Unauthorized trails a problem on Haskill Basin easement

The 3,000-plus acre Haskill Basin Conservation easement in the Whitefish Range looks to allow the public multiple ways to enjoy the landscape.

But unfortunately, it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves, noted managers from F.H. Stolze Land and Lumber, the owners of the property.

There’s more than 20 miles of unauthorized bike trails on the property, Cameron Wohlschlegel, lands and resource manager for the company noted during an annual meeting with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on the Haskill and nearby Trumbull Creek easements on Friday.

The only authorized trail on the property is the nonmotorized Whitefish Trail, which runs about 5.5 miles along the west side of the easement.

The trail was built in 2017. But since then, mountain bikers have made their own trails through the woods.

Earlier this fall, an employee operating a piece of equipment had mountain bikers climbing over logs as he tried to pick them up in an area that was clearly marked as closed.

Stoltze is working on closing the unauthorized bike trails, but it’s been somewhat frustrating, as a trail is closed, bikers go around blockades and build new ones. The problem is the trails go through steep terrain and the water runs right down them, eventually into Haskill Creek.

One significant aspect of the easement is to protect water quality, Wohlschlegel noted. In addition, the illegal trails damage habitat and added up, amount to hundreds of acres that could be forest, Wohlschlegel noted.

The easement allows Stoltze to harvest timber on the land, but protects it from subdivision and development. The easement protects the watershed, the wildlife and still allows for sound timber management. Stoltze had timber management on about 118 acres inside the easement this year. It also planted 12,000 seedlings on 36 acres and spot sprayed about 50 acres for weeds.

Game trails put up by the company show a host of wildlife, including black bears and a mountain lion walking down one road.

The basin also provides water for the city of Whitefish.

Stoltze will soon get help patrolling and monitoring the easements, noted Chris Hammond of FWP.

FWP is bring on a new wildlife technician in February to work with the company and help monitor the easements. There are other issues, of course, conflicts between user groups, signs that get shot up or torn down and unauthorized motorized use, which is more of a problem on the Trumbull Creek easement, which is closer to Columbia Falls.

Manny Mendoza of Glacier Nordic Club, which grooms the Whitefish Trail in winter, said they’re happy for the access.

“We understand the issues,” he said. “We all have to play nice together.”

Stoltze’s complete open lands policy is a must read for anyone recreating on its lands, easements or not. It’s available at the following link: stoltzelumber.com/open-lands-policy