Due in part to the strong response from the national cycling community, the comment period for the Beaverhead -Deerlodge National Forest was extended 30 days to April 30th. If you already submitted your letter, THANK YOU! Please consider submitting the same letter to Montana's elected officials. See the website for these details.
If you didn't get a chance or missed the first deadline, please take a moment to submit a letter that will support continued mountain bike access to Montana's public lands.
The Montana Mountain Bike Alliance is writing this note to ask you to write a letter to
the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (B-DNF) here in southwest Montana. Mountain bikers have been getting our asses kicked up here by restrictive policies concerning mountain bike access to public lands. The Forest Service Region One, which includes all of Montana, is implementing a policy where mechanized travel (bikes) will be banned from Recommended Wilderness Areas, which effectively creates de facto Wilderness
without ever getting official Congressional designation. It is the strictest RWA policy in the country, which will translate to a permanent loss of nearly 1,000 miles of high alpine singletrack in southwest Montana.
The former Region One Forest Supervisor, Gail Kimbell, who pushed the anti-bike
RWA policy was promoted and is now the HEAD of the Forest Service in D.C. Look
for equally bad policy around the country.
The Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF is currently in the final comment period and many epic
rides will be banned under this RWA policy. Sadly, the Region One RWA anti-bike
policy looks to be a done deal but we can preserve riding in these areas with alternative
land designations, non-Wilderness corridors, cherry stems and/or boundary adjustments
to preserve these great trails.
MMBA knows that everyone is busy these days but if you could find a few minutes in your day to email a note to the B-D NF you will be doing a good thing. We know that Montana might be a long way from where you regularly ride but you’ll love the trails up here when you make the time for a visit.
Obviously, the issues are more complex than can be explained in this email but here
are a few easy talking points:
The presence of mountain bikes in Recommended Wilderness Areas does not negatively
impact the resource or prevent it from being considered for future Wilderness designation.
The Continental Divide Trail through the B-D NF from Reynolds Pass to the Pintler
Wilderness should be managed as a bike friendly corridor by using alternative land
designations, non-Wilderness corridors, cherry stems and/or boundary adjustments
to preserve riding opportunities on trails historically important to cyclists.
Mountain bikers travel to ride great trails on public lands and contribute to the
economies of rural communities surrounded by these trails.
More information, detailed comment suggestions and the email address where the comments
are to be sent can be found at:
http://www.montanamountainbikea
Every letter submitted will help the cause and we do need HELP!
Forward this email to any one that has an interest in mountain bike access to public
lands. The outcome of this process has National Ramifications and we need to send
a clear message that mountain biking is a sustainable, responsible and appropriate
way to visit our wild public lands.
Thanks in advance for your support.
Ride On!
Montana Mountain Bike Alliance
P.O. Box 7023
Bozeman, MT 59771
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