wilderness stewardship plan overview

[kkrause]

I just ran into the the finalized Wilderness stewardship plan that was released in Aug 2024:

Plan A: The “no-action alternative” describes existing management practices as described in the 1998 GMP and
as implemented through the Superintendent’s Compendium. Under alternative A, the NPS would
continue to address the needs of wilderness stewardship in accordance with the GMP, which generally
addresses how the park conducts activities within wilderness.

Plan B: Alternative B focuses on enhancing wilderness character with specific emphasis on improving the
visitors’ wilderness experience and providing for additional access opportunities consistent with the
public purposes of wilderness

Plan C: Alternative C would emphasize solitude by decreasing day use group size, reducing the number of
campsites within campgrounds, eliminating some trails, implementing a camping reservation system, and
allowing winter access to the park.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BPRLpG ... sp=sharing

You can download the entire 144 page document here
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.c ... tID=138446

[backwoods doc]

Interesting that they now label Alternative B (the plan that includes reserving backcountry sites in advance) as the preferred alternative.

[Ingo]

Interesting that they now label Alternative B (the plan that includes reserving backcountry sites in advance) as the preferred alternative.

Alternative B: "A new permitting system and monitoring program would be established with visitors required to obtain backcountry/wilderness permits in advance. Wilderness campgrounds would be booked up to 85% of capacity. The remaining 15% of campsites would not be booked in advance to allow for flexible itineraries and to address overcrowding and conflicts in campgrounds."
So there would/will still be itinerary flexibility, but you would need to permit in advance of your trip and could not list intended campgrounds that are 85% booked. Individual sites would not be reserved.

Alternative C: would mean "... implementing a camping reservation system ...", literally recreation.gov.

[kkrause]

Alternative C: would mean "... implementing a camping reservation system ...", literally recreation.gov.

yes, I read somewhere in the full document that receation.gov would be used.

I was a bit on the edge about the reservation system at first, but then I remembered I plan all my trips nearly a year in advance so I would directly benefit from this.

2 of the plans would eliminate the section of the Indian portage trail between the lake Richie trail and the lake Richie portage, meaning Chippewa harbor would become another water access site only

[IncaRoads]

2 of the plans would eliminate the section of the Indian portage trail between the lake Richie trail and the lake Richie portage, meaning Chippewa harbor would become another water access site only :shock:

I sure hope they don't eliminate that short section of the Indian Portage Trail. About 50% of the time I disembark the island at Chippewa Harbor via the Voyageur II.

[Ingo]

2 of the plans would eliminate the section of the Indian portage trail between the lake Richie trail and the lake Richie portage, meaning Chippewa harbor would become another water access site only

I sure hope they don't eliminate that short section of the Indian Portage Trail. About 50% of the time I disembark the island at Chippewa Harbor via the Voyageur II.

I never understood the rationale for that in any plan. At least it's not in the preferred Alt B--which, unless something dramatic changes, will be what is eventually implemented.

[JerryB]

I hope they don’t implement that part of the plan either. Chippewa is my favorite campground. Like Ingo, i can’t understand the rationale behind that alternative either.

[Ingo]

I hope they don’t implement that part of the plan either. Chippewa is my favorite campground. Like Ingo, i can’t understand the rationale behind that alternative either.

I would fully expect it to be Alt B, which keeps that trail. Seems the "Preferred Plan" always wins.