Four Indiana visitors to Yellowstone National Park have been invited to return to Mammoth Hot Springs late next month...to face charges of snowmobiling illegally in the park's backcountry.
Rangers caught the four, who had rented snowmobiles, more than a mile inside the park boundary near West Yellowstone. They'll have to return to the park in late February to appear before the federal magistrate in U.S. District Court.
Park officials were not immediately available to say whether the four also faced charges of snowmobiling in the park without a guide, as the current snowmobile regulations require.
While limited, managed snowmobile and snowcoach travel over groomed, snow-packed park roads is permitted in Yellowstone, the use of snowmobiles in the backcountry, on trails, and off road has always been prohibited.
Violators face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to six months in jail as well as forfeiture of their snowmobiles. Additional charges of damage to park resources can result in another $5,000 fine and an additional six months imprisonment.
In recent weeks, rangers have observed off-road snowmobile tracks up to two-and-a-half miles inside Yellowstone’s backcountry. Rangers regularly patrol the boundary and have the option to ticket, arrest, and confiscate the snowmobiles of violators, who can expect to face aggressive prosecution.
Comments
I haven't followed the story. What's the impact of snowmobiles on a snow field? Are there other areas where people can ride their snowmobiles nearby?
Snowmobiles impact snow fields in a number of ways. The passage of the machine compacts the snow increasing its density and reducing its insulation value. Depending on a number of variables, the compacted snow tends to conduct cold more efficiently and can create barriers for creatures that depend on snow cover to exist. Wildlife will often use snowmobile trails artificially concentrating their use patterns. Trappers take advantage of this tendency by setting traps along a snowmobile trail. Vegetation beneath the snow cover can be damaged resulting in a change in natural cover and even increased erosion. In heavily impacted meadows it is often possible to see the path of snowmobile travel after the snow has melted. Snowmobiles can have substantial negative impacts to overwintering wildlife. Traffic can disturb wildlife when they are most vulnerable and need to conserve energy. It can scatter wildlife, separating calves and cows exposing them to increased predation and environmental stress. Even the noise of snowmobile travel can impact wildlife. Insofar as other areas where people may ride their snowmobiles, most national forests and BLM managed lands are open to snowmobile use as are some state managed public lands.
Ray, thanks for the information. In that case, I can certainly understand the need for strict enforcement.
Don't think too hard Jim. It's not they were unaware, its when idiots post arbitrary idiotic laws, reasonable people tend to lose respect for the law. What's wrong with you people? I certainly would never advocate riding snowmachines around the herds, scaring them up and running them around. Most snowmachiners enjoy all types of outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, camping, etc. I've seen country on the back of my machine that you will never see because it's 30 miles from any road. I can see where that might elicit a sense of jealousy from you, but to associate me with evil because I've found a more efficient mode of transportation is a little petty, isn't it?
I don't know what's worse...having people on NPT write extremist statements that paint people with broad brushes and display their obvious hate for others, or the fact that I actually wasted my time reading those people's attacks of each other.
Haha, when reading this I thought, "Well at least this is one post that all should agree on!" Little did I know that some people consider even THESE rules to be "arbitrary [and] idiotic."
You ever get the feeling that some people simply defend the most extreme points-of-view as an intellectual exercise? ...Well that certainly isn't the case here, because surely no one doing this as an exercise would cite a hibernating squirrel as proof that snowmobiles have minimal wildlife impact. Or believe that wolves eating other animals is a horrible thing. Or paint all those in favor of wolf reintroduction as ignorant Subaru (??) drivers. Or claim that anyone who holds an opposing view to simply be jealous. Or accuse another of pettiness because of one's own made-up claim of being associated with "evil."
Nope, certainly not an intellectual exercise here. Just a simple man trying to stand up for the truth in the face of "completely misinformed," "prone to exaggerating," "completely biased," and "naive" "bunnies" who are "direct[ing] all their hate" toward "reasonable people." When will society ever stop oppressing the righteous and blaming the blameless?
Personally I do not see how snowmobiles damage the park when riding on snow. Ray explanation at least gave me some of the reasons for the ban. Whether they are accurate or really sensible I do not know. I am not super knowlwdgable about snowmobiles and the damage they so. Most places (non NPS) that have snowmobile trails are fine and the use does not damage the environment and support multiuse of natural areas.
I know that some snowmobiles do misuse them by chasing wildlife bit that is the few and not a majority.
I have wondered if the animus against snowmobile in NPS is that they disturb the pristine blanket of snow for the natural vitas. I can understand the snowmobiler that is using an efficent means of transportation on the snow to access more wild areas then they can any other way. Do they parks restrict people hiking across the snow fields or using skis or snowshoes?
The restriction has seem to be a matter of not allowing snowmobiles to enjoy the NPS when others without snwmobiles can't and the human urge to prevent others doing what oneself can not.
At least Ray stated some of the reasons for the restrictions which I appreciated.
Are you kidding me. The amount of snow in that park is so massive and the depth. A snowmobile's only damage to the area is to the people that protect it from the industrial age.
I have rode a snowmobile for 10 years now. Always obeying the laws and I am just in awe to natures beauty as everyone else. I just prefer to ride and look as to hike, dog sled or any of the other means of transportation others use.