Land Use

I am fortunate enough to live in Nevada, where 89% of the state is public land full of boulder strewn canyons, hidden hot springs, and abandoned ghost towns. My mindset regarding land use differs from most rockcrawlers. That is largely because in addition to rockcrawling I also enjoy hiking, camping, backpacking, rockclimbing, mountain biking, and other non-motorized recreation. I grew up with parents who appreciated wildness and took me fishing, backpacking, and camping on a regular basis. I have also traveled throughout the world and seen the devastating effects of entirely privatized land at one end of the spectrum and unregulated overuse at the other end.

I often hear people make the argument that public lands belong to them, but I think that argument is flawed. Public lands belong not to me, but to all of us, and that is a very important distinction. While the challenge of a trail is certainly part of the appeal, I want to get to someplace breathtaking and far away from civilization. Leaving such places littered with trash or devoid of vegetation ruins the experience.