Speaking of Garbage……

[Iron Horse Racing]

Having heard that on the day we were at Belle someone choose to dump garbage all over the floor inside the Cabin just makes my blood boil.

While spending 9 days up in the McBride / Valemount area we came across an idea that seems to be spreading through SOME of the community…..Ban Sledding..

Why you ask….

Well some of the people in the community use the area all year long and they are getting tired of the garbage that is left behind from winter recreation activities…..

Booze bottles, beer cans, water bottles, windshields, belts, tracks oh and more beer cans…..

I did my best to convince these people that yes we like sledding and that doesn’t make us a bad people ......as anything we take in….we take out. I also know that a majority of people that like sledding are also just as conciseness. But there is this small percentage that is wreaking it or will wreck it for the rest of us….like these jerks that left the mess in the Belle Cabin, the jerks that wrecked the door to the Belle Cabin.

While we were in the Belle Cabin I spoke to three different groups there and expressed the concern of the area and how important it was to keep the area clean so we can all continue to use the area. And everyone there agreed and they agreed to be vigilant to spreading the word….Wow that was the same day the mess was left.

The next day up on the Renshaw trail we noticed a group that we remembered seeing at Belle, while unloading at 9:30 in the second parking lot, they started drinking, they left before us and we met up with them as they took a break at Kilometer 11 and were having another beer….the first thing unloaded at the cabin was the beer….by the end of the day a number of them were not walking straight and after looking at the sleds and the damages we just shook our heads and waited for them to leave….we tidied up the cabin, turned the BBQ off and threw out the food they left on it, turned the thermostat off as per the instructions and thought it was safe to head down…..well there they were again at kilometer 11 having yet another beer and this time spread out over the trail…..they did move as they saw us coming, they waved and said ride safe as we went by.

They seemed like a friendly nice group and I’ll bet they didn’t even know that they left a mess or just how ironic there statement of ride safe to us was……

As a family we have been pondering what the answer is to this problem....as we spend time in the outdoors all year round ….. to date I don’t have the answer….but we feel it starts at home with my kids knowing right from wrong and with them feeling confident enough to spread the message to their friends …. and hopefully things will change.....

Ride safe….

“Leave nothing but tracks and take only memories…..”
Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts

 

[steveo10]

i always wanted to hike up the Renshaw cabin in the summer but i would be scared what i would find for garage that lurks under the snow

 

[Sled Den]

We had hikers in renshaw area this summer they were impressed with the fact that there was barely any garbage, not even a garbage bag full. That tells me that we are getting across to people to take out what you take in.

 

[steveo10]

wow, thats great to hear!

 

[007sevens]

Keep in mind that someone goes up late in the year and cleans up what is left before the snow melts completly.

 

[Sled Den]

I go out on that last ride of the year every year and there is getting to be way less trash every season. I am impressed with the change from seasons before


Thanks everybody and Keep Up The Good Work!!!!!!

 

[imdoo'n]

i have an idea, place garbage cans in the shacks, collect the bottles and cans, use money in upgrades, or give to groomer operator. seen lots of g cans in shacks, what a great idea. as long as they are used.

 

[snoqueen]

It really is too bad that a few have to ruin it for the rest of us!! It only makes the whole sledding community look bad, even though most of us sledders out there play by the rules, and respect our riding areas.

We encounter this type of stuff on just about every ride. We notice that some groups start to drinking already in the morning at the staging area, then you will find these groups at various locations on the trail, drinking, etc. Once on the mountain you will then find them sitting at the BOTTOM of the bowls in a big group drinking, taking crapshoot climbs at the hill, one behind another, etc. That's usually the time when our group moves on....
On our way down from the mountain in the late afternoon you will find this same group quite liquored up and obviously no shape to be riding a sled the 40 miles back to the truck!!

Our riding area cabins see vandalism every year, and people leave their garbage behind. This year someone actually took it upon themselves to shoot the doorknob off the cabin??!! WTF would someone do that??!!

Two winters ago we even found a trashed sled that someone had crashed and left behind, although most of the sled was stripped, it was obviously an insurance job. Last winter we found a whole track off a Yamaha that had disintegrated in a bowl. We always find pieces of belts, and other garbage littering the trail back to the trucks.

Another big pet peeve of mine is the sledders that feel it their "god-given right" to ride anywhere, including CLOSED areas. I don't know what it will take to rattle some sense into their skulls. Do they not realize that their tracks are visible??

We take our kids to the mountains and they see this stuff and wonder why? We try to teach our kids respect for the sport and let them know what the consequences are if they don't. We practice avalanche awareness and try to promote it to others when we can. I believe this respect has to be taught at home and kids will learn by example. If we don't start treating our sledding areas with respect, pretty soon there won't be any place left to go.

 

[pipes]

i always wanted to hike up the Renshaw cabin in the summer but i would be scared what i would find for garage that lurks under the snow

Hey steveo I'm up for the hike as well. I would love to hike up there and see what it looks like in the summer. PM me and we can spool something up.

 

[pipes]

We had hikers in renshaw area this summer they were impressed with the fact that there was barely any garbage, not even a garbage bag full. That tells me that we are getting across to people to take out what you take in.

ultimately one shouldn't need a garbage can at these places.

 

[steveo10]

Hey steveo I'm up for the hike as well. I would love to hike up there and see what it looks like in the summer. PM me and we can spool something up.

sounds like a plan!!

 

[treemongrol]

Why is it so freakin hard to pack out what you pack in. To the a$$holes that insist on making messes Karma is a bitch. Its not that hard to pack out what you pack in or clean up after u roll your sled your generally walking down to it so pick up the parts

 

[glengine]

Hey steveo I'm up for the hike as well. I would love to hike up there and see what it looks like in the summer. PM me and we can spool something up.

Well you know guys we are going to probably be doing massive reno's to the cabin up renshaw this summer, as in expansion of cabin so maybe your hike could coincide with that timing that would be cool. I'd love to get up there and check it out in the summer aswell.

 

[imdoo'n]

ultimately one shouldn't need a garbage can at these places.

do you have a garbage can where you live, why.



it would be better to put cans out than pick up trash later. although seems like the clowns would probably destroy the cans. just can't win. no respect.

 

[pipes]

Well you know guys we are going to probably be doing massive reno's to the cabin up renshaw this summer, as in expansion of cabin so maybe your hike could coincide with that timing that would be cool. I'd love to get up there and check it out in the summer aswell.

let me know when I would love to come up and lend a hand

 

[Iron Horse Racing]

Please post a schedule when you know and if time permits I'll come up, bring some horses and ride up ......

 

[bbtoys]

i have an idea, place garbage cans in the shacks, collect the bottles and cans, use money in upgrades, or give to groomer operator. seen lots of g cans in shacks, what a great idea. as long as they are used.

All of our cabins have 2 cans in the cabin for just this.

 

[imdoo'n]

All of our cabins have 2 cans in the cabin for just this.

saw one last year, was definitely full. is better than nothing, at least they may drop junk here instead of hill.

 

[glengine]

There is a group on here called mcbride big country snowmobile club and we are starting to put posts on it about upcoming snowmobile club events. But yes we will definitely keep people posted as when we are doin what. All help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pipes]

do you have a garbage can where you live, why.



it would be better to put cans out than pick up trash later. although seems like the clowns would probably destroy the cans. just can't win. no respect.

yup we do.but the azzhat's can't figure out hoe to use them.