Ca Late Breaking Good News Legislative Corner Nv
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We are human power in action We promote wilderness values We preserve and protect our public lands for enjoyment by all muscle-powered winter recreationists JOIN SNOWLANDS AT THESE WINTER and SPRING EVENTS! March 15 Los Altos, Banff Film Festival March 22 South Lake Tahoe, Spirit of Snow Film Fest Benefit at LTCC (details page 3) April 19 Reno, Tony Rowell: Images of Adventure at the Patagonia Outlet (details on back page) April 22 Reno, Earth Day at Idlewild Park April 28 North Tahoe/Truckee, the Village at Squaw Valley Earth Day May 4 & 5 Reno, REI Expo May 5 South Lake Tahoe, Earth Day at Montbleu Casino LATE BREAKING GOOD NEWS Snowlands is pleased to see that the Carson CA Ranger District temporarily closed the mead- ow in Hope Valley due to low snow. This is a sign of good management. As winter 2006/07 trends towards setting re- cords for low precipitation, we are closely watching our Forests to insure that fragile Sierra landscapes are not damaged by unwise use. A highly popular recreation area below Carson Pass, Hope Valley has low lying wet meadowlands that are especially vul- nerable when the snow blanket is thin or too weak (as with sugar snow) to protect the underlying veg- etation from heavy impact. On Feb 4 – Super Bowl Sunday – conditions were grim, with maybe 4 inches of snow on the flats above 7000’ along Highway 88, south of Lake Tahoe. The Carson Ranger District posted one sign near the Blue Lakes Sno-Park access road: ATTEN- TION SNOWMOBILE ACCESS IN MEADOW IS CLOSED DUE TO INADEQUATE SNOW COVER. Picketts Peak looms grandly over the snow- PLEASE STAY ON GROOMED ROAD UNTIL YOU mobile “low-snow” closure sign in Hope Valley REACH ADEQUATE SNOW. Three days later, according to Snowlands volun- LEGISLATIVE CORNER teer Jeff Erdoes, “...most summits and slopes were generally void of snow cover in the AM, but the By Gail Ferrell first flakes of a long-awaited weather disturbance NEVADA ORV BILL - NO RESPONSIBILITY appeared by noon. This (temporary closure) ap- The current Nevada Legislative session be- pears to me to be a significant move on the part of NV gan in early February 2007 and motorized the Forest Service and I think this can be a good interests, including dealers of snowmobiles and thing if ordinary snowmobile motorists voluntarily other ORV’s as well as ORV users, introduced a sec- respect the closure.” ond Off Road Vehicle (ORV) bill. This follows on SB400, enacted without teeth (continued on page 8) Spring 2007 • ©2007 Snowlands Network President’s Precipice Chairman’s Corner by Ellen Lapham by Marcus Libkind “Life is nothing if not a leap of faith”. The death of Kelly James and the presumed deaths of friends Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke on 11,239-foot With the perspective of time, I now elect to call Mount Hood this past December are a tragic re- this column ‘Precipice’, not minder of the dangers one perspective. Many a time faces when venturing into I have perched on rock, the backcountry in winter. ice or snow, wondering Of course their objective what the next few seconds was much more formidable would bring. In all cases, I than a several-mile ski or took the jump, placed the snowshoe trip close to a pick, or launched my skis highway. Nevertheless, we into space- trusting for a should never forget that good outcome (whiteout backcountry winter travel snowstorms will do that to can be dangerous. you!). What got me thinking about this incident was Every time I reached bottom (or the top) I was a talk show host that posed the question, “why OK. This has given me the perspective on why we do people climb mountains?” I was not surprised take on such big projects that seem to have no bot- at the called-in answers that ranged from “for the tom. Or any visible, reachable summit. challenge” to “for the spiritual experience.” It is because we can and we must! I, however, thought a more interesting question In this Bulletin you will read about Snowlands would be, “what is the value of climbing moun- initiatives (e.g. stewardship, a Tahoe Meadows tains, skiing or snowshoeing in the backcountry, or regional recreation center) and those long-term any other mountain sport?” Here’s my short list of projects that have been over a decade in process answers: (Forestdale Road, Hope Valley). I applaud all our • Learn to plan. continued on page 11 volunteers, members and financial supporters for sticking with us, taking the leap of faith, that we In this Issue: can and will succeed to save our winter recreation lands - a meadow, a view, a trail, a quiet acre (or Snowlands at Work 10,000 of them) - for the long term. Hope Valley ............................................................1 I hope YOU will take that leap too! Nevada ORV Bill ....................................................1 Ellen President’s Precipice .............................................2 Chairman’s Corner .................................................2 PS: We have a new staff member on our journey: Alpine County Winter Recreation Plan ..................3 Annette Glabe, who joined us last May. She learned Echo Summit Sno-Park .........................................3 about Snowlands by doing: in her first week she Tahoe Meadows.....................................................4 manned our booth at the REI store in Reno, and, Hoover Wilderness Additions .................................4 as I write this, she is with snowshoe leader Cathy- California Fuel Tax Study .......................................5 Works in Nevada City at Trail Marking Along Highway 88 ............................6 Mammoth Lakes Trail System ...............................7 a demo night. Annette Loon Lake 4x4 Conflict ..........................................7 keeps our database up to Lassen National Park.............................................8 date, handles our books, Ski Tour: Castle Point ............................................9 and runs our outreach Fast Women On Skis ...........................................10 events with aplomb (her Mt Shasta.............................................................11 professional expertise is Affiliate Members .................................................11 event management). She Snowmobile Noise ...............................................12 is a former ski bum who Sponsors..............................................................13 is learning the delights of New Director ........................................................14 Meet Monte Hendricks .........................................14 the backcountry on snow- Snowlands newest staff Snowlands Stewardship Program........................15 shoes. Please say hi to her member Annette Glabe Join Snowlands....................................................15 when you call or email us! 2 ©2007 Snowlands Network • www.snowlands.org Spring 2007 Hope Rings Out for Hope Valley Snowlands Network chairman Marcus on snowmobiles, motorized regions are created CA Libkind has good reason to hope for the in the Monitor Pass area and on Highway 4. The Forestdale Creek area, southeast of Carson Pass on Plan also proposes much needed parking im- Highway 88! After 15 years of advocating for its re- provements. See www.snowlands.org for addi- turn to its natural, quiet setting for backcountry ski- tional details and our full ALERT. ing and snowshoeing, this might just happen. “If adopted it will be a win-win situation,” Snowlands was joined by Friends of Hope Val- Marcus says. He also points out that we are here ley, the California/Nevada Snowmobile Associa- today because people like John Bowers, Deb- tion and the Lake Tahoe Snowmobile Association bie Waldear of the Friends of Hope Valley, John in support of the Alpine County Winter Recreation and Patty Brissenden of Sorensen’s Resort, and Plan. It includes the greater Hope Valley and the he persevered for 15 years, including filing two much loved Forestdale Creek area. successful lawsuits. “As a result, the Forest Ser- On February 6, 2007, the Carson Ranger Dis- vice finally decided to work with the snowmobile trict, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, released a community and us to create a workable winter Scoping Notice for the proposed Winter Recreation recreation plan that all can consider a win.” Plan. Snowlands Network mailed a special alert Marcus, Debbie and the Brissendens were and hopes that you took the time to write in sup- joined by Jeff Erdoes and Jim Donald at six meet- port of the Plan. ings of the Alpine County Ad Hoc Winter Recre- The proposed Plan embodies a balance between ation Dialog. They met with their counterparts in motorized and non-motorized winter recreation the snowmobile community and representatives opportunities. It creates non-motorized areas in of the Forest Service, Alpine County and the Cali- the Forestdale Creek area and on the north side of fornia Department of Fish and Game. Highway 88 in the vicinity of Crater Lake, Scotts Lake and Stevens Peak. To offset these limitations The Spirit Of Snow UPDATE: Films Celebrating Our ECHO SUMMIT SNO-PARK After a season of letter writing and public Winter Passion CA concern for the Echo Summit and Echo Lake Sno-Parks, the issues of management, insurance March 22 and snow removal were dealt with in late 2006. South Lake Tahoe As in the past, the Echo Lakes Sno-Park, oper- The Tahoe Adventure Club and ated by California State Parks, is open for day and Lake Tahoe Community Col- overnight trips into the Lakes and Desolation Wil- lege present a film night dedi- derness. However, Echo Summit Sno-Park on High- cated to the wonders of being on way 50 is now a private operation. The Eldorado snow, up high, in the mountains. national Forest web site states (www.fs.fed.us/r5/ FILMS that will delight, educate eldorado/documents/other/recreate.htm) “Echo and excite to benefit Snowlands Summit is no longer a part of the Sno-Park Pro- Network. Featuring The Lost gram. A private company, Adventure Mountain, is People of Mountain Village - a droll stroll though currently operating, with a day-use charge of $10.00 an abandoned mountain resort and a top film at per passenger vehicle and $50.00 for larger vehicles Telluride Mountainfilm. Plus other exciting films such as motor homes and trailers.