Welcome To The Board, Mark McKeough!

Other than writing letters I have been away from public land issues for the last five years, since the days of the Utah Wilderness Association. The long time association I had with Utah issues and the good people through that organization is a period in my life that I cherish. Fortunately, by joining the HUPC board, I get a chance to reacquaint myself with people like Dick and Margaret and make new friends as well.

Unfortunately, the threats to places like the High Uintas are all too familiar and still make me sigh and grind my teeth over some silly timber sales, distraught ORVers, and questionable wilderness management. They all beat on the soul.

And they always will. What brings me back is the place--the High Uintas, the Lakes Country. We all have our own picture of the spot out there that sustains us. We pretty much know down to the season and the day we need to be back there to remind us why we keep at this stuff. As we get older we also count ourselves lucky that we can still get there in the first place.

But it is also the people who bring me back to a more active role. The people in HUPC always have impressed me with their friendliness, intelligence, wit and commitment. It is good to be with them again. I promise I'll do my best to help HUPC o n its way.