WMC Update 2012

I find this segment of the conversation riddled with hypocrisy.  "we seek a fair share of the Forest"?  What does this mean?  Non-motorized users have use of 100% of the forest, but what you really desire is the exclusion of other groups of folks so you can have more segments of the forest to yourself. 

WMC would encourage the 151,000 non-motorized Forest users and the 35,0000 owners of Registered snowmobiles in this state to discuss, give input, and comment to the appropriate Officials. (Figures were posted here and justified by other posters).

This Washington State Parks website of Sno Park locations has maps of areas across the state. It is very instructive to view the maps and note the few designated non-motorized areas. this illustrates the need for USFS management to allow uses other than snowmobile riding in the winter by the designation of new and significant winter non-motorized areas.

www.parks.wa.gov/winter/trails/?TrailType=motorized


On Page 15 WMC discussed some estimates of size and use. Again, simply put out the Wenatchee NF map and observe all of the area to the south of the Wenatchee mountains crest open to snowmobiling (from the Cascade Crest nearly to the Columbia River), that could not covered on that map by outstretched hands, compared to the primo-skiing Wenatchee Mountains crest area at the current Tronsen Non-Motorized area at Blewett Pass- which on the map would be covered by a Quarter coin.

Thank you.

they are already open to all the public.  :

Not all of it and more exclusions to more people is what is in the works here and all over the west.....

Not all of it and more exclusions to more people is what is in the works here and all over the west.....

No lands are being 'closed' to Forest users. Some are being designated as winter non-motorized, a use that has arrived late in some types on the Forest. Similar to the fact that one may not just drive a car anywhere, fly an aircraft or land anywhere, build a fire anywhere, cut down trees at will. In an extreme example, in the Enchantments core USFS instructs users in summer to urinate on rocks- pretty specific. On Mt. Adams USFS provides blue bags to be used for human waste to be carried off of the mountain and disposed of properly below. In areas that dogs are not allowed in summer and areas requiring hikers to have Permits in summer, snowmobiles are being ridden. USFS exists in order to manage Forest lands for multiple-uses according to Law and Executive Order. Certainly the regulation of a powerful motorized machine that produces hydrocarbon emissions is reasonable in the consideration of the situation.

Is this Arizona now? Do you want to see my papers???

This group wants an expansion of wilderness to specifically exclude other legal users so they can get their their powder turns in the area they want.
They constantly talk about being snowmobile riders as well but its clear they see snowmobiles as logging road tools only. They don't want to sit down with the snowmobile groups and try and negotiate a mutual user agreement similar to what has been done in other areas. To do so would be messy and at times uncomfortable but then democracy can be messy.
They want the USFS  to unilaterally declare huge areas of land inaccessible to current legal users without study and in their favor based upon their concept of fairness and their inherent dislike of motorized recreation.
If they succeed, they won't stop there, they will want more and more.
When you try and reach some common ground with them.. it doesn't work.. they aren't really interested in any compromise.

As I have said , see this for what it is.... not a bunch of ski-tourers complaining about not getting enough untracked powder... but an attempt to fundamentally alter the current legal public land use ..forever.. and without study.

Their argument that parity in demographics shouldn't count because of increased area coverage by snowmobilers  is philosophically flawed,
"My vote should be worth more than a snowmobiler's when divvying up the territory". Really ?

Write to your officials, legislators, senatorial candidates, the USFS and anybody who will listen and stop them in their tracks ( or in this case their lack of tracks)


murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe


www.dinorossi.com/

Here's a fellow skiers perspective....

Not all of it and more exclusions to more people is what is in the works here and all over the west.....

Are you saying that you are being banned from areas of the Forest? As far as I know, there are few(any?) areas of the Forest that are closed to the public. If you mean areas that you can't sled in they are few outside the Wilderness. Snowmobile use needs to be managed on FS lands, just like all uses, currently there is little if any management of snowmobiles in the Forest.

I find this segment of the conversation riddled with hypocrisy.  "we seek a fair share of the Forest"?  What does this mean?  Non-motorized users have use of 100% of the forest, but what you really desire is the exclusion of other groups of folks so you can have more segments of the forest to yourself. 

agreed