Helena National Forest

As I stood in Montana's dense Helena National Forest, I was struck by a silence I hadn't heard in months. Stopping to take in the sounds, smells and scenes adds meaning to all of my outdoors adventures, but this moment was unique. There was no wind, motors or voices and if I held my breath, all I could hear was the quiet buzzing of the mossy green forest and a pine needle falling to the ground. I took a couple minutes to enjoy the solitude and engrain it in my memory before running back to the trail crew a couple miles away.

When I arrived, I found 20 happy trailbuilders laughing, digging, sharing stories and working hard on a new multi-use section of singletrack along the Continental Divide. We were a mixed group of mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, land managers and Wilderness advocates working together to build more than just a trail. These people were breaking ground on a collaborative effort to both create recreational opportunities and protect the land to meet the needs of all groups. Many of the Wilderness advocates had been working for years to protect a beautiful and pristine piece of this forest by designating it as Wilderness, while the mountain bike community was afraid of loosing access to a piece of the Continental Divide Trail that ran through the area.

The local mountain bikers, Wilderness advocates, backcountry equestrians, and concerned trail users began to work together to come up with a plan that would meet everyone's needs while still protecting the land and trail experience. They planned to move forward with the Wilderness bill after creating a new, purpose built, multi-use trail that would bypass the Wilderness while still allowing mountain bikers to connect the sections of trail that would otherwise be disconnected. The new trail design not only maintains that connection, but it also creates new backcountry loops that will be open to mountain bikes, horses and foot travel. The end result was the High Divide Trails Agreement and a group of very satisfied people brought together through compromise and collaboration.

The weekend was more than just swinging pulaskis and digging out stumps. It was a celebration of success and The Last Chance Back Country Horseman had set up a luxurious campsite complete with heated wall tents, delicious home cooked meals and great company. As we sat around the campfire sharing stories of bike rides, hikes, hunts, and other adventures, I couldn't help but smile. I was surrounded by diverse group of people who in many places we've visited, have had a hard time seeing eye to eye, yet here they were looking past their differences, even enjoying them and realizing how much they have in common. We all appreciate that moment of silence in the woods, the exhilaration of seeing a moose walking through the forest, the adventure that unfolds around each turn in the trail and the passion for such experiences radiated from the group.

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	Helena National Forest As I stood in Montana's dense Helena National Forest, I was struck by a silence I hadn't heard in months. Stopping to take in the sounds, smells and scenes adds meaning to all of my outdoors adventures, but this moment was unique. There was no wind, motors or voices and if I held my breath, all I could hear was the quiet buzzing of the mossy green forest and a pine needle falling to the ground. I took a couple minutes to enjoy the solitude and engrain it in my memory before running back to the trail crew a couple miles away. When I arrived, I found 20 happy trailbuilders laughing, digging, sharing stories and working hard on a new multi-use section of singletrack along the Continental Divide. We were a mixed group of mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, land managers and Wilderness advocates working together to build more than just a trail. These people were breaking ground on a collaborative effort to both create recreational opportunities and protect the land to meet the needs of all groups. Many of the Wilderness advocates had been working for years to protect a beautiful and pristine piece of this forest by designating it as Wilderness, while the mountain bike community was afraid of loosing access to a piece of the Continental Divide Trail that ran through the area. The local mountain bikers, Wilderness advocates, backcountry equestrians, and concerned trail users began to work together to come up with a plan that would meet everyone's needs while still protecting the land and trail experience. They planned to move forward with the Wilderness bill after creating a new, purpose built, multi-use trail that would bypass the Wilderness while still allowing mountain bikers to connect the sections of trail that would otherwise be disconnected. The new trail design not only maintains that connection, but it also creates new backcountry loops that will be open to mountain bikes, horses and foot travel. The end result was the High Divide Trails Agreement and a group of very satisfied people brought together through compromise and collaboration. The weekend was more than just swinging pulaskis and digging out stumps. It was a celebration of success and The Last Chance Back Country Horseman had set up a luxurious campsite complete with heated wall tents, delicious home cooked meals and great company. As we sat around the campfire sharing stories of bike rides, hikes, hunts, and other adventures, I couldn't help but smile. I was surrounded by diverse group of people who in many places we've visited, have had a hard time seeing eye to eye, yet here they were looking past their differences, even enjoying them and realizing how much they have in common. We all appreciate that moment of silence in the woods, the exhilaration of seeing a moose walking through the forest, the adventure that unfolds around each turn in the trail and the passion for such experiences radiated from the group.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright