Off-Road Silence

Re: Robert Waller’s “Shh! Are Scenic Flights Too Noisy?” (July 20): After 20 trips to southeast Utah since 1988, I’ve found that the solitude you desire can only be found on the road less traveled. That could mean a 36-mile, 10-hour, four-by-four trek. It could also mean not moving for 48 hours until the road dries out or until the swollen wash returns to normal. I avoid campgrounds at all costs, preferring the back country for peace and quiet.

I’ve been in a quiet cove on Lake Powell and been disturbed by power boaters with speakers blaring. Last April, in the Gallo Campground at Chaco Canyon, N.M., there were more barking dogs than at a kennel. There are no back-country campsites at Chaco and the nearest town is 40 or more miles away!

Don’t look for me in any of the places mentioned in Waller’s article. Instead, I’ll be exploring places with odd-sounding names found only on a topographic map. I’ll get there by backpacking or locking the hubs and driving at four to five miles per hour.

ROBERT J. PISAPIA

Westlake Village