SAWS Action Alert
Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning ÔÇô Scoping Phase
Comment Deadline: January 11, 2008
Send Comments to:
    Lochsa Ranger District, Kamiah Ranger Station
    Attn: Lois Foster, Interdisciplinary Team Leader
    Rt. 2 Box 191
    Kamiah, ID 83536
    Email: comments-northern-clearwater@fs.fed.us
Idaho, Montana & Washington SAWS Members,
Once again snowmobilers are faced with the potential loss of popular riding areas.  This time it is occurring in the Clearwater National Forest and amounts to over 200,000 acres.  All area that is proposed for closure is currently managed by the Forest Service as recommended wilderness area.  Most of you know that the Northern Region of the USFS has decided to treat their entire recommended wilderness inventory as de-facto wilderness.  Of course SAWS is not happy about this at all, and along with numerous other organizations including the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, Treasure State Alliance & BlueRibbon Coalition, we have made it clear to them that it is not right. Here is a link to information pertaining to our previous alert and rally regarding the practice of Region 1.
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/uploads/SAWS-BRC-TSA_Action_Alert_-_Region1_Management_Policy.htm
At this stage we are providing some more information and asking that people familiar with the area give us something more to work with.  We have received some very helpful responses so far.  We are also asking that you please pass this information along to as many people familiar with the area that you know. 
The index for location of the following maps can be found at this link:
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/07/misc/Clearwater_index_area.pdf
Main Map Page ÔÇô Snowmobilers are only concerned with the Winter Area Maps:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/Projects/TravPlan/Maps.htm#AreaMaps
These maps provide township & range information.  I went through some 100K maps of the area and have added some landmarks to help folks orient themselves.
┬áMap D – http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/Projects/TravPlan/Assets/Alt_1/Maps/Winter/alt1_areaD_winter.pdf
Area south of Larkins Peak, Crag Peak, Heart Peak, Mallard Peak, Collins Peak & Surveyors Peak.
┬áMap E – http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/Projects/TravPlan/Assets/Alt_1/Maps/Winter/alt1_areaE_winter.pdf
Area south of Collins Peak, Surveyors Peak, Pole Mountain, & Five Lakes Butte; area north of The Nub & Collins Creek Cabin.
┬áMap F – http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/Projects/TravPlan/Assets/Alt_1/Maps/Winter/alt1_areaF_winter.pdf
Area west of the Montana state line beginning with Hoodoo Pass to the north and heading south through Heart Lake, Fish Lake, Cedar Log Lakes, Kid Lake, Admiral Peak, Shale Mountain, Granite Peak, Pilot Knob, Rocky Peak.
Map G – http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/clearwater/Projects/TravPlan/Assets/Alt_1/Maps/Winter/alt1_areaG_winter.pdf
Area north of and adjacent to the Selway-Bitterroot designated wilderness area.  Area south of Beaver Ridge Lookout, area northeast of Colt Creek Cabin, and area in and around Hoodoo Lake and Hoodoo Mountain.
We would like to get a final action alert out by January 3 because the comment deadline is January 11.  If people would put just a little time into giving us some specific information, we can probably make a difference at this stage of the process.   
Important: The Idaho State Snowmobile Association is planning on putting together a meeting shortly after the New Year somewhere in the area.  They will need your help putting together their comments, also known as comments on behalf of all Idaho snowmobilers whether they are ISSA members or not.  Please contact Sandra Mitchell for more information or if you are able to help out.  She can be reached at 208-424-3870 or at smitchel@alscott.com
Thank you all for your interest in and dedication to protecting YOUR right to ride.
Scott
Snowmobile Alliance of Western States
Protecting the right to ride for the owners of 303,604 registered snowmobiles (2005) in the western United States.
Copyright ┬® 2007 Snowmobile Alliance of Western States. All Rights Reserved.
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