Re: Thunder Meadows Non Motorized Snowmobiling

[gavitron]

This is a copy of "Sledder1"’s reply from another forum:

I would like to reply to the post regarding Trespassers. I was one of the sledders of which you write. Yes i am one of an original group of four that found a route into that area about twenty years ago. I have been to many many other areas that sledders generally do not go to as well. We go to those areas for the same reason that you do not stay on the ski hill. However we have not been in that area for about five years. I was also on the original "negotiating" team that helped designate Tunnel Creek, and Fairy Creek as not open until after March 15. I / WE WERE NOT AWARE THIS AREA WAS INCLUDED IN THAT DESIGNATION. If we were we would not have been there. We were there the weekend before as well and went right to the top of Polar Peek when the freestyle comp. was on. We certainly would not have done that if we knew it was closed. And we did not do any damage other than putting some tracks in the snow. One snow fall = tracks gone. As to the particular day in question your statements are very skewed. I do not believe you heard sleds for two hours because we were where you met us for at least two hours. We were not "hiding". It was so foggy and dangerous that we went into the trees and built a fire to cook sausage etc. for lunch. We were there a good two hours. At least one hour before you came out of the fog above we heard your group. You did not see us. We walked out of the trees to see you. One of the girls from your group saw us and told you. You and a couple of others ridiculed her and asked her if she were on crack etc… She pointed us out several times and I finally called out … then you saw us. Also from your conversation you did not really know where you were going "I think that is Easy Street etc." were some of the comments. When you and the group skied down to us you were immediately rude apon seeing the sleds. I told you i had a map and said lets look at it to see if it is open or not. I had picked up a map in the morning (SRMMP) but at 1:150,000 I misstook where the closure line was. I wanted to look at the map with you but you were rude and said no… you then skied about 20m away and were rude, and swore at us etc. before strting to leave. Yes i then asked for your camera etc and was mad as well. I want to say one other thing as well. THE REST OF YOUR GROUP WAS NOT RUDE, THEY WERE CORDIAL AND UNDERSTANDING, very polite as a matter of fact. I offered for your group to use our fire. I told you the exact route to take to get to the Thunder Meadows cabin in very thick dense fog. You led your group from the ski hill into an "out of bounds" area in very dangerous foggy avy conditions. Had there been an incident none of you would have been rescued, except if we could have known or helped. Ask any of the other members of your group about what i have said above. It is all true. If you had not been so confrontational this would not have gotten out of hand. I want to say one other thing to the backcountry skiers… This was a misunderstanding … I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE AREA FOR YEARS AND TRULY THOUGHT IT WAS STILL OPEN. IT WAS NOT. WE WERE IN THE WRONG TO BE THERE AND WILL NOT RETURN UNTIL WELL AFTER IT IS OPEN. I ALSO SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO THE TWO GROUPS OF SKIERS WE ENCOUNTERED OVER TWO WEEKENDS. I realize we are all back country users and should work together. Again we were wrong to be there when we were and apologize.