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Wild Divide
Geographic Area: The geographic area of operation for the Wild Divide Chapter of the Montana Wilderness Association includes the west central Montana area incorporated primarily by the following counties: all of Lewis and Clark, plus those portions ofthe Helena National Forest in Jefferson, Meagher, Broadwater, and Powell counties (essentially the entire Helena National Forest).
Annual Wild Divide Trail Workday
MacDonald Pass to Ten Mile Creek
Saturday, June 14 8am - 4pm
Contact Mike Brown - 431-7506 or adventureguymt@hotmail.com
No Experience Necessary
Click here for more information (pdf)
Grassy Mountain Roadless Area Under Attack - Forest Service plans to convert Trail #124 into road open to ATVs, trucks, and SUVs; MWA and Wild Divide Chapter Appeal
The Helena National Forest, after years of delay, has signed a record of decision for the South Belts Travel Plan, selecting a modified version of Alternative 2. The final decision does include some MWA recommendations, especially for Boulder-Baldy and Mount Baldy.
However, the decision also takes aim at the special character of the Grassy Mountain Roadless Area, named for its expansive grassy crest. Specifically, the final decision establishes a linked network of full size vehicle roads and ATV-ways covering the entire 5.5 mile crest of Grassy Mountain, from Skidway Campground to Klondike Pass. Under the plan, Trail #124 would be converted into a forest road open to ATVs, trucks, and SUVs, linking new loop roads and ATV tracks through the roadless area to roads in a neighboring 5,000 acre rural subdivision owned by Florida developers.
MWA and the Wild Divde Chapter have appealed the decision, siting the USFS failure to properly manage and protect the Grassy Mountain Roadless Area, claiming the the Roadless Area should be non-motorized, and a failure to conduct site-specific analysis as to the impacts of converting Trail #124 into a Forest Road.
Click here to read the appeal. Stay tuned as there will surely be more to come.....
The Montana High Divide Trail System incorporates areas along the Continental Divide from the Anaconda-Pintler to the Scapegoat Wilderness Areas, and includes 232,675 acres of proposed Wilderness.
UPDATE: The Helena National Forest has issued a proposal to reroute the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST) by constructing a new segment of trail between Josephine and Bison Mountain. This falls in line with the High Divide agreement and the chapter has sent in a letter of support.
Volunteer Opportunities
Annual Wild Divide Trail Workday
MacDonald Pass to Ten Mile Creek
Saturday, June 14
Contact: Mike Brown, 406-431-7506 or adventureguymt@hotmail.com
Blackfoot Wilderness Weed Pull
North Fork of the Blackfoot River
Saturday, June 7th
Contact Ali Duvall at the Blackfoot Challenge
ali@blackfootchallenge.org or 549-8122
Continental Divide Trail Alliance Project - Champion Pass
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest between Butte and Helena
July 16-19 (Vehicle accessed camping & families welcome)
Contact CDTA at www.cdtrail.org
Blackfoot Wilderness Weed Pull
Saturday, August 9th
Contact Ali Duvall at the Blackfoot Challenge
ali@blackfootchallenge.org or 549-8122
High Divide Trails Partnership Project - Bison Mountain
Helena National Forest near Little Blackfoot Meadows
September 13-14
Contact Mike Brown, 406-431-7506 or adventureguymt@hotmail.com
Chapter Newsletters: Fall 2007 Spring 2008
Wild Divide Chapter Board
Mike Brown, President
Walter Walsh, Secretary & Chapter Representative
Elaine Taylor, Treasurer
Diego Rivas
Kim Dale
Chapter Board meetings are set for the second Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 pm. They are open to the public and we encourage you to attend. Meetings are normally held at the MWA offices (30 S. Ewing, Helena) in the downstairs meeting room. Updates will provided here should there be any changes.