Vermont Life Magazine - A Thousand Cuts

[outlawjoseywale]

Haven't seen this on here yet... Some may be interested in an interesting read (http://vermontlife.com/current_issue/wi09-trail-cutting.htm) on secret backcountry ski trail cutting from the Vermont Life Magazine.

[boardman]

Unfortunately, I think the offenders -- and many reside here on T4T, to be sure -- would attempt to distinguish themselves from the mere hacks by saying that they do it "this way or that way," and "know what they're doing," etc., etc., etc.

Rubbish. If you're hacking away at anything other than private land that you own personally or for which you have permission from the owner of such land, then you're committing an act of vandalism, however "well-intentioned."

[stoneman]

Slander! I prefer to think of myself as a Visigoth.

[Seeker]

Great article--thanks for posting!

[drewvw]

I read this article on TheSnowWay last night...very interesting indeed.

An important point is made that those who do partake in these activities justify it (at least in part) because of a special connection to the terrain. To the offender, it's almost noble and artistic in way, but from the outside that same rationale can be characterized as selfish and arrogant.

That said, I totally agree that there are ways of going about it that do not do ecological damage and are not harmful to the terrain in the long run. A lot of it is common sense, you should know when you are being egregious.

For example, using a chainsaw on Big Jay...man the long term damage that has done on many levels...

[natron]

nice article. is it truly backcountry when man tampers? chainsaws in public land is where I draw the line, but maybe that line should be drawn when underbrush and branches are being killed 2?:confused:

[riverc0il]

If any one skis or rides those lines that are illegally cut (which is to say most off trail map glades), then those folks are just as guilty as the cutters themselves. Which is to say, almost every single tree skier that has ever skied off map. Or at least, no one that skis or rides off map glades should be preaching morality or legality if they enjoy the work of illegal activity.

The legality is cut and dry. But the issue does not begin nor end with the activity or legality itself. We have a developed a culture around illegally cut tree lines and the issue goes deeper than the legal question itself... which I doubt any cutter would disagree about (that it is illegal... then again most people do not object to smoking up or drinking when they are underage...).

Who here is willing to swear off skiing/riding any off map trees unless they know 100% that it was cut and sanctioned by a legal source? We are talking about some of the best skiing available in New England, illegally begotten as it might be...

My full thoughts are posted on my web site in a long winded article that has been on the back of my mind since I started following the Big Jay incident. I won't reconstruct all my arguments here but I just want to say that this is a difficult topic without an easy solution, if it even needs a solution.

[icelanticskier]

i only believe in selective cutting of invasive species like trees and more trees to enhance my skiing pleasure.:D

rog

[Seeker]

Interesting and similar thread going on at Ttips (http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=62033) as well!

[Rider.Steve]

Slander! I prefer to think of myself as a Visigoth. Rubbish - the ladies say you're a Hun.

[stoneman]

Nice one Steve. Goths, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals can't we all just get along? Seriously though, articles like the one in VL make me cringe. Some BC rag this month also published a blurb about trimming, same deal. Legal or not, if you ski the woods in New England, you have skied in "enhanced" places. And the less published about it the better.

[PWDR8S]

Simple solution.... ski like I ski.... And good luck staying on your feet!
I don't need to cut, clear, groom to enjoy a nice glissade... body armor goes a long way in making the slide enjoyable. ;)

[yuckster]

And the less published about it the better.

All this publishing is the direct result of the chainsaw duo. Grr.

[icelanticskier]

Simple solution.... ski like I ski.... And good luck staying on your feet!
I don't need to cut, clear, groom to enjoy a nice glissade... body armor goes a long way in making the slide enjoyable. ;)

north of berlin nh, where the hilly dale are wide open, underbrush is rare and the ice storms never made an impact. way north woods-my fave tree skiing.

rog

[Teledancer]

north of berlin nh, where the hilly dale are wide open, underbrush is rare and the ice storms never made an impact. way north woods-my fave tree skiing.

rog
now U done it
here we come! you need not ski alone..anymore :D

Also:
noticed some new cuts onthe Mhillock..... were'nt even disguised:eek:
wide open come and get it! just a bit of overgrazing.....
was this sanctioned by dmouth???

[icelanticskier]

now U done it
here we come! you need not ski alone..anymore :D

Also:
noticed some new cuts onthe Mhillock..... were'nt even disguised:eek:
wide open come and get it! just a bit of overgrazing.....
was this sanctioned by dmouth???

where icelantic go. come n git it, if ya's kin finds it. big, big, big woods. think WAY outside of the box.

rog

[Telemark]

Also:
noticed some new cuts onthe Mhillock..... were'nt even disguised:eek:
wide open come and get it! just a bit of overgrazing.....
was this sanctioned by dmouth???
Where did you see these? It's most definitely not sanctioned anywhere on Dartmouth property.

Drop me a PM if it's appropriate.

[Luddite]

Pretty interesting article. I don't think most bc skiers come anywhere near the old days of mountain bike trail building (is there a smiley foir guilt?) except in this Big Jay area. For most of what we do clearing deadfall and snapping off some eyepokers is usually enough, and we should always limit it top that - at least on public land. Which I'll be doing as soon as hunting season ends...