HR 1349 "Wheels over Wilderness"

[541hunter]

100% against bikes in the wilderness areas.


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[SWOHTR]

At first glance, I would be alright with everything except bicycles. Having owned and rode a mountain bike, I can definitely see the concerns about "trail braiding" and expansion (there's also a good documentary on Netflix about this, "Pedal driven"). With wheelchairs, would it suddenly be expected that trails to accommodate wheelchairs be established? What about game carts: are they any different than sleds you could pull (specifically re: soil compaction)?

What about simply amending it to "wheelchair licenses may be applied for" and a certain set amount/year?

I don't know who would benefit from survey wheels other than surveyors.

I would also be alright with people who resort to inflammatory statements being banned. I get it, you're passionate. Keep the cursing, name-calling, and belittling language out of your posts. It is disrespectful and detracts from any meaningful discussion. Would you use the same language in face-to-face conversations with people about the subject? What kind of message does that send to "the antis" and people who are neutral on the subject? Just food for thought.

 

[elkstabber]

Here is how to take action. Find your representative.

Find Your Representative | House.gov

Enter your zip code and then find the button to email your representative. You can only email one representative from what I could find.

Email him/her with your opinion. Here is what I posted. You are welcome to copy what I wrote and modify it for your state. This should take you about 2 minutes to make a difference.

Dear Mr. Scott,

HR1349 has recently passed through the Natural Resources committee and will be coming to your attention soon. While this bill appears to be a respectable idea it is in fact in direct opposition to the original intent of the designation "Wilderness".

The idea of the bill is to allow bicycles and trails into wilderness areas, which will result in much greater human disturbance. Wilderness areas are chosen and designated because of their uniqueness to the surrounding environment. Wilderness areas are currently only allowed to be accessed by hiking or horseback riding and don't allow any use of motors or engines (no vehicles nor chainsaws) so that humans have the least impact on the land and wildlife. Wilderness represents only 3% of federally owned land and the remaining 97% of federal land is presently open to bicycles.

I have hunted, fished, and camped in wilderness areas in four states (including Virginia's James River Face Wilderness) and have enjoyed the solitude and reward of my efforts after a long hike. I believe that allowing bicycles and other wheeled vehicles to cut trails into wilderness areas will permanently impact and destroy the solitude in America's last wild places.

For a more detailed explanation written in Outside magazine you can read it here:

Op-Ed: 5 Lies Being Used to Get Mountain Bikes in Wilderness | Outside Online

Thank you for your consideration.


NOTICE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE AN EFFECT. YOU HAVE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE. YOU CAN CALL THEM IF YOU PREFER. IF YOU POST YOUR OPINION HERE AND HAVEN'T VOICED YOUR OPINION TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING.

I wish there was a better way to say this. You and your opinion don't matter if you don't express it to your representative.

 

[sveltri]

Keep the bikes out of the Wilderness!!

 

[Lawnboi]

This has been debated here a lot and my opinion still stands. I understand why mountain bikers are fighting for thier share.

My opinion is to let wilderness be wilderness. No trails, no horses, only habitat.

 

[veganhunter]

First and foremost I consider myself a mountain biker exponentially more than I consider myself a hunter - I ride 250+ days a year and I'm lucky to hunt 25. But I'm categorically opposed to allowing bikes in Wilderness areas.

I live in a mountain biking destination town and also a 14er hub surrounded by Wilderness. There is something comforting about knowing you're not going to get hammered by a mtb going 25 mph down the single track when hiking to your favorite glassing tit. I love to ride bikes and I love to hunt but I specifically avoid mtb heavy drainages when hunting.

I'm writing a letter to Lamborn

 

[JP7]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I've emailed my representative


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[CorbLand]

Emailed my Rep.

 

[twall13]

I emailed my Rep. I think his aids are getting tired of hearing from me at this point but oh well. Being from Utah I tend to disagree with a lot of what my politicians are doing these days.... I will admit though, I have received several responses to my emails in the past. They usually are a canned response that states my representative's view on the topic without any consideration for what my email stated. Where I have found more success is when I respond to their response. If my response has a few somewhat intelligent points backed by a few verifiable facts it usually results in a better response from the aid and I feel like they might actually be passing my thoughts along to their boss.

I may never know if I'm making a difference but they are going to keep on hearing from me either way.

 

[slick]

Also an avid mountain biker, and i agree with all of the above sentiments of keeping bikes out of Wilderness areas.

It would only increase use in a small fraction of forest that should remain special for years to come, and bikes would essentially take the Wild out of Wilderness areas. Increase human use, increase habitat degradation, and in my eyes would only affect it in a negative way.


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[Poser]

Mountain biker as well and I see not need to open up wilderness to bikes. I can count up 15+ user groups who can and do use wilderness areas. The Mtn bike argument seems to be contingent on "a handful of user groups who want it all to themselves." This being said, though I have little problem with horses in wilderness, I'd get behind prohibiting them to further draw the line.

I also feel that this is a slippery slope. Bikes get access then e-bikes want access, then motorcycles want access. You have to draw the line somewhere.




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[bigdesert10]

I'm definitely against wheels in wilderness for all the reasons listed above and have emailed my representative. I am, however, a little perplexed by all the shade thrown at horses. I don't want to hijack the discussion so if folks would rather PM me, go ahead, but I'm just curious what the issue is. Are people getting run off trails by bolting horses? Are they making too much noise? Pack animals are a great resource for keeping what trails exist in wilderness maintained, and have had long historical presence in these areas. What gives?

 

[amp713]

109 million acres is less than*five percent*of the total U.S. land base, and when you factor out Alaskan wilderness, it's just*two percent* in the lower 48 states.

Let the bikes find somewhere to go, in the other 95% of the us...

 

[mcr-85]

I am against all mechanical devices in the wilderness. My opinion is if you don't want to walk into the wilderness areas then you better figure out a way to get on a horse or mule. Otherwise you can ride your bike or 4 wheeler or truck to the boundary and turn around and go home. I also emailed my rep and let him know my thoughts.

 

[Lawnboi]

I'm definitely against wheels in wilderness for all the reasons listed above and have emailed my representative. I am, however, a little perplexed by all the shade thrown at horses. I don't want to hijack the discussion so if folks would rather PM me, go ahead, but I'm just curious what the issue is. Are people getting run off trails by bolting horses? Are they making too much noise? Pack animals are a great resource for keeping what trails exist in wilderness maintained, and have had long historical presence in these areas. What gives?

Horses scare the crap out of me on trails. Especially when they are scared. I take much more caution when passing a horse than I do a mountain biker.

For me wilderness is land in its natural state. One of the big gripes about mountain bikes, has and always will be, that they tear up the trails. Ever see what a horse does to a trail? I don't like trails to begin with and wouldn't mind seeing trails greatly scaled back. We don't need a road or trail into every nook and cranny, especially in an area that's deemed as wilderness.

Historical views I can understand. But we are not living back when this act was put forth. Technology has changed. What about all those mechanical pieces I bring in the wilderness when I go hunt?

Lastly, and don't take this the wrong way, I don't care for what outfitting is doing to hunting. His is a whole seperate debacle. Many outfitters utilizes horses and large camps to stake claims. I just don't like it. I won't go further into this one.

This is just my opinion. I don't want to see mountain bikes in the wilderness, but truthfully can understand why bikers are fighting.

 

[chasewild]

Emailed Tipton just now.

 

[chasewild]

109 million acres is less than*five percent*of the total U.S. land base, and when you factor out Alaskan wilderness, it's just*two percent* in the lower 48 states.

Let the bikes find somewhere to go, in the other 95% of the us...

Well said.

 

[bigdesert10]

Horses scare the crap out of me on trails. Especially when they are scared. I take much more caution when passing a horse than I do a mountain biker.

For me wilderness is land in its natural state. One of the big gripes about mountain bikes, has and always will be, that they tear up the trails. Ever see what a horse does to a trail? I don't like trails to begin with and wouldn't mind seeing trails greatly scaled back. We don't need a road or trail into every nook and cranny, especially in an area that's deemed as wilderness.

Historical views I can understand. But we are not living back when this act was put forth. Technology has changed. What about all those mechanical pieces I bring in the wilderness when I go hunt?

Lastly, and don't take this the wrong way, I don't care for what outfitting is doing to hunting. His is a whole seperate debacle. Many outfitters utilizes horses and large camps to stake claims. I just don't like it. I won't go further into this one.

This is just my opinion. I don't want to see mountain bids in the wilderness, but truthfully can understand why bikers are fighting.

I think you have a couple of pretty valid points in there, namely the trail damage and outfitter issues. I would point out though, that despite damage from horses, the trail maintenance itself depends heavily on horses and mules in these wilderness areas. I won't argue with your point about outfitters because while I know some real decent folks that make their livelihood that way, that whole arrangement bothers me. But like you said, whole 'nuther can of worms.

In any case, while the above is debatable I don't think there's any question in the minds of most outdoor enthusiasts that mountain bikes are disruptive and counter-productive to the concept of wilderness.

 

[ramont]

Ah yes, I guess all of the public has equal access to public lands but some are more equal than others.

 

[kestump]

Message sent, completely against wheels in the wilderness.