SAWS
ACTION ALERT:
Lewis & Clark
National Forest Proposed Action Winter Recreation Over
- Snow Travel; Little Belt, Castle
& North Half
Crazy
Mountain
Ranges
Comments due
by November
25, 2005
Send written comments to:
Forest Supervisor Lesley W. Thompson
Lewis and Clark
National Forest
PO
Box 869
Great
Falls, Mt. 59403-0869
Subject Line must contain the words: Little Belt-Castle-Crazy Mountains Travel Plan
For more information call Team Leader Dick Schwecke
at 406-791-7747.
In the Little Belt Mountains we stand to lose:
All of the Logging Creek,
Monument Peak, Middle Fork Wilderness Study Area, Dry Wolf area, Dry Fork area,
Mizpah and Deadman areas,
Jefferson Creek area, and Deep Creek area for just over 300,000 acres of riding
area.
In the Crazy's we stand to lose:
The entire North East side
of that range, including the Lebo Peak area, Loco Peak area , Middle Fork of
Big Elk Fork Creek, Grouse Creek and north of Target Rock.
In the Castles we stand to lose:
The
entire Eastern edge which includes Whestone Ridge,
Pasture Gulch Creek and the West Fork of Copper Creek.
Keep in mind as you make your comments the Proposed Alternative
was negotiated by MSA
and MWA and the two voting clubs that ratified this agreement cannot
collectively voice their concerns with this plan. BUT we can voice our concerns
individually as snowmobilers. This is
the only alternative being brought forward at this time. With the lack of comments the FS is
receiving, they have only this Proposed Alternative and Alternative 1, which is
No Change.
The LARGE BLOCK closures should not be allowed to happen. We as
snowmobilers have been passively giving away our riding areas to the
non-motorized crowd for years in this area. Now MWA is trying to
take it ALL
away. I attended the meeting in Great
Falls and the motorized
supporters out numbered the non-motorized 5-1. This plan incorporates the
Summer Travel Plan as well, which looks no better than our winter plan. One
distinguishing point to note though is that in the Middle Fork Wilderness Study
Area, motorcycle trails are still being allowed but not snowmobiles.
There are private land holdings in this Wilderness Study Area and those
landowners will still be allowed all modes of motorized travel to gain access
to their newly established "Private
Park".
I know some of these landowners and they are not asking for the reduction in
snowmobile use in this area.
One excuse the Forest Service is using to promote the closures is
that no one has ridden these areas in years. The answer to that is the lack of
snow we have had since 1996. When the snow does return these areas will be ridden
again.
Bottom line, SAWS
supports NO CHANGE in the available riding areas and trails. We strongly believe that any acreage removed
from availability must be replaced with like acreage and like riding
areas. If you would like the map of the
proposed closures to be mailed to you, contact Dick Schwecke
directly at 406-791-7747.
I spoke with Mr. Schwecke just last
week. He informed me that comments on
the Winter Plan are substantially lacking.
If more comments are not received soon we will have to accept what MSA/MWA
agreed on. Write NOW
or DON'T
Ride LATER! We really need your help in
overturning the mindset that MSA
spoke for all us when they were at the negotiation table. SAWS feels that the proposed negotiated Alternative is
unacceptable to snowmobilers. Help save
one of the last TRUE
Multiple Use Areas in the State of Montana! This is only a 30 -day comment period and is
NOT related to the Rocky Mountain Front.
For more information, please visit this website:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/lewisclark/projects/index-littlebelts.shtml
Feel free to call me for any other questions at 406-788-2399.
Craig S. Osterman
Snowmobile Alliance of Western States
Copyright © 2005 Snowmobile Alliance of Western States. All Rights Reserved.
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