Aug. 23, 2019 — Last week we guided a group of 35 friends and supporters through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, where we hiked across rocky outcroppings and alpine meadows to the crystal clear waters of Heart Lake. The hike was a celebration of our recent purchase of the largest remaining private property within the […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Heart-Lake.jpg720960Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-08-23 10:35:472019-08-23 10:35:47The Romance of Heart Lake
Aug. 9, 2019 — Some of the properties we purchase require a lot of work before we can transfer them over to public ownership, including the complete removal of unwanted man-made structures. In 2017 we acquired the “Jumbo and Mt Vernon Lode” property – 38-acres along a popular hiking route in the Mount Baker Wilderness […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Cabin_site_rehab-002.jpg12001600Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-08-09 11:51:382019-08-09 11:51:38Readying a Property for Transfer
July 26, 2019 — Thanks to your generous support, we have successfully transferred our Trout Creek I and II properties to public ownership within the Los Padres National Forest. The two properties total 480-acres and border the Garcia Wilderness near Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. Protecting this land ensures public access to […]
July 9, 2019 — Wander through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, scramble across some exposed rock and stroll through alpine meadows and you’ll find yourself on the shores of Heart Lake, taking in stunning views of Mt Shasta. This three-mile round trip hike is now possible thanks to our purchase this month of the […]
June 17, 2019 — The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Wilderness Land Trust (WLT) is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation in 2019, which occurs every five years. WLT was first accredited in […]
June 14, 2019 — In 1899 Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado, creating the Sally Bowman Mine. More than 100 years later and with the help of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy, we acquired that mine from Jerome’s […]
May 31, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has just transferred two Colorado properties totaling 80-acres to public ownership within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest in Colorado. The land is located near the town of Gunnison, within Colorado’s East Elk Creek, a proposed addition to the West Elk Wilderness Area The West […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/West-Elk-Ridge.jpg15122016Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-05-31 13:40:562019-07-17 22:38:41Colorado Land Protected for Future Wilderness
May 16, 2019 — We are thrilled to announce we have met our fundraising goal to protect Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra! This 49-acre former mining claim within the Inyo National Forest is adjacent a popular hiking trail into the upper entrance of Lundy Canyon. It has been identified as a high priority for […]
May 3, 2019 — Last weekend our staff, board, and project partners gathered outside San Luis Obispo, CA to experience the incredible beauty of one of our Trout Creek properties adjacent the Garcia and Santa Lucia Wilderness. These projects protect more than 800 acres of scenic viewshed and public trail access into the wilderness areas. […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Trout-Creek-stream.jpg30244032Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-05-03 12:42:252019-07-18 11:09:47The Trust Takes a Field Trip
March 28, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on a 20-acre property that “cherry-stems” into the Columbine Hondo Wildernessin the Carson National Forest. The Commodore Lode property is located in Long Canyon, adjacent a popular wilderness access trail near Taos Ski Valley. The Columbine Hondo Wilderness was designated in 2014. Our purchase helps […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Commodore-Lode-Columbine-Hondo.jpg24483264Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-03-28 13:19:462019-07-18 10:55:54Your Continued Success in New Mexico
March 22, 2019 — This week we are proud to learn we are the recipient of the Access Fund’s Land Conservation Award for permanently protecting the Castle Crags in northern California. In 2013, our partnership with the Fund helped us secure two square miles of land adjacent to the Castle Crags Wilderness from a local […]
March 8, 2019 — The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area is located in southwest Idaho near the Oregon border. The landscape is diverse, ranging from river canyons over a thousand feet deep to open expanses of sagebrush and grassland plateaus. Eight years ago this week we transferred more than 600 acres adjacent the North Fork […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Owyhee-Hanley-3.jpg24483264Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-03-08 10:31:432019-03-08 10:46:31Connecting People to the Land
Feb. 12, 2019 — We are cheering on the U.S. SENATE for passing a public lands package that includes permanent re-authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). From designated wilderness to national parks to neighborhood playgrounds, the Fund is a benefit to everyone in the community. This legislation will permanently authorize a federal […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/John-Fielder.jpg11101422Ingrid Ougland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngIngrid Ougland2019-02-13 14:20:512019-07-18 10:57:59A Bipartisan Victory for Public Lands
Dec. 14, 2018 — From Colorado to Washington, we took important steps over the last four months to remove the threat of development on seven properties, saving critical fish and wildlife habitat, and protecting more wilderness for anyone with a love of the outdoors. In mid-August, we purchased three properties totaling 27 acres within the […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/4-photos.jpg12751650Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2019-02-02 14:26:262019-07-18 10:58:42Four Months, Four States and Seven Properties!
Jan. 11, 2019 — We can’t think of a better way to start the new year than by saying thank you, and to give you an early look at 11 properties – more than 1,100 acres – we plan to transfer in 2019 to the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for permanent […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/enews-photo.jpg24882421Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2019-01-13 21:30:292019-07-18 10:59:39Thank You and a Look Ahead
Nov. 30, 2018 — We are thrilled to report we have closed on the purchase of a 60-acre mining claim adjacent to the Little Chetco River, the last remaining private inholding within the 180,000 acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness. This southwest Oregon wilderness contains the headwaters of three national wild and scenic rivers — the Chetco, North […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/kalmiopsis.jpg15892371Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-11-30 13:02:372019-07-18 11:00:24A Final Threat Eliminated from the Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Nov. 16, 2018 — Jon Mulford founded The Wilderness Land Trust in 1992 with a long-range mission to acquire unprotected private land within designated wilderness and return it to public ownership. He cultivated the Trust’s steady and tenacious work ethic with the understanding that some successes take time. In the late 1990’s, Jon established a […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/evergreen.jpg7501000Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-11-19 12:09:252019-07-18 11:01:14Tenacity Results in a Win for Wild Sky
Nov. 27, 2018 – Giving Tuesday #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday […]
Nov. 2, 2018 — The California Condor/Hi Mountain/Trout Creek trail provides public access into the Santa Lucia and Garcia Wilderness areas. But use of the trail and appreciation of the surrounding land extends beyond us humans. The land is also home to mule deer, black bear, wild turkeys, peregrine falcon, horned toad and other wildlife. […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/condor-trail.jpg720960Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-11-06 12:01:252019-07-18 11:03:08WLT Helps Save the California Condor Trail
Oct. 19, 2018 — The one room cabin perched precariously on a narrow ridge, its dilapidated windows boasting stunning views of the surrounding Wilderness landscape. However, the cabin and its contents – old furniture, mattresses, a wood stove, treated lumber and garbage – was slowly being crushed by the weight of heavy annual snowfall. Down below, […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mt-baker-cabin.jpg7141200Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-11-06 11:59:442019-07-18 11:03:55How a Cabin Disappeared in the Mt. Baker Wilderness
Oct. 5, 2018 — According to Merriam Webster, El Dorado is defined as a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity. As we know, opportunity and wealth are in the eye of the beholder. Hopeful miners saw the El Dorado Lode in the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado as a potential gold mine, their own “City of […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cabin.png511780Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-11-06 11:58:032019-07-18 11:04:38Defining Wealth in the Wilderness
Sept. 21, 2018 — Nestled within the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado and located at the top of a rise behind beautiful Emerald Lake sits three properties that, until now, were a threat to the designated wilderness around them. Thanks to our supporters, The Wilderness Land Trust now owns these properties and they are no longer […]
Sept. 6, 2018 — The Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park lives up to its name as the wildest area of the park. It’s in Wild Basin that a large amount of designated wilderness is located, and where backpackers, anglers, hikers and horse packers enjoy a truly remote experience a short hour outside […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Wild-Basin-View-KF-enhanced.jpg6681008Lisa Janeway/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngLisa Janeway2018-09-06 20:50:482019-07-18 11:11:4033 Acres Returned to Rocky Mountain National Park’s Wild Basin Area
July 11, 2018 — A unique alliance between a land trust, three timber companies, the climbing community and the Forest Service has resulted in protection of the beloved Castle Crags area in northern California, a rock climbing destination, wildlife habitat and important water source for California residents. Two square miles of land adjacent to the […]
April 18, 2018 — She must have made quite an impression in 1899, when Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. Just after filing to create the Morse Lode, he filed to create the Sally Bowman Mine right next […]
May 29, 2018 — The Wilderness Land Trust joined the National Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and other partners to celebrate the now accessible 16,000 acre Sabinoso Wilderness in New Mexico that, until recently, was impossible for the public to access without trespassing on private property. Thanks to a contribution […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Sabinoso_745-db3bf.jpg367550Phil Mollenkof/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngPhil Mollenkof2018-06-14 13:46:502019-07-18 11:08:30Wilderness Groups Celebrate Public Access to the Sabinoso Wilderness in Special Ceremony
May 2, 2018 — Another success! We just finalized the purchase of 40 additional acres of private land adjacent to the West Elk Wilderness area in Colorado. Add this to the 40 adjacent acres we already own, and we are now ready to transfer the only remaining private land within the proposed East Elk Creek […]
https://wildernesslandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/landscape-scenic-going-to-the-sun-road-rocky-mountains-163550.jpeg15002248wildernessland/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/WLTLogo_white.pngwildernessland2018-05-02 14:11:352019-07-18 11:09:08Wild West Elk
The Romance of Heart Lake
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandAug. 23, 2019 — Last week we guided a group of 35 friends and supporters through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, where we hiked across rocky outcroppings and alpine meadows to the crystal clear waters of Heart Lake. The hike was a celebration of our recent purchase of the largest remaining private property within the […]
Readying a Property for Transfer
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandAug. 9, 2019 — Some of the properties we purchase require a lot of work before we can transfer them over to public ownership, including the complete removal of unwanted man-made structures. In 2017 we acquired the “Jumbo and Mt Vernon Lode” property – 38-acres along a popular hiking route in the Mount Baker Wilderness […]
California Condor Trail Access is Permanently Protected
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandJuly 26, 2019 — Thanks to your generous support, we have successfully transferred our Trout Creek I and II properties to public ownership within the Los Padres National Forest. The two properties total 480-acres and border the Garcia Wilderness near Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. Protecting this land ensures public access to […]
Protecting Access to Castle Crags Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandJuly 9, 2019 — Wander through the wooded shores of Castle Lake, scramble across some exposed rock and stroll through alpine meadows and you’ll find yourself on the shores of Heart Lake, taking in stunning views of Mt Shasta. This three-mile round trip hike is now possible thanks to our purchase this month of the […]
We’re Applying for Land Trust Accreditation Renewal
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandJune 17, 2019 — The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Wilderness Land Trust (WLT) is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation in 2019, which occurs every five years. WLT was first accredited in […]
Sally Bowman Joins the Weminuche Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandJune 14, 2019 — In 1899 Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado, creating the Sally Bowman Mine. More than 100 years later and with the help of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy, we acquired that mine from Jerome’s […]
Colorado Land Protected for Future Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMay 31, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has just transferred two Colorado properties totaling 80-acres to public ownership within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest in Colorado. The land is located near the town of Gunnison, within Colorado’s East Elk Creek, a proposed addition to the West Elk Wilderness Area The West […]
Lundy Canyon Campaign Success!
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMay 16, 2019 — We are thrilled to announce we have met our fundraising goal to protect Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra! This 49-acre former mining claim within the Inyo National Forest is adjacent a popular hiking trail into the upper entrance of Lundy Canyon. It has been identified as a high priority for […]
The Trust Takes a Field Trip
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMay 3, 2019 — Last weekend our staff, board, and project partners gathered outside San Luis Obispo, CA to experience the incredible beauty of one of our Trout Creek properties adjacent the Garcia and Santa Lucia Wilderness. These projects protect more than 800 acres of scenic viewshed and public trail access into the wilderness areas. […]
Your Continued Success in New Mexico
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMarch 28, 2019 — The Wilderness Land Trust has closed on a 20-acre property that “cherry-stems” into the Columbine Hondo Wildernessin the Carson National Forest. The Commodore Lode property is located in Long Canyon, adjacent a popular wilderness access trail near Taos Ski Valley. The Columbine Hondo Wilderness was designated in 2014. Our purchase helps […]
The Trust Receives Conservation Award
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMarch 22, 2019 — This week we are proud to learn we are the recipient of the Access Fund’s Land Conservation Award for permanently protecting the Castle Crags in northern California. In 2013, our partnership with the Fund helped us secure two square miles of land adjacent to the Castle Crags Wilderness from a local […]
Connecting People to the Land
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandMarch 8, 2019 — The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness Area is located in southwest Idaho near the Oregon border. The landscape is diverse, ranging from river canyons over a thousand feet deep to open expanses of sagebrush and grassland plateaus. Eight years ago this week we transferred more than 600 acres adjacent the North Fork […]
A Bipartisan Victory for Public Lands
/in Uncategorized /by Ingrid OuglandFeb. 12, 2019 — We are cheering on the U.S. SENATE for passing a public lands package that includes permanent re-authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). From designated wilderness to national parks to neighborhood playgrounds, the Fund is a benefit to everyone in the community. This legislation will permanently authorize a federal […]
Four Months, Four States and Seven Properties!
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayDec. 14, 2018 — From Colorado to Washington, we took important steps over the last four months to remove the threat of development on seven properties, saving critical fish and wildlife habitat, and protecting more wilderness for anyone with a love of the outdoors. In mid-August, we purchased three properties totaling 27 acres within the […]
Thank You and a Look Ahead
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayJan. 11, 2019 — We can’t think of a better way to start the new year than by saying thank you, and to give you an early look at 11 properties – more than 1,100 acres – we plan to transfer in 2019 to the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for permanent […]
A Final Threat Eliminated from the Kalmiopsis Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayNov. 30, 2018 — We are thrilled to report we have closed on the purchase of a 60-acre mining claim adjacent to the Little Chetco River, the last remaining private inholding within the 180,000 acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness. This southwest Oregon wilderness contains the headwaters of three national wild and scenic rivers — the Chetco, North […]
Tenacity Results in a Win for Wild Sky
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayNov. 16, 2018 — Jon Mulford founded The Wilderness Land Trust in 1992 with a long-range mission to acquire unprotected private land within designated wilderness and return it to public ownership. He cultivated the Trust’s steady and tenacious work ethic with the understanding that some successes take time. In the late 1990’s, Jon established a […]
Join Fellow Wilderness Lovers on Nov. 27th and Dec. 4th
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayNov. 27, 2018 – Giving Tuesday #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday […]
WLT Helps Save the California Condor Trail
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayNov. 2, 2018 — The California Condor/Hi Mountain/Trout Creek trail provides public access into the Santa Lucia and Garcia Wilderness areas. But use of the trail and appreciation of the surrounding land extends beyond us humans. The land is also home to mule deer, black bear, wild turkeys, peregrine falcon, horned toad and other wildlife. […]
How a Cabin Disappeared in the Mt. Baker Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayOct. 19, 2018 — The one room cabin perched precariously on a narrow ridge, its dilapidated windows boasting stunning views of the surrounding Wilderness landscape. However, the cabin and its contents – old furniture, mattresses, a wood stove, treated lumber and garbage – was slowly being crushed by the weight of heavy annual snowfall. Down below, […]
Defining Wealth in the Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayOct. 5, 2018 — According to Merriam Webster, El Dorado is defined as a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity. As we know, opportunity and wealth are in the eye of the beholder. Hopeful miners saw the El Dorado Lode in the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado as a potential gold mine, their own “City of […]
Protecting the Weminuche Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewaySept. 21, 2018 — Nestled within the Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado and located at the top of a rise behind beautiful Emerald Lake sits three properties that, until now, were a threat to the designated wilderness around them. Thanks to our supporters, The Wilderness Land Trust now owns these properties and they are no longer […]
33 Acres Returned to Rocky Mountain National Park’s Wild Basin Area
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewaySept. 6, 2018 — The Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park lives up to its name as the wildest area of the park. It’s in Wild Basin that a large amount of designated wilderness is located, and where backpackers, anglers, hikers and horse packers enjoy a truly remote experience a short hour outside […]
New Recreational Access in Castle Crags Wilderness
/in Uncategorized /by Lisa JanewayJuly 11, 2018 — A unique alliance between a land trust, three timber companies, the climbing community and the Forest Service has resulted in protection of the beloved Castle Crags area in northern California, a rock climbing destination, wildlife habitat and important water source for California residents. Two square miles of land adjacent to the […]
Who Was Sally Bowman?
/in Uncategorized /by Phil MollenkofApril 18, 2018 — She must have made quite an impression in 1899, when Jerome Morse filed a patent on a 10-acre mining claim in the middle of what is now the Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. Just after filing to create the Morse Lode, he filed to create the Sally Bowman Mine right next […]
Wilderness Groups Celebrate Public Access to the Sabinoso Wilderness in Special Ceremony
/in Uncategorized /by Phil MollenkofMay 29, 2018 — The Wilderness Land Trust joined the National Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and other partners to celebrate the now accessible 16,000 acre Sabinoso Wilderness in New Mexico that, until recently, was impossible for the public to access without trespassing on private property. Thanks to a contribution […]
Wild West Elk
/in Uncategorized /by wildernesslandMay 2, 2018 — Another success! We just finalized the purchase of 40 additional acres of private land adjacent to the West Elk Wilderness area in Colorado. Add this to the 40 adjacent acres we already own, and we are now ready to transfer the only remaining private land within the proposed East Elk Creek […]