As some of you may have read, there is good things going on on either side of the 42nd parallel, otherwise known as the state line.  While WNYMBA continues to work on new trails in Allegany State Park, Jakes Rocks just opened up down near Warren.  A bunch of WNYMBites ven road this past August from Ellicottville to Jakes Rocks over three days and got written up in the latest Dirt Rag.  One area along the way that we couldn't ride, even though we were camping right on the trails that second night (along with the bears) was Tracy Ridge.

Great news!  The Forest Service has completed their environmental assessment and it supports opening 12.5 miles of these trails to bikes, as it found that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.  Read the details at this link.  The final decision would not be issued until March or April.

The forest service needs to hear from you in support of this action.  The comment period doesn't start until after Christmas (early comments may be discarded) and goes for 30 days (exact days aren't set yet).  Best to send in your comments first week of January.  We'll remind everyone with a facebook post.

You may have commented before, but that was just the scoping phase.  This is the result of the environmental assessment, and the forest service needs to hear you support their conclusions.  Your comments should address what the EA actually says, and why you support these findings.  This is a formal process, so you have to make sure you provide your name and mailing address clearly provided or else it won't count.

You can be sure the Wilderness folks will be pushing back hard on this recommendation so it is very important you let the forest service know you support this.

Please send in your letters of support of this proposed trail opening.  You can do this either by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. making sure you put "Tracy Ridge Project" in the subjection line.

or by mail to 

"Tracy Ridge Project"
USDA Forest Service
Allegheny National Forest
Bradford Ranger District
Attention: Rich Hatfield
29 Forest Service Drive
Bradford, PA 16701

What a great Christmas present!

Below is the text of a press release today from IMBA (meaning its chapters WNYMBA and NAMBA, with assistance from our regional rep Anthony Duncan).

The TL;DR version is this:

• The Forest Service is proposing to open some trails (12 miles!) just south of Allegany State Park that are now closed to bikes.
• Wilderness groups oppose this.
• The proposed plan will not be implemented unless you contact the forest service with your support at this e-mail address: comments-­eastern-­allegheny-­This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Here's the forest service announcement: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/allegheny/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD511051