Access advocacy in Montana

[skaredshtles]

You forgot the trailer full of side by sides and a 60 foot prevost with the gen running all night. It ain't camping if you can't watch DirectTV.

Naw, man - you can't take that shit into Designated Wilderness, don't ya know? I suppose, technically, you could take a giant battery pack to run the TV and satellite dish? Might need a few more mules...

[kidwoo]

I suppose, technically, you could take a giant battery pack to run the TV and satellite dish? Might need a few more mules...

Oh shit..........technically not mechanical transport.

How funny would that be. Hole up next to a bunch of PCT campers with a bigass flatscreen and crank the volume.... How's that wilderness experience workin for y'all? Good thing there ain't no bikes around! That would ruin it!

[CountryFunk]

Helena had this debate over Mt Helena 30+ years ago, and common sense won out. The lack of issues over the succeeding years shows that.

I agree that there is very little conflict on the ground, but there are WAY more bikers AND hikers using the trails than there were 30 years ago. Several groups are actively promoting trail usage by both types of user, plus the interwebz, population growth, blah, blah blah ... Don't fool yourself that this issue is going to go away just because Hike Helena is a group of reactionary bird watchers who got in the ear of a new city manager who ain't from around here. It's gotten significantly harder to feel good about opening it up without a good long sightline any more, and that didn't used to be the case. I must admit that I almost creamed a hiker who was hiking up rent money earlier this season (and that is one of 2 such incidents over the course of 30 years or so). Came around a corner and there she was standing in the middle of the trail with her eyes as big as saucers - WTF did you not notice the bermed corners, kickers, etc? I can't say that I wouldn't be willing to lose a trail or two to bikes in exchange for a trail or two that were bike-only ...

[yeahman]

^^I agree, a few trails that were designated hike-only or bike-only would be a good thing. Then everybody would at least have a couple trails where they KNOW they don't need to worry about encountering the other group. If nothing else it would give people less reason to bitch.

[skaredshtles]

^^I agree, a few trails that were designated hike-only or bike-only would be a good thing. Then everybody would at least have a couple trails where they KNOW they don't need to worry about encountering the other group. If nothing else it would give people less reason to bitch.

Be careful what you ask for... because what the land manager might do is designate a number of trails *hiker* only and NOT designate any biker only. At least for a few decades.

Don't ask me how I know.