End of an Era…
This post is to inform all of those interested that sections of the old “Secret Trail” alignment are being obliterated by the US Forest Service. This work is being done as part of the implementation of the Fort Valley Restoration Project. This project is responsible also for the miles of new trail constructed in lower Fort Valley, the new Upper Moto alignment, as well as several fuels and timber projects and assorted other activities in the Fort Valley area.
An important part of this project is the re-alignment of “Secret Trail” in an effort to protect Mexican Spotted Owl habitat. This is why the trail is being moved and the old trail is being closed. The section currently being obliterated is the section to the east of FS6273 road, between those marked “New ‘Secret’ alignment” and “New ‘Secret’ Alignment (formerly ‘Newham’)” on the map below. Closure of the section to the west of FS6273, through the “most sensitive area for Mexican Spotted Owls”, will follow shortly. All of this obliteration is taking place without the use of chain saws in order to minimize impacts to the Spotted Owls during the breeding season.
The majority of the re-alignment has been built or reconstructed and is ready for riding. There have been very few changes to the style of the trails adopted and the re-routes have been built with the character of the original trails in mind. The section marked “New connector” should be built within the next few months, and then new construction and maintenance of the western-most section of Secret Trail, from Upper Moto to the west and downhill to the rest of the Fort Valley Trails will proceed. (Not shown on the map.)
We are certainly aware that these actions are sure to generate a significant amount of disappointment amongst some members of the local mountain biking community. Some old trails that we love are changing. Bear in mind that we probably have the same concerns as you and have tried to negotiate the best solution possible from “within the system”. Things could be a lot worse; we could live in Marin County where most of the single-track is closed to bicycles.
We do not live in Marin County. Flagstaff will never be Marin County. And any comparison to that is dishonest at best.
The problem with the re-alignment is simple, and part of what is annoying for trail users of all types, this exercise is pointless. There will still be both bicycle and other vehicle traffic within the “Most Sensitive Area For Mexican Spotted Owls”.
I can still ride my bike on Freidlein Praire Road, literally within 100 metes of the existing Secret Trail the whole way. I can drive a truck up and down Freidlein Praire Road all day and night if I want to – within the protective bubble outlined on the map. I can rent a quad or motorcycle and do the same thing.
How does this help mountain bikers?
[...] post about the Secret Trail re-route up on [...]
Jon-
The times are changing here in the Southwest Region of the USFS.
After the National Travel Management Rule goes into effect for motorized vehicles, we can expect similar restrictions for mountain bikes and maybe equestrians to follow sooner rather than later. This sort of thing is already happening to mountain bikes in several Forests and BLM Districts throughout the West, including in the Crested Butte and Moab areas. (I doubt foot traffic will ever be limited with rare exception.) Flagstaff will begin to resemble Marin County maybe more than any of us like, especially without direct involvement with the agencies by people willing to work within the system’s parameters. I’ve lived and ridden extensively in both places, and I didn’t stay for long in Marin.
This would mean that unless a trail is designated as a “system” trail, one can expect that he might be cited for riding on it.
As the Devil’s Advocate, because ultimately I agree that this exercise in re-routing may be futile, neither you nor I are wildlife biologists, and therefore we are not really in a position to comment intelligently as to whether the re-route will have any measurable effect on the MSO’s ability to reproduce. I do agree with the USFS and US Fish and Wildlife that moving the trail away from the nest sites, seasonally restricting camping along Freidlein Prairie Road and the eventual closure of FS6273 to motorized vehicles, (not a certainty, but most likely part of the Travel Planning implementation), will reduce the number of users coming close to the MSOs. The Endangered Species Act dictates that the Agencies manage use to achieve this sort of goal in hopes that this will improve the threatened animals chances of survival.
Ultimately, issues with how this has been handled by the Agencies is one that can only be affected by high level policy change. Don’t like the Endangered Species Act? Write you Congressman. (Although writing Renzi right now is worse than futile.) Don’t like the NEPA process? Call your Senator. Ultimately, if free-access at the potential expense of wildlife is your prime motivation, vote Republican. I am not suggesting any of the above will actually help your cause, but this is where the changes you suggest must occur.
To answer your question, “how does this help mountain bikers?”
I worked with US Fish and Wildlife and the Peaks District to keep the realignment from running just above Pipeline Road. If the USFS had proceeded as they were originally intending, both Secret and Newham would have been obliterated, and we’d have another mellow single track down in the little trees. As it sits, because of FBO’s involvement and input, what we have is still great trail. I rode the realignment last night, and it is great riding, no matter how you carve it. These conversations that get us these concessions from the Agencies are not easy, nor are they short.
I am not certain who was at the table ten or so years ago when the Fort Valley Restoration Project planning process began, but at some point some mountain bikers made sure that bike oriented trails were a part of this project at all.
I suppose we could all go out and build “illegal” trails and “stick-it-to-The-Man”, but as more people move to the West and demands on our Public Lands increase, “The Man” is going to step up the restrictions and enforcement in order to protect “The Resource”. This is not my perfect universe either, but ultimately, “The Man” will have his way, at least to a greater degree.
Not even I am well armed enough to prevent that. But I am persistent enough to try to sway The Man. At least a little.
Please don’t shoot the messenger….
Anthony