Last year the Roller Coaster Trail in Northern Idaho was part of our 12 Days of Legal Updates series, and the challenge led by Idaho Recreation Council related to right-of-ways over private property is still pending before the Idaho Supreme Court. In just the last few weeks there has been another escalation in the effort to close this trail – popular for its technical obstacles and features, and we need to rally together to keep this trail open.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to address man-made structures along the West Fork Pine Creek motorized route, also known as Roller Coaster. This high-value trail is located approximately 8.4 miles south of Pinehurst, Idaho, within the Rochat Divide-Pine Creek Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA). The BLM is wanting to remove excavated pits, large boulders, cabled logs, and reduce the width of the trail. They also propose to change the way maintenance occurs on the route, which has historically been maintained through volunteer agreements. The route would remain seasonally open to full-size motorized vehicles from January 1st to August 24th each year and accessible to non-motorized use year-round.
The BLM plans to reclaim these areas and claims this act of closure is consistent with the 2007 Coeur d’Alene Resource Management Plan. However, in this RMP the Rochat Divide-Pine Creek Special Recreation Management Area does not include any “primitive” designations. Primitive essentially means there cannot be roads within the area. The plan also gives the recreation management directives to improve access and accommodate visitor use. Removing the historical use on this road is not consistent with the 2007 RMP.
Local groups would simply like to continue to use this iconic route and volunteer their time and resources to maintain the route. According to following goals and objectives of the 2007 RMP, the BLM should be accommodating continued use of Roller Coaster, and this proposed Environmental Assessment directly contradicts these provisions in the 2007 RMP.
Action RC-1.2.9 – Strive to involve user groups, volunteers, Native American tribes, and other
interested public to help maintain resources through partnerships, volunteer agreements,
adoption programs, or other similar cooperative efforts.
Objective RC-1.5 – Manage the Rochat Divide/Pine Creek SRMA (backcountry motorized zone) to
provide opportunities for visitors to engage in motorized primitive road and trail- related
activities for adventure, exploration, challenge or risk, outdoor sport, and social group or family
affiliation in mid-country and backcountry settings.
Everyone should submit a comment encouraging the BLM to stay true to the 2007 RMP and accommodate motorized use within the SRMA and on Roller Coaster. In the EA they should analyze an alternative that keeps the route open year round to motorized users and also analyzes volunteer agreements to maintain the route to its current level of technical challenge. Comments are accepted through December 23, 2024.
Submit Your Comment Today:
Maps of the Project Area:
