Walking the Talk

David Montgomery and Conservation Activism

Preserving the Places that I Paint

Way back in the summer of 1972, David Montgomery finally hiked the six miles into Wheeler Geological Area. On the Forest Service map it showed up as one section of designated land- 640 acres that had – well – geological significance.

David had seen it on the map and was intrigued having already been obsessed with “weird rocks” since childhood. The few photographs that he had seen of the area paled in comparison when he arrived at the ash formations late in the afternoon.

Massive volcanic activity starting 30 million years ago built what we now call the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado. The eruptions continued for millions of years creating vast lava and ash flows that accumulated thousands of feet of volcanics.

The lavas and ashes were no sooner laid down than water wind and ice began to tear them down. The glaciers came and went and came again in several cycles. There, below the cap of lava flows at 12,000 feet above sea level, the ash and lava flows that had been laid down were exposed, sculpted into fantastical shapes and configurations.

Such formations are peppered throughout these mountains, but the formations at the head of one canyon approaching timberline are unusually spectacular- they look like the ruins of some mystical city when viewed from the meadows below.

David had never seen anything like it. To him it was a prize that only those who really made the effort to get into this remote area could see and experience. It afforded an intimacy undiluted by masses of looky-loos that one runs into when visiting easy-to- get-to roadside attractions.

He fell in love.

" When I returned from my first trip to Wheeler Geological Area, I was enthralled with this stupendous place. I wondered how such a jewel had not been recognized in some way. Well, it had been recognized for quite some time.

The first mention of the area was from a government survey crew in 1859 who named the place after General George Wheeler, the man in charge of the survey program- pretty sure he never saw it. Who knows what the Ute Indians thought of the place- I would love to find out.

Its prowess as a spectacular site was cemented when it was declared a National Monument by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1903- pretty sure he never saw it either.

In the 1950's the monument was turned over to the National Forest Service because its remoteness was a real obstacle for the Park Service. In a way, it probably helped to veil the area somewhat- took it off the radar for a while.

But then the Forest Service started to eye the ancient spruce stands that surrounded the open parklands below the former monument. To sell the idea of pushing roads into the area for logging they decided to use access to Wheeler as the excuse.

Ironically, this plan was set to go into motion five years before my first visit. The Forest Service had funding cuts that curtailed the plans. The plans were still on the books when I heard about them. I was infuriated! How could they do such a thing?"

More to come ..........