My Trespass Story for today....

C

classicchick

New member
About 8 years ago my husband and I stopped riding off-trail because everytime someone saw our tracks....they followed.We didn't want to
lead people onto our neighbors and friends private property. People didn't want to post their lands but when there was a track, some people assumed it was
o.k to follow.. so that was the sacrifice we made to try to hold back the epidemic of backcountry riding, boondocking and signs of aggressive riding.

Last Thursday we went snowshoeing on our property instead. Today we had to go and fence off our snowshoe trail because off-trail riders
decided they had a right to see where the trail goes....totally unfair to us to not be able to use our own land!!! I've been angry many
times this year, once when we rode out of Rockland toward Victoria and saw the total disregard for the steep hillsides just past the Ontonagon River.
Wait until the environmentalist realize the summer erosion is caused by winter snowmobiling. The run off goes into the Ontonagon River and Lake Superior!!!
Trees and vegetation are necessary on these hills to stabilize them...it's a no brainer. Another example is the Military Hill on US-45 near the Ontonagon River.
I don't suppose there are any environmentalists riding by and noticing the aggressive tearing up of the steep hills next to the trail. Someone running over
the seedlings we planted last spring also made me angry. Today I was angry again because our snowshoe walk actually brought more terrorism into our life!
A very special quality of life in the U.P. is being destroyed by some rude & inconsiderate off-trail snowmobilers.

Something needs to be done. I heard a suggestion that the DNR should confiscate any sled caught on private property without written permission...is that what it will come to??
Maybe there has to be some painful consequences, maybe we'll have to pay extra trail permit money for off-trail snomo cops. Maybe the consequences could
be listed on an extra tab on the trail permits so everyone knows it won 't be tolerated anymore!
I can't quite explain the feeling of finding vandalism or unwanted people intruding on our property. The U.P. used to be a much better place to live. We have
been trying to be tolerant but just how much intrusion should we take?
 
C

chevytaHOE5674

New member
Went down to Bruces for animal feed this weekend and noticed the tracks all up and down the hillsides on the Military.... Those hillsides have a terrible erosion problem and running up and down them on sleds doesn't help them any.

I used to ride through my own pastures (opening and closing gates as I went) paralleling my road to get from my house down to the other end of my property and out into the logging roads where I have permission to ride. I had to stop because people would follow the tracks and open the gates and ride to my house and turn around and leave (at all hours of the night), but they would leave the gates OPEN. So now instead of taking a nice ride through my pasture I burn the carbides and hyfax down riding the shoulder of the road...

I thought about putting locks on the gates but then it becomes a hassle for me as I would be fumbling for keys many many times a day, have to deal with frozen locks, etc.
 
cobalt_502

cobalt_502

Active member
We were trail riding this past weekend out of Rockland and as the leader of our group I had perfect visibility of all signage all weekend long. I could NOT believe that every single No Tresspassing or NO Snowmobiles signs were completely ignored, by far the most I have ever seen since riding up there in the 80's! I know that a big part of it is the lack of snow elsewhere but it has been getting worse every year for the last four plus years.
 
P

polarisrider1

New member
cobalt_502 said:
We were trail riding this past weekend out of Rockland and as the leader of our group I had perfect visibility of all signage all weekend long. I could NOT believe that every single No Tresspassing or NO Snowmobiles signs were completely ignored, by far the most I have ever seen since riding up there in the 80's! I know that a big part of it is the lack of snow elsewhere but it has been getting worse every year for the last four plus years.
Click to expand...
Any suggestions?
 
C

cuzzinolaf

Well-known member
cobalt_502 said:
We were trail riding this past weekend out of Rockland and as the leader of our group I had perfect visibility of all signage all weekend long. I could NOT believe that every single No Tresspassing or NO Snowmobiles signs were completely ignored, by far the most I have ever seen since riding up there in the 80's! I know that a big part of it is the lack of snow elsewhere but it has been getting worse every year for the last four plus years.
Click to expand...

I noticed this a few weeks ago too. Very frustrating but I didn't catch anyone in the act. I will stop and say something the next time.
 
K

KipiMak

New member
I own that property on Victoria Dam Rd that has the erosion problems. Plum Creek (the previous owner) had put in signs, fencing etc. to stop access but it is all for naught. The DNR wants me to plant trees on the bluffs to stop the erosion, but the renegades will just run them over. Now that Pestka has improved the access roads I fear the erosion on the bluffs along the Ontonagon River will continue to get worse. The problem is much worse in the summer by the ORV's looking for mud holes on my private land. It is very frustrating.
 
H

haulngas

New member
simple

pound stakes in the ground in spring. If you snowmobile where you are supposed to, you wont have to worry about running into them
 
C

cuzzinolaf

Well-known member
The property with the no snowmobiling signs on the side of the trail with the hills?

KipiMak said:
I own that property on Victoria Dam Rd that has the erosion problems. Plum Creek (the previous owner) had put in signs, fencing etc. to stop access but it is all for naught. The DNR wants me to plant trees on the bluffs to stop the erosion, but the renegades will just run them over. Now that Pestka has improved the access roads I fear the erosion on the bluffs along the Ontonagon River will continue to get worse. The problem is much worse in the summer by the ORV's looking for mud holes on my private land. It is very frustrating.
Click to expand...
 
C

cuzzinolaf

Well-known member
KipiMak said:
Yes, that is the property. I own on both sides of the road. Plum Creek owns the upper part of the hill.
Click to expand...

That is one of the areas I was talking about. In years past you might see one or two sets of tracks on it. This year the whole hill is tracked up and even the signs have been run over. Sad!
 
S

snowfreak56

Member
polarisrider1 said:
Any good ideas on how to fix this?? Signs seem to do nothing.
Click to expand...
Somehow a few need to be caught and prosecuted then the word gets out.Unfortunatly it is going to take the locals to watch and police these areas,and the DNR and local leo needs to be told that this has got out of hand and has to stop.Nobody really wants the law involved but signs have been put up warnings have went out.So it looks like time for action.Really running out of options because if this continues we will all be paying for it.Personaly i like the idea of steel stakes and a few other options that i wont mention but that usually ends up with the wrong ones on the wrong side of the law,or in a law suite.One thing for shure it will take action to stop these actions.We cant fix stupid but if we watch we can catch stupid.
 
mrsrunningbear

mrsrunningbear

Active member
I think Military Hill is going to be the first spot that someones going to get caught and face the consequences. Cameras are up so watch out the DNR just needs sled numbers and tickets will be issued, they can send the tickets to the trespassers. This is one hill that the DNR is really after. Trail cams will give the picture proof. I hope this will start the tickets to be issued!! Something has to stop this!!
 
H

Hoosier

Well-known member
The penalties are going to have to get bigger or the sport is going to be trouble. Require sleds to have larger registrations on them so people are aware they might be seen and caught. If caught, confiscate the snowmobile, and and set the fine at least $1,000 + storage and recovery fees to get it back. Offer rewards for evidence (pictures) turning someone in.

Once you lose the landowners and the community support, snowmobiling is dead, or it will just be allowed in closed parks similar to ATV's in some areas. IMO.

Too many idiots own snowmobiles, and snowmobiles can do a lot of damage.
 
9

98panther

New member
I had trouble for a long time, and but I only have a small 2 acre lot.
There is a spot that has a good view, that locals used before I built and weren't ready to give up when I bought and built.
Always tracks - sled & ATV, cans, bottles, 20 feet from my cabin. used the outhouse, moved the picnic table and chairs around, little trees run over, etc etc
Luckily never broke in or did damage to the cabin.

Now my trees are too big to run over, although many have had to be replaced. Also had a pile of boulders and rocks and just spread them around as landscaping.
Have not seen signs of anyone for a couple years now.
 
uncle_ed

uncle_ed

Active member
Maybe the state needs to require unlicensed youth to pass a snowmobile safety course that is a little more rigorous in teaching about tresspass and the future of our sport. Emphasize the importance of good stewardship and concern about how we as snowmobilers appear to those who do not sled and the effects of snowmobiles on the terrain in fragile areas. This is not an immediate solution but may help in the long run.
 
C

classicchick

New member
KipiMak said:
I own that property on Victoria Dam Rd that has the erosion problems. Plum Creek (the previous owner) had put in signs, fencing etc. to stop access but it is all for naught. The DNR wants me to plant trees on the bluffs to stop the erosion, but the renegades will just run them over. Now that Pestka has improved the access roads I fear the erosion on the bluffs along the Ontonagon River will continue to get worse. The problem is much worse in the summer by the ORV's looking for mud holes on my private land. It is very frustrating.
Click to expand...

When I saw the damage to the vegetation on the hillside I tried to think of a permanent solution rather than the snow fence. The snomo club that services that area has
plenty to do without having to repair fences. I called the county road commission about putting up a guard rail but that was dismissed for liability reasons. I called the DNR
asking them if there was any money for permanent fencing (I'm tallking something nobody can go around the sides etc.) I guess most of the DNR funding is earmarked for
bridges and other necessary trail improvements but they told me the club that services that area could apply for a grant. I didn't know which club that would be so I put the
pursuit of the idea aside. I thought maybe if the club got the grant we could get a bunch of volunteers to install the fence or maybe have a fundraiser and designate the funds
for protecting the hill. Now we know who owns the property and it sounds like that person has a cooperative spirit. The idea to catch people on camera is not going to be a permanent
solution to the Victoria Road abuse or the Military Hill problem. Have you seen the registration tags from Minnesota? They are so tiny you can hardly find them on the sled, let along
recognize a number. There's been lots of good input. Is this something the clubs could address with support and help from everyone, including non-club members???
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top