These are specifics that we feel are the most important for maintaining or improving MTB access to public land in SWMMBA's region.  These specifics are an excellent jumping off point to making an impactful Forest Planning and RWA/WSA management policy comment.

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Support continued bicycle access to Lionhead. SWMMBA believes that managing this valuable area as Backcountry Area (BCA) as described in Alternative E is the best and most consistent method. Other alternatives leave part or all of Lionhead closed to “mechanized travel” like mountain biking. We value the rugged, remote, natural feel and do not feel that we degrade it in any way by simply riding a bicycle there. If anything, mountain bikers have left it better than we found it, volunteering thousands of hours of trail work over the years.

Support the Gallatin Forest Partnership agreement. This is a broadly supported agreement that SWMMBA and other groups spent a long time developing for the Gallatin Range and parts of the Madison Range. The agreement deals with everything from trails to wilderness to invasive weeds. If you support the agreement, it is not necessary to get into each detail as it pertains to the forest plan. If there is a particular aspect of the agreement of area with which you have a personal connection, it will improve the value of your comment.

Support continued bicycle access to National Scenic Trails and National Recreation Trails. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (locally Mile Creek at Lionhead) is open to mountain bikes unless prohibited by Wilderness or travel planning. The same goes for National Recreation Trails, which in our area include Garnet Mountain, Bridger Foothills, Gallatin Riverside and others. We value our access to these areas by bicycle. Managing these trails to exclude bikes as described in alternative D is unacceptable.

Continue to manage Recommended Wilderness Areas (RWA) to allow bicycles. Managing these areas to exclude bikes (described in alternatives C and D) and could remove our preferred way of accessing an enormous portion of the forest. Alternative D would make many new RWAs and remove bicycles from hundreds of miles of trails across the Forest. This would concentrate use in front country areas and degrade the experiences of cyclists and other recreationists alike.