A group called the Gallatin Forest Partnership, which boasts of having “collaborated” a deal that defers to interests of both the timber industry and the mountain biking recreation community and industry, has been urging the Forest Service to adopt a Forest Plan that would recommend to Congress to remove the area’s Wilderness protections.

National mountain biking groups have far more influence than snowmobile and ATV organizations, which tend to be local. Mountain bikers have annual incomes that average in the six-figure range. They’re lobbying of Congress resulted in a proposal to allow mountain bikes in Wilderness and they insisted Tester include the mountain bike “destination play area” in the BCSA over the objections of Smoke Elser.

The Flathead National Forest in Montana approved a plan to build 40 miles of mountain bike trails in grizzly bear habitat, including areas described as remote backcountry and alpine habitats with avalanche chutes. There is a difference between the casual rider who sticks to official roads and rides slower to enjoy the scenery and the aggressive mountain bike groups that engineer new trails with banked curves, retaining walls and more. Left to their devices, backcountry wildlands will increasingly resemble motocross playgrounds, built for speed.