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Snowmobiles vs Skiers


AlpineK

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sisu_suomi said:

Snow machines have their uses, but as 90% of you on this list are "city" boys and girls you never see them as WORK MACHINES. I've used them for hunting, fishing, approaching ice climbs that are a long distance and a machine is the best option. Those of you that disagree with this use can kiss my butt.

I've also seen the misuse of the gas hogs and its shameful. A good friend of my wife's was crippled by one in Hatchers Pass about 20 years ago by an out of control sno-goer. Very sad ending.

I personally would never buy one as I can spend $ on other things, but to have the hard core feeling about the machine and the people that own them is not correct either. Its like saying float planes, river sleds, air boats etc. should be banned. All machines have good and bad users(owners). I was coming back from a climb in Alaska once that had a mo-fro decent. My buddy got hurt, an avid sno-go hater. Well, a sno-go driver helped haul his ass back to the trail head. His 'tude changed after that. grin.gif

 

hunting, fishing and ice climbing are "work" huh rolleyes.gifyellaf.gif

 

remember if you dont like snowmobiles just string some fishing line across a trail at neck-height-on-a-sled when you ski up the road first thing in the morning. the french Resistance used to get the German motorcycle patrols with this technique on the french back roads in WWII. except they used Piano Wire instead of nylon fishing line. apparently if the motorcycle was going over 35 mph the driver would cleanly decapitate himself.

 

if you are peaceful just leave a lot of flagging tape buried just under thesnow surface. i read somewhere (Monkey Wrench gang or some Earth 1st Manual) that the treads will suck up the tape and the plastic will then melt on the engine and gum it up real good.

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sisu_suomi said:

Snow machines have their uses, but as 90% of you on this list are "city" boys and girls you never see them as WORK MACHINES....

 

I agree, Sisu. Snowmobiles DO have their place and the anti-snowmobile attitide of many backcountry skiers can be obnoxious. However, the snowmobiler's that climbers and skiers are complaining about are not working but are playing, so part of your argument doesn't really hold up and it is inescapable that snowmobiles are loud and smelly and their use has a greater impact on our experience in the outdoors than we do on theirs. There are questions of politeness on both sides of the fence but the major issue, I think, is one of balance.

 

I don't ski on logging roads very much, and they are mostly unable to get to the alpine areas in Washington -- indeed I can think of very few places where I want to go skiing or climbing and there is a conflict. Sure, I have to share the first couple miles of a trip into Colchuck Lake with them, but I am more than willing to do that. And yes, I might prefer to ski the south side of Mount Baker without them, but then again I can climb the north side instead and they are not allowed there (though occasionally they do violate the boundaries of their permitted area).

 

In BC, however, the mountains are more snowmobile-friendly and there are not the same restrictions on their use throughout most of the mountain areas. I think AlpineK is right that it is getting harder and harder to get away from them in the Coast Range, and there appears to be no end to this trend in sight.

 

 

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freeclimb9 said:

So, one time I'm getting geared up at a trailhead to go ice-climbing, and I overhear some slednecks talking about skiers. The one priceless comment was "seems like every time you come up on 'em, they're right in the middle of the road". Evidently, the loathing is mutual.

If you think this is loathing you ought to see a recreational sno-goer and a dog sled person go at it.

The HIGH MARKER pic that was posted is (again my opinion) the example of the irresponsible sno-go owner. I good friend of mine had his son die doing this. In fact the boy goes down as causing the biggest sno-go triggered avalanche in Alaska. Turnagain Arm...mile long if I am not wrong. Took him and several other high markers. Too bad but fuck with the slope and sooner or later it will get ya.

NEXT...................

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I think the Easton glacier eats atleast one of those machines a year. I saw one narrowly escape while a snow bridge collapsed right under him. Told the sledders at the trailhead and it was like "wow! no way, you're bullshitting us, there are cravesses up there but we just go around them"-as they were strapping a 12 pack of Schmit on the back of the sleds.

Sadly I think that the highmarking on the railroad grade does sometimes cause avalanches on them, and I think one died up there a few years back. I remember the survivors said that they were just having a little fun. Maybe they should get licenses or pass some basic test-sure I may get flamed for even mentioning this. I dont mind the 4 stroke sleds as much and even provide a lot of use for cabins, climbs or approaches and seem more courteous.

TTT

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Snow machines are very popular here in Momo land. Seems that the dairy farmers have time on their hands in winter, and like to burn fuel. But, except for a handful of shitheads, most riders just cruise on roads and trails. Two days ago, after riding and pushing my bike over the snow for 8.5 hours, a sledhead came by, asked how I was, and gave me a candy bar. Dude was a saint (probably Latter Day).

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