A little advice if you ever have defend sledding with a skier

[Sledbrain2]

I did get into a discussion once with a skier (down hill) who tried to belittle me because I am a snowmobiler/sledder/snowmachiner. Stating that snowmobiles ruin the environment. The argument was over when I said the only difference between you and me is that I ski up hill. All those tress cut out and power lines needed to run the lifts does absolutely nothing to the environment?

 

[Scott]

How do they get to the ski hill?

 

[Ace Freely]

Most skiiers I know, and I live in a town with a GREAT ski hill (Misson Ridge), see the sled as a tool for them to ski the back country. Most don't want non motorized areas, as that limits them too! The skiiers have noticed that the sleds have gotten quieter...SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP DOING!

...Bottom line, there is plenty of area for both groups to enjoy their passion, limiting motorized areas hurts us both!

...I encourage sledders to work with skiiers, and come up with travel plans for YOUR neck of the woods! We know it better than a beauracrat in D.C.

...skiiers are just like us, addicted to powder! Use that as a common denominater, and engage them! Trust me, I've done it in the Wenatchee Valley, and it's working!

Ace

 

[ripnit]

I have had discussions with cross country skiers that no amount of logistic or consesstion will make them happy other then No Motorized PERIOD. They even have 90% of the Wood River valley and they want more(Sawtooth Valley). One braap of a snowmobile miles away or tracks where there have not been tracks before and their on the phone to the Area Ranger filing a complaint because it ruined their backcountry experience. I have told some that the forest is Multiple Use and everyone should be able to use it. But I usually get puffft.

 

[snowmobiler]

here its yuppie greenie valley.they want no sleds and backcountry every place they can park a subi.

 

[TDUGGER]

When they get buried or need help make sure rescue personel uses skis equipment and not a motorized machine to get back to them. This will change their attituide in a hurry

 

[Solarguy]

All we can do (and we do) is slow down, be polite and respect their desire to not have excess noise (braaaping).
Many will at least notice you are being respectful, I have received a thank you or two for slowing down and going very slowly by.
Some have a bad attitude and won't be happy no matter how respectful we are, they will still notice any of us who are polite and go slowly by.

 

[Shattered1]

I live in a place that has about 500 miles of trails and two points for sled access. The trails that allow sled access are about three miles each, so we have about seven miles of trail that we can ride on. After you ride for three or so miles on either of these trails, you're in the backcountry. But even after you make it to the back country, there are areas that are exclusively for skiers and we aren't allowed to go there. If we even get close to the boundaries, the militant skier types call the Forest Service and complain.

The problem is that the skiers, hikers and snowshoers like the sled trails because we groom them. And when they use our groomed trails, many of them get really put out because sleds use them too. It's a very contentious situation.

There are some who like sleds and see them as a means to access the back country, but those are in the minority. Most are militant hippies and yuppies who think all motorized vehicles (other than the cars they drive to the trailheads) should be banned.

In fact, when I moved here about 30 years ago, there were places to ride dirt bikes and four wheelers, but they shut those down about 25 years ago because the hippies thought they were dangerous and were bad for the environment. Now you can only ride them on private land. And only 1% of all the land in Alaska is privately owned, and Juneau has even less that in private ownership. So, effectively, off road vehicles are banned here.

I guess the point is that once the militant hippies take over, they will try, and often will shut down everything they don't agree with.

I wish these clowns would move back to Seattle and California where they belong.

 

[Shattered1]

And I almost forgot, there's usually no reasoning with them.

 

[SixtySevenGT]

Message to all EARTH MUFINS

The Parking lot is not a Camp Ground


The Parking Lot is not a Changing room


The Parking Lot is not a Class Room


The Parking lot is not Dog Park


The Parking lot is not a Subaru show room

 

[POLZIN]

1)walk to the mountain ( your car uses gas )
20don't cut trees for ski runs ( you don't find much evidence of sleds after the snow melts )
3)walk up the mountain( lifts require power usually coal and wind at least that's what wolf creek claims HAHA BS and subsidized)
4)no grooming ( groomers burn fuel lots of it)
5) GFYS

 

[tar]

I guess the point is that once the militant hippies take over, they will try, and often will shut down everything they don't agree with.

I wish these clowns would move back to Seattle and California where they belong.[/QUOTE]

You can keep them there are plenty to go around.
Tar

 

[Shattered1]

You can keep them there are plenty to go around.
Tar[/QUOTE]

Ha! I don't doubt you for a moment. I just think they'd be happier in Seattle or California. They'd be around more of their kind in those places and wouldn't spend their time pissing us off.

 

[DeathRowRacer]

Hot chocolate with marshmallows instead of a beer

 

[boondocker97]

Hot chocolate with marshmallows instead of a beer

Has to be organic though.

 

[SXViper]

One of our best defenses against land closure is to encourage downhill skiers and snow boarders to come out and enjoy the backcountry. It's a numbers game to an extent. We can use their voices. Plus if I was a skier I may grow to prefer the backcountry to crowded ski resorts.

 

[vector boy]

One of our best defenses against land closure is to encourage downhill skiers and snow boarders to come out and enjoy the backcountry. It's a numbers game to an extent. We can use their voices. Plus if I was a skier I may grow to prefer the backcountry to crowded ski resorts.

I would have to agree. I work at a ski shop in Omaha, and 90% of the clientele is the Patagonia douche bags that think their skis are made from God's hands. When I get asked by them if I ski, I just say I prefer to ride snowmobiles and see more than the same hill each day. I've had a few walk out on me when I bring up snowmobiling, but the majority have asked why I enjoy it, and have had lengthy, yet positive conversations with them. I don't attack them on the subject, and almost all of them have said they want to try it someday, just don't have the funds to go out and purchase the equipment.

What I have gotten out of a lot of the conversations is how uninformed the ski community is. They see how high the price tag is on the machines, how much new gear costs, and how much trailers and trucks cost, but don't realize they can't rent most of what they need, and most of their ski gear with work for a day or two of trying it out.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[capulin overdrive]

One of our best defenses against land closure is to encourage downhill skiers and snow boarders to come out and enjoy the backcountry. It's a numbers game to an extent. We can use their voices. Plus if I was a skier I may grow to prefer the backcountry to crowded ski resorts.

Heck with that, already enough folks in the BC.




Average resort skier isn't our enemy, as much as the Nordic and skin only BC crowd. The ones that want to use our parking lots and groomed trails, but don't even have to pay for it.

 

[Hbmtr]

I live in a place that has about 500 miles of trails and two points for sled access. The trails that allow sled access are about three miles each, so we have about seven miles of trail that we can ride on. After you ride for three or so miles on either of these trails, you're in the backcountry. But even after you make it to the back country, there are areas that are exclusively for skiers and we aren't allowed to go there. If we even get close to the boundaries, the militant skier types call the Forest Service and complain.

The problem is that the skiers, hikers and snowshoers like the sled trails because we groom them. And when they use our groomed trails, many of them get really put out because sleds use them too. It's a very contentious situation.

There are some who like sleds and see them as a means to access the back country, but those are in the minority. Most are militant hippies and yuppies who think all motorized vehicles (other than the cars they drive to the trailheads) should be banned.

In fact, when I moved here about 30 years ago, there were places to ride dirt bikes and four wheelers, but they shut those down about 25 years ago because the hippies thought they were dangerous and were bad for the environment. Now you can only ride them on private land. And only 1% of all the land in Alaska is privately owned, and Juneau has even less that in private ownership. So, effectively, off road vehicles are banned here.

I guess the point is that once the militant hippies take over, they will try, and often will shut down everything they don't agree with.

I wish these clowns would move back to Seattle and California where they belong.

easy on the sending them to Cali,got to many already.Majority live in the city and are influenced by Obummer and the sierra club.I ride from my house and deal with this same situation.What they dont realize is who grooms there trails and who pays for it,ohv registration thats who!

 

[AZ800]

Ever hear the CW McCall song Crispy Critters?
That's what I think of em!
I don't try justifying Sno machining to the granola munchers but it sure is fun to blow the doors off their '94 Suberjew outbacks while pulling my 28' enclosed up the pass, covering them with my carbon footprint!
On the up side, it seems my uncorked Snowbike gets more stink eye than my sled when they're 2 planking up the SNOWMOBILE trail!