Fairbanks Snow Travelers

The BLM's Eastern Interior Field Office is seeking public comments on a proposed human-powered race to be held in the White Mountains National Recreation Area in late March 2010. Up to 50 contestants would run, bike, or ski around a 100-mile-long loop route that includes parts of several White Mountains winter trails. (see map). The race organizers would also like to use 3 public-use cabins as safety checkpoints along the race course.

Because of the proposal's potential impacts to resources and on other public users of the White Mountains, the BLM is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

The BLM has identified the following issues to be evaluated:

* This race could displace traditional cabin users. Though the race is not scheduled for any part of Spring Break week, general recreation use remains high during this time of year. Fewer cabins may be available for public use if the cabins are reserved for the SRP.
* The race would generate an increased level of use on the trails. The potential for user conflict along the trail system would increase. The race would also lead to possible congestion at the Wickersham Dome Trailhead due to the number of participants, especially during the start of the race.
* Health and safety concerns related to human waste could be an issue with the race. The facilities (outhouses) associated with the trail system were not designed to accommodate large groups. This could limit those facilities to the recreating public for the rest of the season.
* There are safety issues directly attributable to the race that need to be planned for and procedures in developed. Some of those concerns are:
-Traffic concerns at the trailhead and the Elliot Highway will be elevated with the addition of 50 participants and up to 15 support personnel to the regular recreation use that occurs.
-Evacuation procedures for sick or injured participants
-Search and rescue procedures for lost or overdue racers

Alternatives

The EA will consider impacts of the following alternatives:

Proposed Action Alternative (includes use of cabins):
The proposed action will be to conduct a three day 100 mile winter endurance race in the White Mountains NRA on March 20, 21 and 22, 2010. The race will begin and end at the Wickersham Dome Trailhead. The race route will utilize the Wickersham Cr, Trail Cr, Cache Mt. Loop, and the Fossil Cr. trails. (See map of race route.) The race will begin Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and will have three categories of competitors including skiers, runners, and bicyclist. The race will be limited to 50 participants and there will be approximately 15 volunteers assisting at checkpoints and along the race route. Up to 10 snowmobiles may be used to support checkpoints, monitor race events, provide safety, and conduct evacuations if necessary. One snowmobile will lead the race participants for the first 20 miles to alert any trail users of the approaching racers.

Trails: Directional signs will be established just prior to the race at all trail junctions and areas in question to assist race participants in staying on course. Signs will consist mainly of arrows stapled to lathe. Shortly after the last racer has passed a “trail sweep” will be conducted. These persons, on snowmobile, will both remove all signs and litter found along the trail and help to ensure all race participants are safe. One week in advance of the race, notices will be placed at all four trailheads leading into the White Mountains NRA informing the public of the race. The notices will include dates and times of the race and a map of the race route. During the race, all participants will be required to yield trail right-of-way to all other users or be disqualified.

Checkpoints (Cabins): Along with utilizing the developed and maintained winter trails in the White Mountains NRA, race officials propose to use up to three public use cabins as checkpoints. These cabins include: Cache Mt. (two nights), Windy Gap (two nights), and Borealis (two nights). A forth checkpoint would be established near the Moose Creek Cabin using a wall tent. The Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter would also be staffed by race volunteers but not serve as an official checkpoint. Each checkpoint will be staffed by two race officials and have a satellite phone to call in race results and provide for safety. Food and water will be available at each of the checkpoints for participants. A portable waste collections type bucket will be provided at each checkpoint to be used by participants and race officials to minimize the potential over utilization of the outhouses. At the end of the race all checkpoints will be left clean and at pre-race conditions if not better. At the cabins, all stoves and lanterns will be left in working order and an ample amount of firewood left remaining. While on the trails participants will be required to defecate well off the trail or be disqualified.

Start/Finish (Wickersham Dome Trailhead): The Wickersham Dome Trailhead will serve as the race start and finish. Carpooling or shuttle services will be provided to transport most race participants to this site. Some parking is expected across the Elliott Highway at the Alaska State DOT pull-out. The applicant will provide highway caution signs and a crossing guard near the trailhead and Elliott Highway to provide for safety during the start of the race. Race officials plan to have a RV parked at the trailhead to support check-in and coordinate the event through satellite and cell phone coverage. At least one portable outhouse will be staged at the trailhead for the duration of the race event.

No Cabin Alternative:
This alternative is the same as the proposed action except that there would be no use of public use cabins except in the case of an emergency. In this alternative four temporary checkpoints would be established near the locations identified in the proposed action and either arctic oven or wall tents utilized. Checkpoint sites would be located at least ¼ mile away and out of site of any BLM public use cabin and a minimum of 25 feet away from the trail.

No Action Alternative:
The no action alternative would result in the applicant not being issued a permit to conduct a competitive race event in the White Mountains NRA.

How to Provide Comments

Comments will be accepted in writing or by e-mail through January 07, 2010. To be helpful in our planning process, comments should be as specific and detailed as possible.

Please send e-mail comments to AK_EIFO_GeneralDelivery@blm.gov. Written comments should be sent to:

BLM Eastern Interior Field Office
1150 University Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Attn: Collin Cogley

BUT I am also a regular user of the area and I can completely understand from that viewpoint that some people may have issues/concerns.

akskier wrote:Hi Eric - Thanks for voicing your concerns about the race. We are definitely interested in hearing from all types of users of the Whites Rec area and are trying to refine our race idea in order to address the apprehensions of the users. We have already made a handful of modifications and adjustments to our original race proposal and are willing to continue to do so, but at the same time trying to maintain our overall race objective.

One option we are seriously considering is moving the race to a mid-week time frame in order to alleviate the impact on weekend users. We have already made sure our race dates do not correspond to either weekend straddling "spring break" because we know that is a very high use 10-day period. The unprecedented volume of interest in race (the roster filled up in less than 2 weeks) implies to us that a mid-week event would still draw enough racers to cover the race costs.

As for your concerns about future races closing off the trail system to users (motorized or non-motorized), we would not let this occur. We are striving to have as smallest footprint on the Rec area and would certainly discontinue the race if it approached the point of seriously limiting or closing off trail use to other users. You idea of using the Quest trail between CHSR and Central would definitely be an exciting and challenging course. At this point though, the logistics of getting people to/from either end of that route, setting up checkpoints, communications, etc would be well beyond the energy or resources we have available. Our ideal course is one that starts/ends in the same location...any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed