High Sierra Topix

What do you think would be the answers to these 3 questions:

1. Are you happy with the current conditions of the 2 parks that you helped into
protected status by helping them become national parks (Yosemite & SEKI)?

2. You were the co-founder of the Sierra Club, has it lived up to your visions of
what you intended it to achieve/become?

3. Seeing todays backpackers, what do you think of the style and advancement in
equipment and technology?
Would you embrace it, keep your own minimalist style or maybe the ultra-light
style of today?

PS Please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts and prayers!

For both 1 and 2 I think his initial response would be that he was appalled but then, as he reflected on the changes in population and technology, he would be overwhelmed. I imagine it would take a long time for him to formulate a new position. Remember that in his day he was encouraging people to spend time in the mountains, now the problems of grazing and the like that he encountered are replaced with traffic jams in Yosemite Valley.

I think he would be amused at the full range of people spending time in the backcountry. He was really into the KISS philosophy of backpacking. Imagine how he would respond to our debates/discussions about equipment/cleanliness etc.

How would he deal with restrictions on fires?

What about those old sierra club trips that involved more stock than people and involved extended encampments on meadow fringes of lakes?

So while he was into preservation some of the activities he spawned are not permitted today and while I suspect that he would come to see these restrictions as necessary it probably would take some time for old John to come around.

Mike