Porcupine/Nature Conservancy of Canada

[kootenaycat]

Just wanted to inform people of the issue with riding up Porcupine near Ymir/Salmo. Once again the Beaver Mountain Snowmobile Association has entered into an agreement to ride Porcupine (Darkwoods - now owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada). It isn't hidden info (on the BMSA site) but not well publicized either. I was contacted by a friend who was confronted by a member of the BMSA on Boxing day at Amilson lake. To ride the Darkwoods (NCC) area, you must be a member of BMSA and agree to the regulations set out to access that area.

I would prefer the BMSA put this information out to the public on the many snowmobile sites, but since that hasn't happened yet, I thought I'd put it out there to help the public avoid confrontations and being threatened with a tresspassing charge.

Brian, care to add to this? :d

Kevin


A couple of links to the BMSA site:

BMSA site:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

News on the NCC agreement:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

Map of the riding area:

Contact info:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

 

[ADAM21]

Just wanted to inform people of the issue with riding up Porcupine near Ymir/Salmo. Once again the Beaver Mountain Snowmobile Association has entered into an agreement to ride Porcupine (Darkwoods - now owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada). It isn't hidden info (on the BMSA site) but not well publicized either. I was contacted by a friend who was confronted by a member of the BMSA on Boxing day at Amilson lake. To ride the Darkwoods (NCC) area, you must be a member of BMSA and agree to the regulations set out to access that area.

I would prefer the BMSA put this information out to the public on the many snowmobile sites, but since that hasn't happened yet, I thought I'd put it out there to help the public avoid confrontations and being threatened with a tresspassing charge.

Brian, care to add to this? :d




Kevin


A couple of links to the BMSA site:

BMSA site:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

News on the NCC agreement:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

Map of the riding area:

Contact info:
BEAVER MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILE ASS'N | "West Kootenay Snowmobiling Heaven"

Canada is crown land so the idea that you must pay to use free land is ridiculous. Do people using the Tye cabins have to pay for their use? NO. If maybe the trails were groomed, or someone was there to receive payments or provide some sort of service for said money, then maybe I can see that. However the reality of the situation is that this is just a stupid scheme to trick people into paying for the use of crown land. Trail fees are understandable when there is some sort of work put into maintaining the area, however the area in question is simply wilderness. The 'grooming' is well below satisfactory and I cannot understand why BVSMA feels the need to become involved in another area for riding that they are incapable of maintaining to the standard needed for people to pay for. This area was well maintained without their influence, and would have benefitted by being left alone. I am not cheap, and will pay. IF doing so benefitted me in any way. But it does not. Hope this helps.

 

[DRD]

The guy who's playing ranger is going to get an azz kicking one day. Some guys I know were up there xmas break. Some dude pulls up starts chatting with the boys then pulls out his camera and takes a few pictures of everyone. Then he proceeds to tell them they are tresspassing and now has evidence. Nice tactic.

 

[ss_badaz]

So access via Salmo / Sheep Creek would that make Gamble creek be some what the border for restricted access and anyone know of signs in this area? been awhile since I have riding been in there.

 

[kootenaycat]

So access via Salmo / Sheep Creek would that make Gamble creek be some what the border for restricted access and anyone know of signs in this area? been awhile since I have riding been in there.

Take a look in the hunting regs, last time I looked, it shows a "corridor" through Gamble and Panther to drop into Next ck. Last time up Sheep ck, there were signs saying "restricted snowmobiling" up Wolf (Waldie) and Curtis, and big ones at the border of Darkwoods past Gamble. That restricted statement is pretty vague, as far as I knew sledding into Curtis and Wolf was allowed, just couldn't hit the ridges above them, Caribou closure. Some city people have moved up Sheep ck and put up their own signs all over the place. Trying to make people think that it's ALL private property.

And DRD, sounds like the same guy my buddy ran into. Yah, he needs to change his social skills when communicating with people in the back country. Coming across with a positive attitude rather then a "rent-a-cop" one would go over a whole lot better. Just my opinion though, or is it? :d

 

[ss_badaz]

Thanks for the info on this Kevin. Few years back had a run in with a land owner Salmo area no signs posted anywhere we did not even know we were on private land and this guy come out of nowhere just lost it right there you couldn’t even speak to him he wouldn’t shut up I had something else in mind but left without an incident.
I respect land owners I wouldn’t want someone accessing through my back yard a little bit different approach may go a lot further for sure. I know of one guy up Sheep Ck I do not think it would have been him but your right few people from the city have bought up land around the area with a different attitude.

 

[kootenaycat]

Thanks for the info on this Kevin. Few years back had a run in with a land owner Salmo area no signs posted anywhere we did not even know we were on private land and this guy come out of nowhere just lost it right there you couldn’t even speak to him he wouldn’t shut up I had something else in mind but left without an incident.
I respect land owners I wouldn’t want someone accessing through my back yard a little bit different approach may go a lot further for sure. I know of one guy up Sheep Ck I do not think it would have been him but your right few people from the city have bought up land around the area with a different attitude.

Is that Vince? I think that's his name, we had a run in with him once, our fault - didn't pay attention to where we were and missed a sign. I think he was more concerned that we would find his secret garden. :d

 

[Mongrol]

What? There are secret gardens in the Kootenays? Go figure!

 

[ss_badaz]

Is that Vince? I think that's his name, we had a run in with him once, our fault - didn't pay attention to where we were and missed a sign. I think he was more concerned that we would find his secret garden. :d

LOL!! ya could see that too funny, I stopped in the pub Friday evening we just got back from the Barret Lake / Yimr Avy Rescue and He was showing me some pictures of an Avy that came down right by his home and wiped out his power shed he was not happy!

 

[kootenaycat]

LOL!! ya could see that too funny, I stopped in the pub Friday evening we just got back from the Barret Lake / Yimr Avy Rescue and He was showing me some pictures of an Avy that came down right by his home and wiped out his power shed he was not happy!

That's steep country behind his place, well technically the Endersby's property. Quadded lots to the Motherlode mine and hiked down to the 4900 level (his water intake I believe) above his place, I could see a slide coming down there for sure.

 

[rcull]

These people will promise anything. When they were after $125,000,000.00 to buy Darkwoods, the they promised no job loss, maybe a little less work. After the fact, they were happy to get rid of the longest serving contractor to Darkwoods without warning or compensation. These same people would scream if they heard of a large company doing the same thing!

 

[ferniesnow]

These people will promise anything. When they were after $125,000,000.00 to buy Darkwoods, the they promised no job loss, maybe a little less work. After the fact, they were happy to get rid of the longest serving contractor to Darkwoods without warning or compensation. These same people would scream if they heard of a large company doing the same thing!

Sorry to hear about the drastic change in your life and livelihood. Think positive and it will get better!

We hear the stories about NCC, WildSight, Sierra Club, Canadian Parks and Wilderness all the time about how concerned they are about the environment and the wildlife. A park here and a park there to protect the animals.

Dam it, Man is an animal and we require protection from the above groups. Responsible mechanized use of the backcountry doesn't have to be a problem. They tell untruths, fabricate stories, and put forth "their science" (not necessarily true science) that the "green movement" swallows hook line and sinker. Look at the programs in the Creston area that WildSight has for children. Doo you think they have a mission? You betcha.

A park here and a park there.....and there is no time limit. It may not happen tomorrow, or next year, or next decade, but it will happen in their eyes. Rod and gun clubs, backcountry recreational users, hunters and fishermen, outfitters and guides, loggers, miners, oil and gas people had better ban together and get a plan or it will be too late. Some are saying it is too late.

Look at the influence of the green movement on the Keystone XL! This movement has a lot of followers and it is not going in our favor. I am not one to destroy the environment and I doo my part to conserve and respect but that is not seen in the eyes of the green movement. I am one of the pests on the target and they will/are taking aim as I type.

 

[hippiekiller]

Does the BVSC have this agreement in place for this season? Reason I'm asking is that a bunch of new signs went up the other day on porky ck...

 

[kootenaycat]

I heard of the new signage but have no idea if the BMSA has an agreement this year. Creston's club had the agreement last year too, check with Trish at Mainjet - she should know.