Sledders on Mt Stuart

[Wapow]

Whoever it is that has been sledding on the NW side of Stuart, knock it the f_uck off! It's been getting plenty of notice by all the climbers and skiers going up there from the Icicle. With so much legal terrain in the area, why you gotta drop into the wildernesss area??? Keep that sh_t up you selfish pricks and we're all gonna lose our access.

 

[graveler]

there where tracks in a couple of different areas, looked like 3 sleds, one spot was someone coming from Blewett, the other was east of lake ann

 

[Fordman]

all were fresh tracks from either Friday or Saturday.

 

[ericbigbore]

Some times it's snomo skiers.

Was there a bunch of snow board/ski tracks to go with the sled tracks? I have noticed a few snomo skiers are snagging the freshies in the wilderness lately. Next time you see tracks look for jump off tracks on the high marks. I'm not accusing anyone but they ride side by side and jump off at the top and I have seen these tracks 3 times this year where they should not be.

That might narrow down your search for the poachers, or not.

 

[Wapow]

there where tracks in a couple of different areas, looked like 3 sleds, one spot was someone coming from Blewett, the other was east of lake ann

Damn, it's even worse than I thought. The reports I heard about were above Stuart Lake, on or near the Stuart Glacier, which means the sleds likely came in from the Van Epps back bowls area. If you saw tracks on the S side, that means they've been running rampant all over the wilderness area. Gonna get us all kicked out of the Teanaway for their stupidity.

 

[Wapow]

Was there a bunch of snow board/ski tracks to go with the sled tracks? I have noticed a few snomo skiers are snagging the freshies in the wilderness lately. Next time you see tracks look for jump off tracks on the high marks. I'm not accusing anyone but they ride side by side and jump off at the top and I have seen these tracks 3 times this year where they should not be.

That might narrow down your search for the poachers, or not.

It was likely me and a few of my friends that you saw with skis on our sleds in the Teanaway and SlS. We've been snomo accessed skiing back there almost every week this season and I've never seen anyone else with skis on there sled back there. But, we use the sleds to get back to the good terrain (and to rip it up on the to and fro) and then earn our turns from there.

 

[ericbigbore]

It was likely me and a few of my friends that you saw with skis on our sleds in the Teanaway and SlS. We've been snomo accessed skiing back there almost every week this season and I've never seen anyone else with skis on there sled back there. But, we use the sleds to get back to the good terrain (and to rip it up on the to and fro) and then earn our turns from there.

We ski too on the sleds (but don't earn a whole lot anymore) and used to be guilty of this same behavor but cleaned up our act years ago. I saw highmark drop off tracks on the back side of Ingles (sp) a couple of months ago. I also saw the same type tracks in the Winthrop area wilderness earlier in the year. The thing that bothers me the most is theres enough to be had without poaching.

 

[dragonrider08]

i know it gives us a bad name but its pretty funny when im hunting that area during the late summer and im seeing bits and parts of sleds that ate sh_t droppin into the wilderness on the back side of ingals

 

[newtrout]

Whoever it is that has been sledding on the NW side of Stuart, knock it the f_uck off! It's been getting plenty of notice by all the climbers and skiers going up there from the Icicle. With so much legal terrain in the area, why you gotta drop into the wildernesss area??? Keep that sh_t up you selfish pricks and we're all gonna lose our access.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. We've run into several groups coming out of wilderness this year. They all know it and none of them give a sh!t. I'm tempted to start taking pictures of sleds and tags. I'm afraid that the only way its going to stop is if some people get nailed.

I'm not going to look the other way anymore just because they are fellow sledders.

 

[Pumpkinpatch]

Education

The last time I was up near Longs, there was tracks dropping off the backside down into the wilderness. I just don't understand why people think the grass is greener on the otherside. Like what has been said, this kind of use will get us shutdown from that area or any other place that gets abused.

P.P.

 

[CleElum Sledhead]

These kinds of incidents really make me believe that I am wasting my time with trying to keep our/your riding areas open with my volunteer work with SAWS.

There is no way in he!! I can counter the negative PR and FS proposed plans that say we need to shut down more public land to snowmobile use when they have this sort of evidence.

SAWS does not believe one more acre needs to be closed to snowmobile access, BUT, we do believe that we need to respect current wilderness areas, as we can not see how crossing them will help our mission at all.

True, they may only be a few bad apples that don't give a rip, but we will all pay in the end, and the fight is lonely and getting hard to justify.

 

[H20SKE]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. We've run into several groups coming out of wilderness this year. They all know it and none of them give a sh!t. I'm tempted to start taking pictures of sleds and tags. I'm afraid that the only way its going to stop is if some people get nailed.

I'm not going to look the other way anymore just because they are fellow sledders.

Fishman--I am with ya--I see this happening and I will be taking pictures of tags or writing them down and reporting them!!

Like Dave said--It is impossible to counter their behavior when the record shows this is happening--Ignorant IDIOTS!!

Time we as responsible sledders put our foot down and stop this ourselves!! Time to stop being the look the other way guys--time to report them if we want to ride in the future!!

H20SKE...

 

[KevinW]

They have been dropping in right between Ann and Van Epps on the little saddle near Ann....you can see their tracks all the way to Stuart. Does anyone know why the forest service won't start some kind of "task force" or something to stop this. I kind of enjoy our sport, and would like to keep it open to all of us that obey the laws and respect the land we are allowed to ride on.

 

[ruffryder]

They have been dropping in right between Ann and Van Epps on the little saddle near Ann....you can see their tracks all the way to Stuart. Does anyone know why the forest service won't start some kind of "task force" or something to stop this. I kind of enjoy our sport, and would like to keep it open to all of us that obey the laws and respect the land we are allowed to ride on.

Well, since they don't really have money to go out and enforce everything sledders do, I expect the task force is to limit the riding completely....... tis a shame. I believe the task force you are looking for is US, snowmobilers!

 

[Ice Cap]

I think that there is a possibility of putting a positive spin on this but it might be risky.
As sledders we can bring this to the attention of the authorities and show our concern. We can also self police and try to get any information that we can about the violators and pass it on to law enforcement.
I believe the key to the positive spin would be to make sure the media is told what has happened and that we as snow mobilers are policing ourselves.
The risk is that if we bring attention to this we may be giving the opposition the ammunition they need to close down more areas.
It truely is a double sided sword but if we do nothing I can guarantee that we will lose more riding areas!

 

[Backcountry]

Self police first...Take some pictures and let peer pressure go to work. I think the threat of taking pix of jackholes parked in the turn-around at the sno-parks may have helped. Same could go for some people who know they are wrong but wont change their actions.

 

[ericbigbore]

I agree with the self police and shame concept.

 

[mtnsldr]

Between Rosco and I we could take some very incriminating pictures from long range with the lens we have combined. I have the perfect ridge picked out too.

Maybe we could actually get these fella's to donate a large donation to SAWS with this kinda of evidence.

I'll be waiting, don't forget to smile, and make sure you brush your teeth and shave.

MtnSldr

 

[sidehil]

I disagree.After 25 years of ice and rock climbing in that drainage,5 summits of stuart,1 unexpected bivy on the summit,ill take a beer and ski pull any day,any where.Now if could just get the quads out my fav hunting unit I would be really happy.

 

[Kordero]

sidehil - what exactly do you disagree to? Do you think sledders should be riding in the wilderness? Or, do you disagree with the self-police and shame concept? As a rock climber that has spent some time in that area I'm sure you're well aware it is well loved by the environmental groups that oppose snowmobiling all-together.