Bc Riders!!!

[Bones_inst]

There are immenant closures for riding areas throught BC as stated in this article...... http://www.conservationnw.org/press...ment-announces-landmark-caribou-recovery-plan

I support the government conserving habitat, but also wonder just what kind of distruction the we as snowmobilers are doing.

We have till spring this year to do something about it...


Contact the BC snowmobile federation today to find out how you can help

 

[swe-doo]

There are immenant closures for riding areas throught BC as stated in this article...... http://www.conservationnw.org/press...ment-announces-landmark-caribou-recovery-plan

I support the government conserving habitat, but also wonder just what kind of distruction the we as snowmobilers are doing.

We have till spring this year to do something about it...


Contact the BC snowmobile federation today to find out how you can help

One thing is for sure, those loud cans and pipes does'nt make things better

 

[farwest]

In the deep snow I can't even hear a sled with a can.Where we ride the closest person in a residence is 3 hours away by car at 60 mph.The moose and elk won't even move out of the way if we accidentaly come upon them unnanounced.They hear us comming but don't view us as a threat.We always wait for them to move or take a wide berth around them.If one of these tree huggers could make their x country skis move fast enough to get to where the wildlife is they could witness it for themselves.But they think it's alright for a cat ski opperation or a heli ski opperation to scare the crap out of all animals in the meadows and mountains to dop them off to glide down the hill to the bar.

 

[Dragin]

I think it's how they spend there money.

These tree huggers manage to have a lot of money behind them to lobby the government. I think thats where they're kicking our asses. We spend $1,000s of dollars on our sleds but not much on saving our riding areas (compared to them). They have cheaper equipment than us, live closer to where land closure issues are decided and have no problem blowing there money on it.

We need to have a stronger voice and put more effort into being heard by the government. Let's compare how differently our money gets spent.


Snowmobiler: Assume your trip is 3 days

$10,000 - sled X 2 = $20,000
$50,000 - pickup ( to haul the sleds to the mountain )
$12,000 - Trailer ( you can haul 2 and keep your sleds clean )

$1.10/L diesel X 100L= $110 ( probably only get you 600km )
$1.10/L Premium X 75L X 2 sleds ( jerry can/sled/day )= $165
$100/night hotel X 3 = $300
$10/breakfast X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$10/lunch X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$30/supper X 3= $90 X 2 people = $180
$1500 - helmet, boots, gloves, goggles, pants, and jacket X 2 people = $3000
$15/day trail pass X 3 = $45 X 2 people = $90

Okay add that up: $85,965


Skier or snowboarder assume trip is 3 days

$1000 - skis or board X 2 = $2000
$35,000 - SUV
$500 - roof rack to hold skis or board

$1/L gas X 60L ( probaly get you 800Km ) = $60
$100/night hotel X 3 = $300
$10/breakfast X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$10/lunch X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$30/supper X 3= $90 X 2 people = $180
$1500 - helmet, boots, gloves, goggles, pants, and jacket X 2 people = $3000
$100/day lift pass X 2 people X 3 days = $600

Okay add this up: $41,760

See they can go to the mountains and ride and be all proud about how they'er saving the enviroment for less than half what it costs us for a weekend trip.

Thats alot of cash to throw at the government to fight us and make us go away! I'm only comparing 2 people to 2 people multiply that by thousands and thats a small idea of what we're up against.

WE NEED TO WAKE UP!!!! and put more money behind our cause or we'll be stuck riding in our back yards.
That'll be all that's left.

My numbers are probably wrong but I think you get my point.

 

[HANDSOME]

I rarely have seen any cariboo or there tracks. I saw them in Tumbler once and they stared at us while we had a sandwich. I would like to see some sort of proof that we are disturbing them.

 

[pano-dude]

These tree huggers manage to have a lot of money behind them to lobby the government. I think thats where they're kicking our asses. We spend $1,000s of dollars on our sleds but not much on saving our riding areas (compared to them). They have cheaper equipment than us, live closer to where land closure issues are decided and have no problem blowing there money on it.

We need to have a stronger voice and put more effort into being heard by the government. Let's compare how differently our money gets spent.


Snowmobiler: Assume your trip is 3 days

$10,000 - sled X 2 = $20,000
$50,000 - pickup ( to haul the sleds to the mountain )
$12,000 - Trailer ( you can haul 2 and keep your sleds clean )

$1.10/L diesel X 100L= $110 ( probably only get you 600km )
$1.10/L Premium X 75L X 2 sleds ( jerry can/sled/day )= $165
$100/night hotel X 3 = $300
$10/breakfast X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$10/lunch X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$30/supper X 3= $90 X 2 people = $180
$1500 - helmet, boots, gloves, goggles, pants, and jacket X 2 people = $3000
$15/day trail pass X 3 = $45 X 2 people = $90

Okay add that up: $85,965


Skier or snowboarder assume trip is 3 days

$1000 - skis or board X 2 = $2000
$35,000 - SUV
$500 - roof rack to hold skis or board

$1/L gas X 60L ( probaly get you 800Km ) = $60
$100/night hotel X 3 = $300
$10/breakfast X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$10/lunch X 3 = $30 X 2 people = $60
$30/supper X 3= $90 X 2 people = $180
$1500 - helmet, boots, gloves, goggles, pants, and jacket X 2 people = $3000
$100/day lift pass X 2 people X 3 days = $600

Okay add this up: $41,760

See they can go to the mountains and ride and be all proud about how they'er saving the enviroment for less than half what it costs us for a weekend trip.

Thats alot of cash to throw at the government to fight us and make us go away! I'm only comparing 2 people to 2 people multiply that by thousands and thats a small idea of what we're up against.

WE NEED TO WAKE UP!!!! and put more money behind our cause or we'll be stuck riding in our back yards.
That'll be all that's left.

My numbers are probably wrong but I think you get my point.

your numbers are definately out of whack.... you buy a $50,00 truck and $12,000 trailer every year? maybe, i see you're from White court..... oil country lol!
doesn't matter the point you are making about standing up for your right to use the areas to ride in i agree with. Write some letters to your local MP, support the BC snowmobile federation and local clubs these are the people who are in the trenches fighting for us.
This is how the Sierra club and green people work, it's all about numbers of people who VOTE, not about how much money you spend on your sport.

 

[Dragin]

Numbers are a little Off...LOL

Ya your right I don't get a new sled, truck and trailer every year (would be nice! ) but I'm sure you could see my point. If someone was getting into either sport and had to start from scratch that was how I based my #s.

Anyway I am going to jump on the wagon and support as much as I can but I still think that money talks JMO.

 

[asu_gt]

Regardless of the specific numbers, you are right on in your point. the "Green" organizations such as Sierra Club have deep pockets. Certainly they have some big hollywood names and such, but they also have a significant number of members. considering the relative small number of snowmobilers it is a little like David v. Goliath.

Our challenge is to find the right stone (i.e. public activism, economic, individual rights, political lobby, etc) to overcome their influence.

I have been searching and have found very little info on the Big 4's environmental lobbying...anyone know what they are doing to prevent land closures?
J

Ya your right I don't get a new sled, truck and trailer every year (would be nice! ) but I'm sure you could see my point. If someone was getting into either sport and had to start from scratch that was how I based my #s.

Anyway I am going to jump on the wagon and support as much as I can but I still think that money talks JMO.

 

[longtrack156]

Seems to be a lost cause, I have written a couple of years ago, the most I got back was, we will take into consideration your comments!
I started snowmobiling in Mackenzie in 1967, (one of the proposed closure areas), and we hunted caribou on Morfee Mountain at that time, (there was a hunting season). The last time I was on Morfee Mountain was in 1987 and sat on my sled while a small herd of caribou walked within 20' of me. According to the governments own statistics the caribou herd in that area is larger than ever. This area has seen heavy snowmobile use for the last 40 years. I had hoped to get a response from them where I could argue about the logic of their conclusions but they don't listen or care. I have e-mailed several MLA's, no reply! The problem is that the enviro-freaks work on the Vancouver area population with their lies and the people are sympathatic because they don't know any better. If only someone could hold the enviro-freaks responsible for their lies!

 

[Bones_inst]

I don't really know what to do about this problem either, but there are a lot of people that use our backcountry for snomobiling, skiing and other rec. pastimes. In the end we are the tax payers, and should be able to hold our government accountable. The issue is that special interest groups have something that the rest of us don't. They are organized and have unbelievable passion for their cause, for this reason they hold demonstrations, recruitment drives and all sorts of other rallys to show that they support their cause. The rest of us are either working or sledding, or fixing our toys, we don't think that we can do anything. I am getting tired of special interest groups running this country. Lets show that we actually want our rec. areas.

 

[Dragin]

We need to make them notice!!!!

I wonder how the enviro freaks would feel if we started blocking there hiking trails and walking paths? Thats the kind of tactics that they use to get publicity. I think that we could probably come up with something better but I just haven't thought of it yet. I think we do have the numbers to be noticed we just need to start acting and stop expecting someone else to do it for us.

 

[Dragin]

Where does our fuel tax go???

Has anyone ever thought about all the fuel tax we pay when we fuel up our sleds? We don't even use them on the roads!!! I think we should stand up and make this tax be put to good use for us!!! Not re-paving roads that were just built!

What if our club fees could get us some kind of card so our fuel tax gets used on our needs?

 

[Bones_inst]

I am in agreement that if we have to pay road tax on the fuel we put into our sled then we should be able to have a voice to do something about it. I also think that there are enough snomobilers, ski/snowboarders and rec dealers here that we should be able to be heard. The question is how? And who is going to facilitate this?

 

[pgsledder]

Some of the local snowmobile clubs should invite the Premier and some mayors out snowmobiling to show them what its really about and how much fun it is and how little impact it has.

 

[kost-a-bunch]

Well this is what is needed! those that don't buy a season snowmobile pass don't help much, we need NUMBERS! alot of riders to show for, if we have the numbers (riders with memberships) we can get better votes towards the riding areas we need or already had and are loosing. you look at crosscountry skiers, they all get membership passes and have alot of numbers to get areas just for crosscountry skiing, same as heliskiers!

so buy a pass to help out the local clubs with there costs and some of it goes towards the bcsf (BCsnowmobile federation) to help fight back with all the legal BS.

I talk to the president of the bcsf quite a bit and did again today, he was saying the caribou issue is coming back again! it never ends, hes always dealing with this stuff and give him alot of credit, hes off to victoria to deal with some of this stuff and try to smooth it over.

Ted,
Terra Alps Racing inc.
www.terraalpsracing.com

 

[Bones_inst]

Do you think that if we went above snowmobile clubs and involved local media we could do something that way?? I am sure that towns like Chetwynd, Tumbler ridge, Mcbride, Sicamouse, Revelstoke, just to name a few would be willing to help our cause as we are a significant supporter of the local economy durring the winter.

 

[flying pig]

Do you think that if we went above snowmobile clubs and involved local media we could do something that way?? I am sure that towns like Chetwynd, Tumbler ridge, Mcbride, Sicamouse, Revelstoke, just to name a few would be willing to help our cause as we are a significant supporter of the local economy durring the winter.

Revy is kind of a perfect example of the hypocracy that we face as sledders. No more BIS partly because of the environmental impact. Yet a year later there's a huge ski resort in revelstoke. Funny how that happened. Can't we all just get along? For that matter anyone who is seen leaving ANY garbage in the backcountry should be shot. Skier, boarder or sledder. Its not good for any of us. Remember too guys, lots of skiers and boarders like using sleds to access alpine as well, I rarely ever go a day without seeing somone riding with a snowboard attatched to their back.....if it hurts us it'll hurt them too.

 

[winter brew]

Has anyone ever thought about all the fuel tax we pay when we fuel up our sleds? We don't even use them on the roads!!! I think we should stand up and make this tax be put to good use for us!!! Not re-paving roads that were just built!

What if our club fees could get us some kind of card so our fuel tax gets used on our needs?

I have no idea how things work in Canada, I ride there 1-2 times/year from Wa. state.
I Can tell you how our gas tax benefits sledders. We have to register our sleds, may about $35/tear to register and that includes a sno-park permit for the entire year. The state figures "X" amount of the gas tax/registered sled in the entire state. They have some formula that figures an average annual fuel consumption/sled. That amount of the gas tax goes to pay for our sno-park maintainance, grooming etc...
We are fighting the same poop down here. They want to keep the sledders out of THEIR public lands, but at the same time it's OK for them to build roads and housing developments in the same mountains they dont want the damaging sleds in. Frustrating!!!

 

[sledbert]

The fact is that most of the sledders are too cheep to buy a club membership!!! sad but true. Most think like this, "I don't ride the trails or us the cabins, why should I join??" The fact is that everyone & every dollar is needed if we want to keep riding ANYWHERE. For example, In BC there are 1000's of sledders, unfortunatly only 5% belong to a club,and support the Federation. They are fighting really hard to keep the mountains open. Go to www.bcsf.org check out the stewardship link. Check the trial map, it is frightening just how many areas are CLOSED TO SLEDDERS PERMANENTLY. The enviromentalists have power, the power comes from numbers. Ask yourselves what is it worth, memberships are usually about 80-90$ for a whole year. I'm sure other areas have similar problems.
If you don't pay>>>>>>>> you don't have a say !!
(things that make you Go hmmmmmm????)
I do my part............. do you?
Just my two bits worth

 

[mountainhunter]

as a group i think snowmobilers need to give their head a shake..and before this gets out of hand i am not a greenie..i love sledding and hunting but some of the things you see while in the mtns really pisses people off..the mtn carbou is probably the stupidist animal on the face of the planet but it does have the right to survive... and the reason nobody sees them anymore is there arent many left.. one of the reasons is loss of habitat,that is not just sledders fault ,but with continued industrial growth in mtn areas it gives more and more access to these places for anybody with a quad or sled or pickup for that matter..there is nowhere left for these animals to go to hide.. for example we were riding in a area southwest of tumbler ridge a couple of years ago,and climbed a ridge to look down into hook lake.while we were stopped on top ,we watched a billy goat feeding below us ..anyways along came a herd of sleds ,i dont think they seen the goat but it scared the crap out of him and down the mtn he went ,into the deep snow in the trees floundering around like a fish out of the water..this was in january, so did he make the rest of the winter??i dont think so....mtn goats only breed about once every 3 years..got to wonder how many animals that have the crap scared that we dont see..also increased snomobile traffic into some areas brings more predators to alpine ares because of the easy traveling provided by the frozen trails ..snowmobile tracks on wind blown areas ,which are the feeding grounds for mtn animals get tramped and frozen.. i am not saying that sledds should be banned from these areas but if we dont raise the consiuosness of our impact amongst ourselves it is going to happen.. just my thoughts on the matter..