Fellow riders -
I have been notified that Ames Lake Tree Farm is going to be put up for auction with bids due on November 15. The area being sold is 428 acres of what we consider the Tolt MacDonald riding area. We knew that Port Blakely Tree Farms, the current owner, was interesting in selling the land to consolidate their holdings in the South Sound region.
I was hoping to bring government forces together and get the land into public ownership, but their short timeline makes this an impossibility. When I talked to them last month it sounded like they may sell it off in 5 to 8 smaller parcels, but I am unsure if this is still their plan.
King County owns the development rights to the land, so there will never be homes there. However, it is private land and it is unknown whether the new owners will continue to allow public access.
I would imagine that the entire parcel will go for under $1 million, but it is hard to know the actual value since this is a fairly unique parcel. It is too small for a large logging company, and without development rights the value is probably hard to establish.
If you are a wealthy biker, please buy this land! I will work with you over the course of the next several years to get King County or the Trust for Public land to purchase the land from you. There is no guarantee, but the impact we could make for mountain biking in Washington would be enormous. We could, over time, have an older growth forest and a great place to ride.
Please pass this on to every mountain biker you know who may be able to purchase all, or some, of this prime mountain biking area.
Thank you,
Justin Vander Pol
Executive Director
Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club
http://bbtc.org
206-524-2900
Do you want more mountain bike trails? Join today at http://www.bbtc.org/php/show_page.php?page_id=45
I have been notified that Ames Lake Tree Farm is going to be put up for auction with bids due on November 15. The area being sold is 428 acres of what we consider the Tolt MacDonald riding area. We knew that Port Blakely Tree Farms, the current owner, was interesting in selling the land to consolidate their holdings in the South Sound region.
I was hoping to bring government forces together and get the land into public ownership, but their short timeline makes this an impossibility. When I talked to them last month it sounded like they may sell it off in 5 to 8 smaller parcels, but I am unsure if this is still their plan.
King County owns the development rights to the land, so there will never be homes there. However, it is private land and it is unknown whether the new owners will continue to allow public access.
I would imagine that the entire parcel will go for under $1 million, but it is hard to know the actual value since this is a fairly unique parcel. It is too small for a large logging company, and without development rights the value is probably hard to establish.
If you are a wealthy biker, please buy this land! I will work with you over the course of the next several years to get King County or the Trust for Public land to purchase the land from you. There is no guarantee, but the impact we could make for mountain biking in Washington would be enormous. We could, over time, have an older growth forest and a great place to ride.
Please pass this on to every mountain biker you know who may be able to purchase all, or some, of this prime mountain biking area.
Thank you,
Justin Vander Pol
Executive Director
Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club
http://bbtc.org
206-524-2900
Do you want more mountain bike trails? Join today at http://www.bbtc.org/php/show_page.php?page_id=45
