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How Much Wilderness In North America?


Guest elderwine

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My state Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2). Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, and finally the mountains of the Big Bend. The U.S. Forest Service manages approximately 675,000 acres of public land in Texas, divided into 4 National Parks. My own backyard, the Sam Houston National Forest cover 168,000 acres and is considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet.

But there is also alot of privately owned land, The KIng Ranch is 825,000 acres or (3,340 km2; 1,289 sq mi) It includes portions of 6 Texas counties.

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Edited by Tautriadelta
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The amount of wilderness here on Vancouver Island,BC, is absolutely incredible. If ever something' seemed endless...it is when looking' out at the vastness of the wilderness here. Truly incredible, an sure is easy on the eyes.

Pat...

It certainly is, this Texan envies you : ) thats saying allot lol.

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Guest LittleFeat

One thing to keep in mind about Colorado and "roadless" areas. I can't tell you how many times I have travelled on a forest service road that I see on the map, then come to a gate across the road and its been closed - sometimes for years.

I have also been on a forest service road camping nearby and have not seen another vehicle for days.

Also should keep in mind these forest service "roads" are actually 4wd trails.

I can drop someone off in many areas of Colorado and they wont be crossing a road for 20 miles in any direction.

Ditto COG, many USFS and BLM roads have been closed due to revised motor vehicle use policies and budget deficits, but believe me, there are still many extremely remote areas in Colorado that can be accessed via 4wd.

Also, while the state of Colorado may have already been mapped, the ground surveys are either non-existent, incomplete or outdated and, in many instances, very unreliable. As for the rest of the west and especially Alaska, the land may have been mapped from an aerial perspective, but ground surveys were either never performed or are severely outdated.

If you're willing and able to shoulder a backpack or saddle-up pack animals for a multi-day trip, you can strike off on your own off-trail and get somewhere that few, if any, people have seen. Just remember to bring the essentials and know how to navigate with a map and compass, because you'll truly be "on your own". Don't count on cellphone coverage and GPS devices break and batteries go dead.

JMHO and a little off topic, but I think the best way to have an encounter is to befriend a private landowner that owns a huge amount of acreage containing suitable habitat and that backs to forest service, wilderness, other private acreage, a river, a lake and/or Native American land. Maybe a nominal fee could be paid to the private landowner to access their land. Now if I could just find the right piece of land and a cooperative landowner... :unsure:

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It certainly is, this Texan envies you : ) thats saying allot lol.

Tautriadelta,

:) Cheers !...an...Go Long Horns ! :D

Pat...

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Guest rascar capac

I live in Scotland ( Elderwine, UK is not an island, Britain is. Britain and a bit of Ireland is the UK. :o) )

There are no Bigfoot in Britain, and I've never heard of any sightings.

The Ben Macdui legend is just a story, like Nessie.

Scotland has remote places, in British terms, but absolutely nothing like North America.

Interesting wee parallel though with our big cat sightings, witch no one can yet prove one way or the other.

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Guest rascar capac

Bobby O

"Only 26 rivers in Scotland that flow into the sea" Hmmmmmm...

The is is more fresh water in Loch Ness alone than there is in England and Wales.

It rains a lot here.

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Guest rascar capac

Anyway, this British stuff is off topic.

When I talk to folk in Scotland about my belief in the existence of bigfoot, often they shake their head and say it couldn't exist in America.

That is, the America in their heads, Friends, NYPD Blue, The Simpsons.

They have no idea just how wild North America can be.

Are there valleys that humans have not been in?

Or at least European Americans?

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SSR Team

Bobby O

"Only 26 rivers in Scotland that flow into the sea" Hmmmmmm...

The is is more fresh water in Loch Ness alone than there is in England and Wales.

It rains a lot here.

Yes rascar, it does rain a lot in Scotland & maybe there is more freshwater in Loch Ness than in England & Wales combined, i don't know, but there are 26 Rivers that run into the Sea in Scotland, yes.. :)

http://www.scotland.com/scotland-lochs-rivers/

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Guest COGrizzly

If you're willing and able to shoulder a backpack or saddle-up pack animals for a multi-day trip, you can strike off on your own off-trail and get somewhere that few, if any, people have seen. Just remember to bring the essentials and know how to navigate with a map and compass, because you'll truly be "on your own". Don't count on cellphone coverage and GPS devices break and batteries go dead.

Yeppers. And I'll be there again very very soon.

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SSR Team

Anyway, this British stuff is off topic.

When I talk to folk in Scotland about my belief in the existence of bigfoot, often they shake their head and say it couldn't exist in America.

That is, the America in their heads, Friends, NYPD Blue, The Simpsons.

They have no idea just how wild North America can be.

Are there valleys that humans have not been in?

Or at least European Americans?

Rascar, see Post #45 & see what you think with regards to the biggest National Forest in North America..

The inhabitants there are mostly Native Americans too & consist of around 31 Communities within the Forest..

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Pat, you live in the best place in the world in my opinion. I really envy you as having been there a few times it's a place which has everything in your 12,076 square miles (bigger than Wales and slightly smaller than Northern Ireland). Especially like the scenary between Port Alberni and Tofino - awesome... Hope to back next year..

It's a great place to camp too. I know that area fairly well. :)

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