I just received my PMA authorization for my trip next week and right there at the top of the page it says 'Pristine Management Area (PMA)'. I always thought it was Primitive Management Area!

Pulled out my one page map of all PMAs that I got from the Forest Service "a few years ago". It clearly says Primitive Management Areas at the top. I'm personally thinking "Pristine" was a mistake by someone who should know better, but maybe they really did change the name.

Not exactly related, but interesting map from Forest Service that used those terms.

Very interesting.

I didn't have a clue that they had both Primitive and Pristine and that the old Primitive have now become "Pristine". Curious about the origin and date of that marrowoflife.

ahmoocreek: "I didn't have a clue that they had both Primitive and Pristine and that the old Primitive have now become "Pristine". Curious about the origin and date of that marrowoflife. "

Now you have me really interested. It is from the large "2004 FINAL Forest Plan - Superior National Forest". A google search with this term should bring up the Forest Service page with many subcategories. Here is another map they had included.

Using the word pristine to describe the area between lakes Isabella and Parent and north to Insula and Fishdance is hilarious. Even the Pagami Creek Fire hasn’t erased the signs of all the logging that happened with the Tomahawk Timber sale in the late 1940s.

inspector13: "
Using the word pristine to describe the area between lakes Isabella and Parent and north to Insula and Fishdance is hilarious. Even the Pagami Creek Fire hasn’t erased the signs of all the logging that happened with the Tomahawk Timber sale in the late 1940s.
"

Excellent points. I've spent some time in the Fungus Lake PMA, camping on both Powwow and Fungus Lakes and hiking/bushwacking thru a lot of that PMA (pre-fire). I can show you pictures of culverts, saws, lumbering relics and even a 1-2 liter glass 7-Up bottle in remarkably good shape in the middle of nowhere. Old logging roads are everywhere, although many are starting to disappear.
Primitive, definitely. Pristine, not. Much of Fungus PMA appears to have been logged in the 1960s.

Interesting way to classify.

Hey Ahmoo glad to see you are still on the forum. I used to read and reread your east loop trip reports sitting there with a map trying to follow along and trace out your route. Those were great adventures to read about and you motivated me to learn more about the history of the area.