Foes rally to preserve Peavine access in Reno

RENO -- An unlikely mix of outdoor enthusiasts are banding together to protect access to Peavine Peak in northwest Reno.

The newly formed Washoe County Back Country Coalition presented the U.S. Forest Service this week with a petition signed by more than 1,700 people.

The petition seeks guarantees for continued access to the popular recreation spot as the federal agency implements a new management strategy for the area.

The coalition consists of motorcyclists, bicyclists, hikers and four-wheelers -- groups often at odds over public land use.

The group also advocates the possible creation of a recreation area at Peavine that members say could draw visitors from far away, boosting the economy and building on the region's status as an outdoor destination.

"It's a spectacular area. It's just too good to give up," said Carl Adams, coalition spokesman. "We think it could become a major tourist destination."

The group's formation follows December's release by the Forest Service of a long-term land management strategy for what many consider Reno's backyard mountain.

Larry Randall, recreation officer for the Carson Ranger District, said the agency welcomes the coalition's participation as it implements specific projects outlined under its Peavine management strategy.

He said concerns cited by the petitioners will be considered as decisions are made in the months and years ahead.

The Forest Service plan aims to balance the interests of recreation seekers and the concerns of nearby residents as development creeps up Peavine's slopes.

Although the plan proposes to ensure continued public access through the designation of 13 different portals around the mountain, coalition members insist more thought needs to be given to Peavine's recreational opportunities and the threats they face.

"When you think about what's going on, all over Reno we're losing access to public land," Adams said. "There isn't any plan as far as we can see to really protect this access."

By this summer, officials expect to designate a 1,950-acre area of Keystone Canyon for nonmotorized recreation. Engineers also will start detailed surveys of roads on the mountain. These are among the first projects called for under the Forest Service's Peavine strategy.

The Forest Service's long-term plan calls for closing many of Peavine's roads, a proposal that has some users concerned.

Bill Von Phul, president of the Truckee Meadows Trails Association, acknowledged the coalition is made up of an unlikely partnership.

"Usually the motorcyclists and the hikers and the bikers don't get along too well together," Von Phul said. "But access in general is in danger. The more voices that can sing this chorus the better off we're going to be."