January 20, 2010
Forest Service partners with non-profit to protect public lands.
There are two types of people who poach the powder, according to US Forest Service Wilderness Manager Chad Grossenburg: those who don’t really know what they’re doing and those who are really good at it.And while it is difficult to change the behavior of those hell-bent on going fast and far past the boundary set by Congress in 1984, Grossenburg is encouraged by less powder poaching in the Spring Creek area where signage is clear for the Jedediah Smith Wilderness. With any luck, Grossenburg anticipates more and better signage all along the Wilderness boundary.
“It could be that the Spring Creek area is largely unridden this year because of avalanche danger,” Grossenburg said. “But the Forest Service has had an increased presence there over the last two years.”
Though no violations have been observed this season in the popular Lake Valley region of the Spring Creek access located just south of Teton Canyon, Grossenburg said there has been a great deal of poaching by snow machiners recently in the north end of the valley, specifically South Badger Creek, Indian Meadows and the Green Lakes area, as well as the Hominy Trail that marks the northern boundary of the Jedediah Smith Wilderness.
With challenging terrain and variable snow conditions, enforcement of many Wilderness areas is diffi cult, but Grossenburg stressed that some areas, such as Fox Creek, are crucial habitat for wildlife. Those poaching the powder in this area could be unwittingly harassing wildlife that depend upon winter habitat for safety and survival.
“The most important place to stop violations of the Wilderness boundary is Fox Creek,” Grossenburg said. “We have new data that shows the presence of big horn sheep winter range just a mile from the quarry.”
With a traditional route to the Pinnacles privatized recently, Grossenburg said snowmachiners are accessing the popular spot by trespassing through the quarry and crossing a portion of the Wilderness.
“It’s almost tempting to say that only a small corner is being compromised,” Grossenburg said. “But that’s a slippery slope. There is a defi nite boundary, and we will do our best to enforce it.”
Outside reports and observations of snow machiners crossing the Wilderness boundary prompt Grossenburg and additional Forest Service staff to enter the Wilderness in pursuit of violators in order to issue citations. First offenses are punished by a $500 fine, and second offenses require a mandatory court appearance that could result in the confiscation of snow machines.
“That hurts, and it ought to,” Grossenburg said.
Though the Forest Service is often frustrated by the enforcement aspect of protecting the Wilderness, Grossenburg said he is encouraged by programs to install better signage along the boundary.
To that end, a recent partnership has been established between the Targhee National Forest and Winter Wildlands Alliance, an eight-year-old organization that is the first and only of its kind advocating for the human-powered snow sports enthusiast.
“With this winter wildlands stewardship project, we are trying to engage the local constituency,” said Winter Wildlands Alliance public lands director Forrest McCarthy of the partnership that was initiated by Grossenburg. “In order to better manage the Wilderness, we need to get a better sense of where the problems are in Winegar Hole and the Jed Smith. We need to get better data.”
As early as next winter, Grossenburg and McCarthy could begin the project to increase public awareness with regard to the Wilderness by enlisting volunteers to help educate the public while identifying problem spots along the boundary.
“It would really change the recreational climate here,” Grossenburg said of the stewardship project.
As a part of outreach and increasing awareness, Winter Wildlands Alliance is in its fifth year of promoting the Backcountry Film Festival. This year the fi lm festival is scheduled to touchdown at the Wildwood Room in Victor on Thursday Jan. 28 at 6 p.m., where a half dozen filmmakers will be featured.
