Land of the Free
Our March public lands issue inspired strong reactions from readers: Some appreciated it, while a few disagreed with our decision to cover the topic at all.
Will Butler, a petroleum engineering student, objected to the tone of our coverage of drilling. “Oil, gas, and mining companies are also comprised of people like myself: a reader of BACKPACKER and a proud outdoorsman who cares a great deal about the preservation of this Earth,” he wrote.
In response to “Walk Free” ( page 76), our feature on Scottish laws which let hikers cross private property, John Eckerd wrote that similar legislation would be a “non-starter” in the United States. “People who went to the bank, got the loan for the land, and made payments for 30 years would not be enthusiastic,” he wrote.
David Nickell saw a bigger problem at play. “I see this as far
