There is no doubt many want a degree of protection. All you need to do is go out on most heavily traveled summer routes during the winter...the exceptions being Ice House Canyon and Mt. Baldy. What is busy during the summer can be pristine wilderness during the winter. I think I've taken 4 trip this winter along routes/trails that have high traffic in the summer where I saw no one this winter. Many of the protections go away with as little 6" of snow.
A week ago we had people follow us way off the grid during the last snowstorm figuring we were on "the trail". They were looking for protection in all the wrong places because we were just out trying to get away from the maddening crowds. Not long after our group stopped to grab a bite, our hanger ons turned around.
The question is what should the forest service and park do. With places like Half Dome and Mt. Whitney, not much. You can neither put the genie back in the bottle nor should you to any great degree. There are to many citizens who have made investments based on these Disneyland au Natural decisions.
There are still plenty of places to go where it is still wilderness that lack the protections... just not some of the glamor spots we wish were less protected.
