Jerry Sprunger cartoon.

Extreme downhill mountain bikers have cut illegal trails on Crane Mountain and constructed unauthorized jumps and ramps on its historic Beardance Trail. The Forest Service has allowed these illegal trails and structures to persist for years, setting the stage for dangerous conflicts between breakneck mountain bikers and other forest users.

Some extreme mountain bikers have organized as Crane Mountain Trail Supporters and are being courted by the Forest Service. We offer our findings in this article and provide photos of some of the illegal trails, jumps and ramps in our Crane Mountain Position Paper.

If you agree with our position, please email District Ranger Rich Kehr at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Tell him you want all unauthorized extreme downhill mountain biking trails, jumps and ramps removed from Crane Mountain - and that you want to be kept informed.

Such rogue and bullish downhill mountain biking is causing problems across the country, has already caused problems near Whitefish, and will certainly cause problems in the Swan Range and elsewhere if we can’t get a handle on it near Bigfork.

Our Position on Crane Mountain:

1. We appreciate efforts to maintain Forest Service system trails on Crane Mountain for traditional family-friendly hiking, horseback riding and standard mountain biking that “leave no trace.”

2. We oppose, however, efforts to alter the historic Beardance, Phillips, or Crane Creek trails to favor extreme downhill speed and stunt biking through the construction of unsightly jumps, ramps, humps, and other unnecessary structures.

3. Extreme downhill biking requiring a full-face helmet and body armor does not mix with traditional non-motorized recreation on Crane Mountain.*

4. We support efforts to “get kids off the couch” and engaged in affordable family-friendly outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking. The $5,000 cost of one specialized downhill-only bike, however, could buy 10-30 kids standard mountain bikes designed to also pedal uphill and on community bike trails.

5. The Forest Service has allowed a number of unauthorized downhill bike ramps and jumps along the Beardance Trail to persist for years, as it has a network of unauthorized downhill bike trails on the Ferndale side of Crane Mountain. The construction of these unauthorized ramps, jumps and trails is in violation of the law and they must be removed.

6. We do not teach our kids to obey the law by rewarding unlawful behavior.

7. The public is overdue a public planning process to discuss the merits of investing in extreme downhill mountain biking trails on Crane Mountain when such opportunities already exist on Big Mountain and funds are desperately needed instead to complete community bike trails in the Bigfork area.

*High speeds and risky stunts are featured by Crane Mountain Trail Supporters:
On its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/162388947122609.
On videos posted at http://montanabikerman.pinkbike.com/channel/Crane-Mountain-Trails.
In showing “Pedal Driven” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ggRsKMrh6o&feature=related.
In its promotional video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9mLwplkmo4.