The Forest Service is removing a number of breakneck biking jumps and ramps from the Beardance Trail on Crane Mountain, where they weren't supposed to be installed in the first place
Rich Kehr, the district ranger at the Swan Lake Ranger District, said mountain biking features at Beardance — and any other trail in Flathead National Forest for that matter — need to follow the guidelines of a trail management objective.
"(The features) didn't meet with the objective of the trail," Kehr said. "They cause riders to go off the main tread of the trail and form these side trails and parallel trails."
Read the full Flathead Beacon article.
(Read Full Article)
Swan View's Summer-Fall 2011 Newsletter reports on our new Code of Responsible Recreation for America's Backcountry, breakneck biking, increasing run-ins between fast-moving bikers, trail runners and bears, a Wildlife Conservation Society report that recommends Wilderness designation for the Swan Range, and how Cinnabar will once again double your donation!
The documents show that [Ron] Cron was fined $300 for three days he spent developing a trail on Crane Mountain after he said he found Swan Lake Ranger District employees unreceptive to his proposals to expand trails there. An agent found his hand tools on the trail, took them as evidence and left a business card. Cron later called and admitted building the trail.
"We purposely left the beginning and end of the trail obscured and not brushed out so it was not obvious because we knew we were doing something illegal," Cron wrote in the affidavit. "We wanted to build the trail first before telling the Forest Service because we knew once the trail was established it would never be removed." …
[Keith] Hammer believes any future public process considering mountain biking on Crane Mountain is illegitimate while the trail there already exists.
"The trails continue to be used and have been used for over two years," Hammer said. "So the entire process is biased until the Forest Service goes out and shuts down these illegal trails." …
Other emails by Forest Service officials express concern over how freeride mountain biking fits with other uses. That compatibility is what has Hammer concerned about the Beardance Trail, where riding features like elevated logs and other natural obstacles have been incorporated.
Read the full Flathead Beacon Article. While there, be sure to add your comments to help insure laws to protect wildlife and other forest users are followed on our public lands!
Email Swan Lake District Ranger Rich Kehr and Flathead Forest Supervisor Chip Weber today and ask that all unauthorized bike trails, jumps and ramps on Crane Mountain be removed to protect wildlife and other forest users!
rkehr@fs.fed.us and cweber@fs.fed.us
Read our previous article about Crane Mountain Trails for more background.
Extreme downhill mountain bikers have cut illegal trails on Crane Mountain and constructed unauthorized jumps and ramps on its historic Beardance Trail. The Forest Service has allowed these illegal trails and structures to persist for years, setting the stage for dangerous conflicts between breakneck mountain bikers and other forest users.
Some extreme mountain bikers have organized as Crane Mountain Trail Supporters and are being courted by the Forest Service. We offer our findings in this article and provide photos of some of the illegal trails, jumps and ramps in our Crane Mountain Position Paper.
If you agree with our position, please email District Ranger Rich Kehr at rkehr@fs.fed.us. Tell him you want all unauthorized extreme downhill mountain biking trails, jumps and ramps removed from Crane Mountain - and that you want to be kept informed.
Such rogue and bullish downhill mountain biking is causing problems across the country, has already caused problems near Whitefish, and will certainly cause problems in the Swan Range and elsewhere if we can't get a handle on it near Bigfork.
(Read Full Article)
Swan View's Winter-Spring 2011 Newsletter reports on how we stopped the poisoning of old-growth forest in the Swan Valley, a federal bear expert calling the Swan Crest Footrace "human arrogance," a Forest Service initiative to down-size its road system nation-wide, and how you can help secure better Forest Planning regulations in 5 minutes!
(Read Full Article)
Swan View's Holidays 2010 Newsletter celebrates the designation of critical habitat for bull trout, pays tribute to members and conservation heroes that passed away this year, recognizes the need to invest time in the outdoors with our youth, and notes there is still time for your DONATIONS to meet our Cinnabar challenge grant BY NOV 30!
Reminds you to mark your calendar for our Nov 7 fund-raiser party at El Topo Cantina in Bigfork and our Nov 21 annual meeting, reports on why wildlife biologists roundly criticize the Swan Crest 100 Foot Race, tells of how similarly unauthorized activities have proven harmful or fatal, and reminds you that your DONATION by Nov 30 will be matched by Cinnabar Foundation!
Winter-Spring_2010_e.pdf
(Read Full Article)
Finds rays of hope in these economic hard times, reports on increased funding for Forest Service road reclamation, gives historical perspective for the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, illustrates with maps the importance of wildlands to wildlife conservation, and provides several ways for you to support our nonprofit work through a donation today!
Announces our 25th annual membership meeting and potluck November 8; reports on our deliberate choices of media; tells how our lawsuits continue to secure quiet habitat for fish, wildlife and people; reports on the winners of our Celebrating the Swan Range photo contest; and announces Cinnabar Foundation will once again double your donation!
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