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Just_Some_Hiker
Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 691 | TRs
Location: Snoqualmie, WA
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Whose bright idea was it to allow snowmobiles on what is probably the most popular snowshoe/ski trail in the Stevens Pass area? Seriously.
I've had two close calls with snowmobiles on this trail. When they aren't almost running me over, they're trashing every skin or snowshoe track in sight, as they did today.
It was so bad today that my partner and I made it about a mile up the trail before rage quiting and heading back to the car.
This seems like a major safety issue and it's probably just a matter of time until a skier or snowshoer gets squashed by some dude-bros on snowmobiles.
With the abundance of motorized snow parks in Washington, and the vast range that snowmobiles have vs. skis/snowshoes, is it really fair that they get to dominate this area too?
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Celticclimber
Member
Joined: 04 Aug 2012
Posts: 190 | TRs
Location: Index
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Sucks that those guys, on their crotch-rockets, weren't better mannered.
I ski up that road alot. And overall, have not had your experience.
Most of those guys have taken care to avoid me and my dog.
But it would be nice if there was somewhere we could go w/o
those foul smelling machines.
Live every day like you will die to-marrow:For someday that will be true. |
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Dalekz
Member
Joined: 01 Mar 2002
Posts: 477 | TRs
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How big is the parking area?? (How many cars/trailers can legally park there)
Are they making the parking area longer this year than in the past? |
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Just_Some_Hiker
Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 691 | TRs
Location: Snoqualmie, WA
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| Dalekz wrote: |
How big is the parking area?? (How many cars/trailers can legally park there)
Are they making the parking area longer this year than in the past? |
The pull-out looks about the same size as the last few years, but it was especially full today. Maybe 20 cars? The area seems to be growing in popularity. It looked like about 90% foot travelers, 10% slednecks. |
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Jeff
Ramen Elitist
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 2894 | TRs
Location: Someone get me out of Everett, WA
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| Don't skin or snowshoe in snowmobile areas if you don't want to get your track trashed. Time it right and you can beat them in the morning but still glide down their tracks all the way to your car in about 20 minutes. |
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christensent
Member
Joined: 05 Nov 2011
Posts: 643 | TRs
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Nobody "allowed" snowmobiles here, it's a road on a map. That means snowmobiles can go there. The only exception I'm aware of on this is if it's a road that's groomed for non-motorized use. Unless there's a road closed sign, roads are open year round to motorized use be it snowmobiles or wheeled vehicles. And they can't simply put up a road closed sign just because skiers like to go there, that'd be an unreasonable closure (at least, that's my understanding).
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Learning mountaineering: 10% technical knowledge, 90% learning how to eat |
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RandyHiker
Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 6700 | TRs
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
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| Snowmobiles have been using Smithbrook for decades. |
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Just_Some_Hiker
Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 691 | TRs
Location: Snoqualmie, WA
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| Jeff wrote: |
| Don't skin or snowshoe in snowmobile areas if you don't want to get your track trashed. Time it right and you can beat them in the morning but still glide down their tracks all the way to your car in about 20 minutes. |
The road is large enough for snowmobiles and skiers to each have a side. What gives them the right to take the entire road and destroy the ski trails?
| christensent wrote: |
| Nobody "allowed" snowmobiles here, it's a road on a map. That means snowmobiles can go there. The only exception I'm aware of on this is if it's a road that's groomed for non-motorized use. |
In the winter it's a defacto ski trail, populated mostly by skiers and snowshoers. Occasionally a few snowmobiles come through and wreck it, and create a hazard for foot travelers. Imagine a dirt bike speeding down a running trail in a city park. Same thing. Given the high volume of foot traffic, perhaps this should be designated a non-motorized sno-park, like other forest roads in the winter.
| RandyHiker wrote: |
| Snowmobiles have been using Smithbrook for decades |
That fact was not in dispute. |
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mbravenboer
Member
Joined: 20 Oct 2013
Posts: 1376 | TRs
Location: Seattle
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Sorry you had a bad experience there.
Just to emphasize that they're not all bad: when I go to Smithbrook, I'm usually the first & last car there, but still usually meet a few sleds. The early and late visitors have always been extraordinary courteous to me (slowing down to make sure my dog is leashed, moving by slowly, and usually checking how we're doing). They're probably the nicer guys though, just like early and late hikers.
As a snowshoer, I don't care about my tracks of course. I understand the frustration for skiers. |
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RandyHiker
Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 6700 | TRs
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
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| Just_Some_Hiker wrote: |
| RandyHiker wrote: |
| Snowmobiles have been using Smithbrook for decades |
That fact was not in dispute. |
Right, but it seems you are relatively new in this area and are pontificating on a multi-use issue as if was something new and you have some novel insight. |
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Jeff
Ramen Elitist
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 2894 | TRs
Location: Someone get me out of Everett, WA
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| Just_Some_Hiker wrote: |
| Imagine a dirt bike speeding down a running trail in a city park. Same thing. |
More like a dirt bike driving by a runner running on the road.
I like skinning up smithbrook, but I know sleds are a part of it. Lots of other options on 2 if you want to get away from them. |
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joker
seeker
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 7718 | TRs
Location: state of confusion
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Sorry you had such a crappy experience JSH. I guess I've been lucky enough to only run into a few snowmobiles along that road, and that they were courteous and safe about passing us. And I've been happy for their effective trailbreaking along the road. Also fortunate is that where I have planned to spend most of the day when going up there is well away from any terrain they can access.
But then I've spent a fair bit of time skirting the edges of much busier snowmobile terrain so my experiences here have seemed quite mellow in comparison. Even in the busier spots all but a few meatheads have passed us very politely (and when we hear them coming, we do tend to get off to the side, and give the thumbs-up to spread good cheer rather than hostility which some sledders have told me they get from some other recreationalists).
Better to work for more snow-parks (reliable parking for Jim Hill, Arrowhead, etc. anyone!?) than to piss off snowmobilers by trying to take away this historic-use road from them, IMO. |
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gb
Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Posts: 5228 | TRs
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| Just_Some_Hiker wrote: |
Whose bright idea was it to allow snowmobiles on what is probably the most popular snowshoe/ski trail in the Stevens Pass area? Seriously.
I've had two close calls with snowmobiles on this trail. When they aren't almost running me over, they're trashing every skin or snowshoe track in sight, as they did today.
It was so bad today that my partner and I made it about a mile up the trail before rage quiting and heading back to the car.
This seems like a major safety issue and it's probably just a matter of time until a skier or snowshoer gets squashed by some dude-bros on snowmobiles.
With the abundance of motorized snow parks in Washington, and the vast range that snowmobiles have vs. skis/snowshoes, is it really fair that they get to dominate this area too?
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If they are following skin tracks, put a trap for them with the skin track. Run it through tight trees for awhile or put them on a too steep traversing track. Maintain it for long enough that it is difficult to pick up the track again. |
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Schroder
Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 5559 | TRs
Location: on the beach
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| Snowmobiles used to be prohibited west of the pass between the Rainy Creek and Smithbrook drainages and there were plenty of signs to that effect. It used to be illegal to unload snowmobiles on Highway 2 at Smithbrook. I was also surprised to see the change last time I was there a couple of years ago. |
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NacMacFeegle
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Joined: 16 Jan 2014
Posts: 2598 | TRs
Location: United States
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