[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 34 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2339-S2340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             FINIS MITCHELL

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, it is with great honor that I join 
Wyoming's Gov. Jim Geringer, and the people of the State of Wyoming, in 
paying tribute to Finis Mitchell, a man whose legacy commemorates the 
very pioneer spirit on which our great country was founded.
  In remembrance of Mr. Mitchell's innumerable contributions to our 
State, Governor Geringer has issued a proclamation to designate 
February 15, 1997, as ``Finis Mitchell Day.''
  I ask unanimous consent that the State of Wyoming's proclamation be 
printed in the Record following my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  [See exhibit 1]
  Mr. THOMAS. Finis Mitchell was in the vanguard of mountain climbing 
at the beginning of this century, and continued his exploration of the 
Wind River Mountain Range until 1985 when, at the age of 84, he 
suffered a debilitating knee injury. He documented his climbing 
experiences through extensive mapping and photography, and eventually 
amassed a collection of slides numbering in excess of 126,000. This 
intimate knowledge of the area served as a reference for the U.S. 
Geological Survey in drawing official maps of the Wind Rivers, and 
inspired Mr. Mitchell to share his love of the mountains by penning a 
guidebook and giving educational lectures nationwide.
  After marrying Emma Nelson in 1923, together they stocked over 300 of 
the region's lakes with fish and started the Wind Rivers' first 
recreational fishing camp. To this day, those lakes are being fished by 
the public. In recognition of his life-long dedication to environmental 
conservation, Finis Mitchell received an honorary doctorate from the 
University of Wyoming, in addition to other State and National awards. 
He also found the time to serve as a State legislator.
  Throughout his life, Mr. Mitchell demonstrated strength in his rugged 
individualism. Starting from a humble beginning with his wife at their 
post-Depression fishing camp, this spirit of determination provided Mr. 
Mitchell with the foundation for a lifetime of success. Finis Mitchell 
rose to the challenges of exploring social, educational, and political 
frontiers just as he made his innumerable treks into the untamed 
wilderness, one step at a time.
  It can be said that Mr. Mitchell's achievements were a byproduct of 
respect he had for the lands he called his own backyard, and those 
which he helped transform into a sportsman's paradise. The following 
passage in Finis Mitchell's own words surely echoes the sentiment of 
all who have had the privilege of knowing his Winds:

       Evening alone in the mountains. No one to talk to. No one 
     speaking out . . . Only the comfort of a murmuring breeze, 
     the goodnight chirp of the snowbird . . . the glistening of 
     the moon on a distant glacier, the faint music of waterfalls 
     scurrying down. Where else can a man be so close to heaven 
     and still have his feet on the ground?

  Mr. Mitchell's extensive mapping of the Wind River region and his 
nationally recognized wildlife conservation efforts will be appreciated 
by folks from Wyoming, and others drawn to the area from all over the 
globe, for generations to come. We will continue to share his love of 
nature through the beauty of the majestic vistas and abundant wildlife 
that make our State like no place on Earth.
  Mr. President, I would like to close with a quote from ``The 
Pioneer'' by James Fenimore Cooper, which seems to epitomize the life 
of Finis Mitchell:

       None know how often the hand of God is seen in the 
     wilderness but them that rove it for a man's life . . .

  Such a man was Finis Mitchell.

                               Exhibit 1

     Governor's Proclamation
       Finis Mitchell was born on November 14, 1901 in Ethel, 
     Missouri, the son of the late Henry Reece and Faye Troutman 
     Mitchell. He traveled with his parents from Missouri to 
     Wyoming's Wind River Range, arriving on April 26, 1906.
       Finis Mitchell started mountain climbing back in October, 
     1909. He continued solo climbing until 1975 when at the age 
     of 73, he suffered a debilitating fall that left him with a 
     bad knee.
       Finis Mitchell began taking pictures as a hobby with his 
     climbing, so that he could show people where he had been and 
     what was in our national forests. By the time he stopped 
     climbing he had accumulated a collection of 35mm slides in 
     excess of 126,000. Finis spent most of his free time 
     exploring the Wind Rivers, capturing their beauty on film, 
     naming lakes, and mapping the terrain.
       Finis Mitchell and Emma Nelson were married in Rock Springs 
     at the Congregational Church on June 4, 1925. The two 
     pioneers, in 1930, started Mitchell's Fishing Camp at the Big 
     Sandy Openings, which was to become the first recreation area 
     on the Pacific side of the Wind River Range. Due to the lack 
     of fish, Finis and Emma transported fish in five gallon milk 
     cans, twelve at a time using six pack horses. In the seven 
     years that they operated their fishing camp, they stocked 
     over 300 lakes with over 2.5 million little trout, all free 
     for the public to enjoy.
       Finis Mitchell had been the recipient of many awards and 
     honors for his conservation

[[Page S2340]]

     efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 
     National Forest Service and several presidents. He served in 
     the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1955-1958. In 1975 
     Finis published a guidebook to the Wind Rivers, Wind River 
     Trails. In 1977 he received an honorary doctorate from the 
     University of Wyoming. The Congress of the United States 
     named Finis' favorite mountain after him. Mitchell Peak at 
     12,482 feet, is one of a very few land forms in the country 
     that was named after a living American.
       Finis Mitchell passed away November 13, 1995, the day 
     before his 94th birthday.
       Now Therefore, I Jim Geringer, Governor of the State of 
     Wyoming, do hereby proclaim February 15, 1997, to be ``Finis 
     Mitchell Day'' in Wyoming. Known by many as ``Lord of the 
     Wind Rivers,'' Finis Mitchell hiked or backpacked over 15,000 
     miles and climbed 220 peaks since 1909. He shared his 
     knowledge and experiences with anyone and everyone. He spent 
     a lifetime exploring and learning about the Wind River Range 
     and passing the information on to others.
       In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused 
     the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming to be affixed this 
     12th day of February, 1997.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, are we in morning business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama is correct.

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