Plea to Americans!!!

[MikeK]

BC etiquette is tough to enforce. Education is the only way and there's always people out there that don't care. I could post countless photos of small things like snowshoe tracks over skis track to beer can in fire pits to stashed and rotting canoes/boats to trails tore up by 4 wheelers (where they aren't supposed to be).

Urban areas are the worst. I hate to have to drive miles and miles when there is snow in my back yard, unfortunately, the way everything is managed here it's not any fun and the egregious offenders seem to think skis should have to go elsewhere (I'm serious about this, bare booters I approach tend to think skis should go somewhere that is machine groomed).

I think the solution is really to move. Less people, less issues, more open space to do my own thing.

At least Canadians seem to be somewhat respectful to ski culture and snow recreation.

[satsuma]

Fortunately, in the Blue Mountains, the snow is too deep and soft to do much booting without sinking in pretty deep. Of the two areas I use which are specifically designated for non-motorized use, one is fairly remote-- at this area, the snow shoeers are pretty respectful of ski trails. Unfortunately, this area is at lower elevation than the other, and there may not be much snow left. Also, last time there were snowmobile tracks for the first 1-2 km (strictly illegal).

At the other location, I set new tracks at about 10 o'clock on Saturday on a 1 mile trail (before getting to a longer trail). In this area, there are many more snowshoeers than skiiers, and they tend to not go very far and stick to trails close to the starting point. One I got back to the beginning of this one mile trail, my new tracks were completely obliterated, and the trail covered with snow shoe tracks. The trails further out generally only see skiiers.

Aside from obliterating the ski tracks, what is irritating is that these are easy trails in terms of elevation change. The skiing is not very difficult and, of course, much faster. I tend to think of snow shoes as particularly useful for going up or down, which is more difficult on cross country skis. I guess the reality, however, is that snowshoes are cheaper (if you have winter boots) and require less skill than skis.

[Cannatonic]

>>>At least Canadians seem to be somewhat respectful to ski culture and snow recreation.

I noticed the city XC ski parks in Quebec and Montreal both have formal systems of classifying trails as XC or snowshoe, they definitely respect it more up there.

[Teleman]

Uh....I was kidding....Don't feel any taxpayer should be bumped so we can do our thing....They have a fundamental right to do as they please....Honestly up in the Highlands have seen @ 5 people in the last decade....@ well over a hundred days a year that's 60 0r 70 up there ....that's uh....@ 600 days....once every 12o days or so skiing....Ditto up on Little Mountain but there is activity up there as it becomes discovered.....Sorry that didn't go over so well....TM

[MikeK]

Uh....I was kidding....Don't feel any taxpayer should be bumped so we can do our thing....

So YOU ARE agreeing with me! I mean I know you don't actually read what I write, but why ban bikes from the public land? They do! Every park in Monroe county but 2, bikes are banned. All the town parks but 2, bikes are banned.

And hell, why should we stop there. Let's allow snow machines into the city parks and let people drive their jeeps in there if they don't feel like walking!

It'll be a good 'ole fashioned Tele free-for-all!!

[Teleman]

Well, our tele is free for all!!!! We should encourage people to participate in all kinds of out door activities....Part of my religion is to not hassle snow machine's on their trail so go to great lengths not be on them....They pay tons to use trails that have been open for an eyeblink this year.....But they are not going right now as in to little snow....so I will cruise them in my quest to head way out on RAVEN ridge.....head south west on it....turn south and head up through hardwoods to beautifully rounded ridges choked full of trees....Remember cruising down doing the tele deed....Several of us when a huge Piston Bully came crushing and grinding down the Snow machine trail way below us....Show time! As we shot by the front of the machine at a 90o angle he stopped and we had a great pow wow....Decent guy and he had been wanting to meet up with the nuts who skied the high ridges....Good vibes....TM

[MikeK]

Well hey, I got a response from the County.

Apparently they have a ski patrol that are like forum moderators who go around and BAN people for doing stupid stuff... well I think their first line is education. I'm going to try to join if I can. I probably just need to get my first aid certs and show them that I can actually ski... I've never seen one of these individuals so I'm sure they need more. I have seen them at the bike parks though.

If you can't beat them, join them, then BAN them!

Lot's of good threads going on here. Tempted to chime in. I know Lo-Fi (not personally) from another forum and have seen his videos and such before, glad to see him here!

[Weissbier]

T-man, do you seriously have any snow left? i'm sitting here at work in central VT watching the second day of rain coming down.

[Teleman]

Will head up to Little Mountain later today....My lame brain says about TWO inches of hardpack and about an inch of powder....Enough for cruising or modified cruising.....Was talking to Teleking couple of days back.....At my age not getting to FLOAT on skinnies has been a bummer.....The best we have had is 4 inches of hardpack with 6-8 inches of powder....You can see pictures of that but can't say where as that would not be fair....So yes, I think....TM

[GEO]

Indeed a painful east coast precip problem. I liked the bit about more Canadian respect...

Yea the whole tromping over skis tracks.... (both up and down)
Yup: both a painful lack of consciousness as well as pain from too much consciousness...

At least by the next dump or Spring all the tracks are gone.