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BackCountryBob
Well-known member
Anyone know if Ski Cooper will be open this year?
BCB
BCB
SKI COOPER YEAR END RIDE
- Thread starter BackCountryBob
- Start date
The Holy Cross Powder Hounds (Eagle County) and Leadville High Riders have worked with Ski Cooper to hold a "club ride" on Ski Cooper on April 19th from 9:30am-3:30pm. I call this a club ride instead of an event for a reason.
Ski Cooper is separated by the Continental Divide into White River Forest and San Isabel Forest. Most of the front of the hill is on WRF and is technically closed by the Travel Management Plan to motorized use. San Isabel FS is not closed and we can ride that. Ski Cooper gives us permission to ride it but they are administered by both FS groups with a permit to operate motorized vehicles and the lifts. The Powder Hounds have asked the WRF for a one day permit for this event. It would then be sanctioned and we can put "rules" to ensure the event is successful.
Last year the WRFS called our club and told us we can no longer do this event. So, we are trying this year to do it just on San Isabel FS. SIFS provided some rules. These are the rules for an FS in terms of group events. We can call it a club ride (which provides members with liability insurance) but we cannot call it an event. We cannot collect money and we cannot have vendor booths. We charged $5 for non-member lunches last year and had demo rides from two dealers. That is all axed now. We are also not allowed to have more than 70 people. But that is a gray area because we cannot stop people from accessing public lands (and shouldn't). I'm sure our club won't have 70 people unless about 1/3 show up.
Both the WRFS and SIFS will have LEO's (Law Enforcement Officers) onsite to check registrations and ensure that nobody rides on WRF side. I find it ironic that the WRFS has told us that they don't have the man power or resources to help us open areas of concern in the TMP but show up for this "club ride".
Below is a map to the Ski Cooper map. We are able to ride the far right side (Peekaboo, Trails End and Homestake runs). These ski runs will take you to the top where you can travel the ridge and access Chicago Ridge, which is where the more advanced riding is located.
This is a map showing the WRF and SIF lines:
Ski Cooper is separated by the Continental Divide into White River Forest and San Isabel Forest. Most of the front of the hill is on WRF and is technically closed by the Travel Management Plan to motorized use. San Isabel FS is not closed and we can ride that. Ski Cooper gives us permission to ride it but they are administered by both FS groups with a permit to operate motorized vehicles and the lifts. The Powder Hounds have asked the WRF for a one day permit for this event. It would then be sanctioned and we can put "rules" to ensure the event is successful.
Last year the WRFS called our club and told us we can no longer do this event. So, we are trying this year to do it just on San Isabel FS. SIFS provided some rules. These are the rules for an FS in terms of group events. We can call it a club ride (which provides members with liability insurance) but we cannot call it an event. We cannot collect money and we cannot have vendor booths. We charged $5 for non-member lunches last year and had demo rides from two dealers. That is all axed now. We are also not allowed to have more than 70 people. But that is a gray area because we cannot stop people from accessing public lands (and shouldn't). I'm sure our club won't have 70 people unless about 1/3 show up.
Both the WRFS and SIFS will have LEO's (Law Enforcement Officers) onsite to check registrations and ensure that nobody rides on WRF side. I find it ironic that the WRFS has told us that they don't have the man power or resources to help us open areas of concern in the TMP but show up for this "club ride".
Below is a map to the Ski Cooper map. We are able to ride the far right side (Peekaboo, Trails End and Homestake runs). These ski runs will take you to the top where you can travel the ridge and access Chicago Ridge, which is where the more advanced riding is located.
This is a map showing the WRF and SIF lines:
How did it go?
We were there with 4 sleds @ 9:15am today, nice to see the old Hag from the Forest Circus sporting Kevlar, Big nine that was last shot in 64 when the Circus hired the bitch', talking Shid, right out of the gate, ("if you don't like it go somewhere else") F-ing JOKE!
Packed up & rode Vail.
We were there with 4 sleds @ 9:15am today, nice to see the old Hag from the Forest Circus sporting Kevlar, Big nine that was last shot in 64 when the Circus hired the bitch', talking Shid, right out of the gate, ("if you don't like it go somewhere else") F-ing JOKE!
Packed up & rode Vail.
I thought it went well. We had a blast and still rode Chicago Ridge. I get why you left and I don't blame you. But my stance is that their Forest Circus wasn't going to chase me from a place that I should have the right to ride. I know who you were talking about. She was terrible with me too. What's crazy is the law enforcement officers from San Isabel came by to shoot the breeze and was an OK guy. That lady puffed her chest out and bragged that she was turning people away.
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BackCountryBob
Well-known member
I bucked the hyped bad weather reports and showed up about 9:30 to blue skis and 38 deg F temps.
I was greeted by 4 Forest cops near the entrance and was told where I could ride, and NOT--about 1/2 the improved area. His face was practically in my Jeep when I gave him a "get out of my space look" at which time he said "with the look on your face I get the feeling you think I shouldn't be here" all I could do was laugh out loud. Sensing a possible confrontation, one of the pistol pack'n females jumped in front of him and gave me the new White Forest recreation map. I was anticipating a registration and sound test hassel but it did not happen. If it did I can produce, in writing, the state snowmobile sound regs and testing procedure along with my Colorado Snowmobile Safety Instuctor ID. In which case, he should not have been there because very few FS cops know how to administer the tests.
I was told that Ski Cooper had new ownership, not in favor of this one day
snowmobile "party." Most everyone felt they would not attend th
e party next year.
BCB
I was greeted by 4 Forest cops near the entrance and was told where I could ride, and NOT--about 1/2 the improved area. His face was practically in my Jeep when I gave him a "get out of my space look" at which time he said "with the look on your face I get the feeling you think I shouldn't be here" all I could do was laugh out loud. Sensing a possible confrontation, one of the pistol pack'n females jumped in front of him and gave me the new White Forest recreation map. I was anticipating a registration and sound test hassel but it did not happen. If it did I can produce, in writing, the state snowmobile sound regs and testing procedure along with my Colorado Snowmobile Safety Instuctor ID. In which case, he should not have been there because very few FS cops know how to administer the tests.
I was told that Ski Cooper had new ownership, not in favor of this one day
snowmobile "party." Most everyone felt they would not attend th
e party next year.BCB
Ski Cooper has not changed ownership and they have given everyone (the two clubs sponsoring the event) FULL permission to be up there.
Why did the FS decide to be a**holes about it this year?
I wasn't able to make it on Saturday, but last year I don't recall armed forest circus jerks there trying to pretend they're steven segal or whatever ...
that is just unbelievable to me they seem to think they need to show up to a snowmobiling event in riot gear because someone MIGHT tresspass across into King Obama's forest. I don't recall that ever being a problem before? Why was it warranted this year?
I wasn't able to make it on Saturday, but last year I don't recall armed forest circus jerks there trying to pretend they're steven segal or whatever ...
that is just unbelievable to me they seem to think they need to show up to a snowmobiling event in riot gear because someone MIGHT tresspass across into King Obama's forest. I don't recall that ever being a problem before? Why was it warranted this year?
Maybe the BLM put them up to a challenge?
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Drewd
Well-known member
My fault, I may have let it slip that Cliven Bundy, owner of Arizona Bundy Ranch, was riding with ya'all that day. 
Question: What is policy regarding open carry on federal/BLM/Forestry Service lands? Perhaps next year we can exercise our right to ride and open carry (if allowed).
The radicals of the current administration loved civil disobedience when they were younger. How about we give them a taste of their own medicine and next year we get at least a 100 sledders to stage a protest ride? What are they going to do, shoot us?
This BLM/Forestry Service crap is getting out of hand. We are slowly losing our freedoms and implementation of certain aspects of U.N. Agenda 21 seem to be becoming more common....scary and I don't even believe in conspiracy theories.
http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/
Question: What is policy regarding open carry on federal/BLM/Forestry Service lands? Perhaps next year we can exercise our right to ride and open carry (if allowed).
The radicals of the current administration loved civil disobedience when they were younger. How about we give them a taste of their own medicine and next year we get at least a 100 sledders to stage a protest ride? What are they going to do, shoot us?
This BLM/Forestry Service crap is getting out of hand. We are slowly losing our freedoms and implementation of certain aspects of U.N. Agenda 21 seem to be becoming more common....scary and I don't even believe in conspiracy theories.
http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/
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TBOMK, Ski Cooper has a lease with Lake County, There was a new President/General Manager that started in 2013 (Dan Torsell) Used to work @ some East Coast area Ski, would love to know what his take on Sleds & Ski Cooper is ?
Best of my knowledge end of season ride after Cooper closed has been going on since the 80's.
The Hag from FS claims they found some hidden rule/law claiming that sleds could not ride at Cooper now, in the future or the past 30 years, when asked to elaborate on this, the Tub of Lard was clueless ( like a true Government employee). This is when she pulled back on her 3XL FS Blazer, so we could all see she was packing.
Should have challenged her to a 50 yard dash.
Where to start and where to end this rant on our illustrious federal government....
Two of us almost tased over sledding last spring (not at Cooper). They claimed we were in a closed area... we were not and refused to back down to them.
Homeland Security has up armed and trained many field officers recently. They appear to be feeling those oats lately. The clowns that confronted us almost had a REALLY bad day, standing at less than my arms legnth with her hand on her weapon. Anyone with any training knows she would have been toast had she made a move, I was not going to be tasered.
Then our lovely CSA sold us down the river supporting the bill allowing LEO to enforce any and all laws, many of which were out of their jurisdiction previously. This greatly empowered the BLM and FS cops and, of course, as taxpayers we improved their equipment, new vehicles with full police gear now etc etc.
Pretty big mess and the snowmobile land use side is a crumb in the big picture. The attitude and actions of some govt employees is simply getting out of hand.
The problem with carrying a weapon and riding a sled is that there is a statute prohibiting this. It is meant to protect wildlife from being run down and shot from snowmobiles. I have never been able to really determine if having a carry permit negates this, or where you would end up if in front of a judge. I just don't carry on the sled, even though I know I should.
Two of us almost tased over sledding last spring (not at Cooper). They claimed we were in a closed area... we were not and refused to back down to them.
Homeland Security has up armed and trained many field officers recently. They appear to be feeling those oats lately. The clowns that confronted us almost had a REALLY bad day, standing at less than my arms legnth with her hand on her weapon. Anyone with any training knows she would have been toast had she made a move, I was not going to be tasered.
Then our lovely CSA sold us down the river supporting the bill allowing LEO to enforce any and all laws, many of which were out of their jurisdiction previously. This greatly empowered the BLM and FS cops and, of course, as taxpayers we improved their equipment, new vehicles with full police gear now etc etc.
Pretty big mess and the snowmobile land use side is a crumb in the big picture. The attitude and actions of some govt employees is simply getting out of hand.
The problem with carrying a weapon and riding a sled is that there is a statute prohibiting this. It is meant to protect wildlife from being run down and shot from snowmobiles. I have never been able to really determine if having a carry permit negates this, or where you would end up if in front of a judge. I just don't carry on the sled, even though I know I should.
It's good to hear comments on this. The one LEO from WRF (Jill I believe) seems to be the common denominator here. Her behavior was aggressive and abrasive from the get go. The club is passing this information along to Scott Fitzwilliams, the guy at WRFS. At least the LEO from SIFS (Jerry) was a nice guy and interacted in a friendly way.
I was told recently that LEO's are also internal affairs for FS personal. That's scary based on the interaction with the LEO's at Ski Cooper. I wonder if the Cliven Bundy Ranch debacle had them concerned before the day even started.
I was told recently that LEO's are also internal affairs for FS personal. That's scary based on the interaction with the LEO's at Ski Cooper. I wonder if the Cliven Bundy Ranch debacle had them concerned before the day even started.
