Cat on Jones

[jbusch]

I just got back from Jones and the snow was pretty thin still. Everything was wind loaded we even got a small release on a high mark. Coverage is better but not going again until Jones gets more snow. Not worth it! I did run into Bill though, apparently he is guiding for powderaddiction. A large crew was up there trying to put the track back on the snow cat. One of the guys told me to watch were you are riding this year as the Forest Service is planning on beefing up patrol on Jones. Which I am sure is due to the cat operation. So no Vasquez, no McReary Lake without running the risk of a ticket.

Thanks powder addiction.

 

[tudizzle]

thanks for the report..

I thought those guys had the cat all dialed and were going to have no maintenance issues?

 

[jbusch]

they were hauling in all sorts of stuff, generator, hydrolic jacks, heavy tools, looks like they need to work a little harder keeping it running. On the bright side the road is smooth.

 

[rotax]

they were hauling in all sorts of stuff, generator, hydrolic jacks, heavy tools, looks like they need to work a little harder keeping it running. On the bright side the road is smooth.

wtf, and they say snowmobilers are causing problems to the environment. lol

skiers and all their special back country access equipment...creating more 'snow pack' issues than a snowmobile imo!

 

[backcountryislife]

f**k that cat.

They're gonna have to work REALLY hard to prove that they're not deserving of us pounding the piss out of their aspects they're dropping folks on.

If I have to be harassed by the forest circus, they're gonna get harassed.

Yeah, I'm a prick.

 

[jbusch]

couldn't agree more! I figured the only reason we have to be harassed is because of those jokers.

 

[rotax]

couldn't agree more! I figured the only reason we have to be harassed is because of those jokers.

yep, sounds that way.

never seen any issues the few times i've been up there. now all the sudden we are a threat? because someone wants to start making $$ off the area... go figure.

vail pass 2.0 incoming.. /sigh

 

[backcountryislife]

There was a cat op there before, there is a cat op there again. They're charging so much that I find it hard to believe they'll last long. At least the road will be smooth for a while.

 

[BackCountryBob]

Hey BCIL--I thought you were the guy that didn't like groomed trails--was up

BCB

 

[smokenjay]

f**k that cat.

They're gonna have to work REALLY hard to prove that they're not deserving of us pounding the piss out of their aspects they're dropping folks on.

If I have to be harassed by the forest circus, they're gonna get harassed.

Yeah, I'm a prick.

I plan on being a prick also. They are not welcome!

 

[mannix]

Might be the minority here (getting used to it), but while I'd PREFER that the cat-operation not be running at Jones, I'm going to be civil and cordial, just like I am with the backcountry skiers.

Y'know, try to represent snowmobiliers as responsible, considerate, multi-use types. We might not LIKE what they're doing, but ultimately, it is legal, they're not doing anything _wrong_, and I don't believe that their *intent* is to ruin OUR recreation. They're trying to make money - whether that should be fair game on FS land is another discussion.

I'm not going to be the one to _start_ the conflict, anyway. If they're jerks about things, well, karma and whatnot, but I'm going to put effort into making it work, not making a scene. I'm not necessarily going to adjust where I ride on a given day, but I'm not going to track up snow just BECAUSE they're operating their business.

Heh, I find myself sitting here thinking about the right-wing enviros lighting lodges at Vail on fire. I know no one is advocating destruction of property, but there are parallels....

It'll be interesting. I'm in the process of finding somewhere else to ride as a result of the cat-op - not so much because THEY'LL be there, but because I don't need to deal with drama on the weekends; I'm fairly certain I'll get along with them just fine - I'll be well into my day by the time they get TO the lot. I was concerned that it'd turn into a user-group war, so I started looking.

Seems like it is GOING to turn into a user-group war. Hope I find someplace good!



Iain

 

[tmk50]

Heh, I find myself sitting here thinking about the right-wing enviros lighting lodges at Vail on fire.


Iain

Yeah right - Limbaugh, Hannity, and O'Reiley were responsible for that.....

LMFAO

You might want do some reasearch on ELF and the Vail fire. I'm pretty sure ELF isn't funneling money to Palin for 2012!

 

[mannix]

"right wing enviros" = the most conservative enviros.

Limbaugh et al are right wing POLITICIANS. They're the most conservative of the politicians.

Get it?



Iain

 

[backcountryislife]

Hey BCIL--I thought you were the guy that didn't like groomed trails--was up

BCB

touche!

I'm trying to find a positive over here, c'mon!

Just to be clear, I'm not planning to be a prick to them unless they go out of their way to be negative towards us. The simple fact is, they are 100% at our mercy. 1 rude sledder can make their day completely miserable, so as I do for access riders, I will do my best to urge folks to maybe just leave those few slopes alone for the day just because it's the cool thing to do. (I think Jbusch can attest to that not being the easiest thing to do around there)

On the other hand, if they make our lives more difficult & are negative towards us, it can very easily be paid back 100 fold toward them. There isn't a run they can do that we can't destroy, so I hope they take that into consideration when they measure their attitude toward us this year.

 

[jbusch]

being an access rider and respectful of the fact that I all people have just as much right to be back there as I do and I can say without a doubt that backcountryislife has always been respectful of where we ski and has always helped to steer folks away from the hills that we primarily ski. Thanks for that!

It will be interesting to see what the attitude of the cats are regarding all other users. Only time will tell.

I hope this doesn't turn into the feud that existed between sledders, access riders, and Blue Sky West over at buff pass. Even the sheriff got involved in that one. This sport has exploded recently and the areas where we used to have all to ourselves is not so any more. So, we keep having to find different terrain to avoid the hassles. I hope we don't get pushed from Jones as well.

 

[mannix]

Yup. Ditto on Kaleb, too - no concerns there.

The Buff Pass people are _why_ I bought a sled. Long story, but it takes two, and the Blue Sky group I skied with (guides) were *not* respectful, cooperative multi-use types.

Hard to say who started it, but they were not innocent, that's for sure.

I hope the Powder Addiction people are nice; I know the snowmobilers _can_ be - sledders, as a group, have proven to be extremely helpful, stand-up people, at least for me.

Will be interesting. That much is certain.


Iain

 

[jbusch]

I agree, with only 1 exception I have nothing but friendly helpful sledders at Jones. But I have also been riding at Jones for about 5 years now.

I used to know the investors in Blue sky and only got there side, but I had also skied with Blue Sky and got to experience the attitudes of both sides.

My biggest concern is not with the cat but with Forest Service shutting down some of the regular areas that I ski in, like the banana. It is just unfortunate that the cat brought this on us. I can deal with the cat and there users as they are limited to road pickups. I just hope they are cooperative and friendly much like vail powder cats are.

 

[mannix]

Where is "the banana?" I don't know names of anything. PM? Don't want it spread netwide, I'd guess.


Iain

 

[Rammit]

I dont see how this cat operation is going to be successful, the skiing at jones sucks, at least ive never found any good lines that were worth my time that. Ive found better pow stashes at vail within a short hike...........
Hopefully a cat means that the road will be maintained better, and i can get up to the bowls faster

 

[jbusch]

I agree with you mostly. The skiing at Jones is great! I skied Vail pass for years and got totally disgusted, the lines are good. Machine Gun is probably the best, cupcakes is good, avy bowl, etc. But the skiers at VP are scary, too many and not enough avy training. Jones sees less skiers, equally good lines, most better, some worse. The powder stash's at Jones are great, trees are great, and above timberline is fantastic. You just have to know where they are.