Forest Service seeks feedback on Lolo proposal
MINERAL COUNTY - The Forest Service invites your comments on two proposed Special Use Permit requests called LeaderTreks and Nelson Mountain Bike Shuttle Service. The LeaderTreks permit request is located primarily on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest in Montana and partially on the North Fork District of the Clearwater National Forest and the St. Joe District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest in Idaho. The Nelson Mountain Bike Shuttle Service permit request is located entirely on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest.
LeaderTreks Special Use Permit Request
Project Purpose
The Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest is considering a request from “LeaderTreks” of Illinois for a special use permit to conduct overnight backpacking trips for young adults in a leadership development program. LeaderTreks is a non-profit Christian organization working with teenage youth in churches and schools across the country. LeaderTreks partners with youth workers to develop student leaders via wilderness trips that combine the challenging wilderness environment with a leadership development program to create a trip that is transformational for students.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to issue a special use permit to conduct group overnight backpacking trips along approximately 20 miles of the Stateline trail #738 between Diamond Lake and Hoodoo Pass; and about 6 miles of Trail #151 from the Dry Creek trailhead to the Stateline trail #738. The permit would also authorize off-trail foot travel from the Stateline trail to Cliff Lake and Middle Oregon Lake in order to access campsites. Permitted campsites would be located at St. Joe Lake, Middle Oregon Lake, Heart Lake, Bonanza Lake, and Cliff Lake. The permit would allow up to 6 groups traveling at separate times between July and August. Trip duration would total 3 nights and 4 days. Maximum group size would be limited to 20 people. The duration of the permit would be for one-year with annual renewal rights dependent upon performance. A longer permit duration could be considered if permit terms and conditions are successfully met over the course of three-years.
Sections of the permit area would briefly enter into the Clearwater National Forest and Idaho Panhandle National Forest along trail #738, which follows the boundary between the three Forests. The Lolo National Forest would administer the permit.
Nelson Mountain Bike Shuttle Service Special Use Permit Request
Project Purpose
The Superior Ranger District is considering a request from an individual for a special use permit to conduct a commercial mountain bike shuttle service on the Superior Ranger District in Mineral County, Montana.
Proposed Action
The proposal is to issue a special use permit to authorize a commercial mountain bike shuttle service that would transport riders and their bicycles to the upper elevation of the trails listed below. These trails are open to bicycle use. This would provide downhill mountain bike experiences where riders would not have to shuttle their own vehicles. Riders would return to their parked vehicles at a trailhead or the shuttle service could pick up riders and bikes at the end of their ride if requested. A twelve-passenger van with a small trailer for bikes would be used for shuttles. Guiding or outfitting services would not be authorized as part of this special use permit. Shuttles would occur on existing roads currently open to motorized vehicles. The period of operation would be from May 15th to September 15th. The duration of the permit would be for one-year with annual renewal rights dependent upon performance. A longer permit duration could be considered if permit terms and conditions are successfully met over the course of three-years.
Listed Trails:
Northern Pacific Railroad Grade #4208 (Lookout Pass to Taft)
Saltese Mountain Trail #808
Storm Peak Trail #255
CC Divide Trail #404
Hawk Mountain Trail #811
Road #16161 to Haugan
Flat Rock Creek Trail #253 (Tamarack to Twelvemile)
River Trail #223 (Ferry Landing to St. Regis)
Boyd Mountain Trail #202
Mullan Road #459
Camel’s Hump / Mayo Gulch Trail #213
Dry Creek Divide Trail #203
These proposed projects are activities implementing a land management plan and not authorized under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003, and are subject to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B (pre- decisional review process).
Our resource specialists are currently evaluating these proposals. Your comments are helpful to identify issues we need to consider.
How to Comment
Please submit written comments by March 10, 2014 to: Superior Ranger District
ATTN: Beth Kennedy P.O. Box 460
Superior, Montana 59872
Electronic comments may be emailed to: comments-northern-lolo-superior@fs.fed.us. Please indicate the name of the project in the subject line.
If you have any questions, please contact Project Leader Beth Kennedy at (406) 822-3954.