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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Scotchman Fans Want Wilderness Tag

The towering trees of the Ross Creek Scenic Area are one of the chief attractions in the Scotchman Peaks wilderness study area on the Montana-Idaho border. Friends of Scotchman Peaks member Philip Hough leads tours through the grove as one of the few easy access points in the 135-square-mile mountain range. (Missoulian photo: Roby Chaney)

In the often-divisive arena of wilderness policy, the Scotchman Peaks straddle many boundaries. The scenic mountain range between the Clark Fork and Bull rivers has more geopolitical lines dotting its map than a United Nations seating chart. About 20,000 of Scotchman’s 88,000 roadless acres lie in the Panhandle National Forest on the Idaho side of the border. The Kootenai National Forest in Montana has the rest. Three counties in two states have jurisdiction of the area. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks hope to change that. In the process, they hope to reframe the wilderness debate in the United States. “We’re wondering – can we do this? – can we identify a place as an inspiring, appealing candidate for wilderness and make it go?” asked Doug Ferrell, a Trout Creek construction designer and founding member of Friends of Scotchman Peaks/Rob Chaney, Missoulian. More here.

Question: Should Scotchman Peaks become a wilderness area?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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