The Wilderness Society recognizes climbing as a long-standing tradition in wilderness, yet we recognize that climbing can have, like many recreational uses, an impact.

Society was once surrounded by wilderness; now wilderness is surrounded by society. Once you divide that wilderness, it is no longer recoverable.

And we were taught to play golf. Golf epitomizes the tame world. On a golf course nature is neutered. The grass is clean, a lawn laundry that wipes away the mud, the insect, the bramble, nettle and thistle, an Eezy-wipe lawn where nothing of life, dirty and glorious, remains. Golf turns outdoors into indoors, a prefab mat of stultified grass, processed, pesticided, herbicided, the pseudo-green of formica sterility. Here, the grass is not singing. The wind cannot blow through it. Dumb expression, greenery made stupid, it hums a bland monotone in the key of the mono-minded. No word is emptier than a golf tee. No roots, it has no known etymology, it is verbal nail polish. Worldwide, golf is an arch act of enclosure, a commons fenced and subdued for the wealthy, trampling serf and seedling. The enemy of wildness, it is a demonstration of the absolute dominion of man over wild nature.

We are the wilderness within
Screaming out for true expression.
Even when we’re sleeping,
There’s no escape from this obsession.

Eben Whitcomb of the Historical Society brought in five large timbers of white oak for the students. I let the students cut the wood, which was a challenge, as we wouldn't want to be in the position to ask for more.

You cannot criticize the New Testament. It criticizes you.