WMC Update 2012

Why not ask for areas closer to parking?

Good question. Since I don't own a sled, I don't find "protecting" the area described by Lowell's map all that compelling at the moment. By the time I can get in there to tour (which I do most springs), I may see some old sled tracks, but have yet to see a sledder. And if I were to buy a sled, I'd likely go for one capable of assisting with TobyT's strategy.

thanks for the map....is that the only proposed closure? I'm guessing you are skiing from the "end" of plowed road? or riding a sled and then skiing?

I don't own a sled, so when I ski in this area I'm going from as far up the road as I can drive. In winter that means the end of the plowed road. In spring, access gradually moves up valley. My map is based on the following information in WMC's posts:

Areas include the unroaded Wenatchee Mountains ridge crest from Van Epps Pass to Three Brothers (mountain) Including Ingalls Peak, Fortune Peak, Iron Peak, peaks surrounding Bean Creek, Earl Peak, Navaho Peak, Three Brothers and the Wenatchee Mountains Crest from Rd 9716 to the west of Diamond Head across Tronsen Head, Mt. Lillian including down to the Old Ellensburg trail to Mission Peak and on to the Mission Ridge Road including Lake Clara, Mission Peak, and surrounding areas. These areas will offer many moderate day-tours, long day tours, and areas for snowmobile road-assist day tours or longer overnight self-powered ski tours.

What is outlined above does not exclude snowmobile access on the roads leading to the areas that you describe- "Areas include the unroaded Wenatchee Mountains ridge crest from Van Epps Pass to Three Brothers (mountain) Including Ingalls Peak, Fortune Peak, Iron Peak, peaks surrounding Bean Creek, Earl Peak, Navaho Peak, Three Brothers". There is not a road to the crest, which is also the Wilderness Boundary, along the described area. That area along with Van Epps is well known by skiers and USFS personnel as an area of regular and intentional snowmobile trespass into the Wilderness. Van Epps will continue to allow close access to the Wilderness Boundary, but the other proposals would draw the line back from the Wilderness Boundary at the Stafford Cr Road and the Etienne Cr Road (formerly Negro Cr. Rd).

As I mentioned, WMC's posts also referred to an area roughly between Swauk/Blewett Pass and Mission Ridge. I haven't mapped that area because I don't know it well and I'm lazy at the moment.

WMC's posts described two main areas of interest. One is NE of the North Fork Teanaway River and south of Ingalls Creek. The other is roughly between Swauk/Blewett Pass and Mission Ridge. Since I know the Teanaway area better, I've taken a shot at an overview map. Based on WMC's posts, I think my map is pretty accurate on the left side. On the right side, in the area of Miller Peak and Etienne Creek, my map is just conjecture. I don't know that area well. Enjoy:

That looks about right Lowell, but like I stated a few posts back most of this terrain is already designated "Voluntary Non-Motorized" and that status is completely ignored by many sledders just like the adjacent ALW. Enforcement of wilderness violations and complying with the voluntary non-motorized agreement would be ideal, but the sled community is incapable and/or unwilling to police itself and the FS lacks resources for adequate policing. Yammadogs argument about winter non-motorized status resulting in summer restrictions is misleading. These areas and most others on the OWNF outside wilderness have many/most trails designated as multiuse for dirtbikes and 4wd on FS roads. The only restrictions are for ATVs. Licensed street legal vehicles are allowed on most trails and roads in snow free months.

That looks about right Lowell, but like I stated a few posts back most of this terrain is already designated "Voluntary Non-Motorized" and that status is completely ignored by many sledders just like the adjacent ALW. Enforcement of wilderness violations and complying with the voluntary non-motorized agreement  would be ideal, but the sled community is incapable and/or unwilling to police itself and the FS lacks resources for adequate policing. Yammadogs argument about winter non-motorized status resulting in summer restrictions is misleading. These areas and most others on the OWNF outside wilderness have many/most trails designated as multiuse for dirtbikes and 4wd on FS roads. The only restrictions are for ATVs. Licensed street legal vehicles are allowed on most trails and roads in snow free months.

How about a map of the current "voluntary" non motorized area?

How about a map of the current "voluntary" non motorized area?

There is a map for Blewett- www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreation/wi...ewett-ski-trails.pdf but I can't seem to find one online for the Teanaway areas just the description I provided in the earlier link- www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreation/wi...leelum/#nonmotorized . Maybe contact Todd Stiles at the Cle Elum FS office? Sledders routinely travel in the Wenatchee Ridge and Iron Creek voluntary non-motorized areas.

Enforcement of wilderness violations and complying with the voluntary non-motorized agreement would be ideal, but the sled community is incapable and/or unwilling to police itself and the FS lacks resources for adequate policing.

What if the ski community chipped in and bought a snowmobile that the Cle Elum ranger district could use for patrol work? Would the bureaucracy be able to handle that? Do they have rangers working in the winter who could do that job? Just a thought ...