Sledheads 'Splained
For those of you who just don't get 'bilers, Slate's Bryan Curtis goes "slumming on the slopes" near Durango and files his anthropological assessment of snowmobile culture. He notes the "gruesome injury history" and the drinking that often goes hand in hand with a day of tearing through the backcountry, concluding that, "Snowmobiling is an unambitious sport even among its biggest fans." Near the end of the piece, he also notes that: 
There is a pitched battle between snowmobilers and environmentalists over the use of machines in national parks. All I can say is that if you think snowmobiles represent an affront to nature, then you should get a load of the Texans who deposit themselves in Colorado each winter. But the environmentalists' point is taken. Winter beauty is based on beautiful foliage and total silence, and buzzing on a snowmobile makes these qualities impossible to appreciate.There's a few things left out there: Nothing about the hazing (intentional or otherwise) of wildlife, or the miasma of two-stroke fumes that can get so bad at high season in Yellowstone that park rangers are forced to don gas masks. Oh well. In the end, the point that snowmobiles are loud and obnoxious and polluting seems obvious to everyone save perhaps the person actually astraddle the beast. They are also fun. No doubt about it, they're an absolute blast. They just don't have any business in our national parks.
4 Comments:
I have to say I enjoyed the article by Mr. Curtis on his snowmobile adventure. It definitely sounded like he had fun and hated to admit it. He shouldn't feel bad, as the same thing happens to most people who try riding a snowmobile for their first time. That is why this sport, that so many families enjoy, continues to grow.
But to be fair, maybe I should write an article trashing the upper crust of society on the boring up and down ski slopes they so adore. I'll make sure to mention the always present barroom located in the ski lodge, the smog producing and noisy generators that make the artificial snow and the incredible destruction to the forest and landscape produced by the creation of those ultrawide ski slopes. I'll even make mention of their gas guzzling SUV's that get them to their little slice of heaven.
What goes around, comes around.
This "you're either with us or against us" attitude that has permeated this country is a disgrace. Mr. Curtis writings and the ramblings of the Sierra Club have proven my point. Why can't we all just get along? There's room for all of us.
Joe
Upstate NY
Hey Joe, thanks for the comment. Your remarks about skiing's environmental impact (not to mention the omnipresent ski lodge barroom) are dead-on. To be fair, it is something we've noted more than once in Compass. Also, it's worth noting that the Club has opposed the construction of new ski resorts in the past -- most notably, Mineral King in the Sequoias.
As I wrote in the post, there's no arguing with the fact that snowmobiles are fun. Like Mr. Curtis, I've tried it, and I have to admit it's a blast. I'd still argue that they should be kept out of the national parks. Similarly, I love hiking with my dog, but I also accept that there are some places -- national parks, for one -- where I can't do that.
For what it's worth, I've had nice interactions with snowmobilers while backcountry skiing, and I've admired what some of these folks can do on their machines. But as Bryan Curtis notes, they also obliterated the silence and ruined the reverie. There ought to be some places where that's not allowed.
Finally, if I came off as "you're either with us or against us," then my bad. To the contrary, we're all in this together. Thanks again for the comments. Hope you keep reading -- and commenting.
Bryan Curtis of slate.com has ruffled a few feathers and has not even had the courtesy to respond.
Below is a copy of the response I had sent. I came upon this blog and read the comments and the response by anonymous.
Anonymous is correct... we all need to get along. Snowmobilers need to have their space and naturalists need to have their's as well.. I like both.
Im a Enforcement officer and patrol on snowmobile in the winter in the Upper Peninsula. I can see both sides of the argument. Most importantly freedom to travel our great land is getting harder to do. Lets all work together and find a way to co-exist.
From: www.slate.com
Subject: Grunt Snowmobile Law Enforcement Officer !!!!
From: LawDog
Date: Feb 1 2006 12:37PM
Bryan,
I am a Law Enforcement officer from the U.P. of Michigan. I patrol the supposed DRUNKEN TRAILS that you are talking about. GUESS WHAT ? We have had thousands of sleds come through our area this year and have only 1 "YES ONE", arrest so far this season for Imparied driving on a snowmobile. We have currently 13 deaths for the season across our state which is down from previous years. Yes alcohol is a contributing factor in some deaths, but not all.
You need to compare snowmobiling alcohol deaths with vehicle deaths to see that snowmobiling alcohol related deaths are far less in numbers.
After reading your article, I have to say that you need to get out more often. The Snowmobiling community is persons from all walks of life. Including pinky in the air tea and wine drinking persons. We have lawyers, CEO's, Doctors, Business Owners, as well as Wives, Kids, and the elderly.
These are people that come from all walks of life. Some are even disabled and is thier only form of outdoor recreation. Within the last two weeks, I have met people on the trails from North Carolina, Texas , and Tennesee who have never tried it before and nothing but great things to say about snowmobiling and the snowmobiling public.
Last season I took it upon myself to look at what population of the snowmobiling community was causing problems on our trail system and here is what ive found. Less than 5 % of the sledders were issued tickets or arrested.
We had approximately 3,800 contacts ( Sled Counts while on Patrol )Keep in mind these are only sleds that we saw while on duty. Does not include the thousands more that traveled on our trails when we were not on duty.
345 Verbal warnings for minor infractions
99 Citations issued
3 drunk driving arrests
3 accidents
These are just from our department and does not included the DNR or State Police Stats.
I would like to extend and invitation to you to come up to our area ( Eastern U.P. ) and ride along with us on Snowmobile Patrol and see, as we did, how diverse the snowmobiling community really is.
You stated "We switched off our machines, and for the first time all day I noticed we were parked in one of the more serene spots I've ever seen in my life—a crest filled with pistachio-colored aspens and white-capped pines, the winter sun peeking through inky snow clouds. Introspection not being fashionable for a snowmobiler"
It looks like there was at least one moment of enlightenment, although us GRUNTS would rather call it NATURE instead of some unmeaning verbal embelishment of words....
You also stated" As he plows through bucolic meadows, the snowmobiler leaves a thick trail of purple exhaust. He sneers at environmentalists who would ban him from the national parks."
We dont sneer at enviromentalists... We are enviromentalists ouselves... We want to protect the enviroment, we want to leave something for others to enjoy.
BUT.... We want it open to everyone, not just the select few who want to control it. It should be enjoyed by Snowmobilers, Hikers, Skiers, and all who feel the need to get back to nature. It is wrong to have public land and call it PUBLIC LAND when a segment of the public is excluded from use of that land. Thats not what our founding fathers meant to happen.
Thinking like yours only causes harm. Your article was factless or based on personal bias and google internet searching. You have choosen to slander the Great people of Upper Peninsula of Michigan AKA GODS COUNTRY........ I think you own them, and all snowmobilers a retraction.
You will have to excuse me now, I am getting reports of 30 Drunk columnists going to Bar to Bar to Bar Grunting down the trail on snowmobiles.....
It is really interesting to me to hear how a typical tree huger thinks and I can sum it up in one word. SELFISH.
I will never understand why you think you are more important than any one else who is enjoying the out doors. There is room for everybody out there and a little less selfishness would go a long way.
These are the same rediculous selfish people who want to drain Lake Powell becuase they want it all to them selves to hike the canyons. Where would California and Arizona be during these years of drought if we didnt have these huge reservoirs to pull water from.
Pull your head out and really start to think about what you are saying. The snow mobiles in our Parks represent such a small part of the big polution picture that these are really just examples of lies and excuses to have the Parks all to them selves.
Reed
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