Rise of the Machines

Well said, Scotsman (except the "stole my line" passage - it ain't your line until you have skied it!  ).

Over the past decade, I've watched as new machines have made their way into previously inaccessible-to-sleds areas, and have always known I've had a choice to move on to plenty of other spots. Seeing their tracks for the first time on any of "our" slopes is always a bitter pill to swallow, but the bitterness is my own creation.

Here is a picture of the King from the top of REX on Sunday afternoon.  I was pretty surprised to see the tracks on there.

Especially since it is illegal to have snowmobiles at Crystal after the season ends, unless you are working there and they use them for maintenance access.
It is irritating when they are buzzing around the Southback and I'm trying to get a little peace tour. I have just avoided that area until the snowmelts near the base so the poachers don't have the easy access. They post signs, but they are ignored.
Real tempting since cell phones are easy to use to call the Forest Ranger who's handing out tickets left and right on the roads and ignoring what is going on in the forest , but I have this insidious feeling that even though it is irritating to me it's not good Karma either.

We TAY'ers ( me included)can be such snobbish bunch when it comes to our passion and how "right "our selected mode of snow travel is and sneer upon those who choose a different mode.

"Banality of evil"???
Many of the people I work with are avid recreational snowmobilers. Good hardworking folk who follow the rules, love snowmobiling and are courteous, nice people. Evil, I don't think so.

I guess what I'm suggesting is more restrictions on motorized traffic in the BC.  Wildness/wilderness is a finite resource in this world, but population and technology are ever-expanding, at least for now.  Folks must be aware that many want to expand snomo and other mechanical access to wilderness areas, national parks, and such.  Should this be allowed?  Even if the riders are nice?  Is someone who opposes more snow machine use in Yellowstone a snob?
As I've said in another string, I'm against ski-lift expansion in general.  Obviously I don't dislike lift skiers---I hang with them all the time, and encourage them to try the backcountry.
And I assume many TAYers know the origin of the expression "banality of evil":  in the Holocaust, courteous, nice PEOPLE contributed, often unknowingly, to an evil INSTITUTION.  And I'm not equating snow machines with genocide, duh, just making a point about society. 
I'm a neat-o guy too, I hope, but I still feel obliged to reduce the weight of my footprint on this wonderful, endangered planet.

It will be interesting to see how the Okanagon-Wenatchee National Forest's proposed travel plan to restrict ALL motorized vehicle use to designated roads/ routes and trails plays out. This would mean no more cross country/over snow travel on forest service lands by snow machines. I think this is a reasonable plan, it would still allow snow machines access to hundreds of miles of groomed and ungroomed designated snow mobile routes. Why should snow machines be treated differently than other motorized user's of Federal Lands? With our thin snow pack here on the eastside, snow machines are not completely benign in terms of damage to underlying soil/vegetation in certain areas.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want a snow machine. For access of course
I Swear I have heard this all before. Possibly last year ??

I guess what I'm suggesting is more restrictions on motorized traffic in the BC.  Wildness/wilderness is a finite resource in this world, but population and technology are ever-expanding, at least for now.  Folks must be aware that many want to expand snomo and other mechanical access to wilderness areas, national parks, and such.  Should this be allowed?  Even if the riders are nice?  Is someone who opposes more snow machine use in Yellowstone a snob?
As I've said in another string, I'm against ski-lift expansion in general.  Obviously I don't dislike lift skiers---I hang with them all the time, and encourage them to try the backcountry.
And I assume many TAYers know the origin of the expression "banality of evil":  in the Holocaust, courteous, nice PEOPLE contributed, often unknowingly, to an evil INSTITUTION.  And I'm not equating snow machines with genocide, duh, just making a point about society. 
I'm a neat-o guy too, I hope, but I still feel obliged to reduce the weight of my footprint on this wonderful, endangered planet.

We go from complaining about snowmobiles to comparing them the to the Nazi's and invoking the Holocaust.?
Gimme a break.
Ridiculous.
Get some perspective!