Las Vegas Sun

November 26, 2009

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Letter: Sprawl threatens Red Rock area more and more

Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 | 9:03 a.m.

I spent four days climbing in the Red Rock Canyon last week with a friend from Toronto. From each of the climbing routes, we looked directly across the desert valley at the Blue Diamond area and gypsum mine.

During three years of going to Vegas for Red Rock climbing, we have noticed the alarming progression of urban sprawl.

To additionally develop Blue Diamond (in order to provide magnificent views of Red Rock for millionaires) would eliminate any possibility of park visitors to enjoy a true wilderness experience.

Red Rock would become nothing more than a domesticated urban recreational area, rather than a truly unique desert mountain wilderness experience. Nighttime in the desert valley would change from pristine star-filled skies with occasional wild coyote cries, to intrusive illumination by thousands of streetlights and commercial signs, marred by the yapping of pet dogs.

This would be an immensely tragic shame, and would definitely cause wilderness adventure seekers like myself to (sorrowfully) go elsewhere.

I strongly urge Nevada citizens to stop unnecessary commercial development and preserve the beautiful and wild Red Rock Canyon for future generations to enjoy, before it is too late.

DAVID ALLER St-Sauveur des Monts Quebec, Canada

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