Reid Divide mountain bike race OK'd

A mountain bike race on Forest Service lands north of Whitefish received approval from the Tally Lake Ranger District.

Environmentalist Keith Hammer, chairman of the Swan View Coalition, had submitted comments in opposition to a permit for the race, claiming bike racing and speed sports in general encourage reckless behavior that increases the risk of negative encounters with wildlife.

The Hellroaring Mountain Bike Stage Race organized by Craig Prather and Matt Butterfield called for racing on Forest Service roads and the Reid Divide and Bill Creek trails near Tally Lake on the second day of the Aug. 3-5 race.

All of the roads and trails included in the race course are normally open to two-wheeled motorized travel in summertime with the exception of a 2.1-mile section.

Tally Lake district ranger Lisa Timchak responded to Hammer’s comments by noting that the Forest Service has not received reports “since the advent of backcountry biking” about riders or wildlife being injured in collisions.

“Overall, the speed of bike riders in this event is not dissimilar to speeds of other motorized and bike users of this route,” she said. “In addition, racers will travel the course in a relatively short pulse, or group. Evidence suggests that group travel reduces the likelihood of wildlife encounters.”

Hammer’s nonprofit group joined with other environmental groups earlier this year to protest two proposed forest projects at the south end of the Hungry Horse Reservoir — the Soldier Addition II and the Spotted Bear River projects.

Environmental groups also joined together to protest a project calling for 3,650 acres of precommercial thinning across the Flathead National Forest. The groups claim the Forest Service did not adequately evaluate cumulative effects of timber cutting on Canada lynx and bull trout for all three projects.