Heat got your down? Fight for some riding areas......

[Modman]

Fights on in Fernie boys and girls.

FYI if you ride south, pay attention as this is your wake up call - Time to take some notice, the Flathead Wild folks have been out drumming up support for this over the last little while.

There is significant terrain at risk, and this proposed national park cuts off access from Castle to Middlepass and down through Avy Alley, effectively isolating Castle and limiting a large portion of that riding area. not sure the proposed corridor will not be affected by a status upgrade or change in years to come either, its an easy legislation change. We need to partner up with some industry's and start lobbying our own studies. I wasn't able to completely download their environmental report or I'd have more to say probably. We are slowly losing these areas folks, its only a matter of time before we are in fenced riding areas. I want my kids to be able to enjoy the same freedom of riding that I did.

Oppose these changes and make sure your MLA knows. We already have enough national parks along the Monashees, Columbia's, Rockies and Eastern slopes that are supported by our tax dollars that we cannot use for our chosen form of recreation.

Flathead Maps | Flathead River Valley

 

[ferniesnow]

Not for everyone to get into a panic but...................this is mostly old news. The map is what was proposed before the present Liberals got in. They reversed some of the previous governments plans and held some very important stake-holder meetings forming the Southern Rocky Mountain Management Plan for input from all the user groups. Casey Brennan, who was mentioned in some of the articles, and was one of the key proponents of WildSight, has been hired by Teck Coal as a Native Consultant/Advisor. The old adage, hire your enemies! The moratorium in the south-east Koots is a good compromise to prevent logging, mining, and oil and gas exploration. That is relatively new and recreational activities shouldn't be affected any more that what they are at this point in time. But make no bones about it; the western boundary is the height of land west of Elkford and if you look at the blue cross-hatched area from the USA border up to Kananaskis, that is a huge area they have in their sights. It is all part of the Y2Y concept.

I will say, "the greenies have an agenda and will work on it for years and years." Like the special spider, or the clam that I read about, and the tail frog in some of our streams and they use all this against us. More and more, I see that they are bringing the wolverine into play. There are fewer wolverines than grizzly bears and a wolverine den is somewhat of a very special place. Lord help us, if they find a den in your favorite basin! Every little step in their mind is a victory (the moratorium is one of those steps). All you young guys that love motorized recreation, hunting, horse back riding, and just getting into the outdoors without a Park Warden harassing your ass had better get off your own ass and join clubs, pay trail pass fees, get involved in the outdoor back-country sports that you love and want to keep for your children. Numbers matter in transactions like this.

The Fernie Snowmobile Association (FSA) needs a staging area expansion. 8 years ago the FSA had 36 members and today we have in the vicinity of 200. We are growing and that is good because that holds weight when we talk to the city and they realize the increase in traffic is good for economic benefits. But more is always better. So many people who ride in the south east Koots don't belong to clubs and be-grudge the trail fees. Money will be required and highly organized land issue committees will move forward with the process. The FSA needs members for the future fight. So when you go to the sled shows or are in town buy a membership and doo your part.

So this winter, join a club or two. Fernie Snowmobile Association, Corbin Country Club, Elkford Snowmobile Club, or the Elk Valley Mountaineers (Sparwood). Membership is cheap!

 

[Shadam]

$80 for gas
$60 for oil
$100 for beer and food

all in 1 day not including accom and getting there, yet they bitch about trail fees and grooming

most sledders earn good $$$ yet many young guys contribute little

 

[Modman]

Not for everyone to get into a panic but...................this is mostly old news. The map is what was proposed before the present Liberals got in. They reversed some of the previous governments plans and held some very important stake-holder meetings forming the Southern Rocky Mountain Management Plan for input from all the user groups. Casey Brennan, who was mentioned in some of the articles, and was one of the key proponents of WildSight, has been hired by Teck Coal as a Native Consultant/Advisor. The old adage, hire your enemies! The moratorium in the south-east Koots is a good compromise to prevent logging, mining, and oil and gas exploration. That is relatively new and recreational activities shouldn't be affected any more that what they are at this point in time. But make no bones about it; the western boundary is the height of land west of Elkford and if you look at the blue cross-hatched area from the USA border up to Kananaskis, that is a huge area they have in their sights. It is all part of the Y2Y concept.

I will say, "the greenies have an agenda and will work on it for years and years." Like the special spider, or the clam that I read about, and the tail frog in some of our streams and they use all this against us. More and more, I see that they are bringing the wolverine into play. There are fewer wolverines than grizzly bears and a wolverine den is somewhat of a very special place. Lord help us, if they find a den in your favorite basin! Every little step in their mind is a victory (the moratorium is one of those steps). All you young guys that love motorized recreation, hunting, horse back riding, and just getting into the outdoors without a Park Warden harassing your ass had better get off your own ass and join clubs, pay trail pass fees, get involved in the outdoor back-country sports that you love and want to keep for your children. Numbers matter in transactions like this.

The Fernie Snowmobile Association (FSA) needs a staging area expansion. 8 years ago the FSA had 36 members and today we have in the vicinity of 200. We are growing and that is good because that holds weight when we talk to the city and they realize the increase in traffic is good for economic benefits. But more is always better. So many people who ride in the south east Koots don't belong to clubs and be-grudge the trail fees. Money will be required and highly organized land issue committees will move forward with the process. The FSA needs members for the future fight. So when you go to the sled shows or are in town buy a membership and doo your part.

So this winter, join a club or two. Fernie Snowmobile Association, Corbin Country Club, Elkford Snowmobile Club, or the Elk Valley Mountaineers (Sparwood). Membership is cheap!

Hey thanks FS, I was hoping you or wierboondocking would chime in. I had heard about this before and thought it was maybe a pipe dream and that too much industry in the area would quash it, therefore didn't pay it much more attention.

Until this weekend when I had to go to a local bike shop to buy the girls a new bike trailer, and in front of my eyes is a full size display with an "attendant" standing there "educating" joe public on why the Flathead plan should progress. Joe public is also asked to "sign on" as the penance for this "free education" (nothings really free I guess)... needless to say it surprised the heck out of me enough to grab a flyer so I could check the website and find out about their "BioBlitz" as well.

Whats the feeling on this locally - is it inevitable and what sort of timeline would be on for it? I might ride in that area from time to time, my old man hunts down there and I would hate to see it become another unused park destined for development like Banff/Jasper.

 

[ferniesnow]

Hey thanks FS, I was hoping you or wierboondocking would chime in. I had heard about this before and thought it was maybe a pipe dream and that too much industry in the area would quash it, therefore didn't pay it much more attention.

Until this weekend when I had to go to a local bike shop to buy the girls a new bike trailer, and in front of my eyes is a full size display with an "attendant" standing there "educating" joe public on why the Flathead plan should progress. Joe public is also asked to "sign on" as the penance for this "free education" (nothings really free I guess)... needless to say it surprised the heck out of me enough to grab a flyer so I could check the website and find out about their "BioBlitz" as well.

Whats the feeling on this locally - is it inevitable and what sort of timeline would be on for it? I might ride in that area from time to time, my old man hunts down there and I would hate to see it become another unused park destined for development like Banff/Jasper.

That's where it is heading and no amount of money is going to change it! Postpone it maybe, but realistically, with the patience and determination of the Green movement the Y2Y concept will evolve. It won't be in my life time but yours, maybe!

I was really concerned with a change of government and even with our present MLA fighting for what the majority of the Valley wants, it would have been a drastic change. I am absolutely amazed at how much the lower mainland 'green movement' controls the rest of the province. With the millions Teck Coal will be spending cleaning up the Elk River and the Columbia below Trail/Castlegar for public relations benefits, the Americans will always demand more as both those rivers flow into the States and being "cross boarder watersheds" they have special treatment.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is another big player and they have lots of money to buy large tracks of land. Who sells big tracks of land? Logging and mining companies doo. The NC buys these parcels and with their long term plan put them together and all of a sudden there is a large non-motorized area. The Trans Rockies Mountain bike organizers found this out a couple years ago. A block of land at Hosmer could not be used for the race (because they were to use dirt bikes to run ahead of the bikers for safety purposes and mountain bikes also didn't fit there objectives for the land).

lIke I said before, it is a long term process and they are in it for the long haul. A little here and a little there.........but as the old guys get tired of fighting and the young guys don't give a damn, it will be easier and faster for them.

To the young guys, once again, get involved!