Article From Singletracks:
E-bike access isn’t a new conversation in the Lake Tahoe area. Earlier this spring, we reported on the Pines to Mines trail, giving eMTB riders 72 miles of trail in the Tahoe National Forest. Before that, Tahoe has seen some back and forth with allowing e-bikes, eventually resulting in a lawsuit from different user groups.
Now, more trails in the Tahoe area may soon allow e-bikes, according to a proposal from the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU). If passed, e-bikes would gain over 100 miles of trail in the Lake Tahoe basin.
While e-bike trail access may seem to be 2024’s hot topic, the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project (BWTA) has been in the works for several years. Scoping for the project began in February 2021, and although the estimated decision date of August 1, 2024, has now passed, the USFS says a decision will be made any day now.
Overview of the LTBMU’s trails proposal
Lake Tahoe is massive — 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, with 72 miles of shoreline. It holds 37 trillion gallons of water — enough to cover the entire state of California 14 inches deep. Lake Tahoe’s known depth is 1,645 feet.
Due to its immense size, three national forests extend up to the lake’s basin — the Tahoe, Eldorado, and Toiyabe. Each forest has unique needs that could vary from those of the Tahoe basin, so a separate entity known as the LTBMU was formed in 1973 as a single management unit for the basin.
“The way that you could look at it is if you look at the basin and the way it’s laid out, there’s a ring of mountains that kind of run around the lake,” Lisa Herron, Public Affairs Specialist for the LTBMU, told Singletracks. “Then that’s where the boundary runs for the LTBMU — around the ridge line of Lake Tahoe.”
tLike nearly all USFS proposals, the Tahoe Basin Project is multifaceted, with many moving parts. While this project includes adding new trails, the main emphasis is the allowance of e-bikes on existing non-motorized trails. Like we’ve seen in other areas looking to add e-bikes to non-motorized trails, the trails will be reclassified as “motorized trails open to class 1 e-bikes only,” a special USFS redesignation.
Here are some quick points from the proposal:
The initial proposal was adjusted after the environmental assessment (EA). The number of non-motorized trails reclassified as motorized for e-bikes went from 87 miles to 106. The 23 miles of new trail in the initial proposal was also bumped to 45 miles post-EA adjustment.
“Electric bikes or e-bikes are growing in popularity and offer increased potential for recreational experiences on our National Forest-managed lands in the basin,” LTBMU writes in the proposal. All told, the proposal will open 114 trails (a list of the trails can be found here), both existing and to-be-built, to class 1 e-bikes.
Some popular Tahoe trails that could be allowing eMTBs soon are: Powerline Trail, Angora Ridge, and Saxon’s Connector. The Saxon Creek Trail, also known as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, does not yet allow e-bikes, although LTBMU is working with advocacy groups to find alternative access to such trails. The Tahoe Rim Trail will remain non-motorized.
They’re looking at all the trails, trying to figure out what makes sense and what doesn’t,” Herron told us, referring to the trails opening to e-bikes. “We are just trying to look at the trails and get the best use out of them.”
“Currently, some eMTB users are riding trails they are not technically allowed on, and this can lead to user conflict. No agency currently has the resources to consistently enforce these policies, the BWTA seeks to update the regulations to include current users, equipment, and recreation trends on trails.”
E-bikes may not start hitting proposed trails until 2025. USFS Project Milestones tend to be more of a rough guide. The estimated decision date was August 1, 2024, with implementation estimated by September 1, 2024. With things getting pushed back, Herron told us a decision isn’t likely until mid-to-late August. If the proposal passes, commenters will have a period to object, which adds another 45 days. By then, they could be looking at November.
“If the final decision does come in November, implementation probably won’t happen until after winter’s over,” Herron said. If everything does pass, Herron told us that signage and education will be the most pressing task since building new trail will still be a bit further out.
CLICK HERE to see original article and photos in Singletracks:
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/e-bike-access-near-lake-tahoe-has-long-been-controversial-but-the-issue-will-soon-be-settled-once-and-for-all/
E-bike access isn’t a new conversation in the Lake Tahoe area. Earlier this spring, we reported on the Pines to Mines trail, giving eMTB riders 72 miles of trail in the Tahoe National Forest. Before that, Tahoe has seen some back and forth with allowing e-bikes, eventually resulting in a lawsuit from different user groups.
Now, more trails in the Tahoe area may soon allow e-bikes, according to a proposal from the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU). If passed, e-bikes would gain over 100 miles of trail in the Lake Tahoe basin.
While e-bike trail access may seem to be 2024’s hot topic, the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project (BWTA) has been in the works for several years. Scoping for the project began in February 2021, and although the estimated decision date of August 1, 2024, has now passed, the USFS says a decision will be made any day now.
Overview of the LTBMU’s trails proposal
Lake Tahoe is massive — 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, with 72 miles of shoreline. It holds 37 trillion gallons of water — enough to cover the entire state of California 14 inches deep. Lake Tahoe’s known depth is 1,645 feet.
Due to its immense size, three national forests extend up to the lake’s basin — the Tahoe, Eldorado, and Toiyabe. Each forest has unique needs that could vary from those of the Tahoe basin, so a separate entity known as the LTBMU was formed in 1973 as a single management unit for the basin.
“The way that you could look at it is if you look at the basin and the way it’s laid out, there’s a ring of mountains that kind of run around the lake,” Lisa Herron, Public Affairs Specialist for the LTBMU, told Singletracks. “Then that’s where the boundary runs for the LTBMU — around the ridge line of Lake Tahoe.”
tLike nearly all USFS proposals, the Tahoe Basin Project is multifaceted, with many moving parts. While this project includes adding new trails, the main emphasis is the allowance of e-bikes on existing non-motorized trails. Like we’ve seen in other areas looking to add e-bikes to non-motorized trails, the trails will be reclassified as “motorized trails open to class 1 e-bikes only,” a special USFS redesignation.
Here are some quick points from the proposal:
- Reclassify 87 miles of current non-motorized trail to motorized, e-bikes only
- Build 23 miles of multi-use trail that will allow e-bikes
- Reclassify 1 mile of existing motorized trail to e-bikes only
- Construct 3 new trailheads
The initial proposal was adjusted after the environmental assessment (EA). The number of non-motorized trails reclassified as motorized for e-bikes went from 87 miles to 106. The 23 miles of new trail in the initial proposal was also bumped to 45 miles post-EA adjustment.
“Electric bikes or e-bikes are growing in popularity and offer increased potential for recreational experiences on our National Forest-managed lands in the basin,” LTBMU writes in the proposal. All told, the proposal will open 114 trails (a list of the trails can be found here), both existing and to-be-built, to class 1 e-bikes.
Some popular Tahoe trails that could be allowing eMTBs soon are: Powerline Trail, Angora Ridge, and Saxon’s Connector. The Saxon Creek Trail, also known as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, does not yet allow e-bikes, although LTBMU is working with advocacy groups to find alternative access to such trails. The Tahoe Rim Trail will remain non-motorized.
They’re looking at all the trails, trying to figure out what makes sense and what doesn’t,” Herron told us, referring to the trails opening to e-bikes. “We are just trying to look at the trails and get the best use out of them.”
“Currently, some eMTB users are riding trails they are not technically allowed on, and this can lead to user conflict. No agency currently has the resources to consistently enforce these policies, the BWTA seeks to update the regulations to include current users, equipment, and recreation trends on trails.”
E-bikes may not start hitting proposed trails until 2025. USFS Project Milestones tend to be more of a rough guide. The estimated decision date was August 1, 2024, with implementation estimated by September 1, 2024. With things getting pushed back, Herron told us a decision isn’t likely until mid-to-late August. If the proposal passes, commenters will have a period to object, which adds another 45 days. By then, they could be looking at November.
“If the final decision does come in November, implementation probably won’t happen until after winter’s over,” Herron said. If everything does pass, Herron told us that signage and education will be the most pressing task since building new trail will still be a bit further out.
CLICK HERE to see original article and photos in Singletracks:
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/e-bike-access-near-lake-tahoe-has-long-been-controversial-but-the-issue-will-soon-be-settled-once-and-for-all/
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