WAFTA leadership organized a meeting with the people from the Save Our Canyons (SOC) organization regarding their proposal to increase the wilderness areas along the Wasatch front.  One of these proposals would eliminate the ability to ride mountain bikes on the Mill D trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

While we believe the goals of SOC to be admirable - reducing development, reducing motorized access, and protecting our watershed - we believe that the alternatives presented do not sufficiently mitigate their inclusion of this popular trail, and therefore we cannot support this piece of their proposal.  Any reduction in trail access to mountain bikes would be contrary to the WAFTA mission.  The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA), with which we are affiliated, is taking a similar position on this issue.

We will continue to work with SOC and other groups towards a solution that can accomplish the most good - including other options for this area such as National Recreation Area designation and/or alternative trails in the vicinity.

We encourage our membership to research the issue personally and form their own opinions.  Details on their proposal can be found at http://www.saveourcanyons.org/currentissues/ (click on the “Wasatch Wilderness” link on the left side of that page).

Meeting with Save Our Canyons Regarding Mill D Trail