Mount Dean Stone Preserve Recreation and Special Resource Management Plan

Drafted by: Clancy Jandreau, Conservation Lands Program Specialist; Morgan Valliant, Ecosystem Services Superintendent; and the Conservation Lands Advisory Committee

Adopted by: Missoula Parks and Recreation Board on ______, 20___

INTRODUCTION

In 2016, the City of Missoula acquired 175 acres of Open Space in Pattee Canyon. In April of 2017, the Missoula Parks and Recreation (MPR) Board adopted a recreation management plan and designated the property as a Park Preserve within the Conservation Lands Management Program (Valliant et al., 2010). At the time, the property was referred to as the South Hills Spur. The South Hills Spur parcels were acquired by the City through a series of property donations and land acquisitions facilitated by Five Valleys Land Trust (FVLT). Since the South Hills Spur property was acquired, FVLT and partners continued land conservation efforts on the flanks of Mount Dean Stone. Through these efforts, the City acquired an additional 360 acres (a.k.a “Mount Dean Stone North”) adjacent to the South Hills Spur property in 2020. Combined, Mt. Dean Stone North and the South Hills Spur total 535 contiguous acres of City- owned public Open Space, hereafter referred to as the Mount Dean Stone Preserve. Although the acquired acres are contiguous, the 360-acre “Mount Dean Stone North” property adds unique and significant natural and recreational values beyond what existed at the time the South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan was adopted in 2017. In order to reflect these additional acres and the unique values they provide, Missoula Parks and Recreation Department updated the original South Hills Spur Management Plan in 2021.

This document is the combined and updated plan describing the management of recreation and natural resource priorities on the 535-acre Mount Dean Stone Preserve. The Plan is broken into two parts. Part I, the Mount Dean Stone Preserve Recreation and Special Resource Management Plan, is particularly focused on the 360 acres acquired in 2020. Part II is the original Recreation Management Plan for the 175-acre South Hills Spur acquired in 2016. Much of the original South Hills Spur Plan remains in place, however, minor changes were made in Part I which supersede the original descriptions in Part II. Although multiple individual acquisitions created this public Open Space, the entire 535-acre Mount Dean Stone Preserve will be managed as a singular property. As approved by the Missoula Parks and Recreation Board, the Mount Dean Stone Preserve will be managed as a Park Preserve, as defined in the Conservation Lands Management Plan (Valliant et. al., 2010).

1 of 19 PART I: 2021 UPDATE TO THE MOUNT DEAN STONE PRESERVE RECREATION AND SPECIAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN

SUMMARY

This Management Plan describes the recreation management, infrastructure development, and natural resource management priorities for the Mount Dean Stone Preserve (Fig 1). This property provides important habitat, unique recreational opportunities, and valuable ecosystem services. The lands described in this plan are contiguous with the existing South Hills Spur Conservation Lands Property and are part of the broader “Mount Dean Stone Project” (Fig 2), a larger land conservation project lead by Five Valleys Land Trust (FVLT). Acquisition of the 535 acres described in this document was made possible by funds from the 2010 and 2018 City/County Open Space Bonds, a significant bequest from an anonymous donor to Missoula’s Open Space Program, land donations from the Barmeyer and Lyon families, and years of work by FVLT and City Staff.

The management priorities outlined in this document were crafted to integrate seamlessly with the 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan (Part II) and to be consistent with other planning efforts in the region. In addition to these plans, inventories conducted by the Parks and Recreation Department’s Conservation Lands Management (CLM) program (Jandreau et al. 2020) and resource values documented by Missoula’s Conservation Lands Advisory Committee (CLAC) identified multiple natural and cultural resources, which influence management of this parcel. The purpose of this plan is to describe levels of recreational development while also outlining management priorities which balance recreational pressure with protection of important natural and cultural resources on site. This plan describes the recommended place names (Section 1), public access points (Section 2), trail system and designated recreational uses (Section 3), and infrastructure locations (Section 4) for the Mount Dean Stone Preserve. While this Management Plan describes actions to protect site-specific resources on the property, management of all other natural and cultural resources is directed by the Conservation Lands Management Plan (Valliant et. al., 2010), Missoula Parks and Recreation (MPR) Department policies, and multiple City ordinances.

The Mount Dean Stone Preserve adds significant natural resource values and unique recreational opportunities to Missoula’s Open Space system. Research and inventories in this area have documented critical winter range for elk and mule deer, unique habitat features such as scree fields, and mature stands of Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and Western larch (Jandreau et al. 2020). The Property adds more than 5 miles of new non-motorized trail, offering vistas of the Missoula valley, Rattlesnake Wilderness, Miller Creek drainage, and the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains. The trail and property are uniquely situated to potentially provide connections between major recreational destinations like Pattee Canyon Recreation Area, Miller Creek, Deer Creek, and the Sapphire Divide Trail. These important resources and unique recreational connections influenced the creation of the management priorities outlined below.

2 of 19 MT. DEAN STONE RECREATION PLAN ORIENTATION MAP This map depicts landmarks, land ownership, existing trails, and planned trail connections on the Mount Dean Stone Preserve. For more details on the planned trails refer to the 'Mt. Dean Stone Trails Plan Map'.

BARMEYER

Private Drive !F E TTE CAN No Public Access PA YO N Pattee Creek RD

SOUSA !F SOUTH HILLS SPUR Existing Barmeyer Loop Trail OPEN SPACE 174.73 ACRES

!F ARNICA DRIVE ACCESS POINT (UNDEVELOPED) Stone Mtn. Access Rd. STATE "Woodsy Property"

CAMP R CH D LAR

USFS Existing "High, Wide and Handsome" Trail "Corridor Property"

PRIVATE PRIVATE Dean Stone Cutoff Rd. No Public Access Larch Camp Rd. No Public Access

MOUNT DEAN STONE OPEN SPACE 360.17 ACRES "Saddle Property"

STATE PRIVATE

TNC TNC STATE

Private The Nature Conservancy Existing Non-motorized Planned Ped Only

ServiceCity Layer of Missoula Credits: Source: Esri,US Forest Maxar, Service Existing Ped Only Administrative Access Rd. GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, State of Montana Planned Non-motorized CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, 0IGN, and0.15 the GIS0.3 User Community0.6 Miles

Assigning names to specific trailheads and trails is an important component of place-making and wayfinding on City Conservation Lands. The intent of the recommendations in this section are to adopt basic place names for the Property and to recognize the efforts made to make this project possible.

Place Name:

The U.S. Board on Geographical Names gave the name Mount Dean Stone to the 6,203-foot peak that overlooks the Missoula valley in 1947 (Omundson, 1961). The name honors Arthur L. Stone, Dean and founder of the School of Journalism at the University of Montana. Dean Stone died in 1945, two years before the mountain was named in his honor.

Between 2015 and 2017, land acquisitions and donations added 175 acres to the City-owned Conservation Lands system (a.k.a. the “South Hills Spur”) at the base of Mount Dean Stone (See Part II). The name “South Hills Spur” is the working name that FVLT gave to the 175-acre parcel that the City acquired. In the original 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan, MPR recommended that, “the Missoula Parks and Recreation Board explore options to rename the South Hills Spur property”. With the acquisition of an additional 360 acres in 2020, the City now owns and manages roughly 535 acres from the banks of Pattee Creek to the summit of Mount Dean Stone (Fig. 1). As these lands are managed as one contiguous Conservation Land versus multiple individual parcels, they should share a name.

With the adoption of this management plan, this entire 535 acre City-owned parcel shall be named the “Mount Dean Stone Preserve”. In this document, the name Mount Dean Stone Preserve applies to all 535 acres and is meant to replace the name “South Hills Spur”.

Trail and Access Point Names:

The “High, Wide, and Handsome Trail” is the name given by FVLT to the 4.33 miles of trail that have been constructed on the Mount Dean Stone Preserve (Fig. 1). Reference to the “High, Wide, and Handsome” trail in this document is made for clarity purposes only. Official naming of this trail must proceed through the formal naming process adopted by the MPR Board.

All other trail and trailhead names originally adopted in 2017 including the Barmeyer Trailhead, Barmeyer Loop Trail, and the Sousa Trailhead remain unchanged.

SECTION 2. TRAILHEADS AND ACCESS POINTS:

No new trailheads or access points will be constructed as part of this Management Plan. From the North, the existing City-owned Barmeyer and Sousa Trailheads will provide access to the trails on the Mount Dean Stone Preserve (Fig 1). The 2017 South Hills Spur Management Plan also called for the

5 of 19 construction of a Local Access point on City land adjacent to Arnica Drive (Fig 1) which would provide access to trails on Mount Dean Stone; however, construction of this access point depends on agreements with neighboring landowners and is not planned at this point. There are both existing and planned access points outside of City Conservation Lands which may provide connections to the Mount Dean Stone Preserve (Fig 2). Planned trail connections to Pattee Canyon Recreation Area and to trailheads in Miller Creek may someday bring recreationists into City Conservation Lands from neighboring public lands. Standard sign packages and directional signage will be necessary to effectively direct and inform recreationists upon entry into City property from these other locations (see Section 4 for more details).

SECTION 3. TRAILS AND RECREATIONAL USE:

Purchase of the Mount Dean Stone Preserve property by the City of Missoula represents the first time that the Conservation Lands Management program has acquired a property with the majority of new trail development already completed. In the fall of 2020, FVLT and Mountain Bike Missoula (MTB), in collaboration with City Parks Staff and with approval of the MPR Board, completed construction of 4.33 miles of the “High, Wide, and Handsome” trail (Fig 1). The trail features a series of switchbacks that gain about 900 feet before leveling off at a high saddle and then circumnavigating Mount Dean Stone summit in a 1.7 mile loop. The construction standards for this trail were collaboratively developed among the City, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP), FVLT, and MTB Missoula to exceed standards set forth in the Conservation Lands Management Plan for a non-motorized trail and to protect habitat (see Appendix I for detailed Specifications and Standards).

New construction of 1.6 miles of trail will complete the final connections between the South Hills Spur and the top of Mount Dean Stone (Fig 3). The 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan (Part II) described both a non-motorized and a pedestrian-only trail to make this connection. Between 2019 and 2020, Conservation Lands Management staff and the Conservation Lands Advisory Committee considered multiple options for these connections including those described in the original 2017 Management Plan. The adopted option outlined below includes the construction of 1.04 miles of non- motorized trail and 0.56 miles of pedestrian-only trail to connect the South Hills Spur trails to the base of the “High, Wide and Handsome” trail (Fig 3). Both of these new trails replace the potential future connections outlined in the 2017 South Hills Spur Plan (Part II). Additionally, 1.7 miles of the existing Stone Mountain Access Road will be managed as a non-motorized trail.

Non-motorized Trails:

As depicted in the 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan (Part II), the Stone Mountain Access Road (Fig 3) will serve as the primary non-motorized connection between the South Hills Spur and the “High, Wide, and Handsome” trail. The Stone Mountain Access Road was originally built to provide access to proposed home sites in the area. In addition to providing a low-grade and wide trail, it also serves as the primary maintenance access road to the “Woodsy Property” (Fig 1). In order to provide non-motorized recreationists a more enjoyable and direct option, an additional 1.04 miles of single-track trail will be built to the east of the Stone Mountain Access Road (Fig 3). This trail will

6 of 19 MT. DEAN STONE RECREATION PLAN TRAILS MAP This map depicts trail routes, route closures, and designated uses on the Mount Dean Stone Preserve. Trail work will be

conducted in 2021. All work is dependent on available resources and favorable environmental conditions.

}}

}} }}

}}

}} }}

}} }} }} }}

}} }}

}}}} }}

}} }} }} !F }} }} ARNICA DRIVE }} ACCESS POINT

}} (UNDEVELOPED) Existing Stone Mtn. Access Road Planned pedestrian only route

}} }} }} }} }}

}} }}

}} Planned non-motorized MP RD }} CA route CH LAR

}} }}

}}

}} }}

}}

}} }}

}} }} }}

Existing "High, Wide, and Handsome" Trail

}} }} }}

}}

}} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

Direction of future trail connections

Private The Nature Conservancy Existing Non-motorized Planned Ped Only

ServiceCity Layer of Missoula Credits: Source: Esri,US Forest Maxar, Service Existing Ped Only Administrative Access Rd. GeoEye,State Earthstar of Montana Geographics,Hunting Zone Planned Non-motorized Old Logging Road CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, 0IGN, and0.125 the GIS0.25 User Community 0.5 Miles }} }} Close and Slash

Map by Clancy Jandreau, Missoula Parks and Recreation Property boundaries are for reference only. This map does not constitute a legal representation of land ownership. 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 Kilometers Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic, Coordinate System: NAD 1983 StatePlane Montana FIPS 2500 Feet / 7 of 19 This MT.map depicts DEAN dog restrictions STONE on trails RECREATION for the Mount Dean Stone Preserve.PLAN Dogs DOG are allowed CLOSURE year-round on MAPtrails shown in green, including the Barmeyer Loop trail, overlook trail, and Sousa connector trail. No dogs are allowed from December 1 to May 1 on trails shown in red. When allowed, all dogs must be on voice restraint unless otherwise posted.

BARMEYER !F E TTE CAN PA YO N Pattee Creek RD

SOUSA !F

!F ARNICA DRIVE ACCESS POINT (UNDEVELOPED)

CAMP R CH D LAR

Private The Nature Conservancy Roads Dog Restrictions Administrative Access Rd. Dogs allowed Year-round ServiceCity Layer of Missoula Credits: Source: Esri,US Forest Maxar, Service GeoEye,State Earthstar of Montana Geographics, No Dogs Dec 1 - May 1 CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, 0IGN, and0.15 the GIS0.3 User Community0.6 Miles

Map by Clancy Jandreau, Missoula Parks and Recreation Property boundaries are for reference only. This map does not constitute a legal representation of land ownership. 0 0.15 0.3 0.6 Kilometers Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic, Coordinate System: NAD 1983 StatePlane Montana FIPS 2500 Feet / 8 of 19 complete a continuous single-track route from the Barmeyer or Sousa Trailheads around the top of Mount Dean Stone. Construction of the trail will follow the Standards and Specifications in Appendix I, providing a seamless user experience.

Pedestrian Only Trail:

The 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan (Part II) originally proposed and adopted a pedestrian-only spur off the Barmeyer loop connecting to the Stone Mountain Access Road. Hikers and trail runners who desired a steeper, direct connection between pedestrian trails on the Barmeyer Property and future connections up Mount Dean Stone supported this proposed spur trail. Now that these future connections have been realized, and several more years of ground surveys have occurred, this 2017-proposed pedestrian trail route has been abandoned. Instead, the 0.56 mile pedestrian-only trail adopted in this plan follows the eastern boundary of the property before connecting with the 1.04 mile non-motorized trail mentioned above (Fig 3). This route maintains a more direct pedestrian-only trail option, while providing pedestrians more opportunities to create loop hikes on the property. This new spur trail will be constructed to similar standards adopted for pedestrian-only sections of the Barmeyer Loop in the 2017 South Hills Spur (Part II). In general, these specifications include an average 15% grade, 18”-24” tread width, and switchbacks of tighter radii than what is required for non- motorized trails (per the 2010 Conservation Lands Management Plan).

Domestic Dog Restrictions:

The 2017 South Hills Spur Recreation Management Plan designated the South Hills Spur property as a “Voice Restraint Area”, as defined by Missoula Municipal Code 6.07.020. No additional dog restrictions were considered necessary at that time; however, portions of the upper “Woodsy Property”, the “Corridor Property” and especially the “Saddle Property” (Fig. 1) provide well-documented winter range for the North Sapphire elk herd. Montana FWP data on the seasonal movements of elk from 2014 through 2016 show that Mount Dean Stone and areas to the west are particularly important habitat for wintering female elk (Liz Bradley, personal communication). The winter months of December through April are an especially sensitive time for elk because forage is limited, both in quantity and nutritional quality. To survive, elk rely on fat reserves built during the spring and summer months. Thus, any disturbance during this time, such as that caused by a human, is a drain on critical energy resources that elk need to survive. This is particularly true for female elk which are also pregnant through the winter months and will not calve in the spring if they don’t have enough energy reserves. Interactions with domestic dogs are especially taxing on elk because, like other ungulates, elk respond strongest and flee furthest from humans with dogs compared to humans alone (Miller, Knight, and Miller 2001; Polfus 2011).

Given these facts and the additive, adverse impact of domestic dogs on wintering elk, the upper portion of the Mount Dean Stone Preserve will be closed to ALL dogs from December 1 to May 1 of each year (Fig 4). This closure will protect wintering elk from costly disturbance during the most sensitive months of the year and allow them to move out of the Mount Dean Stone area and into their calving grounds by May. Recreational use and compliance with the seasonal dog closure will be monitored to assess the

9 of 19 effectiveness of the closure and determine if additional management actions are needed. If compliance with the seasonal dog closure is poor and recreational impacts exceed tolerable limits, closure of this area to all winter recreation should be considered.

Dogs on voice restraint will continue to be allowed year-round on the Barmeyer Loop trail, overlook trail, and Sousa connector trail (Fig 4). Seasonal dog closure signs will be posted at the juncture of the existing Barmeyer and Sousa trails and all trails that traverse south into the dog closure area, as well as on the south end of the “Saddle Property” where trail connections enter City of Missoula property (Fig 5). Outside of the December 1 to May 1 dog closure period, dogs on voice restraint will be allowed on the entire Mount Dean Stone Preserve trail system, unless otherwise posted.

Public Hunting:

The Mount Dean Stone Preserve borders lands that have historically provided hunting opportunities to the public. Currently, public hunting is allowed on both State and The Nature Conservancy lands that border City Conservation Land to the west and south. The lands in this management plan were formally private and thus, not accessible for public hunting. Contingent upon development of a hunting management plan between the City and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (Missoula Municipal Code 12.40.035D), public hunting will be allowed on the upper 239 acres of the Mount Dean Stone Preserve (Fig 3). The hunting management plan will determine the specific details regarding hunting seasons, game species, allowable methods of take, and other site-specific considerations. The plan will also include the appropriate on-site signage to adequately inform recreationists of potential hunting activities and how to stay safe. The northern/lower portion of the “Saddle Property” and the narrow corridor connecting to the upper saddle area are not well suited for safe and feasible hunting and thus will not be included in the hunting management plan. Allowing public hunting on 239 acres of the Mount Dean Stone Preserve promotes local food acquisition, expands hunting opportunities on the urban fringe, and is consistent with historic and current uses on neighboring lands. As with all City Parks and Open Space, no trapping of animals by the public shall be permitted.

10 of 19 SECTION 4. ADDITIONAL TRAIL & TRAILHEAD INFRASTRUCTURE:

In addition to the restrictions and use designations detailed above, we will employ a variety of indirect management techniques to protect valuable resources, prevent trespass on neighboring properties, and facilitate an intuitive and rewarding user experience. Trail infrastructure such as signage, fencing, gates, and route closures will be placed in strategic locations to indirectly manage user behavior and keep users on designated trails (Fig 5). Natural topography and existing infrastructure will also help direct users in certain areas. The corridor from the top of the Stone Mountain Access Road to the saddle of Mount Dean Stone, for instance, is steep, narrow, and bounded on the west side by a shared fence with the Line Ranch. Little off-route travel is expected in this area.

Once users reach the saddle, however, the ground levels off, the forest opens up, and the likelihood for off-route travel increases. Yet, this is an area where off-route travel is least desired due to potentially hazardous communications equipment, privacy concerns for neighboring landowners, and sensitive wildlife habitat. Two locations with radio and tele-communication equipment neighbor the Mount Dean Stone Preserve; one to the west, visible when users first reach the saddle, and one at the summit, completely surrounded by public lands. In addition to being private property, the equipment in these areas pose a safety hazard to recreationists. A wandering recreationist also runs the risk of crossing into other unmarked private lands both east and west of the trail as it crosses the narrow saddle corridor. Beyond the risk of recreationists leaving public lands, off-route travel in this area also threatens sensitive wildlife habitat on public lands. Pristine grassland and dense forest cover on City and State lands west of the saddle provide critical winter habitat for elk and mule deer and year-round habitat for moose, black bears, and other wildlife (Jandreau et al. 2020). Special habitat features like elk wallows, elk beds, and bear dens can be found in this area.

For these reasons, we will seek to limit user access into “Restricted Access Zones” on both sides of the trail along the saddle and on the summit of Mount Dean Stone (Fig 5).

Fencing and Gates:

Decisions on when and where to install fencing on Conservation Lands are made on a case-by-case basis weighing wildlife connectivity, public safety concerns, and trespass risks. Often, property boundaries are marked with posts but left unfenced unless there is a compelling reason for fencing to be installed. On the Mount Dean Stone Preserve, the western boundary with the Line Ranch is currently fenced as part of a legal agreement. The fence was built according to wildlife-friendly standards developed by Montana FWP. Other existing fencing on the property is largely in disrepair and poses a safety risk to wildlife, people, and pets. Those fences will be removed (Fig 5); barbed wire will be rolled-up and removed from the property and fence posts that do not mark a property boundary will be removed and repurposed or recycled.

The Restricted Access Zones denoted in Figure 5 are designed to prevent trespass, avoid public safety hazards, and protect sensitive wildlife habitat. Fencing, gates, and signage will be installed to reinforce these zones. Jack-leg fence constructed parallel to the trail in the saddle area will help channel users

11 of 19 through a narrow trail corridor, protect the privacy of neighboring landowners, and limit disturbance of important elk, deer, and black bear habitat. The fence will be built with a minimum 50-foot setback from the trail as to not unduly impair the user’s viewshed, but still help define an acceptable trail corridor. A jack-leg fence will look more natural on the landscape and be more porous to wildlife movements than other types of fence.

At the summit of Mount Dean Stone, Vertical Bridge LandCo LLC owns a 0.97 acre parcel and Insite Towers Development LLC owns an additional 5.12 acres. These landowners may find it necessary to fence the boundary between their private parcels and City property.

Multiple gates will be installed to control access across the property (Fig 5). To the north, a locking metal gate will be placed to mark and establish a barrier at the end of the Stone Mountain Access Road. The trail at this location will be routed around the gate to allow the free flow of designated trail users but deny motorized access. At the saddle, another locking metal gate will be installed on the Dean Stone Cutoff Road at the boundary between City property and Ravalli Broadcasters property to the west. Further up the Cutoff Road, an unlocked metal gate will dissuade recreationists from leaving the trail and cutting down to the saddle through private property. Finally, at the beginning of the loop section in the trail, another locked gate is necessary to prevent users from using an old road that will be kept open to allow administrative access to the trail. This gate will also likely include short sections of jack-leg or smooth wire fence on either end to increase both the visual and physical extent of the barrier.

End of Access Signage:

The “High, Wide, and Handsome” trail crosses Larch Camp Road once and the Dean Stone Cutoff Road twice as it ascends Mount Dean Stone. At these intersections, trail users may be tempted to leave the trail and travel on the road to access vistas, cut off travel distance, or merely explore. However, neither Larch Camp nor the Dean Stone Cuttoff roads allow legal public access and eventually leave public land to cross private property. To avoid trespass on adjacent private property, all intersections with Larch Camp Road and the Dean Stone Cutoff Road will be posted with “End of Public Access” signs (Fig 5). Signs will be on both the uphill and downhill sides of the crossing.

Restoration of Old Logging Roads:

An extensive network of old logging roads intersects the “High, Wide, and Handsome” trail in numerous locations. If not managed diligently, these roads could become a network of user-made trails, threatening the natural recovery of these disturbed areas and negatively impacting wildlife habitat on site. In order to protect and ensure the continued natural recovery of old roadbeds, 1.7 miles of roadbed will be “closed” (Figs 3 and 5). Active decommission and reclamation of these moderately revegetated roadbeds is not necessary in this case. Rather, a prescription for heavy woody slash at the point where a roadbed departs from public trail/road will discourage use of the roadbed and allow for passive recovery through natural recruitment and succession.

12 of 19 MT. DEAN STONE RECREATION PLAN TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE MAP This map depicts locations for trail signage and trail related infrastructure on the Mount Dean Stone Preserve. Most signage will be posted along with final trail development in 2021. Some signage depends on the future development of trail connections on adjacent properties. Fencing and gates which help to direct recreational use will be prioritized over removing unnecessary fencing.

Dependent on development of Arnica Drive Access Point

P RD CAM CH LAR

Trail Infrastructure pr No Bicycles Sign !"$ End Public Access Sign

Seasonal Closure Sign

!Õ Standard Sign Package 98:J Wayfinding Sign à Gate Fences Existing Fence

Fence to Remove Dependent on Fence to Build future trail connections

Private The Nature Conservancy Existing Non-motorized Planned Ped Only

ServiceCity Layer of Missoula Credits: Source: Esri,US Forest Maxar, Service Existing Ped Only Administrative Access Rd. GeoEye,State Earthstar of Montana Geographics,Restricted Access Zones Planned Non-motorized Old Logging Road CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, 0IGN, and0.125 the GIS0.25 User Community 0.5 Miles }} }} Close and Slash

Routed, wooden wayfinding signs will be posted at all trail junctions (Fig 5). These signs will have trail names and include mileages for given directions. A “No Bicycles” sign will be posted at the intersection of the single-track non-motorized trail and the terminus of the pedestrian-only spur trail (Fig 5). As planning for the broader “Mount Dean Stone Project” continues and funding becomes available, additional signage may be needed if and when future trail connections are made. Planned trail connections to Pattee Canyon Recreation Area and to trailheads in Miller Creek may bring recreationists into City Conservation Lands from neighboring public lands. If those connections are made, standard sign packages and wayfinding signs will be necessary to notify users when they enter Missoula’s Conservation Lands and inform them of applicable rules and regulations. These “Local Access Points” (as defined in the 2010 Conservation Lands Management Plan) include sign packages with a basic welcome sign listing rules and regulations, individual use chevrons (eg., no camping, no fires, no motor vehicles) and potentially a basic trail map.

Educational Signage:

Acquisition of the Mount Dean Stone Preserve offers the opportunity to provide public education on how recreation, and domestic dogs in particular, impact critical elk winter range. Many Missoulians are familiar with the seasonal closure of Mount Jumbo to protect elk winter range, however, the Mount Dean Stone Preserve closure will be the first seasonal dog closure implemented on Missoula’s Conservation Lands. Educational signage will be critical for informing recreationists of the closure, increasing compliance, and cultivating good stewards of our open spaces. Specific language and graphics will be designed and posted at key locations where the dog closure goes into effect (Fig 5).

14 of 19 CITATIONS:

Jandreau, C., et al.2020. “Mount Dean Stone Resource Inventory Report.” City of Missoula Report. https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/View/54872/Mount-Dean-Stone-Inventory- Report_DRAFT_12_1_20.

Miller, S. G., R. L. Knight, and C. K. Miller. 2001. Wildlife responses to pedestrians and dogs. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29:124-132.

Omundson, Don Bert, "Study of place names in Missoula County, Montana" (1961). Montana State University. Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 3727

Polfus, J. L. 2011. Literature review and synthesis on the effects of residential development on ungulate winter range in the Rocky Mountain West. Report prepared for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Helena, MT.

Valliant, M., et. al. 2010. “Missoula Conservation Lands Management Plan” City of Missoula Management plan;https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/View/4499/Conservation- Lands-Management-Plan?bidId=

15 of 19 PART II: 2017 SOUTH HILLS SPUR RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

16 of 19 APPENDIX I

Mount Dean Stone Preserve Trail Specifications and Standards Collaboratively developed by the City of Missoula, Five Valleys Land Trust, Mountain Bike Missoula, and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks

Goal The goal of these specifications is to ensure that the resulting trail maximizes desirable qualities. The qualities desired for the trail (and how they will be generally addressed) are:

● Accessible to a wide range of skill levels and multiple uses (grade, corner radius) ● Minimal long-term maintenance (drainage, construction technique, alignment) ● Minimal impacts to the environment from either construction process or user behavior afterward (alignment, construction technique, weed spraying) ● Enjoyable user experience: the trail feels as natural as possible ● Lessened potential for user conflict (alignment, sight lines) ● Aesthetically pleasing alignment integrated with the landscape (alignment, construction technique) ● As safe as possible for all users (sight lines, road crossings, buffer to private property)

Trail Specifications

1. Average overall trail grade: 8%. Short sections (100 ft or less) up to 15-20% in order to create grade reversals or negotiate particularly difficult spots. 2. Target cross slope: 3-7%, <10% 3. Tread width: 40-52”, possibly wider at points around switchbacks or climbing turns 4. Trail surface: primarily native materials with few obstructions but allowance for occasional protrusions of 2-3”.

Trail Character and User Experience

1. Minimum turn radii: 8-12 ft, unless necessarily smaller due to steep sideslopes (~35 degrees and above). Maximum turn radii constrained by the need to make switchbacks or climbing turns approachable, and the need to minimize excessive water speed on the tread around climbing turns. Turn radii should scale inversely proportional with sideslope: gentle, wide radius climbing turns on gentle slopes, sharper switchbacks when necessary on steeper terrain. 2. Drainage and grade reversals: drainage created through grade reversals and drain dips. No waterbars will be necessary, except for below the downhill side of switchbacks or climbing turns, where drainage is needed but grade reversals are impractical. Grade reversals should be included just uphill of the uphill side of each switchback or climbing

17 of 19 turn. These grade reversals will shed water before the turn, and improve user experience. 3. Corridor width: long term trail corridor to be maintained at ~48” from trail edge, except wider as needed to maintain sight lines, or narrower to leave trees for tread anchoring. During layout and construction, a wider corridor will be cleared of brush to enable accurate placement of the trail, but trees in this wider corridor should provide healthy forest spacing. Trees will be cut at ground height (no punji sticks). Slash can be lopped and scattered to a single layer in the trail corridor, or piled by professional foresters for burning, or chipped on site. Chipped debris should not be piled deeper than 2”. 4. Sight lines: the trail should be aligned to maximize sight lines when possible, prioritizing sight lines along longer, straighter sections of trail. Sight lines in slower areas such as tight switchbacks or flat sections are less critical. Establishment of sight lines must be balanced with the creation of effective grade reversals. Sinuosity adds character to the trail, ensures maintenance-free drainage, improves user experience, and can help manage speed, but can also impact sight lines. 5. Reduction of switchback cutting: the trail should be aligned to help reduce the tendency of users to cut switchbacks. Examples include: maintaining a slightly steeper grade (10- 12%) as the trail approaches (approximately 50-100 ft) the bottom of a switchback or climbing turn, minimizing switchbacks or climbing turns stacked directly on top of one another or after only short runs in between, using natural features like trees or rocks to create anchor points on the inside of corners, and using terrain to create visual buffers between switchbacked sections of trail (when it can be done without creating dangerous sight line issues). 6. Road crossings: Road crossing locations should be selected based on maximizing sight lines, minimizing construction needs (such as retaining walls, etc), and creating an intuitive, easy-to-follow route. 7. Private property: The trail route should be aligned to keep as large a buffer as possible to private land and especially residences.

Impact Mitigation and Maintenance

1. Flammulated Owls (state species of concern): Before construction, efforts will be made to identify large dead standing trees (>/= 18” DBH) along the trail corridor and locate the trail away from them when possible. 2. Other natural resource points of concern: efforts will be made to identify and avoid areas of high natural resource value such as seeps and springs. In certain areas, resource concerns must be balanced against private property issues, user experience, geographical constraints, user safety, or other factors. 3. Clearing/pruning height: 8 ft. Pruning should follow arboricultural standards using the 3- cut method in order to minimize tearing of the limb base and to leave the branch collar intact. 4. Trees and roots: when possible, the trail route should be aligned immediately uphill of large trees so as to avoid impacting the root systems during construction. This also allows for the trees to anchor the tread to minimize erosion or tread widening. When

18 of 19 possible, these anchor trees should also be positioned below the top of grade reversals, to assist with drainage. Avoid removing large tree roots and backfilling against tree boles when possible. 5. Trail compaction: the tread should be composed of well-compacted mineral soil and rocks. Some settling is inevitable, but care should be taken to ensure long-term tread stability. 6. Reseeding: backslope and downslope will be reseeded in the first fall and spring after construction with native seed mix provided by the City. 5. Invasive weed transport: All motorized equipment will be thoroughly pressure washed to remove invasive weeds or seeds before arriving on the property. 6. Weed mitigation: During corridor clearing and tread construction, the corridor will be sprayed for weeds by the city, in order to minimize flowering weeds along the fresh cut trail. 7. Soils: Excess overburden should be cast away from the downslope when possible. Wherever possible, large areas of exposed mineral soil should be covered with excess organic material (including soils, duff, or slash) in order to maintain soil seed bank, minimize runoff, and shade the soil. 8. Native plant salvage: Efforts to salvage and transplant target native plant species should be made, especially in the disturbed areas around switchbacks. Any portions of the trail which cross through rough fescue grasslands will include salvage and replanting on the back & down slope.

19 of 19