Oregon Legislation Bodes Well
for Cyclists
-- Additional National Recreation Areas Still
Needed
Senator Ron Wyden (D) and Senator Gordon Smith (R) recently introduced the Senate version of the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act. The bill bodes well for mountain bicycling and maintains many boundary adjustments that will accommodate access to important trails.
The Oregon Mountain Bike Alliance (ORMBA) and the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) have worked diligently on the bill for almost three years and believe the Senate version is good for land protection and continued mountain bike access. ORMBA and IMBA strongly support protecting the lands around Mount Hood and are asking for a few important changes to the bill.
National Recreation Areas Hold Promise
Most promising for cyclists, the bill creates a 17,700-acre Mount Hood National Forest Recreation Area (NRA) that will allow mountain biking to continue in areas such as Fifteen Mile Creek, Boulder Lake, Shellrock Mountain and Hellroaring Creek. ORMBA and IMBA strongly endorse the NRA proposal and suggest expanding it to several other key areas.
"The mountain bike community thanks Senator Smith and Senator Wyden for including the National Recreation Area in their proposal and recognizing all that mountain biking brings to Mount Hood communities," says IMBA Rep Mark DeJohn.
While most land protection bills only consider Wilderness, which prohibits bicycle access, the National Recreation Area will allow for continued mountain bike access, and even new trail construction. Establishing NRAs is not a new practice, Congress has done so on numerous occasions. They can be tailored to preserve critical lands and waters while allowing low-impact, non-motorized recreation such as hiking, bicycling and horse-back riding.
"We think National Recreation Areas are the future of land protection in Oregon and we hope to work with the delegation and other interested groups to expand their acreage," says DeJohn. "Oregon is the kind of state that thinks creatively and NRAs could be the way to better engage our large mountain bike constituency behind protecting more lands."
Negotiations on Trails Continue
Some of the most popular places for cycling will remain open in the Senate bill, such as Fifteenmile Creek, Dog River Trail, Shellrock, Hellroaring and Mount Defiance.
The Senate version, however, suggests closing trails at Larch Mountain and Roaring River through Wilderness designation — two high-priority areas that IMBA and ORMBA believe should be protected through National Recreation Area status. Trails around Twin Lakes and Bonney Butte are also suggested for NRA protections. Finally, IMBA is also asking for a minor boundary adjustment to help re-open the Clackamas River Trail.
"In total, 114 miles of trails currently open to bikes will close if the Senate bill passes as written," said ORMBA Rep Doug Van Zandt. "NRA status could keep the most important trail miles still open to our existing, historical use but protect the mountain — something we all support."
Provisions in the Bill Will Benefit Cyclists
Just like the House bill, the Senate version takes some positive steps for bicycling, including an annual infusion of approximately $800,000 for trails and recreation in the Mount Hood area, bicycle-friendly boundary adjustments, and a mountain bike representative on the Mount Hood National Forest Recreational Advisory Council. It also suggests converting old forest service roads to singletrack around the mountain.
"Mountain bicycling belongs on Mount Hood and is an appropriate form of recreation," said Hood River-based IMBA trailbuilder Jill Van Winkle. "IMBA has long championed protections other than just Wilderness — which prohibits bicycle access — and we are pleased to see the senators embrace this approach to land protection that allows our quiet, low-impact, human powered sport to continue."
"The Mount Hood National Forest Plan is 16 years old, and we look forward to developing new and better trails for mountain bikers with the Forest Service," says Van Zandt. "Mountain bicyclists are some of the best partners to the Forest Service and conduct thousands of hours of volunteer trail work at Mount Hood and around Oregon."
Time is running out but the bill could still be resolved this year. IMBA and ORMBA will make sure to keep you updated.
What You Can Do
Write Senator Smith and Senator Wyden to thank them for their efforts on behalf of mountain biking, and encourage them to protect Larch Mountain, Twin Lakes, Bonney Butte and Roaring River through National Recreation Area status.
Senator Gordon Smith
Attn: Matt Hill
404 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: 202.228.3997
Senator Smith’s webform
Senator Ron Wyden
Attn: Michele Miranda
230 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: 202.228.2717
Use Senator Wyden’t webform at:
Senator Wyden's webform
More information on the House version of the bill is available online.