HELP!!! Someone is going to get killed!

[yotedog]

I have been ridding the same mnt. range for almost 30 years, last week I broke over a ridge and down a steep chute and at the bottom almost enddoed my sled off a 8 foot vertical bank, that was never there before. A person had bought a snow-cat with a blade and built roads all over in the back country for access to take people of lesser ability snowmobiling. There are a lot of these roads across the faces of the hills we climb.
I have contacted the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and the Idaho State Snowmobile Association to find out if this person has a permit to guide or run a snow-cat on U.S.F.S. (public) land.
I'm not trying to stop people from sledding in the area but these roads that are cut in are very dangerous.

If anyone has any suggestions of a different or better course of action i can take, please let me know.

 

[Fatrunt]

So where are you talking about? If it is on the Payette Forest there are several permit holders for backcountry snowmobiling trips. More info please!!!

 

[yotedog]

Smith Mnt. area.

 

[SAWYER]

wow, glad your ok

 

[Fatrunt]

Yep as I remember there are two permit holders over there. The OX Ranch has a guide permit and a private person I believe still has a permit for that country. You took the correct steps to get answers to your questions. I'll be curious to see who it is that doing the snowcatting. I don't think anyone was permited to do any grooming of any kind!!

 

[yotedog]

yes I'm sure the ox still has there permit for guide services. The private permit, that person is now deceased. But what I am trying to find out is if the snow-cat is permitted for grooming and if there are any guidelines on safety for groomed trails.

 

[Fatrunt]

Yep. I was not talking about Bear Dens, There is another person just outside of Council that had a permit however I think it was for Council Mt. Now there is another person that lives out on Council-Cuprum that had a snowcat but they used it for sking over on Hitt Mt.
My understanding is a permit is required for grooming not for just using the cat on the forest. How Deep do you want to go with this? I can make mention of this at our next Winter Rec Meeting. Anyway if you have trouble getting answers let me know and I will get answers for you.

 

[yotedog]

Thanks Scott
I may end calling you later on this week. I'll see what i come up with.

 

[Shake&Bake]

Sounds dangerous

That sucks, if u follow the same paths and trails u always have and they have changed. I dont know about where u are, but alot of our riding areas change year to year due to logging during the summer so we have to be very careful. I hope everything works out. You think that where the NEW trail crosses an older, backcountry trail they would have to mark it out. A lil orange tape costs nothing.

 

[sled_guy]

I would be really surprised if their permit allows any sort of grooming or road cutting. That would not be the standard FS back country guide permit. If it does, ask them when the permit renewal is coming up and request they hold a public meeting on it, which they should anyway. Then you can lodge a complaint against the grooming portion and maybe get that changed.

Again, knowing how the process works in Utah, I would be really surprised if that is allowed.

sled_guy

 

[JJGRAFF09]

Id rather watch for a road than a tree

 

[hilinerider]

i thought the fs policy was no roads anywhere any time????


or does it just seem that way???

 

[sledhed84]

man that sucks hope your ok. im glad your doing something about it so more people dont get hurt

 

[big E]

If they are cutting roads 8' deep at the bottom of chutes the avy will get them and you will be able to use them for a jump next time. W.T.F.