27. October 2019 · Comments Off on 6 wilderness first aid training videos · Categories: Education

Wilderness Medicine | Patient Assessment

Wilderness Medicine | Focused Spine Assessment

Bleeding Control: Venous Bleeding

Bleeding Control: Arterial Bleeding

Improvised Traction Splint | Wilderness Medicine

Wilderness First Aid – Field Training

25. October 2019 · Comments Off on BCHA Alert: Motorized Electric Bikes Off Non-motorized Trails · Categories: BCHI /BCHA, Public Lands

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Key points about electric motorized bikes

America’s backcountry should not be motorized.

E-bikes do have a place on public lands – they should be allowed in places designated for motorized vehicles.

The bicycle industry should not be dictating policy about how our public lands are managed. There is a public procedure for travel management policy on these lands.

As outdoor recreation in general becomes increasingly motorized, trails reserved for non-motorized use become even more vital to the millions who prefer travel by foot, cross country skis, horseback or traditional mountain bikes on our shared public lands.

Motorized bikes will disturb wildlife deeper into their backcountry habitat.

“Non-motorized” means no motors. So allowing any motorized vehicles onto non-motorized trails violates that principle, and it would signal the beginning of the end for non-motorized trails on our wild lands.

Any kind of electric bikes on non-motorized trails would undermine nearly a half century of policy and practices. It would be unmanageable and send federal land agencies down a slippery slope toward further motorization of our trails and backcountry.

The agencies that manage our national lands do not have the resources to monitor or police e-bikes on trails.

Like many other groups that care about trails on our public lands, we strongly oppose any effort to change existing trail management rules or policies and encourage all federal land management agencies to reject any effort to open non-motorized trails to e-bikes or other motorized vehicles.
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Subject: California Groups Sue to Keep Motorized Electric Bikes Off Non-motorized Trails in Tahoe National Forest

We’re a plaintiff here. Our statement is below, which highlights the California partners in the suit.  Press statement below, talking points attached as a heads up.  Thanks Alison Flint, Michael Carroll et al for the heavy lifting.

Michael Reinemer

Deputy Director, Communications Strategy

1615 M Street N.W. Washington DC  20036

202-429-3949 | cell 703-966-9574

The Wilderness Society The Wilderness Society Action Fund

California Groups Sue to Keep Motorized Electric Bikes Off Non-motorized Trails in Tahoe National Forest

Dramatic change in trail policy was made without public input

SACRAMENTO, October 23, 2019 – Backcountry trail and forest groups in California joined together in a suit filed today that challenges the U.S. Forest Service decision to allow motorized bikes to operate on non-motorized trails in the Tahoe National Forest.

Plaintiffs in the suit include the Gold Country Trails Council, Backcountry Horsemen of California, Back Country Horsemen of America, the Forest Issues Group and The Wilderness Society. The groups are represented by the Western Environmental Law Center.

Helen Harvey, President, Gold Country Trails Council, Nevada County 

“Allowing motorized bicycles on non-motorized trails meant for hikers, backpackers and equestrians poses risks and conflicts for the many visitors who enjoy that type of quiet recreation.  It also undermines the trail building and maintenance time and money our volunteers have contributed in the Tahoe National Forest for decades.”

The groups cite several violations of law and policy, including the Travel Management Rule, which confines motorized transportation to certain trails to prevent harm to nature and conflicts with other trail users. Also, the Forest Service did not assess the environmental impacts of its decision, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, one of the nation’s bedrock conservation laws.

Background
The Tahoe National Forest recently permitted “Class 1” electric mountain bikes on more than 130 miles of trails that had been developed and managed for hiking and other non-motorized uses. The Tahoe already has about 2,500 miles of trails and roads available for motorized uses.

The Tahoe’s decision undermines long-standing travel management laws and policies that help ensure higher quality recreation experiences for both motorized and non-motorized users, prevent avoidable damage to water, wildlife, and other resources, and alleviate public safety concerns and conflicts between users.

Prior to opening non-motorized trails to motorized bicycle use, the Tahoe National Forest should have followed the required travel management planning procedure, which is a public process that includes analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Sometimes called the Magna Carta of conservation law, NEPA requires environmental analysis and public participation in federal decisions that affect public lands.

Earlier this year hundreds of trail advocates and conservation groups sent a joint letter to federal land management officials opposing any effort to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails. The letter noted that non-motorized trails were created to ensure that the public could find recreational trail opportunities free from the ever-growing motorization and mechanization of our public lands. Millions of public land users including hikers, backpackers, hunters, horse packers, climbers and mountain bikers value non-motorized trails for recreation.

Additional comments from plaintiffs

Randy Hackbarth, President, Back Country Horsemen of California, Mother Lode Unit
“We are disappointed that the rules for using trails in this wonderful natural area were changed behind closed doors without public participation. This is particularly disappointing for our members who are proud of the stewardship and care they bring to the non-motorized trails on public lands. “

Lloyd Erlandson, President, Backcountry Horsemen of California
“This move by the Forest Service would benefit the e-bike industry at the expense of the users that non-motorized trails are supposed to serve. The appeal of quiet recreation and the quality of wildlife habitat in California will suffer unless this decision is reversed.”

Darrell Wallace, Chairman, Back Country Horsemen of America
“This decision sets the stage for motorizing America’s backcountry, which violates the principles and partnerships that we have worked so hard to secure over many years. We believe there is a place for motorized bikes, but non-motorized trails – by definition — are not the right place.”

Susan Jane M. Brown, Staff Attorney, Western Environmental Law Center
“The Forest Service cannot simply disregard its own rules when it comes to allowing electric bikes on non-motorized trails on the Tahoe National Forest. With this lawsuit, we seek to compel the agency to follow those rules.”

Alison Flint, Director, Litigation & Agency Policy, The Wilderness Society
“The Tahoe’s decision violates decades of established laws and policies designed to ensure that decisions about where motorized recreation occurs on our shared public lands are subject to public input and environmental analysis. Motorized bicycles are not exempt from those requirements.”

Contacts:
Randy Rasmussen, Back Country Horsemen of America, WildernessAdvisor@bcha.org, 541-602-0713
Michael Reinemer, Wilderness Society, michael_reinemer@tws.org, 202-429-3949
Alison Flint, Director, Litigation & Agency Policy, The Wilderness Society, Alison_flint@tws.org, 303-802-1404
Sangye Ince-Johannsen, Western Environmental Law Center, sangyeij@westernlaw.org, 541-778-6626

24. October 2019 · Comments Off on Vinyl Truck or Trailer Signs – Squaw Butte Logo · Categories: Around The Campfire

Squaw Butte Signs
615 S. Washington Ave
Emmett, ID 83617
208-365-2285

They have this Squaw Butte Pattern.  These are going on my Truck Doors.

22. October 2019 · Comments Off on US Public Land Workers Getting Assaulted, Threatened on Job · Categories: Public Lands

Federal employees overseeing U.S. public lands were assaulted or threatened at least 360 times over a five-year period marked by heightened tensions with anti-government groups.

  • PUBLISHED 21 OCTOBER 2019

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Federal employees overseeing U.S. public lands were assaulted or threatened at least 360 times over a five-year period marked by heightened tensions with anti-government groups, according a Congressional watchdog agency.

The Government Accountability Office in a new report highlights anti-government tensions that at times have boiled over. That includes the six-week armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016, and other standoffs with armed protesters in Montana and Nevada.

The Associated Press obtained GAO’s report ahead of its scheduled release.

It cataloged incidents ranging from threatening phone calls to the stabbing of a Bureau of Land Management worker outside a federal building. Some of the assaults triggered FBI domestic terrorism investigations, although the precise number was not disclosed because it is considered sensitive information.

The report did not say whether rates of assaults and threats were increasing. But it noted a dwindling number of federal officers patrolling the nation’s vast forests, parks, wildlife refuges and other open spaces, which cover more than 670 million acres (1.1 million square miles) primarily in 12 western states.  Read More

21. October 2019 · Comments Off on 2019 Hours & Miles – Squaw Butte Chapter · Categories: BCHI /BCHA

2019 PRESIDENT Year End Report
2019 Volunteer Miles-Hours SummarySquaw Butte Hours and Miles Summary 2019-2014

14. October 2019 · Comments Off on Tripod Peak – Fall Ride [TR-131] south · Categories: Fun Rides

Sunday morning October 13 dawned clear but cold. There was frost on the truck windshield and a snap to the air. Looking at the peaks, a light frosting on snow was still visible from the front that had come through earlier in the week. Our last chapter ride was planned for the Tripod peak area, north west of Smith Ferry off forest road 626 with parking planned at Sage Hen meadows.Members started arriving at the meadows by 10:00 and all were saddled and ready to go by 10:30. In the shade snow lingered and the gravel road to the trail head was frozen and had hard packed snow on it that made for some slippery footing at times. Our party was eight riders and all were excited to be up in the mountains one last time with our stock. The trail bed was frozen in the shade but softer in the sun, making for some tricky footing at times, but the stock did well and we make good time up the trail. After riding for 90 minutes and gaining over a thousand foot of elevation we crested a ridge into a meadow with some logs and rock to sit on and stopped for a shack in the sun and enjoyed the views. We had traveled 3.5 of the 5.2 miles up the the fire lookout. The trail bed was getting slicker as the sun melted the snow so we choose to turn around and make our way back to the trailer. As this was the first weekend of deer season we expected that highway 55 would be heavy with south moving traffic later in the afternoon and wanted to avoid it if possible. It was a great ride and all who attended left with pink cheeks and smiles.

07. October 2019 · Comments Off on 2020 Raffle Calendars Available · Categories: BCHI /BCHA

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

03. October 2019 · Comments Off on Idaho Wildlife Federation – Public Lands Blog · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands

LINK TO BLOG

02. October 2019 · Comments Off on Squaw Creek Trail – TR-131 North · Categories: Fun Rides, Work Parties and Projects

On Saturday September 21, 2019 Squaw Butte members Kathy Luke, Rob Adams, Lisa Griffith, Kelly Wilkerson, Ron Fergie, David Benson, Shelly Duff & Kelly Ragland meet at the camping area along Squaw Creek near the trail head for the Squaw Creek(tr-131) and Poison Creek trails (tr-134).  Some of the members had come up on Friday night others were making this project a day ride.  Squaw Creek TR is 18 miles north of Ola, ID in the West Central mountains.By 10:00 we were saddled and on the trail, it is a short ride from camp to the trail head up the access road to the TH parking area.Bill & Marybeth Conger had been up a couple weeks before so the first few miles had been cleared of downfall, but we stopped and did some brushing were the trail was becoming overgrown.

This trail is rocky with some large slabs of granite, on one we stopped for a snack.

When we reached the point where Bill & Marybeth turned around, we started encountering down fall. We also encountered a group of bow hunters with stock. They were hiding in a bush next to a small clearing and became very unhappy when we pulled up, got out the saws and when to work removing a large tree that was blocking the trail. They left to go hunt elsewhere.

By 16:00 we were back at the trailers, having removed 14 down trees and over 1/4 mile of brush. This trail need a crew to go spend a week, doing a major brushing job and some tread work. All had a great time!