Daines Visit

On Monday, June 27, Montana Senator Steve Daines came to Bozeman and met with representatives of various local interest groups to discuss the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and access to public lands.  We met at the new Frog Rock trail head that includes a climbing access spur trail to Frog Rock proper and a through trail to Chestnut Mountain and eventually Yellowstone National Park.  We learned about the effort that it took to over come the "checkerboard" ownership issue that plagues access to public lands in Montana in regards to the new Frog Rock trail. It has benefited the local public, including the climbers who used to rely on a heinous approach which was probably illegal in one or more ways.

The groups represented included Gallatin Valley Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Wilderness Society.  All three county commissioners made appearances and I was invited along with Ryan to represent the climbing community as well as Mystery Ranch.  

Not only was I lucky enough to be invited along as a representative of the local climbing community, I was stunned to learn that Montana contains 1,955,445 acres of Public Land that is completely inaccessible to essentially everyone! This is due to historic land ownership patterns that go all the way back to the federal government granting land to the railroad in the 19th century.  That's 2 million acres, more than twice as much as any other state suffering from the same checkerboard ownership problem, and more than the landmass of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Read all about it here:  http://westernpriorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Landlocked-Measuring-Public-Land-Access.pdf

 

We all went on a hike to appreciate the new and improved approach to one of Bozeman's most important land marks, as well as the addition of many miles to the Gallatin Valley trail system. This photo and the previous photos are all at an easement on private land that includes a trail that is now open to the public, and all of this used to be off limits. At two stops on the hike, Ryan and I were able to provide some commentary on the climbing at Frog Rock, what it meant to us and how glad we were not have to use the old approach trail.  I could not have been more proud to be given a chance to represent the Bozeman climbing community.

This photo of our congressman and I almost makes it seem as though I somehow participated in bringing this trail into existence, however this is not the case!  I am one hundred percent a beneficiary of all those who spent many hours (and years) in the office, on the phone, and on the trail with a shovel to make this happen. Thanks everyone!

 

After the hike, it was time for a sit down discussion which centered around the need to continue the LWCF. The LWCF is set to expire in September 2015 without congressional action.  There is the possibility of a permanent renewal, of which everyone at the table was in favor.   The crux of the issue is the fact that other members of congress wish to see the fund renewed with the presence of reforms that were not supported by the meeting's attendees.  Everyone adamantly expressed the desire to see the fund renewed without the three major reforms that have been proposed. Learn more about the LWCF here: http://lwcfcoalition.org/

Thank you to everyone who made the Frog Rock trail possible, Thank you Senator Daines, and Thank you everyone who continues to work for access to public lands everywhere!