Gallatin winter-use maps released

By SCOTT McMILLION Chronicle Staff Writer

The Gallatin National Forest has released new maps outlining where machines such as snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles can and can't go during the winter.

They are a clear improvement over similar maps issued for summer travel, which offered scant details. The winter maps include details such as stream names, mountain peaks and other landmarks. The summer maps lacked that sort of detail, causing some critics to describe them as nearly useless.

“In comparison to the summer-use maps, this is a very good map,” said Brad Grein, an avid snowmobiler and a member of the Citizens for Balanced Use, a multiple-use advocacy group.

Both the summer and winter maps are important documents because they serve as enforcement tools for the Gallatin's new travel plan, which took years to create and was released this fall. CBU is suing in federal court to have the travel plan invalidated and some environmental groups are suing to have parts of it rejected.

Unless a judge rules otherwise, the maps remain in effect.

And the winter maps are a lot easier to understand. They include color-coded snowmobile trails, cross-country skiing trails and mixed-use trails. Shading designates areas where snowmobilers can travel cross country.

The summer maps were created according to a limited database at U.S. Forest Service headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Gallatin spokeswoman Marna Daley said Friday that local officials were able to include more details on the winter maps.

“The (Gallatin) forest had a lot more say on input with the end product,” Daley said. “Some improvements could still be made, but we're a lot happier with it.”

Stacy Bragg, an avid snowmobiler and CBU member in Livingston, called the winter map “an improvement over the summer-use map, but I think it's still inadequate.”

He said some trails now have different numbers than they do on the all-season travel map; some trails lead to areas where easements across private land have not been established; and, while the document includes some inserts with topographical lines, they can be confusing because the map doesn't include elevations.

Daley said the winter trail numbers are the same as they have always been, but those numbers were not widely published in the past.

While the travel plan's enforcement documents have now been published, making citations possible, Daley said Forest Service officials will concentrate on informing and educating the public this winter to make sure people understand the new rules.

The maps are available at Forest Service offices in Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Gardiner, Livingston and Big Timber.

Scott McMillion is at scottm@dailychronicle.com

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