Hey Snowmobliers and snow bikers pay attention

[timberfaller]

"They" have begun coming for you!!  Hummmmm wonder why???

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd521011&width=full

The Washington Pass area is now off limits as of Jan 1st thu June 30th.  Any bets the MVCC is behind it!??

[timberfaller]

The new regime is coming for you!  Any bets the excuse will be "liability"

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd521011&width=full

The Washington pass area is now off limits to you!  Might check into the MVCC activity's!

[Caseyd]

Welcome to snowshoe land.

[horsehunter509]

My snowmobile identifies as skies so its ok

[Russ McDonald]

Pretty sure this is because of the fires that went through this year. 

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[SWHUNTER]

Here's the map

[KFhunter]

Closure says "for health and safety"

Avalanche danger due to fires?

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[Caseyd]

And if there was evidence of avalanche danger it would be closed to all users.

There’s special permits for heli use in the area that are still being  allowed to maintain operations.

It literally can be read as targeting one user group. All other user groups can continue use. I know the state snowmobile association was on this yesterday. No comment period and a 4 day notice 

Watch it will be crowded now  I’ve heard and can see some large gatherings happening over the next several weekends

[Southpole]

I don’t recall any fires in that specific area in recent past  .

[Naches Sportsman]

Non motorized always get their way on the OWF and other forests. There's tons of environmentalists that work at the gs 11 and above who don't recreate in the woods, and if they do they only hike on trails or ski. Its sickening that they can push their personal agendas!

[follow maggie]

What’s mvcc?

[jrebel]

Here is a non motorized group in Wenatchee that wrecks the landscape and leaves trash everywhere.....all the while other user groups are not allowed to drive on exhausting roads.   Makes me sick. 

I believe they are out of Seattle... imagine that.  There is another sign that says they are partnering with USFS.....doesn’t anyone who pays taxes partner with USFS for public lands??? 

[jrebel]

More pics of the trails and erosion that will follow with snow melt off.  The old trail was abandoned due to erosion.   

[Naches Sportsman]

Evergreen Alliance lobbies for expansions of motorized trails for non motorized users and also has a gathering that likes to build illegal trails. I love snitching on them when I come across new trails as I know they're illegal.

[timberfaller]

What’s mvcc?

Methow Valley Citizens Council

Local and I say "local", environmental activist!   I think ALL but one is a transplant from Nutsville!

Any fires would have been 2018-19.   Other areas burnt over the years have make for great snowmobiling!  If you like to research on the web,  look up the Federal employee's Union concerning the USFS,  it should shock every conservationist!!

[jrebel]

Evergreen Alliance lobbies for expansions of motorized trails for non motorized users and also has a gathering that likes to build illegal trails. I love snitching on them when I come across new trails as I know they're illegal.

Can I rat them out for the amount of garbage left on the side of the mountain?  Who do you rat them out to?   What constitutes an illegal trail? 

[ghosthunter]

Here is a non motorized group in Wenatchee that wrecks the landscape and leaves trash everywhere.....all the while other user groups are not allowed to drive on exhausting roads.   Makes me sick. 

I believe they are out of Seattle... imagine that.  There is another sign that says they are partnering with USFS.....doesn’t anyone who pays taxes partner with USFS for public lands???

Yep

Set in our camp and watched groups of 20 or more riding ridges, in Thompson Ridge, and Coal creek area during modern deer. They were only up around Wolf creek in years past now they have groomed game trails 8 miles south. Disgusting the forest service and game Dept allow them to ride winter range till snow flies. Put up trail signs and e every thing.

[Dick in the Dirt]

What’s mvcc?

   Methow Valley Communist Council.

[Dick in the Dirt]

Pretty sure this is because of the fires that went through this year. 

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No fires in that area. If there was it would still be burning due to Pine Beadle kill.

[KFhunter]

Always kinda wanted to ride there, guess I snoozed



We still haven't gotten back that area closed for mountian caribou habitat....

[Southpole]

Pretty sure this is because of the fires that went through this year. 

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No fires in that area. If there was it would still be burning due to Pine Beadle kill.

That’s exactly why I was wondering why fires were mentioned as the cause of closure. If and when it does go up in smoke it’ll be a moon scape I would imagine since half the trees are dead as mentioned.

[horsehunter509]

This is a area that I snowmobile in several times a year. Definitely not any recent burns in the closure area

[follow maggie]

What’s mvcc?

   Methow Valley Communist Council.

 

[wolfbait]

Divide and conquer,  I talk to a guy the other day who was up in arms about the Twisp river closures under the guise of "restoration", closing several roads etc.. Now more closers for winter user groups. Back during the wolf fight I ask him why he didn't get his buddies together and help, his response was "wolves didn't affect him". I talk to him yesterday, he said we had to fight to keep these areas open< I said have at it, and I reminded him of the wolf fight and how he didn't give  then, but now he want everyone to fight for something that affects his fun.

Try getting public land user groups to come together to fight one cause, see where that gets you. We have already been down that dead end trail.

[bbarnes]

Isn't the. USFS MONTRA equal access for everyone ? Why are all groups of users against one and other ? People need to share the public lands and figure out how to get along !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[timberfaller]

Isn't the. USFS MONTRA equal access for everyone ? Why are all groups of users against one and other ? People need to share the public lands and figure out how to get along !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My guess is you don't understand the "people"(USFS) you have to deal with, especially those in the Methow and those in Portland which takes you clear back to "The Swamp"!!  MONEY is what the power brokers bow to, not the PEOPLE.  Its been transforming in the Methow since the mid 70's and became full blown by the 90's.

The 70's started with the Sierra Club then came the Aspen lawyers moving in and it all went down hill from there.  This current closure is no surprise.

[Caseyd]

The state snowmobile association didn’t know anything about this, the state parks department wasn’t consulted/notified that one of their snoparks was being shut down.

Forests circus is claiming they asked users in the area and didn’t receive pushback. The amount of pushback they have received is probably head turning.

Please call methow ranger at 509-996-4000 to express your concerns

[Buckhunter24]

Pretty bold and biased move shutting this area down for motorized use. What's the difference in avalanche risk this year compared to past years.

[Caseyd]

Pretty bold and biased move shutting this area down for motorized use. What's the difference in avalanche risk this year compared to past years.

Granted the season just starting but nothing.

With ski resorts operating on reduced capacity, everyone is trying to find alternative ways to get outside. Snowmobiles have been a hot commodity and time will tell but it appears we have tons of new participants. With that said I don’t think it’s the “snowmobilers” but the skier/snowboarders using snowmobiles to access backcountry lines in the area. The heli ski company doesn’t like people getting out into the same zone without using their services

[KFhunter]

2 sleds 2 dudes

Leave sled at bottom, ride double to top, ski to bottom rinse repeat.

Not a bad day!

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[h20hunter]

Who's gonna ride bi......on the back?

[KFhunter]

Who's gonna ride bi......on the back?

Guys I seen each stood on opposite running boards

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[CP]

Use a rope

[fireweed]

At Mount St. Helens, I've seen the USFS use this administrative closure loophole to keep land closed, against their own management policies, plans and without public comment, for DECADES.  These "administrative closures" were supposed to be put in place for things like active wildfires but the USFS is using this to circumvent their own public process.  There is nothing to stop them from using this to close anything they don't want--all without public comment and completely outside the EIS, NEPA any other official management process.  This is exactly what happened at Mt St. Helens.  The plan says one thing, but the officials in power toss the plan in the trash, after all the comment and agreement, then do what they want anyway!

Its sort of like Inslee's unrestricted "emergency" powers and orders that go on forever........

[RB]

This how they will start, in the wilderness, and then expand...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/banff-national-park-grizzly-bear-pregnant-denning-hibernation-1.5860065

[Southpole]

This how they will start, in the wilderness, and then expand...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/banff-national-park-grizzly-bear-pregnant-denning-hibernation-1.5860065

In my strong theoretical opinion, I’m certain that’s why the forest service didn’t fix the suiattle river road when it washed out back in 2003. Coincidently pamphlets started showing up a year later about that area was a designated grizzly and wolf habitat. The Indians finally got involved and got the FS to repair the road years later.

[RB]

This how they will start, in the wilderness, and then expand...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/banff-national-park-grizzly-bear-pregnant-denning-hibernation-1.5860065

In my strong theoretical opinion, I’m certain that’s why the forest service didn’t fix the suiattle river road when it washed out back in 2003. Coincidently pamphlets started showing up a year later about that area was a designated grizzly and wolf habitat. The Indians finally got involved and got the FS to repair the road years later.

 

The word that really stuck out in the headline was "possibly" A Grizzly sow is "possibly" pregnant, so they shut down the area.

[Naches Sportsman]

Motorized users won, for now.

I encourage all motorized users to contact their state and federal legislators and beg them to hammer the Okanogan Wenatchee and other forests to make sure you maintain access.

The Okanogan Wenatchee and surrounding forests in r6 are filled with a lot of politically motivated liberals at the GS 11 levels and above who cater to the mtn bikers, hikers and skiers and hate the motorized users.

[Southpole]

Nice job