Wilderness50 Day 1 -opening ceremony

New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich called out Patty Murray and her role in Wild Sky Wilderness in his opening keynote address, as well as mentioning the Alpine Lakes additions bill among those pending projects that deserve high priority. 

And folk singer Bart Koehler got the crowd singing his version of Amazing Grace!

...ending with a full audience coyote howl!

President Jimmy Carter delivered a recorded address to the conference, reminding us of how the Wilderness Preservation System was doubled by additions in Alaska during his term, and how much remains threatened there, including the coastal plain of ANWR, of course. Ken Brower and Sally Jewell will talk about that tomorrow morning. 

Among the wilderness greats I saw at the reception afterward was our own Polly Dyer (famous for having suggested the word "untrammeled" to Howard Zahniser) and Donna Osseward, John Miles and Saul Weisberg of NCI and Harry Romberg of the NW chapter of Sierra Club.