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IMBA and the Montana
Mountain Bike Alliance urge all mountain bikers to help prevent
bike prohibitions on the Continental Divide Trail and other epic
singletrack near Yellowstone National Park. The Gallatin National
Forest has proposed a bicycle ban on five trails in the extraordinary
Lionhead area, totaling more than 25 miles. Your support is crucial if
these trails are to remain open to mountain biking.
“We depend on Lionhead's backcountry
trails and setting,” says Kelli Sanders, co-owner of the
IMBA-affiliated bicycle and ski retailer Freeheel
and Wheel. “Visiting cyclists highly value the solitude and
challenge of traversing the Continental Divide Trail or visiting the
pristine Coffin Lakes. We hope the Forest Service continues to protect
this important area and its traditional bicycling trails.”
The trails, considered the best in the
surrounding area, also provide a cherished escape for Bozeman and Big
Sky residents and are instantly popular with visiting mountain bikers.
Take Action!
Tell the Forest Service to protect the Continental
Divide Trail and other trails in a bicycle-friendly manner. The
deadline for comments is July 18.
Additional Information
Lionhead's trails have been
respectfully ridden by bicyclists and shared successfully with
equestrians, hikers and other trail users for decades.
Cyclists have contributed many hours
of trail maintenance in the Lionhead area and are invested and
responsible stakeholders in the future of this trail system.
The Lionhead area is already
designated non-motorized and the continued presence of bicycles will
not damage the resource or diminish its wilderness character.
Bicyclists enjoy the Lionhead trail
system for the same reason as other quiet trail users. We value the
solitude, beauty and challenge of exploring backcountry singletrack.
The Forest Service can protect the
land and allow for continued bicycling - there is no need to choose
between the two. The Lionhead RWA is a perfect candidate for a
Congressional designation such as National Recreation Area that can
permanently protect the area from new roads and mining while allowing
continued bicycle access and giving the Forest Service better
management options.
The economic, social and health
contributions of mountain biking in the Gallatin National Forest should
be nurtured and promoted as an integral piece of forest planning and a
lucrative component to the regional recreation mix.
Writing Your Own Letter
Unique, personalized messages are
extremely important. Concerned mountain bikers can submit their
comments using either IMBA’s simple online form or through their own
email address or a mailed letter. All options allow you to edit your
comments for maximum effect.
If you want to write your own letter,
please be sure to include the following:
(1) name, address, telephone number,
and organization represented, if any;
(2) title of the action (i.e. “Lionhead Bike Prohibition”);
(3) specific facts and supporting reasons to be consider; and
(4) signatures.
Letters can be sent to:
Gallatin National Forest
Attn: Steve Christiansen
P.O. Box 130
Bozeman, MT 59771
r1_gallatin_comments@...
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