This land is no longer your land

[Lefty315]

Sorry if this link has already been posted but thought it was a good read. Saw it on MSN this morning. I believe it also references the Gentleman on here that had the issue in the Crazies.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/this-land-is-no-longer-your-land/ar-AAu3Cko?li=BBnb7Kz

 

[cgarner]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[mixedbag]

Read the article yesterday and was amazed to find out how the man trying to save a public trail system was demoted to some desk job.Why isn't there anything being done??I understand your dealing with rich untouchable people but that's where some news coverage may help.I'd LOVE to see BHA get a bunch of member together and have a hike on the same trail Rob got arrested on.If there's evidence of public use over so many years,then it belongs to the public.Now this is something that would get a TON of people to notice how a few people are denying the public the use of our lands.Not sure why no other group would challenge this and bring it to mainstream attention.If states have the power to take over people's land and homes for highways,malls ect,then why won't they use their power to make an easement for public to access our lands

 

[elkduds]

See https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?276406-Crazy-Mountain-Public-Access
for much discussion of this here, including posts by forum member Rob Gregiore, named in the Bloomberg piece.

 

[RobG]

Alex Sienkiewicz (Sin-Kev-itch), the district ranger who was reassigned, has been reinstated as they found no evidence that he violated rule or policy.

For those who haven't made the connection yet, I am Rob Gregoire, aka the "Gentleman" (Ha!) who got the ticket. This is a pretty good article. One thing that annoyed me is that the author said I paid a fine. In truth, it was a charity donation (my own money) and a promise not to go back for a year. This settlement saved everyone a lot time and money because a not guilty wouldn't have solved anything as long since the prosecutor insisted on prosecuting the next person who went in there. This was a real education in criminal law for me. That court is corrupt.. .maybe the MT bar will step in.

As many know, I raised a bit over $7000 to fight this (most of it came from the folks here). $3000 went to my legal defense and instead of blowing the rest on a appealing a corrupt ruling for merely a morale victory I decided to use it to advance getting undisputed access. I recently committed $1000 to generate a report on the historical use of this and other trails into the Crazies. (The west side also has issues.) More will be spent as opportunities arise.

As for public marches, BHA has certainly thought about them (I kept them in the loop from the very beginning). A march could generate publicity, but they won't directly solve the issue and we might just wind up with a bunch of legal bills as entering is actually trespassing by definition because a prescriptive easement hasn't been proven in a court of law. (However, conviction requires them to establish that you had no reason to believe you had the right to be there so it is likely a conviction would be overturned on an expensive appeal given the history of that trail.) The only way to open these trails to conflict-free use is to settle it in civil court, probably at a cost of a few hundred thousand as there are a couple trails being blocked.

The good news is there are negotiations going on about alternative ways to access these public lands and I've heard some ideas from the landowners that should be given serious consideration before getting too confrontational. Of course others want to swing the clubs and the issue needs to be kept in the spotlight so the landowners have incentive to settle.

Friends of the Crazy Mountains is having a fundraiser on Nov. 14th in Livingston. You can learn more about their approach there.

 

[mtguy]

Hey Rob - I'm curious if you know anything about the road the 71 Ranch has closed off? Has this road always been closed off or just since the Galts bought it?

 

[mixedbag]

Thanks Rob,that response was very imformative.I know it sounds simple to want easements granted into public lands.Unfortunately,I do realize it may be easier to move the mountain.I am interested in hearing the landowners alternatives if your able to make that public.

 

[Lefty315]

Rob, I called you a Gentleman based on the things you've posted in the past. But if you're up some hell raising I still have no issues with that

 

[e300winmag]

Lefty, thank you for sharing the article. It was a good read. Rob, thank you for your continued efforts to help promote public access to our public lands

 

[katqanna]

I'm curious if you know anything about the road the 71 Ranch has closed off? Has this road always been closed off or just since the Galts bought it?

It has not always been cut off, this is a more recent development.

As to the articles statement that Brad would go in with bolt cutters and tear the gate down, that is not what he said. Brad knows that gate is private property. He said the Forest Service should deal with the gate. He is contacting the paper for a correction.