Our crews have never added to whatever "The Hand of Man" has done before us.  If it is already there, useful for some purpose, we tend to take advantage of it.  If it does not serve some reasonable purpose, if it is filthy, trashy, would cause most people to move on to another site, etc., we clean it up and pack it out if possible.

Like it or not, "The Hand of Man" has been alive and traveling that part of the land for many, many years.  Would it somehow look less annoying if we knew the fire pit in a camp had been there for 250 years instead of since 1960?  If we do not want the presence of man to show at all, do we un-employee the portage crews, do away with tows, and access roads?

Many of us who travel the Quetico are getting a bit long in the tooth.  I appreciate a fire pit that is already there and a place where most of the floater rocks have been previously removed from the tent pad, etc.  The parks in turn need enough considerate human traffic, and enough human user fees paid, to remain open and viable.

All that being said, I am always delighted when I stumble into a camp that looks like no one has been there for many years.

Mossback