Helena request for action: Elkhorns

[evasive_MT]

Hi everyone – the Helena District of the Helena Lewis & Clark National Forest has proposed a great nonmotorized trail project. We need to rally comments in support by November 30.

This project is in the northern Elkhorn foothills outside Helena near Montana City and Clancy. If you’ve ridden Pinecrest, that’s where this is. This area has quite a few popular non-system trails. The trails are old cattle trails, old double-track, and similar that were never officially closed in the 1980s. As use has grown, they’ve become popular with local bikers, hikers, and equestrians. The USFS is proposing to convert this area to a network of system trails. It’s a good proposal. There are some great ideas in it. We need help supporting the Forest’s proposal, though. Backcountry Horsemen and Helena Hunters & Anglers are stirring the pot and trying to drum up opposition. In a change for Montana, the Wilderness groups seems to be sitting this one out so far. It is a front-country project, after all.

Maps of the trail proposal are at this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54963

Specific points that are helpful:
Project is long overdue; there is long-standing use in this area, and managing it in a constructive way is a good move.
This will help disperse use from the Helena South Hills
Doing this project under a categorial exclusion makes sense

The opposing voices are going after the CatEx, arguing that more NEPA review is needed. They’ll cite the USFS’s only Wildlife Management Unit as a reason. The USFS feels that converting the existing non-system network to a system network is an action with a nonsignificant effect. We agree with that.

Comment on this trail project is via email to:
Roy Barkley
Helena Ranger District
rbarkley at fs.fed.us

Thanks!

USFS release:
The Helena Ranger District is seeking public input on the Strawberry Butte Front-Country Trail Management Project, located in the Strawberry Butte, Willard Creek, and Maupin Creek areas of the north part of the Elkhorn Mountains. Generally, the proposed action will add nearly 39 miles of non-motorized trails to the overall National Forest trail system, while also closing numerous miles of unauthorized, user-created trails and addressing the associated resource damage as a result of those unauthorized trails.

[cmcrawfo]

would mountain bikes be permitted?

and (asking for a friend) ... what about e-bikes?

[Bunion 2020]

Consider it done.

[evdog]

It is a front-country project, after all.

Then I'm sure IMBA will be all over it. And happy to take credit, too!

Good luck. Will send comments....

[evasive_MT]

would mountain bikes be permitted?

and (asking for a friend) ... what about e-bikes?

It’s USFS and they consider ebikes motorized use. No, in this case.

[livefreerdie]

would mountain bikes be permitted?

and (asking for a friend) ... what about e-bikes?

The proposal doesn't say bikes, it is unfortunate lingo the feds developed. Non-motorized trail system with the restriction that mechanized use is limited to system roads and trails = bikes allowed, stay on official roads and trails.

E-bikes, no, they are motorized.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/bdnf/...d=FSEPRD601048

[406]

done, thanks for posting.

[DolphinSki]

Comment sent. Bump for an important cause, commenting is the key to public participation and having the Forest Service's ear in the future.