Re[2]: [at-l] Crawford "Hotel" --spinoff from Cost to Enter National Parks

[Bob C." <ellen@xxxxxxxxxx (Bob C.)]

>"...The AMC is in business for itself not the trail, the trail would be better
>off without them," claims rocky.

Like most human institutions, AMC does good things and bad things. But it's my
suspicion that the trail wouldn't exist in anything like its current
configuration had not the AMC pushed for the legislation that enabled the
purchase of the White Mountain National Forest and other National Forests in the
east.

I think the Crawford Hotel is an abomination. But I also think AMC has done a
lot of good over the decades and continues to do useful things. I wish AMC had
been wiser in its construction, but the comparison should not be between what
AMC has built and nothing, but between what AMC has built and what would
probably have been built had not AMC stepped in and purchased the land from its
private owners when it came on the market a few years ago.

Much of the vast Maine forest is currently on the market. Conservation groups,
land speculators, our new land trust, investment partnerships, developers and
AMC are among the players.

Of all these groups only AMC is primarily concerned with furthering public
hiking opportunities in these forests and mountains.

Weary