snowmobile crash at Silverstar

[fargineyesore]

I might be in the minority on this but I agree with ski-doober. Foreign investors are controlling these ski hills and profiting off public land and Silverstar is not the same "locally owned" hill it used to be. They are blowing this way out of proportion as a scare tactic to keep people away. Why wasn't this infrastructure flagged or are they worried about potential liability which is why they are blaming the sledder? What would have been the outcome of this scenario had a skier ran over this mid-season and broke their leg? probably free ski passes for a year......They make a mint off the land all season, probably worth it to spend a day or two securing the hill.

Don't buy into the media hype that says "the sledder was doing something bad so everyone jump on his back", because that's exactly what is happening. That being said - there are lots of other areas to ride and ski hills are kinda boring if you know how to ride at all, just lots of trail riding basically, we used to ride our local ski hill after they were done (with their permission - not that we really needed it because its public property) and they never had an issue with it, we just asked them.

IMO Silverstar corporate or other associated people need to tone down the attitude of calling sledders "morons" (I'm sure no one did openly to the media) or insinuating otherwise, they used to the hold the BCSF hillclimb there every year in the spring and made a decent chunk of $$$$ off those same sledders. Now they want to "close" the hill after they let people ride on it for so many years, kinda hard to do that, and besides, if the sledders are not harming any of the infrastructure, what's the biggest impact they are creating? Packing down the snow.....on a ski hill? C'mon.

This dude hit an anchor post - so what? He wrecked his sled because he wasn't paying attention, he fawked up - he's the only one that suffered so who cares - How many guys hit trees/stumps/rocks every year doing the same thing?

Very refreshing viewpoint. It's about time someone said it.

 

[tiberius71]

No, it wasn't my sled. I am a member of the Vernon Snowmobile Club and our trails border Silver Star Mtn. I only ride up there a few times a year and join because it's 10 minutes from my house and a great place to take the kid for a ride. I got an email forwarded from the club from the operations manager at Silver Star with the pictures.
Silver Star Mtn used to be a designated Provincial park, but money talks and the current owners had the current ski area and village/housing site removed from the park. Our trails currently pass through whats left of the park. When the ski hill was still in the park we used to be able to go to the village and have lunch or ride to the summit legally.
I think it sucks that snowmobilers are excluded from the mountain but the law is the law and you can be charged with trespassing if they catch you (thanks to our government).
This kind of thing just brings more negative attention to snowmobilers, when we have enough problems already. Plus, it also adds fuel to Silver Star's fire, who would probably love to have more park removed (including our trails) so they can build more houses and condos. Why the hell would you want to ride on the ski hill when we have some of the best riding and best snow conditions in years within an hours drive?

 

[tiberius71]

I might be in the minority on this but I agree with ski-doober. Foreign investors are controlling these ski hills and profiting off public land and Silverstar is not the same "locally owned" hill it used to be. They are blowing this way out of proportion as a scare tactic to keep people away. Why wasn't this infrastructure flagged or are they worried about potential liability which is why they are blaming the sledder? What would have been the outcome of this scenario had a skier ran over this mid-season and broke their leg? probably free ski passes for a year......They make a mint off the land all season, probably worth it to spend a day or two securing the hill.

Don't buy into the media hype that says "the sledder was doing something bad so everyone jump on his back", because that's exactly what is happening. That being said - there are lots of other areas to ride and ski hills are kinda boring if you know how to ride at all, just lots of trail riding basically, we used to ride our local ski hill after they were done (with their permission - not that we really needed it because its public property) and they never had an issue with it, we just asked them.

IMO Silverstar corporate or other associated people need to tone down the attitude of calling sledders "morons" (I'm sure no one did openly to the media) or insinuating otherwise, they used to the hold the BCSF hillclimb there every year in the spring and made a decent chunk of $$$$ off those same sledders. Now they want to "close" the hill after they let people ride on it for so many years, kinda hard to do that, and besides, if the sledders are not harming any of the infrastructure, what's the biggest impact they are creating? Packing down the snow.....on a ski hill? C'mon.

This dude hit an anchor post - so what? He wrecked his sled because he wasn't paying attention, he fawked up - he's the only one that suffered so who cares - How many guys hit trees/stumps/rocks every year doing the same thing?

I completely agree with everything your saying, but I stand behind the moron comment. It's guys like this that are going to wreck the few close to town convenient areas we have left by thinking they don't have to follow the rules. It's not like we don't have a bizillion places to ride around here without getting yourself in trouble and running the risk of hitting a winch anchor.

 

[maxwell]

I completely agree with everything your saying, but I stand behind the moron comment. It's guys like this that are going to wreck the few close to town convenient areas we have left by thinking they don't have to follow the rules. It's not like we don't have a bizillion places to ride around here without getting yourself in trouble and running the risk of hitting a winch anchor.

how many sleds bomb up that hill every day during ski season?

 

[macronut]

I completely agree with everything your saying, but I stand behind the moron comment. It's guys like this that are going to wreck the few close to town convenient areas we have left by thinking they don't have to follow the rules. It's not like we don't have a bizillion places to ride around here without getting yourself in trouble and running the risk of hitting a winch anchor.

A few of these Clowns will ruin it for the locals, and out of townees that's for sure...

 

[Timber_Tramp]

Does anyone remember when the BC Hillclimb finals were held at SilverStar ?
There were alot of upset SS business owners who were denied the opportunity to earn some good $ at the end of the season when the current owners bought the resort and decided not to support snowmobiling.
I'm guilty of riding the mountain after it was closed . If I hit something and damaged my machine or hurt myself on that hill or in the backcountry the end result is he same , it's my $ that's going to fix my stuff.
One other thing that was mentioned was acsess by Snowmobile to the village.
Again the current owners cut off all trails into the village . I used to ride up via Noble Canyon from Lavington, I bet you can't even make it to the current trail system from there anymore.
What pisses me off is we could have peacefully co existed with the skiers , all that was needed was a dedicated trail for sleds but were never given a chance. Around here that was the only place that I could ride to for lunch .
I guess skiing ultimately brings the province more money and is easier to track where the $ come from , so it's no surprise that the resort owners would have Government support.

 

[Timber_Tramp]

A few of these Clowns will ruin it for the locals, and out of townees that's for sure...

... Enighten us as to how this will impact riding in this area( trail system)
Do you think the resort will claim more land for the x-country skiing?

 

[backcountryislife]

The only issues I don't understand here, is why the hell did this guy leave his sled to have this big deal made of this? I would hope that 99% of us would have gotten it off the resort no matter what, and been a bit more responsible about this.

The riding of the ski resort... W.G.A.F. It's a hill, and normally someone riding the resort (like we all do here) has zero consequence.

 

[macronut]

... Enighten us as to how this will impact riding in this area( trail system)
Do you think the resort will claim more land for the x-country skiing?

Do I need a Sword to Enighten you??? :d:d:d:d