Montanans for Quiet Recreation 2009 Monitoring Report

Wildlands CPR worked with Montanans for Quiet Recreation this past summer helping to coordinate off-road vehicle monitoring on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. This report was generated by Wildlands CPR's MT ORV Coordinator, Adam Rissien.

Montanans for Quiet Recreation (MQR) launched its first monitoring effort this past summer to document impacts from off-road vehicle (ORV) use and damage in key roadless areas and popular hiking trails on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, mostly in the Pioneer Mountain Range.

MQR Coordinator, Phil Knight, helped organize volunteers and conducted much of monitoring work; all pictures in this report were taken by him unless otherwise stated. The results will be used to help gain more trail protections during travel planning through the official comment period that will tentatively begin in early 2010. Working with Great Old Broads for Wilderness, all our data was entered into the Healthy Land Project database, which allows us to print reports and maps when needed. Furthermore, monitoring results showing significant damage were sent to the Forest Service with requests that the agency address the impacts.

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest is the largest in Montana at 3.35 million acres with 53 official Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA). Additionally, the forest is spread out over rural, southwest Montana with few population centers, which required our monitoring work to focus on areas with a high threat of ORV damage or where there were opportunities to work with local volunteers. Therefore, we focused on the East Pioneer Mountains and the West Pioneer Wilderness Study Area, which is separated by the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway where many of the trailheads are located. We also collected data from independent monitoring effort in the Whitetail/Haystack/O’Neil (WHO) IRA.

The West Pioneer WSA totals 148,150 acres and has mostly gentle topography with elevations ranging from 6,500 to 9,500 feet. Some prominent features include the Skull Odell Research Natural Area, the Pioneer National Recreation Trail, and many open meadows such as the one along Pattengail Trail. Additionally the area has approximately 10 cirque lakes that lie along the crest of the West Pioneer Range, and prominent peaks include Stine, Odell and Bobcat Mountains. 

The East Pioneer Roadless Area totals 149,203 acres, and the new Revised Forest Plan recommended 71,617 acres for the Torrey Mt. Wilderness. Another 9,310 acres was allocated for non-motorized use, leaving 67,223 acres open for motorized recreation. The Cherry Cr. Trail provides a popular hiking opportunity, but unfortunately it is open to off-road vehicles under the new plan. The East Pioneers offer spectacular views and features Torrey Mt at 11,147 feet. Additionally, the area contains the Elkhorn Research Natural Area as well as multiple lakes and meadows.

Overall, MQR conducted or received monitoring data on 28 trails and areas, and collected 322 pictures showing a variety of ORV impacts as well as signs, closure devices and scenic views. Some of the worst damage was found at trailheads leading into in the West Pioneer WSA, and from user-created routes in the East Pioneer IRA.