HR 1349 "Wheels over Wilderness"

[vanish]

Ah yes, I guess all of the public has equal access to public lands but some are more equal than others.

Not really sure what you're implying here?

 

[Az wildcat]

Thank you for this, just emailed Paul Gosar.

 

[idcuda]

Thanks - emailed my public lands champion, Raul Labrador.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Emailed my rep this evening. No bikes in the wilderness!!!

 

[Poser]

Not really sure what you're implying here?

Having argued this elsewhere and encountered similar type statements, the implication is that Mtn bikers aren't getting equal access to WAs. Neither are dirt bikes, atvs, or heli-skiers.

If I make a list of all of the user groups of WAs and mountain bikers say they aren't getting equal access, then I am left to wonder what adding one more user group to the list accomplishes. Is there a magic number of user groups that make for "equal" access? If I can list, say, 15 user groups, will Mtn bikers be happy because there are suddenly 16 or is it because it is only because it is their user group that makes the list? This is indeed a slippery slope.

 

[tttoadman]

No bikes in Wilderness Areas is my vote. I have sent an email to my rep.

 

[Lil dude]

Everyone should read the wilderness act of 1964.....simple and beautifully written. If you have not read this you probably should not comment on this issue. The intent of the act was to keep wilderness WILD. Easier said then done, but this act should not be tinkered with ever....it was meant to take preservation into the future with whatever technology brings us.

I am overjoyed with the vast majority of folks here being against bikes. Some other places I frequent online like the backpacking light forum and others are fully in support of bikes. Again the wilderness act is about Wildness and not about equal use for all groups. Every word has a purpose all leading to keeping wilderness wild. I feel one of the greatest threats to lower 48 wilderness is the modern recreation age. The intent was to keep these places as they were no ifs ands or buts. Everything we do in these area leads to the eroding of the wilderness act. New bridges, excessive trails, allowances for generators and helicopters on trail projects. Groups like the CDT alliance throw money at the USFS to build new thru trails. I think this battle shows where the “me” society is taking us......The IMBA and other groups in support of this make the argument about themselves that’s a moot point wilderness is about wilderness and not about recreational access. The point was to preserve the land as it was. Trail damage or not horses traveling at 3 miles an hour fit in perfectly with wilderness.....bikes do not and there’s no question about it.

I think recreation is one of the biggest threats to the wildness of the West. If you want to get involved more check out wilderness watch an activist group who’s sole goal is keeping wilderness wild!

This all coming from someone who owns horses, logs for a living, and loves to hike/ski and is on the conservative side of the middle.

 

[5MilesBack]

Having argued this elsewhere and encountered similar type statements, the implication is that Mtn bikers aren't getting equal access to WAs. Neither are dirt bikes, atvs, or heli-skiers.

That's an easy argument. The bikers themselves already have equal access.......they can enter WA's whenever they want. But there are restrictions on what those bikers can bring into the WA's. Nobody is restricting their access. Not sure why so many think everyone should have equal access to everything regardless of the circumstances. That thinking just makes no sense, yet we seem to cave into it every time it comes up somewhere.

 

[Johnson27]

Wilderness = NO BIKES
Sent email to my rep last night.

 

[SWOHTR]

Some more good points being brought up here. I have found increasingly that the quality of my hunt is inversely proportional to both the time spent in/on a vehicle and the presence of other vehicles in the area (I know, big shocker! It took me two years to realize this. I guess that's what happens when you move from an eastern hunting mindset of tree stands, paths, and food plots to a western mindset of millions of acres of public land). I have an ATV but really struggle to find the "best" use for it out west, whereas out east it was used all the time.

Example: I was (elk) hunting a logging area last year and while the ATV was invaluable for covering miles of ground, everyone else had one. Or a truck. I saw zero elk, a few deer, a lot of moose, and dozens of hunters.

Two weeks later, I was (deer) hunting a public access non-motorized vehicle access area. Shocker, I saw no one else out there and shot a nice deer on the first night out!

I think this next season's hunts will be in walk-in areas only. I love my ATV but it's better suited for rough FS roads or land maintenance duties. I've also realized there's only so much reading/watching/research you can do before you finally have to just go do something and learn for yourself (knowing and practicing are two different things!). I'm firmly in the camp of no wheeled vehicle access to wilderness areas now.

 

[ndbuck09]

You know how much National Forest Land is available to you to ride a pedal bike. You know how many roads you can ride a pedal bike on? Every one of em. I race road bikes and ride many many miles and you don't need to bastardize the wilderness so people can have another place to ride. There's plenty of NF trails, roads and concrete roads to ride. Its as simple as that. Don't know why people are always so hell bent on making everything easier for them. This just completely pisses me off because it removes a part of the work that is involved in wilderness hunting, the part that separates people and makes the experience fun.

 

[TJ]

Message sent.

 

[RickH]

Here's the reply I got from Scott Tipton's office. Hopefully this bill will die. I can't believe it's made it this far.

Dear Rick:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding H.R. 1349, to amend the Wilderness Act to ensure that the use of bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers, and game carts is not prohibited in Wilderness Areas, and for other purposes. This dialogue is important to me as your representative in Washington, and I appreciate your input.
Under current law, various forms of mechanized travel are banned in federally-controlled wilderness areas. Currently in federally controlled wilderness areas bans various forms of mechanized travel. H.R. 1349, introduced by Representative Tom McClintock of California, would give local wilderness managers the discretion to allow some forms of mechanized travel on existing paths in wilderness areas. allow individuals to use these forms transportation with the more than 109 million acres of wilderness area across the United States.
This legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, of which I am a member. Should H.R. 1349 come before the House for consideration, or any related legislation come before the House of Representatives for a vote, please rest assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to communicate with you regarding issues impacting Colorado. For your convenience, you may sign up to receive regular email updates from me on matters important to the 3rd Congressional District at Congressman Scott Tipton | Representing the 3rd District of Colorado. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can ever be of any assistance.

Sincerely,

Scott Tipton
Member of Congress

 

[Broomd]

I'm sure I am part of a tiny portion hit by this, but currently, gains on the sale of a home can be exempt from capital gains taxes after living there for 2 years. Both the senate and house version of the new bill change this to 5 years. I hit 2 years in January of 2018. If I sell before the end of the year, I get hit with capital gains under the current tax code. If I sell after January 2018 I get hit with cap gains under the proposed 2018 tax code. I have been planning this move for the better part of a year, and in a few weeks just had the cost go way up.

I work in financial planning, and noticed they also snuck in an underhanded raise to cap gains taxes for those that have multiple lots of the same investment.

No relevancy here with the current topic, but it's obvious that you're clearly pissed off and you should be. i wasn't aware of this latest development.
Frankly we used the 2 year capital gains exemption to get ahead in life. All of our properties in Alaska we used the exemption including a duplex we sold before we left for Idaho about a decade ago.
That exemption was one of the few bright spots of Bill Clinton's administration. With Obama and dems (who never saw a tax they didn't love) and who want so badly want to implement an estate tax, it's a miracle the 2 year cap gains exemption has survived all these years! Honestly, it's been a huge loophole in the system, one that we'll regret seeing go to five years.

Feel for you, but don't blame R's, this move was long overdue. This doesn't single out 'middle class'...the rich will pay with this as well. But it really bites for those trying to get ahead.

 

[elkstabber]

Here's the reply I got from Scott Tipton's office. I hope this doesn't go through. With the political system I'm real skeptical. Which groups are contributing the most $$ to the campaigns etc..? Which groups are lobbying the most? How do these things affect how these representatives will vote? We'll see

Dear Rick:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding H.R. 1349, to amend the Wilderness Act to ensure that the use of bicycles, wheelchairs, strollers, and game carts is not prohibited in Wilderness Areas, and for other purposes. This dialogue is important to me as your representative in Washington, and I appreciate your input.
Under current law, various forms of mechanized travel are banned in federally-controlled wilderness areas. Currently in federally controlled wilderness areas bans various forms of mechanized travel. H.R. 1349, introduced by Representative Tom McClintock of California, would give local wilderness managers the discretion to allow some forms of mechanized travel on existing paths in wilderness areas. allow individuals to use these forms transportation with the more than 109 million acres of wilderness area across the United States.
This legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources, of which I am a member. Should H.R. 1349 come before the House for consideration, or any related legislation come before the House of Representatives for a vote, please rest assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to communicate with you regarding issues impacting Colorado. For your convenience, you may sign up to receive regular email updates from me on matters important to the 3rd Congressional District at Congressman Scott Tipton | Representing the 3rd District of Colorado. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can ever be of any assistance.

Sincerely,

Scott Tipton
Member of Congress

From reading the link to Outside magazine the bill completely opens all wilderness. This is a lot different than what Representative Tipton said above when he said that it allows local wilderness managers the discretion to allow some forms of mechanized travel.

 

[elkstabber]

Remember that your opinion doesn't matter if you don't email your representative. See post #23.

 

[MIKEYB]

I emailed 2 reps for my state. whether they are "mine" or not.

 

[ColoradoBackpackHunter]

Here's the reply I got from Scott Tipton's office. Hopefully this bill won't make it out of the Natural Resources Committee. I can't believe it's made it this far.

Unless I read it wrong it has already passed committee with something like a 22-18 vote. That response doesn't instill any confidence in me. If anyone knows where to find how the committee member voted I would appreciate the lead.

 

[George]

From reading the link to Outside magazine the bill completely opens all wilderness. This is a lot different than what Representative Tipton said above when he said that it allows local wilderness managers the discretion to allow some forms of mechanized travel.

The bill does not give blanket access, but leaves it up to managers discretion. I read the bill yesterday but I cannot currently find the link. Scott Tipton is my Rep too and I said vote nay.

G

 

[JP7]

I echo and sympathize with concerns that my rep (Cheney) won't vote against it like I wrote in expressing my desire for her to do so. This is just based of the response I got from her earlier this year when I wrote her about keeping public lands public.


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