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Two years ago, Utah wilderness advocates tried to get Pass Patrol thrown out of Grand Staircase by putting pressure on the BLM. That failed, but they are back and this time it is Canyonlands. Apparently, they convinced Canyonlands that Pass Patrol is a tour company and that I am personally getting rich from annual membership dues. I’ve never made a dime from the club. The expense of operating the club like a business has always eaten up the membership dues and more. Fact is, I’ve been spending my own money and donating weeks of my time every year to keep it going because I felt it was doing a public service by offering rookies with stock vehicles a way to learn how to safely experience public lands.
Pass Patrol recently received the letter included here from Canyonlands warning us to stay out of the park. It is full of false accusations and lies but they are the ones with the badge. Accused, tried, and proven guilty without even knowing we were on trial.
Now that’s what you call the American Way. As you can see, that letter is no simple inquiry to find out what Pass Patrol is. The verdict is stated repeatedly. They call it “Commercial Use” and is defined as
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“Any or all goods, activities, services, agreements, or any thing offered to park visitors and/or the general public for recreational purposes, which uses park resources, is undertaken for or results in compensation, monetary gain, benefit or profit to an individual, organization or corporation, whether or not such entity is organized for purposes recognized as non-profit under Local, State, or Federal law.
In other words, any organized entity. Since all clubs require a membership fee, all clubs fall within that definition. The simple fact is, Canyonlands can use this law to ban any club from entering the park without so much as an inquiry.
So how did Pass Patrol become singled out to receive this letter telling us to stay out of Canyonlands?
(1) Even though we are a small club, we like being under a spotlight and have become one of the best known 4X4 clubs in the country.
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