Snowmobile enthusiasts have made it clear that they don't want more regulations of public lands outside Wilderness. Some have argued that snowmobile usage at Skyline Ridge is rare and limited, so it's not a problem that requires more restrictions.
If you feel this way, you should be actively discouraging snowmobilers from using Skyline Ridge. If you see somebody up there with a machine, or if you know somebody who wants to sled up there, you should advise them not to do it. Here's why:
If snowmobile use on Skyline Ridge becomes an issue with backcountry skiers, they are going to demand formal action by the Forest Service to prevent it. If that happens, snowmobile riders are going to lose. And the loss may not end there.
Think about it. Is there anywhere in the Cascades where the case for allowing snowmobiles is weaker than at Skyline Ridge? It's a place that has been used for non-motorized winter recreation for over 75 years, and it's just minutes from a parking lot full of skiers.
If you want the Forest Service to weigh in on the question of motorized winter use sooner rather than later, and if you want the backcountry skiing community energized against snowmobiles, sledding at Skyline Ridge is the way to make that happen.
If anybody disagrees, I'd be very interested to hear your arguments.
