See Brian Sled

Schweitzer takes first snowmobile trip through park! After years of controversy and government big wigs (including the courts) weighing in on snowmobiles in Yellowstone, Schweitzer tosses in his two cents. "We need to get the word out that we're open in the winter. It's a new and improved experience. It's not crowded. Not even close."

That is because all riders that enter the park must do so on the cleaner machines with a guide AND those riders are limited to 400 per day. FOUR HUNDRED a day! Keep that number in mind during the rest of this conversation. Please also keep in mind that I am in no way a supporter of ATVs of any type. If snowmobiles and dirt bikes went extinct, the world would be a better place. The only reason I like 4-wheelers is because they are used for work on farms and ranches - I HATE that they get taken on trails, but that is a different argument for a different day.

I once snowmobiled in the park, it was prior to the government restrictions and I have to tell you, it was f-ing awful. Everyone in our group agreed. It stunk, you had to stay on a washboard covered highway in a snowmobile traffic jam that lasted the entire 30 miles from West to Old Faithful. The scenery was breathtaking - literally. I couldn't breathe, all I got was exhaust, not car exhaust, snowmobile exhaust, try sucking on the tailpipe of a 1960's Ford diesel pickup truck. I am not exaggerating. You couldn't see because your eyeballs were being jiggled out of your head from the washboard and most of the time, the exhaust blurred your vision of - well, all I could see was other snowmobiles. Plus, every time there was wildlife, assholes stopped their snowmobiles right in the middle of the road, got off of their sleds and walked within 5 feet of bison to snap some photos. It was terrifying - here we are stuck in a traffic jam and some assface is irritating bison. I could see the headlines "50 killed or injured as a herd of bison trampled snowmobilers in Yellowstone Park."

I got out of there as soon as I could and then spent the rest of the weekend snowmobiling on the Forest Service land around West Yellowstone. It was a blast even though I rolled my sled. Oopsie. I thought to myself, with all of these free trails on gorgeous snowy mountains why would anyone WANT to go in the park on a sled? The year after I went into the park, the first snowmobile ban came into effect. FINE I thought, cut down on pollution, those tourists can still get in there in snowcoaches, not good enough. Conrad and the courts weighed in and Bush was elected, thus the compromise we have now. Clean sleds, limit numbers and they have to go with a guide. ATV-ers are pissed.

They (local sled owners) bitch because the limit snowmobiles is 400, they are restricted to the "clean sleds" and that they have to go with a guide. All of these restrictions are GOOD. 400 is still a lot of sleds, the clean sleds are more expensive, but protect lungs of the rangers and the riders and hopefully guides can keep those a-holes from aggravating wildflife and getting themselves gored or worse.

Trust me, if I was in charge - you could only ski/walk into the park or take an electric train, but I am not in charge. The park is all about pristine environment so that we can see what the natural world looked like before we got all subdivision or industry crazy.

Anyway - here is my point. I am CONCERNED about Schweitzer's message, on other news agencies it is "Gov. Schweitzer vows to boost snowmobiling in Yellowstone." I am worried that asshole ATV groups such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition will use his message to lift restrictions on snowmobiling in the park. I know Brian wants to boost the economy of Montana with tourism dollars, but isn't there a better way?

The National Park Service is scheduled to release a set of possible new plans in March. Make sure you get your mitts on those suckers and COMMENT. This is about the environment people. It should not be economy vs. environment.