Montana's Ravalli County just voted to begin mining at Lost Horse even though there's been little to no cost comparisons, scope, impacts, or boundaries described for the project. For more background, see www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/news43.txt and www.accessfund.org/display/page/AA/74.

The bottom line is that the County Commissioners and the U.S. Forest Service don't care about recreation, climbers, or the recreational value of the canyon. Their goal is purely resource extraction for financial gain, with 8-10 other projects (again, with no detail or scope) also proposed.

Write to Dave Bull and the other folks below. Dave Bull has given the Bitterroot Climbers Coalition (http://bitterrootclimbers.org) his ear in the past. Impress upon him the high recreational value of this site. Our best hope is that he will take our comments into consideration and limit the impact of mining at the site. Use the email addresses below if easiest for you. Also send your letters to the Missoulian, Ravalli Republic and Bitterroot Star.

In your letters, explain that Lost Horse Canyon is a valuable recreational site that you use. Further industrialization and therefore degradation of the canyon for financial gain/savings is counter-productive to the high and long-term recreational value in the canyon. Be clear that you are against further mining in the canyon, and that other sources of rock ARE available that do not conflict with high use, high value recreation. Demand that Ravalli County and the Forest Service recognize your recreational use of the canyon. We are not against resource extraction, but we are against it when it conflicts with a high use, high value area.

WRITE LETTERS!

Dave Bull
Forest Supervisor
Bitterroot National Forest
1801 North 1st Street
Hamilton, MT 59840
dbull@fs.fed.us

Ravalli County Commissioner
C/o Glenda Wiles, Administrative Assistant
Ravalli County Commissioners Office
215 S. 4th Street, Suite A
Hamilton, MT 59840
commissioners@ravallicounty.mt.gov

US Senator Max Baucus
Missoula Field Office
1821 South Avenue West, Suite 203
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 329-3123
www.baucus.senate.gov

US Senator Jon Tester
Missoula Field Office 116
West Front Street
Missoula, MT 59802
(406) 728-3003
www.tester.senate.gov

Congressman Denny Rehberg
US House of Representatives
c/o Kelly McQuiston, Field Representative
301 East Broadway, Suite 2
Missoula, MT 59802
(406) 543-9550
www.house.gov/rehberg

The Missoulian
Letters to the Editor
PO Box 8029
Missoula, MT 59807
oped@missoulian.com
www.missoulian.com

The Bitterroot Star Newspaper
thestar@montana.com

Ravalli Republic Newspaper
editor@ravallirepublic.com