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:; :) ,-,-un Superintendent Great Sand Dunes National Monument Page 2. July 15, 1970 development. Park Service dance. In order to preserve the high quality of the Manument, the National would soon be forced to either expand its facilities or limit atten- (3) Walk-in campgrounds proposed by the Park Service cannot sustain heavy use until water and sanitary facilities are developed. Water hydrants and pit toilets do not generally fit the concept of wilderness. These areas would best be left out. (4) The present four-wheel drive and truck access road up Medano Creek through the park should be maintained for the following reasons: (a) Fire fighting access to a considerable area northeast of the Monument. (b) Provide for a normal harvest of deer population in the area; cutting this vehicle access would cause a natural growth of the deer herd to the point where winter range area in the eastern portion of the Monu- ment would become seriously overbrowsed. In this case, nature's conditions would create such over-browsing of limited vegetation that a very un- natural effect would result. (c) Ranchers and stockmen would be prevented vehicle access to the high range to the east. Cd) The road provides access for mineral prospecting) for amateur rock- hounds and four-wheel drive enthusiasts. (e) If the present road is closed, the above needs would soon force the Forest Service into building a new road in the hills around and above the Wilderness Area. This highly visible new road would have a greater effect on the ecology, and a much greater visible impact on the proposed Wilderness Area than does the present road. (5) The problem of the Ghost Forest which "is a critical point in the Citizen recommendation" should be given a second look. The Citizen' s proposal would place the Ghost Forest one and "three quarter miles from vehicular access. Few people would face a 3~ mile hike over hot sand for the first view of the forest, let alone a return trip. Preservation of the Ghost Forest will depend upon the effects of natural processes rather than its inclusion or exclusion from the Wil- derness Area. (6) The proposed motor nature trail by the Park Service may be difficult to main- tain but would certainly increase the use, enjoyment and availability of the Dunes' ecology to the growing public. In a somewhat similar situation in Jasper National Park which I visited two weeks' ago, over-snow vehicles are utilized to convey visitors over a portion of the Athabaska Glacier. Possibly an over-sand