Save The Date – St. Jude’s Polar Bear Run

Your MTVRA and the Friends of Pipestone will co-sponsor the St. Jude’s Polar Bear Run on April 22nd at Pipestone east of Butte. The Mining City Trail Riders from Butte are helping with arrangements. More details to come later from MTVRA!

Montana XC – Second Half Started At Burnt Timber XC

The summer break seemed to drag on, and then all of a sudden it was Labor Day weekend. Burnt Timber, hosted by the Butcher family since 2003, was rescheduled from a wet spring. The “Brawl in the Breaks” is a favorite among the Montana XC members. And this year was another epic weekend of riding. The highlights would have to include some of the hilarity of the bra relay race. Yes, a bra. Riders must wear the lady’s undergarment during their lap and pass the garment to the next rider. The weather was beautiful and the evening sky gave hint of rain. And, it rained, but thankfully it wasn’t ‘too much’. The racing on Sunday was beautiful. The temperatures stayed cool and the sky cloudy, the ground was tacky and it was a great day to be on the line. 

Montana State Parks Off-Highway Vehicle Program Update

By Erin Proctor, OHV Program Manager, Montana State Parks

The 2015 session of the Montana Legislature passed HB 167 that restructured the requirements of Montana’s OHV nonresident temporary use permit.  This new law makes Montana’s program similar to the regulations in our surrounding states. It rescinded reciprocity to 39 states, while honoring agreements with Idaho and North Dakota. The non-resident permit fee rose from $5 to $27 and permits are valid for one calendar year. 

Revenues generated go to education, OHV trail maintenance and noxious weed control efforts in the following amounts:

Governor Bullock Announces Public Lands & Public Access Agenda

Billings, Mont., June 9 – Near the banks of the Yellowstone River, Governor Steve Bullock today announced details of his public lands and access agenda, saying it’s his “responsibility as governor” to uphold the Montana value of protecting the state’s outdoor heritage.

The Governor was joined by sportsmen, conservationists, recreationists, and members of Montana’s outdoor recreation and tourism industries as he unveiled his plans to expand and protect public access to public lands and waters throughout Montana.

“Public access to public lands is a fundamental part of what it means to be a Montanan,” said Governor Bullock. “And it’s my responsibility as governor to uphold this Montana value – now and in the years to come.”

Governor Bullock Announces Release of Statewide Management Assessment of Invasive Species

HELENA, Montana—The Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council (MISAC) released a statewide management assessment of invasive species this week. The assessment, a first for Montana and the second of its kind in the nation, provides a comprehensive look at how invasive species were managed in Montana in 2015. A copy of the assessment can be accessed at:

dnrc.mt.gov/divisions/cardd/docs/misac-docs/montanastatewideassessmentfinal.pdf

Recreational Trails Program Achieves Major Victory

By Marianne Wesley Fowler and Derrick A. Crandall, Co-Chairs, Coalition for Recreational Trails

December 7, 2015

Working together as a potent national force as the Coalition for Recreational Trails, we have achieved a major victory in protecting the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) in the recent transportation reauthorization process. Conferees from the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have agreed to new legislation, which covers the next five years (2016-2020), and the bill was signed into law by the President.

New Legislation Will Bolster Montana’s OHV Program

by Erin Proctor, OHV Program Manager, Montana State Parks Division

Two bills, passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Bullock during the last session, will help strengthen Montana’s OHV program. A stronger program can support more projects on the ground and in the classroom, enhancing your riding options and experiences.

Cooke City OHV Riding

From: http://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/activities/ohv.html

The network of OHV roads and trails on this map provide opportunities for outdoor recreation not found elsewhere. These roads and trails provide access to lakes, a historic mining district, a ghost town, breath-taking scenery, and numerous hiking trails. Much of the area you will be traveling is part of a large reclamation project designed to repair damage to the land and water caused by historic mining activity. Please be respectful of reclamation and stay on designated trails.

BlackTail Wildbill OHV Trails

From www.fs.usda.gov, Flathead National Forest

The 10 mile Blacktail Wild Bill ORV trail system has three legs. One begins off of Blacktail Mt. Road on Road #917a and intersects with the other two trails which begin off of Truman Creek Rd #213 and from the trailhead on Road #2990. The trail is open for the following uses: 3 or 4 wheeled vehicles, 2 wheeled vehicles, mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking.

There are three trailheads to access the Blacktail OHV system.

President's Corner Spring 2017

Buzz words like public lands, multiple-use, collaboration and climate change have taken over our dialogue. Many times these words and others are used out of context and, in some cases, as weapons. What exactly are public lands? When people want to protect public lands for instance, what do they really want and what public lands are they talking about?   

During the last election cycle we had people lining up to demand if others believed in protecting public lands. On-line you find most public lands referenced as those lands owned by the federal government. You also see items like Keep Public Lands Public-US Lands Under Siege, Public Lands Make This Country-Great-Let’s Protect Them, Why is the federal government trading away public land to the 1 percent and Tester asks Zinke about his commitment to public lands. There are literally thousands of other articles, comments and opinions out there. 

Sneak Peek at Montana’s New OHV Brochure

By Erin Proctor, OHV Program Manager

It’s time for an update to the “Off-Road Montana” brochure! We’ll start off by renaming it, so there’s no confusion between what’s old & outdated and what’s new & current. Your new brochure will be called the Montana Motorized Recreation Handbook, and combines information from both the “Off-Road Montana” and “Hunting and ATVs” pamphlets currently in circulation. Sections will include: How Permit Dollars are Used; Definitions; Safety & Equipment; Title, Registration and Permit Requirements; Other OHV Regulations; Sharing Trails, Safe & Ethical Use; Hunting & OHVs; Additional Resources; and Tread Lightly! practices. Expect to see clearly defined laws as well as good and ethical best practice suggestions. 

Four-Wheeled Freedom: Riders with Disabilities Use ATVs To Enjoy the Outdoors

The following was published in the Nov./Dec. 2009 ATV News insert in American Motorcyclist and edited to fit this publication

Story by Karen Umphress

One thing that I have discovered is that people who are in wheelchairs or are otherwise disabled want to be “normal,” and in the everyday world they don’t get many opportunities to be that way. When it comes to accessing the beauty of America’s public lands, an ATV or a four-wheel-drive vehicle can be the only way for the less-abled to enjoy the outdoor opportunities that most of us take for granted. Opportunities that, like the rest of us, they have paid for with their federal tax dollars.