Regarding the motorized closed area in Airy (Norns range). There is a hut in this area called the Shaker Hut. It has been there for quite sometime and was traditionally used by hikers and climbers in the area. There was a commercial snowcat operation in there for a few years who built a road that went right by the hut. If you access this area using the climbers right side of the valley and use the road you go by a sign posted by a local hiking and mountaineering group that states the area is closed to motorized use. If you climb up the center of the valley and traverse in towards the hut you do not go by any signs. The sign is small and hard to see. This route is used by sledders as an interesting climb to the ridge and allows you to travel between Airy and Russel. There is a large and committed group of ski tourers in this area. They can be quite radical. Just ask the commercial snowcat operator who does not use this area anymore due to conflicts with locals. I doubt there is any official status to this closure. This is something both the Castlegar and Slocan Valley clubs should address before it gets ugly.