Letter: Breaking trail rules hurts all snowmobilers

Written by The Citizen

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Attention snowmobilers, as of right now the Cato-Conquest Trail is closed for the season due to a land owner revoking permission. At this point in time there is no way to get around this piece of property. The land owner did this because people seem to constantly ride four wheelers, dirt bikes, and other motor vehicles that aren't authorized to use the county trail in Cato.

Some of these people ride in late hours of the night, and recklessly. Recently, this land owner (who lives near the county trail) confronted someone riding a motorcycle down the county trail. This rider actually told this land owner that he has permission to use the trail because 'he's a member of the Cato Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club'.

Hopefully you can see how wrong this is. Being a member of our snowmobile club does not give anyone permission to use unauthorized motor vehicles on the county trail. (Yes, we get permits for trail work, but this wasn't the case). The Cato Trail Blazers urges people not to ride unauthorized vehicles on the county trail, and certainly not to tell people you have permission to do so because you belong to our club. I know this might not even be a club member, but this person is certainly familiar with the club. Many snowmobilers (like myself) also own ATV's (and other off road vehicles), and are frustrated with the lack of trails in and around Cato. However, riding illegally on the county trail certainly isn't going to help anyone. In this case we have lost a major trail.

Snowmobiling is a privilege, not a right. We only have trails because private land owners give us permission. Please help us keep our trail system open. You may have to be proactive, which may include having a difficult conversation with a friend or loved one, telling them to follow the rules. Please don't let the actions of a few take away from many. Thank You.

Timmy Hodson and Terry Snow

Cato

The writers are with Cato Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club

Source: http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/09/21/opinion/letters/letters06.txt

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“As a rancher who leases public lands for cattle, I’ve seen my share of cut fences and rangeland damaged by ORV use. I’ve also experienced ORV trespass onto my private lands. But I’ve had no way to identify the culprits when reporting trespass or illegal ORV use to local law enforcement. Congress should require that ORVs used on public lands have visible identification plates or decals. Doing so would remove the anonymity enjoyed by ORV riders who are bent on breaking the rules.”

- Ambers Thornburgh, second-generation rancher from Oregon who grazes cattle on his private land and adjacent lands leased from the Bureau of Land Management