RMEF: Public Access Improved to Contentious Crazy Mountains Ammoland Inc
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RMEF: Public Access Improved to Contentious Crazy Mountains Ammoland Inc. Posted on July 30, 2019 by AmmoLand Editor Duncan Johnson RMEF: Public Access Improved to Contentious Crazy Mountains; Credit:Sean Jansen MISSOULA, Mont. —-(Ammoland.com)- Those who enjoy hunting, hiking and other forms of recreation will soon have better access to Montana’s Crazy Mountains thanks to a joint effort by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association and other partners. The organizations are part of the Crazy Mountain Working Group which is made up of landowners, nongovernmental groups, agencies and other members working together over several years to try to resolve long-standing disputes and facilitate public access. Work is scheduled to begin this summer to construct a nearly 3-mile long segment of a planned 12-mile trail to improve access for non-motorized travel including foot, stock and bicycle traffic on the west side of the Crazy Mountains. The area has been subject to long-term, divisive access disputes including a pending lawsuit. “Securing access in and around the Crazies has been complicated and challenging for a long, long time,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “We are grateful for landowners, agency partners and others who are working collaboratively to make this new access venture possible.” When completed, the final trail known as the Porcupine-Ibex Trail will connect two Forest Service rental cabins located at existing legal trailheads. Specifically, the first segment of the project will connect the Porcupine Cabin Trailhead to the North Fork Elk Creek Trail. The majority of the work takes place on public land with right-of-way easements granted by private landowners where needed. The Crazy Mountains are approximately 100 miles north of Yellowstone Park. They rise above the grassland plains to greater than 11,000 feet in elevation in south-central Montana. The island mountain range includes land managed by the Gallatin and Lewis and Clark National Forests checkerboarded with privately-owned land but is completely surrounded by private land making public access extremely difficult. “Sitting down with stakeholders of differing interests and respectfully discussing challenging issues to find longstanding, reasonable solutions strengthens our communities. This is what the Crazy Mountain Working Group is cultivating,” said Stacy Donald, Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association vice president and a member of the Crazy Mountain Working Group. “RMEF remains committed to working with all parties in finding solutions to complex on- the-ground access issues. Creating and improving public access lies at the heart of our mission,” added Henning. About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Founded 35 years ago, fueled by hunters and a membership of nearly 235,000 strong, RMEF has conserved more than 7.5 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation™” at www.rmef.org, elknetwork.com or 800-CALL ELK. aw 2/17/2020 Summary – Custer Gallatin National Forest Land and Public Access Exchange (East Crazy Mountains Land Exchange – Montana) United States gets -approximately 5,205 acres of private “checkerboard” inholdings in the Gallatin National Forest in Park/Sweet Grass Counties in south central Montana. Most of the land is unroaded wildland. -approximately 558 acres of private land already under conservation easement near the Lee Metcalf Wilderness in Big Sky, Montana. Parcel includes portions of the Inspiration Divide Trail. -a new approx. 21 mile recreational trail to be built and paid for by CGLEC over the land consolidated into Forest ownership. The new trail will be limited to horse, foot and pack animals and will insure permanent public access and loop trail routes in the east Crazy Mtns. CGLEC (Gallatin Exchange Coalition) gets -approximately 3,614 acres of National Forest “checkerboard” land interspersed with private ranchlands in the east Crazy Mountains. Most of land is traversed by existing ranch roads. -approximately 500 acres of expert ski terrain adjacent to existing Yellowstone Club ski lifts and trails near Big Sky, MT. Land will be restricted by conservation easement to ski uses only, with no subdivision, residential or non-ski development permitted. Miscellaneous provisions -all required Federal appraisals, T&E species, cultural/historic, wetlands/floodplains and other clearances and mitigation must be performed, with final approvals by the Forest Service. -all costs of the exchange, including appraisals, will be paid by CGLEC. -exchange will result in an approximate 3,900 acre net roadless land gain to U.S. -if the appraised value of Federal land CCLEC gets is higher than land it conveys to U.S., CGLEC must pay standard cash equalization to U.S. If the non-Federal land CGLEC conveys to U.S. is higher value than Federal land CGLEC gets, CGLEC will donate any excess value to the U.S. -all lands acquired by U.S. will be withdrawn from mining, mineral leasing and other disposal to protect paramount public recreational values in East Crazy Mountains. -exchange to be completed in 2 phases. Lands near Big Sky in Phase 1 and east Crazy Mountains land in Phase 2. ##### 16 17 18 16 15 14 13 18 17 Shields River 15 14 13 17 ork dle F id rk 21 22 23 24 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 19 M n Fo erica Am 20 E E E E 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 N N N N 5 5 5 5 29 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 CUSTER - GALLATIN 32 33 34 35 36 31 32 32 NATIONAL33 34 35 FOREST36 31 5N 5N 11E 5N 11E 5N 12E 12E 5N 13E 4N 4N 11E 4N 12E 4N 12E 13E 4N 13E 06 Parcel05 A 04 03 02 01 06 05 04 03 02 01 See supplemental map (Figure 1.5) showing approximate 5 acres to be retained by private landowner. Parcel 07B Parcel08 109 Parcel10 2 11 12 07 08 09 10 11 12 Parcel 3 ek ! Sweet Grass Cre Parcel 4 18 16 Parcel15 C 14 13 Dry Creek 17 15 Parcel I Parcel17 D et 18 16 we 14 13 k S k E r ee E o E r E 3 F C 2 s 2 1 . 1 s 1 a k S 1 r 1 e e G N r N N N C 4 ek 4 4 4 n e i r u C r g B k in 23 Parcel24 5 e 19 r 20 21 22 Parcel E 19 20 e oa r l R 23 C 24 l 21 22 Y e y H l l O T tter Cr i eek M N U Y T O C N 30 28 27 26 25 30 29 Cave 29 Parcel F Lake U 28 27 26 25 S Parcel G O S C A R K G ! R melong Cr N. A eek A T Parcel 6 31 32 Parcel33 H 34 35 36 31 32 P E 36 33 34 35 E W 4N 12E 4N 13E S 3N 12E 3N 13E 4N 11E S. Am Parcel 7 elongC re 3N 11E ek 06 05 Big Timber Creek 01 k 06 05 04 02 ee 01 03 04 Cr 03 02 d A oo me onw lon Cott g C r e e k 07 08 09 10 11 12 09 10 11 12 07 08 E E 2 3 E E 1 1 2 1 1 1 18 17 N N 3 3 N N 13 13 18 17 16 15 14 14 3 16 15 3 19 20 21 22 23 24 21 22 23 24 19 20 30 29 27 26 25 30 29 28 27 26 25 28 VICINITY MAP LEGEND FIGURE 1.3.1 TITLE Crazy Mountain Trail CURRENT LANDOWNERSHIP STATUS National Forest Lands WHEATLAND PROJECT COUNTY Proposed for Exchange Crazy Mountain Land Exchange Non-Federal Lands (Crazy Mountain Parcels) MEAGHER ¤£12 COUNTY to be Acquired LOCATION Park & Sweet Grass Counties, MT National Forest Disclaimer: System Lands This product is for informational purposes and may not have been prepared for, or be suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Users of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the usability of Private Lands the information. The maps are distributed "AS-IS" without warranties of any kind, SWEET GRASS COUNTY PARK COUNTY ¨¦§90 PREPARED FOR PREPARED BY DRAWN BY SCALE ¤£89 1 inch = 4,000 feet (22" X 34") Western Land Group ELEV8 Inc. ZDP 1 inch = 8,000 feet (11" X 17") PROJECTION DATUM DATE VERSION Miles UTM Zone 12N (Meters) North American Datum 1983 01.16.2020 001 1:36,000 0 0.25 0.5 1 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 30 29 28 27 26 25 30 29 25 E E E E 1 2 2 3 S S S S 6 6 6 6 32 31 32 33 34 35 36 31 36 6S 1E 7S 1E 6S 2E 6S 3E 7S 2E 7S 3E PB 37 01 05 05 04 03 02 01 06 ! I n s p i r a t i o n D i PB 38 v 12 08 i 09 d 10 11 12 07 08 e ! Parcel J T ra il N o. 8 13 PB 39 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 ! E E 1 2 E E 2 3 S S 7 7 S S 7 7 24 19 ! 20 21 22 Parcel23 10 24 19 20 Parcel 9 ! ek Cre Parcel 8 ear k B or 25 h F rt o 29 28 27 26 25 30 N 29 30 B E A C U V S T E R E R H - G A L L A E A T I N D - N A D E E R L O T I 36 D G O N 31 E A 32 33 34 35 N A 36 L 31 32 T I O F O N A R E L S T F O 7S 1E R E 7S 2E 7S 2E S 7S 8S 1E T 3E 8S 2E 8S 2E 8S 3E 01 06 05 04 03 02 01 06 05 E E E E 1 2 2 3 S S S S 8 8 8 8 12 11 07 08 09 10 12 07 08 VICINITY MAP LEGEND FIGURE 1.1.1 TITLE ¨¦§90 National Forest Lands National Forest System Lands CURRENT LANDOWNERSHIP Proposed for Exchange STATUS GALLATIN Non-Federal Lands to be Private Lands PROJECT COUNTY Acquired Crazy Mountain Land Exchange (Eglise Parcels) LOCATION Madison County, MT ¤£89 ¤£191 Disclaimer: PARK This product is for informational purposes and may not have been prepared for, or be COUNTY suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes.