just wondering where to look up national forest laws. i cant seem to find any. i know you cant use anything mechanized in wilderness areas. but what about the rest? can they really say no sledding here or there in non wilderness areas? especially if theres several feet of snow on the ground.
anybody know the laws on sledding in national forest
- Thread starter sloppy2nds
- Start date
OH YA! Are you new to the sport?
Yes they can the forest service looks over the national forest and determines where we can ride. Most area's there are no restrictions but look at high use area's like Vail Pass and Rabbit ears and they decide what the skiers get and what we get.
S
sldgy
Guest
or ride a fast sled and always have an alternative route out
Not exactly, 99% of the time the skiers can go anywhere, including wilderness. It is just the sleds they steal land from
It varies wildly from place to place. You should find out which forest you are in and contact them for maps. Often times the maps are on the web too. Make sure you check for winter motorized as summer motorized is even more restrictive in most cases.
M
mtn_extreme
Well-known member
Idaho has travel plan maps available that designate areas and their usage...horses,4wheelers,snowmobiles, etc.
B
BackCountryBob
Well-known member
You can ride in any NF or BLM except for dedicated wilderness areas. Check out the NF map and know where you are. Some ranchers that lease NF/BLM might try to lock you out but yoy have a legal right to use OUR land.
not true. the forest supervisor can decide that some areas are closed to snowmobiles for whatever reason she feels.
skiers mightgo there.
butterflies might ****.
drmiller is right. There is no rhyme or reason why some areas are deemed OK or not. That is a decision made behind closed doors with the Bark Choking Granola Muchers in mind. Did that come off too strong? That happened here in Oregon. Areas that had been open for ever, were suddenly closed for no reason. Those that "manage" the forests in our country, do not like powersports. They use words like "Carbon Footprint" and "Tread Lightly". Just a rant, but...
Take time to find the closed areas and do your best not to infringe on the natural habitat of the North American Sasquatch. Happy Riding!
Take time to find the closed areas and do your best not to infringe on the natural habitat of the North American Sasquatch. Happy Riding!
B
BackCountryBob
Well-known member
Well they attempt to close off the areas but they actually have to have Congressional approval. If you have enough time and money, you can force the gov't tyrants to reopen the area. Most areas in Colorado have been closed in the summer for "forest revetation" but were open in the winter.
Current FS maps will show all closed areas.
Current FS maps will show all closed areas.
Congressional approval is only necessary for "Wilderness" areas. There are millions of acres in Colorado on USFS and BLM lands that are closed to over the snow travel. These are enforcable, you could get a ticket for travelling in designated non-motorized areas. They are lightly enforced however. Problem is they are often heavily used areas with lots of ski bastards around who are quick to call the ranger.
Read the maps, then at least you know where you are supposed to be. Let you conscience be your guide. I'm not going to preach to anybody about staying out of any parcel of public land. I agree, it is public, intended for public use and the closed areas represent discrimination of a select user group regardless of how the forest managers justify it. Funny how this is the only remaining segregation allowed in our country. Doesn't fly anywhere but on "public" lands, figure that one out.
Bottom line, then can and do close areas. The can enforce the closures, they rarely do. My advice, join the Colorado Snowmobile Association. We have 20,000 registered sleds in the state and 2000 members. The forest manangers are starting to hear us, but we need everybody's help.
Enjoy your ride!
Read the maps, then at least you know where you are supposed to be. Let you conscience be your guide. I'm not going to preach to anybody about staying out of any parcel of public land. I agree, it is public, intended for public use and the closed areas represent discrimination of a select user group regardless of how the forest managers justify it. Funny how this is the only remaining segregation allowed in our country. Doesn't fly anywhere but on "public" lands, figure that one out.
Bottom line, then can and do close areas. The can enforce the closures, they rarely do. My advice, join the Colorado Snowmobile Association. We have 20,000 registered sleds in the state and 2000 members. The forest manangers are starting to hear us, but we need everybody's help.
Enjoy your ride!
Contact the local Ranger District, be sure to ask about animal closures and other restricted areas. They use "Special Orders" to close some areas to sleds, but leave them open to skiers
Yikes! Some wild opinions here.
Wrong!
Wrong again.
Every Forest Service Plan Revision and Forest Service Travel Plan can and usually does close areas to motorized use. That is a fact, and a fact that SAWS has been fighting many of these closures and attemping to make the average snowmobiler aware of these numerous potential closures for many years. Looks like we have a long way to go.
Only Congress can designate designated wilderness areas, which are ALL closed to ALL forms of mechanical transportation (except wheelchairs per the ADA).
But the Forest Service can designate other closures to snowmobile use based on their perceived need to separate user groups for safety and/or peace and quite. They can state they need to protect "wilderness character", and close Recommended Wilderness Areas and/or Wilderness Study Areas, or Winter Wildlife Habitat Areas, or other areas that they deem "sensitive" for any number of reasons.
Fact is, they can and do close riding areas for a number of reasons, and Congress does not have to lift a finger!
Dbook said:
Wrong!
BackCountryBob said:
Wrong again.
Every Forest Service Plan Revision and Forest Service Travel Plan can and usually does close areas to motorized use. That is a fact, and a fact that SAWS has been fighting many of these closures and attemping to make the average snowmobiler aware of these numerous potential closures for many years. Looks like we have a long way to go.
Only Congress can designate designated wilderness areas, which are ALL closed to ALL forms of mechanical transportation (except wheelchairs per the ADA).
But the Forest Service can designate other closures to snowmobile use based on their perceived need to separate user groups for safety and/or peace and quite. They can state they need to protect "wilderness character", and close Recommended Wilderness Areas and/or Wilderness Study Areas, or Winter Wildlife Habitat Areas, or other areas that they deem "sensitive" for any number of reasons.
Fact is, they can and do close riding areas for a number of reasons, and Congress does not have to lift a finger!
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And if you don't believe my post above, take a look at some of our recent SAWS Action Alerts here: http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/
Or some of our previous SAWS Action Alerts here: http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/Action_Alert_Archives.htm
Very few of these alerts are for Congressinal bills, but most are for Forest Service proposed closures.
Or check out my post on the Suan Juan Public Land post here on SW. This should be an eye opener for you folks in CO: http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46844
You folks in CO will soon be saying goodbye to thousand and thousands of acres of former areas open to snowmobile use that will be closed by the FS and BLM, as it does not appear too many snowmobilers in CO plan to get involved in this issue. As snowmobilers don't in most states.
Very sad indeed.
Or some of our previous SAWS Action Alerts here: http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/Action_Alert_Archives.htm
Very few of these alerts are for Congressinal bills, but most are for Forest Service proposed closures.
Or check out my post on the Suan Juan Public Land post here on SW. This should be an eye opener for you folks in CO: http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46844
You folks in CO will soon be saying goodbye to thousand and thousands of acres of former areas open to snowmobile use that will be closed by the FS and BLM, as it does not appear too many snowmobilers in CO plan to get involved in this issue. As snowmobilers don't in most states.
Very sad indeed.
I agree
One more little tidbit that came to mind while reading this is the fact that an area really does not have to meet any sort of prequalification rules in order for it to be deemed wilderness, "Roadless" is what comes to mind. We lost an area to wilderness that had approximately 45 miles of roads, ranch roads, jeep trails, hunting access roads. The area was deemed roadless, blessed by a big city political prick, and with the stroke of a pen it became a 100,000 acre wilderness of no use. We lost one of the greatest, most extreme snowmobile paradises in the lower 48 and it was plumb full of roads.
Whata shame Scotty
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