Snowmobiles in the Mt. Baker Wilderness

Have been using the sled to access the Baker Wilderness area this winter.  Enjoying the easy access and the great terrain.  The sleds in the wilderness area problem I was overlooking for most the winter until now.  Yesterday I counted 10 sleds in the Wilderness area.  Tons of tracks on the Thunder Glacier and two sledders high marking the Thunder.  Group of five sledders shredding the slopes below Heliotrope.  The most ridiculous example was the three guys who rode right past our tracks on the rod and went up to the saddle via the Coleman Deming. 

I love being able to use the Glacier Creek road to access the north side and do not want to lose this priviledge.  Have contacted the Sedro Wooley FS office about yesterday's incursions and hope that they will do something about this.  This is not a rare event.  Everytime I have been up there this winter there have been tracks on heliotrope and beyond.

Contact the Forest Service about this and ask them to educate the sledding public and start enforcing the Wilderness Area Boundary. Photos here:

picasaweb.google.com/1023155739327347881...esOnTheColemanDeming

one would expect the SAP(sled & party) members to govern themselves but if a bunch of tele dudes can help out?
TAY has tons of cred. with the bilers
bF

I have picture of sled track going across the summit plateau and up the little hill to the very top.

As with St. Helens, I've never seen even an attempt at enforcement of the rules. Lame.

I'm sure it's an isolated occurrence and only a few bad apples in the sled community.

Thanks for posting this. Your report is currently being passed around the sledding community. There are a lot of us who are working hard to get our fellow sledders to follow the rules. It's true that it only takes a few folks to make us all look bad. The Canyon Creek closure for the past few years has probably made things worse on the north side of Baker, but that's no excuse. Hopefully the USFS gets around to fixing that road; local contractors have volunteered time and equipment to no avail...

Newtrout.  Thank you for your comments.  Not everyone agrees with me posting this.  Their thinking is that it will only lead to a closure for everyone.  I am not trying to get anyone busted or to close the Glacier Creek access.  Human behavior will follow into the void of perceived allowable behavior.  Right now, sad to say, it is common to cross into the Wilderness on the north side of Baker.   The five guys I spoke with way in Grouse Creek high marking the north slopes on Heliotrope told me they were just following all the tracks.  One Glacier local told me that he knows snowboarders who frequently had up on to the Thunder for runs.

This should not even be an issue.  It is Wilderness!  It was established as an area to be free of human mechanization and buildings.  End of argument.  I don't understand why you would even consider it.

All of the sledders up till now I have met have been super nice, friendly and have helped me out as a newbie.  (Far friendlier than the ski community in some ways).  I am not shy about expressing my enjoyment of owning a sled.  I think they are flat out cool machines.  I just have a major problem with seeing them in the Wilderness area.

Gregg Cronn