THESE `NEW WOLVES' ARE NOT EXACTLY DANCING.Byline: Rich Martin Special to the Daily News Maybe it's just the ``w'' word - wolves. The reintroduction Noun 1. reintroduction - an act of renewed introduction intro, introduction, presentation - formally making a person known to another or to the public of the nearly extinct Mexican wolf The Mexican Wolf is the rarest, most genetically distinct subspecies of the Gray Wolf in North America. Features and adaptations The Mexican Wolf is the smallest grey wolf subspecies present in North America, reaching an overall length no greater than 135 centimetres (53 into the American Southwest has initiated an emotional argument that seems to go way beyond the paltry pal·try adj. pal·tri·er, pal·tri·est 1. Lacking in importance or worth. See Synonyms at trivial. 2. Wretched or contemptible. numbers involved. The wolf is a creature able to stir passion; the species has such a dark hold of human imagination that rational debate may be impossible. Rick Bass has entered the circle with the credentials to be fair. The Texas native - from deep in the heart of often-militant opposition to wolves - is a conservationist and a hunter. The author has set the ambitious goal of being both journalistic and literary in ``The New Wolves'' (Lyons; $18.95). He has made his 166-page book readable and enlightening en·light·en tr.v. en·light·ened, en·light·en·ing, en·light·ens 1. To give spiritual or intellectual insight to: , though a few lapses weaken the vivid picture he has painted. Bass does a good job of setting up the situation before the return of Mexican wolves to Eastern Arizona's Blue Range: The slaughter of the wolf and other predators paralleled the killing of bison and Indians. Bass introduces biologists and volunteers inspired by the idea of reintroduction, interviews a ranching couple who favor holistic management  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . , making no attempt to kill predators, and a gadfly gadfly, name for various biting flies, especially those that attack livestock, e.g., the botfly and the horsefly. who believes the program is doomed to failure, another example of questionable government planning. Yet nowhere does Bass interview the ranchers who would just as soon kill the wolves on sight because they pose a threat to livestock on the parched parch v. parched, parch·ing, parch·es v.tr. 1. To make extremely dry, especially by exposure to heat: The midsummer sun parched the earth. and often overgrazed land. Bass does note that each rancher losing any of his herd will be compensated and that the losses would surely be minimal. He is sympathetic to the wolves' plight; however, the views of detractors whose voices must be heard in an open-minded forum are nowhere in these pages. Regardless, the author shows a delicate touch. Describing the release of the wolves into the wild, he writes, ``Their eyes carry more than ours do.'' He provides fine profiles of the beasts and their territories. But he falls into the role of a mystic, and it can be grating. He gets so carried away that he resorts to extravagant metaphors that are unnecessarily intrusive: ``Do the increases in rumors reflect that the wolves are already there, or do the increases in rumor compress to a point of saturation, a density of desire in the air, that is finally sufficient to lure and welcome wolves back into that land, as a weather system rolls from a high-pressure area into a low, or as the tides follow the moon and the Earth?'' Come on. To his credit, Bass has sketched the basic details of the story and there's a lot of good writing. But readers will find the book not a meal but an appetizer. A wolf would need more. Our rating: Two and one half stars If ever there were a true recreational mecca, Colorado's Rocky Mountains Rocky Mountains, major mountain system of W North America and easternmost belt of the North American cordillera, extending more than 3,000 mi (4,800 km) from central N.Mex. to NW Alaska; Mt. Elbert (14,431 ft/4,399 m) in Colorado is the highest peak. fit the bill. For a memorable trip to the ``backbone of the world'' without many on-trail Sig Alerts, two titles could steer you in the right direction: Different problems limit the appeal of Gerry Roach's ``Colorado's Indian Peaks: Classic Hikes and Climbs'' (Fulcrum fulcrum: see lever. ; $16.95). Triathlon triathlon, athletic event made up of three contests. Since the 1970s the term has come to mean especially a race combining swimming, bicycling, and running. A notable example is Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon, held since 1978, which features a 2. types will be the main audience. Weekend warriors better stay at home; there are no hikes for beginners. The Boulder, Colo., author is a world-class mountaineer who has climbed Mount Everest and was only the second climber to scale the highest peak on every continent. He has climbed all of Colorado's 14,000-plus-feet pinnacles and displays an expert knowledge of the region described in the 180-page no-nonsense guidebook. The topographic maps are good and directions concise for the 21 trailheads, 29 hikes, 49 peaks and 127 routes. But there's another number - one, as in the big question: What is special about this region? The mediocre black-and-white photos certainly don't show it. A couple of descriptive pages - not flowery flow·er·y adj. flow·er·i·er, flow·er·i·est 1. Of, relating to, or suggestive of flowers: a flowery perfume. 2. Abounding in or covered with flowers. 3. , but informative - would be helpful. Every area is unique in some way; if not, why travel so far to get there? Our rating: Two stars Maurizio Valerio has compiled a list of the best outdoor businesses in ``Top Rated Rocky Mountain Adventures'' (Picked-By-You Guides; $18.95). Ratings are based on service, knowledge and performance. Categories include big-game and bird hunting, fly-fishing and other angling, wilderness adventures and whitewater trips. But there are some major gaps in the 278 pages. The author has failed to include any price information; these kinds of trips could be fabulous, and fabulously expensive. Maps are also inadequate. Our rating: One and one half stars ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI(KE) Tips for tackling trails in Colorado's high country, which might be applied to most other hikes: Get in shape beforehand. Walk in your neighborhood, parks and especially on area trails. Get used to treading in your hiking boots and carrying the pack you'll take. Be prepared for capricious capricious adv., adj. unpredictable and subject to whim, often used to refer to judges and judicial decisions which do not follow the law, logic or proper trial procedure. A semi-polite way of saying a judge is inconsistent or erratic. weather; T-shirt-clad hikers basking in warm sunshine at the bottom can get snowed on at the summit. Take your time, but try to keep a good pace. Stop after about 30 minutes to make sure boots and packs are comfortable, then every hour or so for short rests. Divide the hike into sections so you don't overwhelm yourself. Don't step on or over anything you can step around. Test a questionable rock to make sure it'll stay put when you put all your weight on it. Use a trekking pole Trekking poles (also known as hiking poles, hiking sticks or walking poles) are a common hiking accessory. When in use, they resemble ski poles as they have many features in common, such as baskets at the bottom, rubber-padded handles and wrist straps. or hiking stick to help with balance. Step carefully on damp leaves, mossy moss·y adj. moss·i·er, moss·i·est 1. Covered with moss or something like moss: mossy banks. 2. Resembling moss. 3. Old-fashioned; antiquated. rocks and wet sloping rock. Watch for loose, dry gravel, which can be as slippery as snow. Additional tips are provided by Backpacker BaseCamp (www.backpacker.com). - Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, city (1990 pop. 281,140), seat of El Paso co., central Colo., on Monument and Fountain creeks, at the foot of Pikes Peak; inc. 1886. It is a year-round resort and a booming military, technological, and commercial city. Gazette CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (Color) no caption (Books) Andy Holzman/Daily News Box: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI(KE) (See text) |
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