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Trail-pass foes boycott vendors that sell them Three local firms change ways, but program will continue From wire and staff reports Foes of a Forest Service program requiring hikers to pay to park at trailheads in the Northwest say they will no longer do business with vendors that sell government trail passes. One Ashland business said it won�t be "bullied" by the threats, but at least three businesses in the Rogue Valley have quit selling the passes. "Last week we decided to stop selling them," said Eric Renteria, co-manager of Sims Cycle in Medford. "We felt it wasn�t worth it to sell a couple more passes and lose a bunch more business. The letters we received were from good customers, and none of our employees really agree with the passes." McKee Bridge Store in the Upper Applegate Valley and Mount Ashland Inn have also quit selling the passes, the Forest Service said. Scott Morrell of Medford, an outspoken critic of the fees, said he originated the campaign to send boycott letters to stores that sell passes, rounding up help from a group called Free the Forests with about 40 members in the Rogue Valley. "We�re going to use every tool at our disposal to make the Forest Service aware that we�re not going to take this lying down," Morrell said. "This is double taxation." Morrell, a 39-year-old outdoor enthusiast, said he originally sent the boycott threat in an e-mail. The first line of the letter reads: "By selling and supporting the �Northwest Forest Pass� that requires me to pay to use my federal lands and trails, you have lost any future business from myself and my family." Brad Schuelke, manager of the Ashland Outdoor Store, said the shop will continue to sell the passes despite the boycott threat. "We�re not making any political statement at all about the trail fees � we�re performing a service for our customers," Schuelke said. "We�re choosing not to enter the political argument as a store," he added. "We don�t feel the need to be bullied about it." Jim Heck, assistant recreation staff officer for the Siskiyou National Forest, said the boycott campaign is going to hurt customers, not stop the program. "The vendors that pull out of our program are doing a disservice to their customers," Heck said. "They�re going to cause customers to violate the (trail pass) program and risk a citation. If some of these places don�t sell them, people are going to be out of luck. "The (pass program) isn�t going to go away," Heck continued. "We�ll continue to sell passes, and most of our vendors are hanging in there." In addition to the Ashland Outdoor Store, representatives at Shan Creek Market and BikeKraft in Grants Pass said their stores will continue to offer the trail permits. The Galice Store also will sell the passes. "If people have to have them, they need to have access to them," said Lynn McCord, owner of Shan Creek Market. Free the Forest members plan a protest against the pass program 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Crater Lake Highway and Poplar Drive. This year the Forest Service combined several passes into one "Northwest Forest Pass," giving holders access to numerous recreation sites around the Northwest. The cost is $30 annually and $5 per day. The pass must be visible on all vehicles parked at trailheads and other sites. Passes are available at Forest Service offices and ranger stations. Violators are being fined $50 beginning this year, after getting one chance to mail in the fee. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA