Kneidl letter: Owyhee Canyonlands

I grew up only a half-hour from the Owyhee Canyonlands. As a teen, I camped in the Leslie Gulch area with a few friends. Hiking and rock climbing, we were awestruck with the abundance of out-of-this-world rock formations.

Years later, around Three Forks, I soaked in the most amazing hot springs I’ve ever seen. A group of rafters passed by on a weeks-long float through the wilderness. We were the first humans they had seen in days.

Most recently, I’ve fallen in love with kayaking on Succor Creek. It’s a class 5 kayaking destination that is among the highest-quality stretches of whitewater I’ve paddled in over 20 years of kayaking. Having traveled abroad for kayaking, I can’t stress enough how great this section is.

The Owyhee Canyonlands are special, and we can’t assume that the area’s remoteness will protect it from oil, gas and mining pressures in the future. Let’s protect this landscape for generations to come, and do it in a way that protects current ranching and grazing activities. Please join me in supporting permanently protecting this one-of-a-kind area. We can’t afford to lose it.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Kneidl letter: Owyhee Canyonlands."