a public hot springs doing something they shouldn’t be doing – say something. Politely if at all possible. If this type of behavior exists, and continues… we risk loosing them all.

View all past blog posts about Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

View all tweets about Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

Tune-in tonight at 10pm MST to watch a segment by Lincoln Graves about Rocky Canyon Hot Springs on KIVI ABC Channel 6! You’ll hear both my thoughts and that of the forest service, along with other information relating to the removal of the improved hot springs pools.

If you are out of the Boise area, you can view the story and video on KIVI’s official website. I will also embed the video clip on the blog once available.

View all posts about Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

View Rocky Canyon Hot Springs on IdahoHotSprings.com