Summit County is blessed to have not one, but two, wilderness areas: Eagles Nest and Ptarmigan Peak. Wilderness areas are subject to some of the highest levels of protection afforded any federal land. What are those protections and why are they important? Here are a few:

1. No motors or mechanical transport: The Wilderness Act of 1964 provides “there shall be no temporary road, no use of motor vehicles, motorized equipment or motorboats, no landing of aircraft, no other form of mechanical transport, and no structure or installation within any such area.”  That’s why mechanized equipment (including drones and chainsaws) and equipment with wheels are prohibited. Only 2.7% of all land in the lower 48 states is included in congressionally designated wilderness areas. The Wilderness Act set these areas aside for primitive forms of recreation to help us connect with nature on its own terms, to help us slow down, breathe deeply and remember where we came from.
2. No camping within 100 feet of lakeshores or streams: Wilderness regulations prohibit camping closer than 100 feet from lakes, trails, or streams.  We might dream of that “perfect” campsite by the lake shore – the problem is that we all want the same thing. Areas close to lakeshores and streams are some of the most fragile places in our wilderness. Wildlife needs undisturbed access to water. And camping too close results in water contamination. So let’s back off, and let others — both human and animal — enjoy the lake.
3. Restrictions on campfires: Some people’s vision of a perfect campsite still includes a cozy (or roaring) campfire. There are simply too many of us — and the wildfire risk is too great — to allow this in our local wilderness. Around many fragile, high-Alpine lakes, trees have been downed or denuded for firewood. And embers flying into the air or campfires not safely extinguished can start wildfires. So, open fires are prohibited within 100 feet of streams or trails, within one-quarter mile of lakes, anywhere within certain heavily used areas and above 11,000 feet. Take a camp stove for cooking. And, as the sun sets, lay back and listen to the birds sing, while the quiet descends upon you and the stars twinkle in the night sky (hint: stargazing and wildlife viewing are even better without campfires).
4. Leash your dog: We all love dogs, especially our own. After all, what harm can Daisy or Max do romping free in our wilderness areas? Why should we and our canine buddies comply with the requirement to be on a physical handheld leash at all times (including while camping), not to exceed six feet in length? Wildlife view dogs as predators, so while chasing a pika or bighorn seems fun for Daisy, it can be a life-threatening event for the prey animal. Stressed animals can miscarry or abandon their young. Max running loose isn’t everyone’s idea of wilderness, and unleashed dogs mean less wildlife for others to see. Unleashed dogs can be prey for larger wildlife. So obey the leash rule, for everyone’s sake. 

The Wilderness Act’s stated purpose is “to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the United States and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition.” The Wilderness Act is a self-imposed restraint to preserve for current and future generations a small portion of what was a vast wilderness, and the primitive experiences it provides. So, let’s all show some self-restraint and do our part to help keep wilderness wild.

“Get Wild” publishes weekly in the Summit Daily News. Mike Browning is a member of the Eagle County Community Wildlife Roundtable and on the Board of Directors of the Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance.