Snowmobilers, Heavenly, T-D Fire challenge USFS
By Barbara Barte Osborn, Sacramento Bee
The U.S. Forest Service’s refusal to revise existing restrictions on snowmobile use in the Lake Tahoe Basin is one of a dozen objections filed by groups and individuals against the agency’s proposed updated land-management plan.
The objection charges that the current 25-year-old restrictions do not address the effects of additional snowmobile outfitters, permitted by the Forest Service, whose machines allegedly endanger cross-country skiers and snowshoers on popular trails and cause noise, air and water pollution.
The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District says the plan’s fire suppression tactics in roadless areas near homes, rather than leaving continuous fuels in place, should have community safety as a primary objective. And Heavenly Mountain Resort officials ask that the plan be revised to clarify a 200-acre limitation on development, lest it encourage a development race between resorts.
So the Snowlands Network, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and the Sierra Club now represent snowmobilers?
Maybe it’s time to read the stories linked-to before writing headlines?
Why use the forest at all for more snowmobiles? What’s wrong with that big empty parking lot behind the Horizon?
That’s where all the snowshoers will be restricted to since they can’t play nicely with others.
Romie. The snowshoers don’t play nicely with others? With their kids? Against beer drinkin’ snowmobilers. Sure.
I am on the fence with the multi use issue in regards to snowmobiles. If anyone would like to shuttle me up some peaks that i can snowboard down, in the Blue Lakes area, I think I would be able to collect enough data to form an opinion. Let me know. Thanks.
Cosa. Won’t be hard. Head out to Hope Valley – Blue Lake Turnoff and follow the spent beer cans and liquor bottles. I am sure you can get a lift there… if there is snow on the ground.
r4t you’re coming across as one who does not play nicely with others. There’s plenty of land for all of us to share, including millions of acres not open to snowmobiles.
No Romie, I have seen the snowmobilers handiwork before. Just because I pack out what I take in means to you “I don’t play well with other?” I will take that as a compliment. Thanks.