Snowmobiles in wilderness areas

I spend 30 -50 days/year touring around mt adams, and have been noticing an increasing number of sleds entering the wilderness. The majority of them don't appear to be carrying packs (shovels, probes), and I'm guessing they aren't equiped with transcievers.

This past weekend I had the great displeasure of several of them highmarking directly above the drainage I was climbing.

I wonder if this is common in all areas, or is it a GPNF problem? Do you have a problem with it and what do you think we can do to change it?

This is the result of Bundy Red Neck Derangement Syndrome...

... an excess of internal combustion engine exhaust, poor physical conditioning, and flagging masculinity seem to be the cause...

If they are in the Wilderness area call the FS LEO and also contact local snowmobile clubs. If you are close enough,take pictures of the riders and sleds, try and get the DOL sticker in the pic. This is hard because a lot of snowmobilers don't renew the registration on older sleds.

Wilderness poaching isn't common or acceptable. I have been sled-access touring around the south end of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness (via Salmon la Sac and Teanaway) frequently over the past 12 years and have only seen tracks on the wrong side of the crest a handful of times. That said, I heard a rumor that the FS and/or the tribe is using a heli to catch poachers on Adams. Give them a call and report what you've been seeing. Also, in over 10 years of sledding, I've never once seen a sledder get off their sled to perform any stability assessment. They rely on the NWAC report, visual clues and the general stability of our snowpack (i.e., luck) most of the time. One would think they would be caught in slides way more often, but it turns out their approach is not really all that flawed (from a statistical perspective, that is).

I've seen sled tracks on the summit of Yellow Aster Butte midwinter. Which is many, very complex, miles into the wilderness boundary. Presumably that wasn't a one time occurrence but it's not an area that sees a lot of human powered traffic to cause conflict. I imagine there's a lot more spillover near the boundary there. Agreed with reporting to FS LEO but hard to imagine much of an effective response in this day and age.

this sledding in mt adams wilderness is quite common actually.

i've documented photos of it in 2015 the low snow year, they were all over up there since it was the only place with snow (above 5 and 6k).
drive.google.com/open?id=0BxYl3RAqCQBbX05JT1g1WmNfOTg

I've also got screenshots from instagram of users who have documented their forays into the wilderness and the yakima reservation by bird creek meadows (also off limits to snomos).

i spoke with the wilderness ranger at the time. You might be surprised if I told you they don't have a lot of resources to catch these people. that was sarcasm.

Thanks for the replies. I am glad to hear that it isn't common (at least in the alpine lakes).

The group that I ran into didn't know I was around when they crossed the boundary. I was ascending the FS/Yakima boundary near treeline when they blasted past into the wilderness and into Bird creek meadows. They did see me when i popped out above treeline, but they stayed far away once they noticed they weren't alone. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any photos, but I hoped I would run into them at the sno park. They were gone by the time I rolled through. I am going to start photographing all plates on sled haulers on my way in, in case I run into more of the same.

I reported what I witnessed to the FS and received a call back today. Got the same reponse i always get from the Trout Lake ranger, "we are aware of it, please keep reporting, and try to get some plate numbers." Never occurred to me to report to snomo clubs. I will definitely do that. Anyone know which clubs are local?

I don't blame the FS. That area is huge and not heavily trafficed in the winter/spring. It is going to take a few climbers/skiiers, in the right place at the right time, to bust these dipshits.

Here are the links for the two main groups in Southwest WA

Mt Adams Snowmobile Club
Will Altig • (541) 490-0891
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Mt Adams Snowmobile Club

Mt St Helens Trac Riders
Larry Lamkin
• (360) 430-1542
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Mt. St. Helens Trac Riders

I have had good luck with the Mt St Helen's group trying to police their own or educate other sledders when out at Mt St Helen's.

Thanks rainy!