Snowmobile fight may pit Montana, Idaho

The next big battle in the snowmobile-versus-closure arena isn't too far from the first — Yellowstone National Park — and in this particular case may well pit state-versus-state.

The preferred alternative of a draft proposal for Mount Jefferson/Hell Roaring area in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, north of the Montana-Idaho border and roughly 30 miles southwest of West Yellowstone, Mont., is complete closure of what is viewed as one of the premier snowmobiling areas in the country.

The area is on the Montana side of the border but has been adopted by Idaho, and in particular those in Island Park, which is the main access point to the Mount Jefferson area.

Montana's regional forester's position is that this area was set aside in a 1986 plan for a wilderness study and should be managed as wilderness until such time Congress officially designates it wilderness.

Opponents argue the USFS has no authority to close the area to riders since it is not a wilderness area, and for a range of other reasons including the fact that there are no conflicts, no damage, no effect on the wilderness potential, no impact on the resource and "in making this decision," said Adena Cook with the Blue Ribbon Coalition, "they did not take into consideration the social and economic impact this decision will have on the people of Island Park ... It could be devastating."

The area involved is roughly 1,700 of 4,400 acres within the Beaverhead National Forest. Some of the area has been closed to a wolverine study and another section is open to non-motorized winter use, i.e. cross country skiers and snowshoers. In the summer, the area is closed to all motorized use.

"The area they want to close is very popular with snowmobilers. It is a main destination area for riders from all over the world," said Dave Claycomb, off-highway program manager for Idaho Parks and Recreation.

"The area offers a nice diverse mix of riding conditions ... flat areas for the less skilled riders and areas on Mount Jefferson that are very challenging for a more extreme adventure. We get more non-resident riders here than in any area in the country."

According to Mark Petroni, ranger for the Montana Forest Service, at the same time the Mount Jefferson area was put under study, adjacent areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management were also under study. BLM land was eventually closed.

The closed area, however, was not used by snowmobilers.