Snowmobilers spark concern by riding on snowless, fragile tundra

The head of the Independence Pass Foundation and two colleagues conducting biological research were astonished two weeks ago to see a pair of snowmobilers riding on fragile alpine tundra considerably below the snowline.

The encounter, which happened at the Upper Lost Man trailhead 2 miles west of Independence Pass on July 3, raised concerns that motorized recreation users who violate U.S. Forest Service travel-management rules may inflict increasing damage in fragile high-altitude landscapes. That basin is designated as wilderness, prohibiting motorized use.

“All of a sudden two snowmobilers came ripping down the tundra toward the parking area,” said Karin Teague, the foundation’s executive director. “We were sort of stunned. It felt like we were watching a ridiculous movie or something. I’d just never seen anything like it.”

The Upper Lost Man trail, which is in the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River, is one of the most popular hiking trails in the area. Motorized recreation is prohibited.

“They came down to the parking lot as if it were just another day out on their sleds,” Teague said. “They at first claimed they were well within their rights to be there, that they weren’t in wilderness, that they had been following a trail — all of which was untrue. Upon further discussion, they did seem more contrite, in the sense of saying, ‘We don’t plan to do that again.’ I’m sure it’s not good for their sleds, in addition to the damage they did to the landscape.”

High-country hikers are accustomed to seeing signs in areas of sensitive tundra urging them to stay on trails because of the fragile plants that live there. The trailhead is at 11,500 feet near timberline, and the trail tops out at 12,800 feet. Teague said the tundra where the snowmobilers drove was wet, increasing the impact on fragile plants, which can take hundreds of years to recover because of the harshness of the high-altitude environment and the short growing season.

“The plants are important not only for themselves and because they are beautiful, but they help hold that soil in place,” Teague said. “A hiker can do damage by stepping on those kinds of plants, but a sled — which weighs several hundred pounds, I have to imagine — is likely to cause a geometrically greater amount of damage.”

Teague said she’d never seen anything like the encounter before and wonders if it was just an isolated incident.

“I hope it’s not an emerging trend,” Teague said. “What does concern me is that as the technology of these off-road vehicles — both summer and winter — continues to get more sophisticated and allows people to go more places, we may start to see more of these kinds of transgressions, which is worrisome.”

Shelly Grail, recreation manager for the Forest Service’s Aspen-Sopris Ranger District, said she has been heartened by the reaction to the incident in Roaring Fork Valley conversations and in social media.

“Just in talking to folks here, people are pretty dumbfounded with the fact that this even happened, that people would be driving around on the alpine tundra on their snowmobile in July,” Grail said. “The White River National Forest is comprised of 2.3 million acres of land for people to access so that motorized access, nonmotorized access — dirt bikes, snowmobiles, jeeps, foot, horse — there’s room for everyone. All people need to do is call their local ranger district, ask for a motor-vehicle use map if they have any question or concern, and they will be directed to the right places to go where the area is managed for that use.”