Teanaway Wilderness (!) AND snomos managed as are other motorized vehicles on USFS.

[WMC]

This was posted in land use, I just got home from work to post this. My money was well spent for this effort.

(quote)

In powder struggle, judge rules for backcountry skiers; USFS must address snowmobiles.

By Associated Press, Monday, April 1, 10:14 AM

BOISE, Idaho — A federal judge in Idaho ruled the U.S. Forest Service broke the law by not crafting rules to govern snowmobile travel, a victory for powder-loving backcountry ski enthusiasts.

U.S. District Judge Ronald Bush wrote that the Forest Service must draw up regulations designating areas of use and non-use by all off-road vehicles, including snowmobiles, on public lands.

The Idaho-based Winter Wildlands Alliance argued the agency’s failure to do so was leading to conflicts between snowmobiles and backcountry skiers.

Alliance director Mark Menlove said Monday he’s very pleased with the ruling.

Bush ordered the Forest Service to write a new rule consistent with the executive order within 180 days.

The Forest Service had argued it only had to draw up rules governing where off-road vehicles could drive spring, summer and fall.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[norsepeak]

Great, you know we're gonna get hosed on this deal. They'll make it very restrictive on us I'm sure.

 

[Wapow]

Hey WMC - First off, coming on this site to gloat over these developments really reveals your character. Secondly, as any experienced fighter knows, the dumbest thing you can do is congratulate yourself before the fight is over. Please let us know where we can reach you when the final bell rings. I want to reciprocate.

 

[LaharDar]

Agreed, WMC it's time to go away. Forcing more sleds into smaller Alpine areas, so you can have easy access to the edge of (expanded) Wilderness is fu**ing maddening.

 

[yammadog]

I can see Robert Mullens (WMC) is still up to nothing good.

 

[jeffc]

I've never even seen a back country skier where I ride in North Idaho over the last 10 years. Why do they constantly have to be a pain the ***? Until they can't demonstrate their numbers in the hundreds in a visual presence within a minimum distance of 10-15 miles into the back country on their self propelled ski's from the parking lot; I don't think they should have any word in the matter or better yet; they should just be permitted for use at ski resorts and the resorts' immediate surroundings.

 

[White Rad]

http://sagebrushcoalition.com/2013/03/19/taking-back-rural-america/

Time for the impacted counties to take this approach.

 

[2Thetopp]

DON'T FEED THIS TROLL, he's just looking for more ammo to use against us! Karma will take care of him. Hopefully he will break his leg in his wilderness and by the time SAR gets to him on foot, the critters will have picked him clean.

WMC, just sent me a BAD REP. for this post, what a TOOL! Like said, Karma will take care of you, I won't respond cause I just want him and this thread to go away.

 

[Cascades34]

It's judges like this that make it imperative that we as a community get active for the sake of our sport. Spring is here and soon we will all have some time on our hands. Write your congressman, local representative, and join organizations that fight for our rights. Apathy will quickly lead to wilderness expansion and closures.

 

[WMC]

The view from this side.

Wenatchee Mountains Coalition (WMC) came here, and was allowed, to try to talk to snowmobile riders in 2010. WMC supports WWA and vice-versa. I think that some or most guys here are, of course, angry, but more importantly just keep going on without understanding laws and process regarding the Forest and how things are done. The extremist stance, the aggressive language, just drives this toward being influenced by groups such as Sierra Cub which seems to have no limit on desire to create new Wilderness and ruin our way of life. Though you like to label us, we are not usually like those labels thrown around, we want our share, many of us ride snowmobiles and skitour- but we believe that the motorized/ non-motorized or human-powered/ non human-powered uses need areas for each. USFS in many examples but not on all Forests neglected to divide up the winter Forest as required. This court decision now forces USFS to do this balanced management of the winter Forest- per longstanding law- in Idaho. As well, the decision may have nationwide implications.

It is tough to be faced with the prospect of not having snowmobile riding free reign over places such as the Wenatchee NF, but sooner or later 'you guys' will have to share. In 25 years, I have watched the reverse, I have watched the snowmobiles take over ranges of mountains that I skied on before snomos were capable of getting out there. All of the folks that I work with in Winter Wildlands are not trying to ban snowmobiles, although WWA and WMC want more areas available in winter without snowmobile riding. My own local contacts who are mostly Republcans and almost entirely professionals, guys who skitour and ride snomos, and want some balance. We, as described, are wanting to 'SHARE' instead of being shut out. WMC advocates for significant areas for non-motorized winter recreation on the Wenatchee NF. Wilderness is usually inaccessible, and on the Wenatchee very little provision for winter recreation other than snowmobile riding has occurred. This was not a problem until the technology allowed snowmobiles to ride on all sort of new terrain and take away most of the country that had been traveled only by skis and snowshoes before the new technology snowmobiles.

The real data shows such a greater number of folks who want to and do walk on the winter Forest on skis or snowshoes. This data has not been demonstrated by studies where surveyors target Sno Parks primarily. The human-powered folks are spread out in various parking locations, and one car will carry several- compared the the huge amount of parking to accommodate rigs with trailers for a few riders. One bus at our local Sno Park as is common from the city on a winter weekend will have more non-motorized users than probably days or the entire week numbers of snowmobile riders at that Sno Park. I am not trying to convince anyone these are the facts, you can rail against the reality and yadda but this overwhelming force of numbers and resources is beginning to be felt.

So I and most of my local contacts do not want to lose the ability to snowmobile back into the Forest, especially using the roads. The roads on the Wenatchee are thus far nearly all that is legally established for snowmobile riding- so 'you guys' have your work cut out for you to get some established riding areas beyond that. You have your work cut out, but you spend your time talking smack, acting out, threatening this and that, all of which no one cares. And please, do those mass demonstrations of breaking the boundaries, that will just make it go quicker.

I have heard often and from many USFS folks with a lot of years experience of how nasty it is to deal with snowmobile riders in regard to this management. We have been told directly that locally this is a primary reason why USFS would not deal with it. This Federal Court decision, if carried on throughout the USFS, will require USFS to manage the Forest and designate where snowmobiles may be ridden. The biggest mistake made is that riders think that all of the Forest that they have had free reign belongs to snowmobile riding. The mistake is, the fact appears to be that USFS folks often chose to ignore you riding all over because it is too nasty to deal with! Now there may be no choice, and the Forest level on down will be given 'cover' to proceed when it comes down from the top.

So no, I am not here to make friends. But some of my statements from 2010 are coming to fruition. I will tell you in 2013 that I believe snowmobile riders need to learn the new reality and join the process before your little fits just screw you out of all of it.

 

[hilock8]

Need Viagra?

Hopefully when u get hurt or stranded u can get yourself out without the help of helicopters or snowmobiles that might harm your "Natural Areas" and the granola will lead the birds to you, of course to alert the others.

 

[Kneedeep]

Wow

 

[blindman]

selfish pos

So I and most of my local contacts do not want to lose the ability to snowmobile back into the Forest, especially using the roads.

your selfish agenda as usual.

hey rob ..yes i did call you selfish...and i agree that is name calling. sorry as i am trying to get past it it is obviously ok for you to do it!

once again it is all about you.

next post will be asking how many times you have used the area you so much enjoy shutting down.

please tell the truth

 

[blindman]

WMC Mr. Rob Mullins of Leavenworth

Has skiid the areas he wishes to shut the Snowmobilers out of in the Teanaway the last Three years .....................

get ready for this........................


maybe two times...wtf
Rob have we ruined it for you? or are you ruining it for us?

 

[blindman]

same

I've never even seen a back country skier where I ride in North Idaho over the last 10 years. Why do they constantly have to be a pain the ***? Until they can't demonstrate their numbers in the hundreds in a visual presence within a minimum distance of 10-15 miles into the back country on their self propelled ski's from the parking lot; I don't think they should have any word in the matter or better yet; they should just be permitted for use at ski resorts and the resorts' immediate surroundings.

why are they so selfish to restrict other users?? why...so on the "special day" they want to go it is all theirs??? too many people on this planet for that anymore.

 

[snowhunter1]

Here he is! you know the guy that wants no sleds in his area! OH WAIT IT'S ABOUT ME, DON'T MIND MY SLED! just what it say's I need a sled to get where "I" want to ski !!!!!!!!!! screw everybody else this is "MY LAND" Oh nice helmet, a true American!!!!

PHOTO: Rob Mullins, Leavenworth, heads off with his friend Gus Bekker, Wenatchee, on a backcountry ski and snowshoe trip from where Mullins parked his snowmobile above the Blewett Pass summit earlier this month. Using the snowmobile cuts down the time it takes for Mullins to reach the upper areas he like to ski in.