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Snowmobiles at Artist Point! WTF
- Donnelly_M
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- flowing alpy
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- aaron_wright
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A quick search reveals that snowmoblies and motorized vehicles in general are prohibited in the Artist Point area- www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbs/recreation/r...recid=17526&actid=50
Maybe they need to be reminded.
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- Pinch
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I do know that the back side of Stevens Pass opens up to sledding in the Spring, but I have never heard of an Artists Point limited opening.
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- n16ht5
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you won't see joe sledhead ever go there though, I would put my money on the mt baker ski area workers. With the hoardes of boot stomping tourists there I wouldn't mind a sled track to skin on going up.. hold out a few beers and they might give you a tow. I've towed random skiers up the Easton when I am at the mountain
www.wilderness.net/map
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- Pinch
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Those are applicable and legalizing technicalities.It's not wilderness, and it is a road atleast to the point...
But there would be too much user conflict in a small area. Best to "let them have it".
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- n16ht5
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- chuck
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- aaron_wright
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- T. Eastman
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Ski area workers should not be going beyond the Blueberry Cat Track in snowmobiles.
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- T. Eastman
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Seems like a non issue. If you look at a topo map its pretty clearly not wilderness and paved. Why mess with the folks that make the resort function, are first responders and maintain the lot backcountry users utilize? You'd be better off being cool and hoping for a lift or going further out, away from the madness of lolly-gagging snowshoers and whatnot.
Well, actually the area is good because there are not snowmoblile track trashing it. If you want trashed go up Canyon Creek, Glacier Creek, or the disaster called Schreibers Meadows...
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- chuck
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- Markeyz
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- T. Eastman
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Who knows the specifics of this uncommon case but its really not worth getting spun up about.
Unless you actually want the rules enforced so visitors including many way cool skiers get the experience they expect. Adhering to the regulations makes the area meet its demands as requested by the public through extensive process. Complaints should be registered to keep the FS and the ski area aware and in a better position to remedy the problem.
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- T. Eastman
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as long as they're not trashing the downhill lines, it doesn't bother me too much
... why of course, your deal is skiing the downhill lines, what about the folks that enjoy the flats, mellow uphills, and expect not to see the landscape thrashed?
Add some perspective and a little dimension to the short view...
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- Markeyz
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- T. Eastman
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The access to the Bagley/Artist Point trailheads is remarkable and enjoyed by many. A few knuckleheads should be (excuse me) de-rided for screwing around on snowmobiles. A lot of effort has gone into making that area work the way it does with plowed access to amazing terrain and parking.
Think of why you spend so much time around Bagley Creek; likely the ease of access. Imagine how popular the place would be if you had to hike up from the Nooksack...
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- n16ht5
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Seriously, get over it guys.
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- T. Eastman
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Seriously, get over it guys.
... or not!
It may not be an issue to you, but to others it is a problem...
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- Pinch
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- Gregg_C
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- hop
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LOUD NOISES!
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- RossB
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Yeah, and other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play? The noise is the thing, and I would be pissed if I saw them whining around up there. Now, if they were up there for an important reason, that is completely different. They would also leave fairly quickly. Also, if they had four stroke engines that are really quiet, that would probably be OK. But if it was like Park Butte, with sledders making noise all day, then I would be pissed. There are only a handful of places like Artist Point. Only two, really. I'm talking:Aesthetically I don't see much difference between that and the snowmobile tracks except for the amount of noise they make in the act of creation.
1) Reasonable driving distance from Seattle (although it isn't exactly short).
2) Mild, easy, off road, off trail terrain. I've skied up there with plain Nordic gear (not BC Nordic). It is challenging with gear like that, but if you take a good line, it can be done.
3) Extremely scenic
4) Wild (or least mostly wild)
5) Easily accessible (you don't have a really long road approach or need to time the snow level just right).
The only other places in my book that compare are Park Butte and Paradise. As mentioned, Park Butte is out because of the snow mobiles. It would really suck if I drove all the way up there to get away from them only to encounter them up there. That would be like visiting the Sistine Chapel and having a guy crank his boombox next to me (with a mix of Tiny Tim and Japanese Opera).
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- T. Eastman
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- Lowell_Skoog
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These are unique, entry-level winter zones that should be non-motorized in winter. It sounds like Artist Point is supposed to be off-limits to snowmobiles. I would not be shy about pointing this out if I encountered them there.
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- Jason4
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I'd still flag down anyone that I saw out there on a sled and question them on what they're doing there and who gave the ok. Chances are it would be a friend and I'd offer to lend a hand in helping out with whatever the situation is.
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- Jason4
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I'm not sure where the former Austin rope tow ended but it's somewhere outside of the current ski area
boundary so there is some historical precedence for lift access in that direction and it would open up Table Mountain as the "other Arm".
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- wickstad
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One more fleeting thought...maybe the ski area is scouting an expansion with a lift from the bottom of the Swift Creek area up to the Artist Point parking lot. It's really the next logical direction to expand and would open up more intermediate terrain. I haven't talked to anyone connected to the ski area, just pure wishful thinking on my part.
I'm not sure where the former Austin rope tow ended but it's somewhere outside of the current ski area
boundary so there is some historical precedence for lift access in that direction and it would open up Table Mountain as the "other Arm".
I'd like to know where it ended as well. I even rode the thing a couple times. It was very steep at the end. My first thought would be the switch back on the road but that would make no sense unless you dismantled the rope tow in the off season.
One hell of a powerful rope tow that lifted me off the ground. Some folks have said on here that it was powered by a chevy 350.
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- Jason4
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- Lowell_Skoog
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I'm not sure where the former Austin rope tow ended but it's somewhere outside of the current ski area boundary so there is some historical precedence for lift access in that direction and it would open up Table Mountain as the "other Arm".
I haven't skied Mt Baker that much, but the only Austin rope tow I remember was located roughly where I've drawn the red line on the following topo map:
There was still a rope tow there in the 1980s at least. I don't remember how high it went. I don't think there has ever been a lift farther west than what I've drawn here.
If anybody knows different, I'll be eager to learn more.
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