Greetings, Beacon Nation! Although some Roundup readers are surely spending their May the 4th observing Star Wars Day, this Monday edition of the newsletter is dedicated to a different unofficial observance in the Flathead Valley: trails season. It commences each May as local trail organizations, having hustled all April to lay the groundwork for the busy summer ahead, issue community-wide calls-to-action in an effort to mobilize volunteers, supporters and trail-users to rally support for open lands and the trails that run through them.
Indeed, with spring in full swing, trails drying out, and longer days ahead, May is the perfect time to get outside and get moving.
This spring, however, unique circumstances caused the trails to look a little different than in years past; not only did the trails melt out earlier due to a weak winter snowpack, but the series of extreme wind and rain events that buffeted the region in December has left front-country and wilderness trails alike littered with blowdown. That means nonprofit groups and volunteers were able to marshal their forces earlier, but had to work harder and longer to clear the trails in time for the advent of spring.
Meanwhile, with a host of fundraising events and projects on the docket, they could still use your help. I’m Tristan Scott, here to light the trail-dog beacon and shine a light on some of the ways in which you can support your local trails.
Throughout the month of May, participants in Whitefish Legacy Partners’ (WLP) Hit the Trail Challenge can log their trail miles and human-powered commutes to raise money toward the stewardship and long-term care of Whitefish’s premier trail system and surrounding open lands. Participants can join as individuals or as part of a workplace team, school, nonprofit, or community group. Whether you’re hiking, running, biking, or riding on horseback, every mile you log on the Whitefish Trail contributes $1 toward the $30,000 fundraising goal. For the second year in a row, WLP has partnered with Connect Whitefish on its Walk N Roll initiative, which encourages residents to walk, bike, or roll instead of driving, helping reduce congestion and “support a more vibrant, accessible Whitefish,” according to a press release.
Miles and trips can be logged using an online form, paper log sheet, or by joining the Hit the Trail Challenge Strava Club. Log your miles this May at whitefishlegacy.org/httc.
Foy’s to Blacktail
In April, the Foy’s to Blacktail Trails (FTBT) organization partnered with the Flathead Land Trust and Whitefish Community Foundation to complete a conservation project on a 1,131-acre chunk of former timberland connecting Herron Park to Blacktail Mountain.
The property has been a central fixture in a vision that first came into focus 25 years ago when the Foys to Blacktail Trails organization formed, setting into motion a series of community-driven land acquisitions and grassroots trails projects that culminated April 9 when the Flathead Land Trust and its partners launched the Foys to Blacktail Community Forest Project, a landmark conservation initiative that debuted with a critical property procurement from the Griffith Family Foundation. Located five miles from Kalispell, the property lies directly south of Flathead County’s popular 440-acre Herron Park. According to a joint announcement by Flathead Land Trust, Foys to Blacktail Trails and the Whitefish Community Foundation, the initiative secures a front-country parcel facing a high risk of development while also protecting wildlife habitat and expanding recreational access for the community.
Since the conservation initiative was announced, volunteers with the Montana Conservation Corps (pictured above during a recent hitch) have been hard at work clearing heavy blowdown from a section of trail stretching north of Emmons Saddle to Blacktail Mountain, as well as sections of the Lakeside to Blacktrail Trail. That work is critical to prepare the trails for the Foys to Blacktail Trail Races scheduled to unfold June 20-21 when hundreds of runners participate in the Heron Half, the 5K and 10K races, and the FTBT Trail Marathon in what’s become the organization’s signature annual fundraiser.
“We’ve been working hard so the Foys to Blacktail Trails can run their biggest fundraiser of the year in June,” Gavin Wisdom, regional director of the Montana Conservation Corps, said last week. “Some sections of trail got hit with blowdown worse than others but they need all the help they can get. We’re just happy we could assist.”
Gateway to Glacier Trails
The nonprofit Gateway to Glacier Trails organization is the group behind the Cedar Flats Trails, which features 25 miles of non-motorized, multi-use trails north of Columbia Falls. It’s also responsible for the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area Trails, which provides public access to a primitive 3-mile trail, and the Gateway to Glacier Trail, a 10-mile shared-use path that will eventually connect Columbia Falls to West Glacier.
A Montana Conservation Corps crew is constructing a trail turnpike out at Cedar Flats this spring, so be sure to give them a kudos if you happen upon them.
The local mountain biking community showed admirable restraint and patience as the trails dried out and the blowdown took a little longer to clear, but as biking season approaches full swing, the Flathead Area Mountain Bikers are working to connect riders for a slate of events, clinics, projects, and volunteer opportunities. Check out FAMB’s events calendar for some upcoming dig days, clinic dates, info on this year’s Thursday Night Race League, and other ways to plug into the region’s community of bikers.
Western Congressional Race May be Democrats’ Last Best Chance to Win a High-Profile Race this Cycle
Which candidate has the best chance of flipping Montana’s western congressional seat from red to blue? Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on a four-way Democratic primary to answer that question in June, but all candidates agree the race comes with high stakes.
In Northwest Montana, Storm-snarled Trails Test Durability of Wilderness Chainsaw Ban
Forest Service firings that decimated the ranks of seasonal trail crews, combined with historic windthrow, have compounded the challenge of clearing thousands of miles of wilderness trails this summer
Whether you’ve been here for decades, or you’re new to the Flathead Valley, our reporting is here to help you feel smarter and in the loop about the issues most important to Northwest Montana. With your support, we can build a more engaged, informed community.
