Loftus Lessons

Pics and a vid from a recent soak seeking trip where I ended up with poison ivy in my eye. Oh yes, a full trip report is on the way.

The Idaho SFW FTL!

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.

Dark Days in Rocky Canyon

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

Last Stand for Rocky Canyon

Any day now a Boise National Forest crew will be removing the hot springs pools at Rocky Canyon Hot Springs. This is wrong. Here's why:

• The improved pools are environmentally safe. I guarantee that within a week of removal, new rock pools lined with blue tarps will reappear. Blue tarps look ugly, draw attention to the hot springs and are not environmentally friendly.
• The Boise National Forest has said that they will consider re-building the mortar reinforced pools once the current mortar reinforced pools are demolished. This seems ridiculous, considering the large taxpayer expense and environmental detriment involved.
• The tribe complaining about the pools (one of the main reasons they are being removed) is just as responsible as the rest of us for dealing with misuse/abuse situations. The removal of the pools will do nothing to address this, as new pools will be constructed and misuse/abuse will continue.

Take Action to Save the Pools

The builder of the improved pools did an excellent job. His work resulted in clean pools with ample flow that were less visible from the road than the previous tarp-lined pools. He was 'punished' harshly for his actions, even though Boise National Forest employees watched him build the pools and enjoy soaking in the pools themselves.

Sign the Petition!

Call in Numbers

• John Erickson ranger station 208-365-7000
• His boss-- Cecilia Seesholtz 208-373-4102 Boise Nat'l Forest Supervisor
• Her boss--Harv Forsgren 801-625-5605(out of office this week) ask for Deputy Jerry Perez regional Nat'l Forest Service office located in Ogden Utah
• Tom Tidwel- Chief Of the National Forest service in Washington D.C.202-205-8439
• Senator James Risch office 342-7985 ask for Mike Roach
• Congressman Walt Minnick 202-225-3029 speak w/Devon

View the KIVI ABC Channel 6 Story by Lincoln Graves for Boise Green Living

10pm MST KIVI ABC Channel 6 Rocky Canyon

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