Proposal to Shut Down Togwotee Riding Areas

[Red Mtn]

In my area the forest service plan is to give the sledders a big wide open area in the center of the forest Then systematically close off the access points to that large open area one after the other. Nobody pays enough attention because the closures are all small little areas. However in the end by closing off all the access points they in turn close off the entire area. They stand there and argue that they have left all this open area to ride. which of course they have, its just nobody can get into it without breaking the law. It has worked great for them. Then on our side we have people saying things like it will never happen and they will kill off tourism i am too busy for there BS. In the end we are all standing there screaming they cant do this. They purposely hold meetings in small areas so that the turnout will be kept to a minimum and the opposition will be small to their plans to close areas. I get the idea of conservation but there is a right way and wrong way to go about doing it.

So quit bothering with the letter writing and the meetings. It is a HUGE fail for sledders, we always lose land, always.


FACT; The USFS doesn't have the resources to patrol these lands.


They support closures because it is the easiest way to get the whining greenies off their backs. If we would all just say screw thee lines in the snow and ride the public land, I assure you they would be forced to change this tact. Pretty soon we would become the thorn in their side and they would have to respond by opening lands for the public to recreate on.


For too long they have just closed areas without just cause. Time to start protesting it in a more tangible fashion. Ride it, make them catch you, if they can.


Anything less is a complete waste of your time money and efforts.

 

[sledheader]

So quit bothering with the letter writing and the meetings. It is a HUGE fail for sledders, we always lose land, always.


FACT; The USFS doesn't have the resources to patrol these lands.


They support closures because it is the easiest way to get the whining greenies off their backs. If we would all just say screw thee lines in the snow and ride the public land, I assure you they would be forced to change this tact. Pretty soon we would become the thorn in their side and they would have to respond by opening lands for the public to recreate on.


For too long they have just closed areas without just cause. Time to start protesting it in a more tangible fashion. Ride it, make them catch you, if they can.


Anything less is a complete waste of your time money and efforts.

I agree with this. Everybody has to have their breaking point where they say enough is enough. They are forcing us and everyone else who wants to enjoy public land OUTLAWS. The problem with this is as you saw in the "Armed Militia" in Burns, Oregon. Agree with their cause or not, that's what happened to them (I live about 1.5 hours from burns), They hit their breaking point to where they said enough is enough. Now their tact may not have been the best, but it sure got the attention of the nation. But now those people are either dead or in jail.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it's starting to get to that breaking point for A LOT of people where you just have to say enough is enough and do what you want. Don't trash the land, don't do anything stupid or belligerent, but show that you can exercise your freedoms as you wish. Rant over.

 

[Red Mtn]

Pretty sure they broke the rules first as well. We have Wilderness areas full of logging roads. Doesn't exactly make the "untrammeled by man" standard, not by a long shot. I know it is the same in many places.


Leave nothing but tracks.

 

[Solarguy]

Correct, but is there anyone who does not have enough area to ride ?

DPG

You missed the point, some of our BEST areas are being closed in non wilderness areas where we have ridden forever. In NW Montana unbelievable amounts of public access have been closed in the past 40 years, hunters, fisherman, four wheelers, sledders, horseman, cyclists and more have continually lost more area to recreate. To sit back and say we have plenty is a sure fire way to watch our area dwindle.
We all need to use our voice and resources to maintain what we have before it's to late.

 

[jorgy]

So, back to my original question:

My understanding is there is another meeting on this subject either this week or next???

 

[donbrown]

Correct, but is there anyone who does not have enough area to ride ?

DPG

California has many many restrictions with very nice areas banned !!!