Thankful for Tester’s wilderness bill
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Editor,
An avid outdoorsman, my grandpa, bought land up Rock Creek near Quigg Peak. It’s just a stone’s throw away from proposed wilderness in Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (FJRA). I grew up watching my father and uncles hunt deer and elk nearby, and fly fish in the swift-moving water of Rock Creek. This land is where I learned to fish, cook over a wood fire, and rode a horse for the first time.
My grandpa has since passed away, but fortunately the land has stayed in our family. Recently, family and I headed back to this land to camp, enjoy each other’s company, and retreat from the never-ending business that is life. We spent the day bushwhacking up drainage, trying to find a trail leading to the top of Quigg Peak. After struggling through thick underbrush for the better part of two miles, the tangle finally gave way to a solid path, but we ran out of daylight before reaching the top.
The next morning, I was reminded that most meaningful things in life don’t come easy. Montanans have worked hard to come up with solutions and then waited patiently for FJRA to pass — but the time has come for Congress to act. I want to thank Sen. Tester for his leadership in sponsoring FJRA. And I want to encourage Rep. Daines to work with Senators Tester and Baucus in support of the bill. Let’s protect our outdoor way of life for the next generation of Montanans.
Faith C. Doty
Polson
