The North Fork Mountain Bike Closure
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“That person protested that if motorized vehicles were not allowed on the North Fork trails, then all unauthorized trails should be closed.” — Whatcom Trails Co-Op (WTC) Newsletter
Waaaay back in 2012, the Northfork was shutdown to Mountain bikes, with myself being the key culprit behind the closure. This article will discuss, as Paul Harvey said.. the rest of the story.
I encourage and support user-built Mountain Bike Trails
Let me be very clear. I did not wish to see the North Fork shut down. Quite the opposite: I thought what was built at the North Fork was awesome, and we wanted to do something similar. I also thought that DNR had full knowledge of the North Fork, it wasn’t a secret. And worst case, if DNR attempted to shut it down similar to Galbraith Mountain, that the community would be strong enough to urge Peter Goldmark to reverse any lower decision. I was wrong. I tried to help rally support from the ORV community after the closure, but ultimately, like Reiter, the efforts were useless. For those who haven’t seen the video:
I’m in favor of user-built trails. I’m also in favor of fairness where one user group isn’t preferred over another. And I will call out bullshit when I see it.
Related: https://medium.com/dnr-trail-policy/world-class-orv-parks-we-just-want-to-wheel-b47a143861ad
Rainier Ridge Rams 4x4 and North Fork
The WTC didn’t know that RRR4x4 club had been in discussion with DNR since 2009 regarding obtaining permission to have a similar area to recreate as the Co-Op. Kevin, Len, and I did a tour of the Mtn Bike area back in August 2009 to see how we might be able to replicate something for 4x4s.
One of our first email replies from DNR, August 11th, 2009:
From: THOMSEN, CHRIST (DNR)
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 11:27 AM
During the winter of 2008/09 the DNR became aware that mountain bike enthusiasts had started to utilize some of the old trails in the Northfork area. Primarily, their use was limited to higher elevation trails; away from surface waters such as streams and the Northfork of the Nooksack river. In addition to riding some of the trails, they were constructing various structures to “enhance” their experience. The DNR was able to identify the user group constructing the structures and promoting use in the area. Discussions were held internally and externally with various mtb groups regarding mtb use in the Northfork area. The general outcome of those discussions was that low level mtb use was acceptable in the area with the understanding that no new trails or structures would be built, the users would not reopen other trails in the area, and that use level remained low. Further, mtb users were made keenly aware that this was only temporary in nature while the DNR continues to asses the situation and that use may be stopped at any time.
DNR knew about the structures as soon as 2009. As ORV users, we were pretty pissed that not only were mtn bikers allowed to open up new trails, but use the existing 4x4 trails.
Candace Johnson, the previous Assistant region manager said this in a meeting between me and Dana Johnson of Mt Baker Motorcycle Club in January 2010.
(Note: The quotes below are notes I took during that meeting, they may not be correct word for word, but get the point across)
“The Mountain Bikers is another issue altogether.” — Candace Johnson
“We’re having to play triage, Olympia is working on a plan with them?” — Bill Wallace
“Yah, Lisa (DNR Rec planner in Olympia) is working with Evergreen.” — Candace Johnson
As a follow up, in Febuary of 2010, I sent an email to Mark Mauren asking him about the situation on the North Fork:
“Has your office been involved with the agreements between DNR and the Evergreen Mtn bike alliance or Whatcom Trails group at North Fork? We understand they have been granted ‘limited access’, which is upsetting the motorized community because we were told that there would be no more unmanaged land agreements. Yet, according to Ron Whitehall, he is not supposed to give tickets up there.”
He never responded. It would be two years before any discussion between me and the DNR regarding the North Fork would happen again.
SB-5366 — ATVs on Road
In the winter of 2012, SB-5366 was introduced. Originally intentioned as a way to help make it easier for ATVs use primitive and rural roads, this bill quickly added some toxic sections. Mitch Friedman from Conservation NW wanted to use the law to raise fines (and even offered an amendment to make it a felony after the second offense) for anyone using a motorized vehicle on public lands outside of managed trail system.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 46.09 RCW to read as follows:
(1) A person may not operate a nonhighway vehicle on public lands unless the area is designated by the land manager as open for nonhighway vehicle use.
(2) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor with a penalty of five hundred dollars.
The ironic part is that Mitch is friends with many of the Whatcom Trails Co-Op members — people who are doing exactly what he was campaigning against on the motorized side.
In essence, Mitch Friedman, friends of Eric Brown and WTC, shut down the North Fork trails.
Because of Mitch’s inclusion of section 8, my response was to call out specifically non-motorized user groups, building and using unauthorized trails, and how its unfair to favor one user group over another in law. In the end our efforts were fairly successful. While a fine was still added, it is an infraction. The striker also removed the clause closing DNR land to all motorized vehicles unless designated open. SB-5366 failed to get passed, but was revived the next year as HB-1632, which was signed into law in 2013.
As a follow up to the SB-5366 testimony on Jan 23, I reignited the question with Laurie Bergvall and Senator Devlin on Feb 12 2012:
Hi Laurie,
I’m not sure if you have gotten a chance to talk to Mark Mauren yet regarding this topic, but I have some concerns about how fairness is being applied to certain user groups when it comes to dispersed trail building and use. Specifically with XXX and the North Fork.
I’d like to see if I can setup a meeting with you before the Walker Valley ORV focus group? Its this tuesday at 6:30pm. I’m available in the afternoon before that, an hour or so would be great, like 4 to 5pm. I’ve also CC’d Ben Cleveland to see if he would be interested in sitting in.
I never received a response to that E-mail, but I talked to Mark Mauren in person a week later, when coming to the next hearing on SB-5366, and learned the fate of the North Fork trails. If WTC is right, and it was me, then this single email, what you see above, is what caused the NF to close.
My guess is that the email was the catalyst. By 2012, new staff were in charge of the NW Region. Laurie Bergvall was promoted to Candace’s position, and Bill Wallace retired. They probably went to investigate the Mtn Bike trails and noticed the amount of structures and new trails being built.
But blame me. Because I’m not a group, and I’m not your friend. I’m an individual. And its much easier for an individual to take the blame.
end
PS. All of these E-mails above (and more) can be found by doing a Public Disclosure Request with DNR. Her name is Peggy Murphy.
