HOW TO TREAD LIGHTLY!
For many of us, enjoyment of the outdoors is the main reason we recreate – “to get away from it all.” Exploring can be tremendously satisfying, but we have a responsibility to our outdoor home: to take care of it, just as we would our own homes.
WHAT IS TREAD LIGHTLY!?
Tread Lightly!® Inc. is an educational program dedicated to increasing awareness in enjoying the great outdoors while minimizing the impacts of recreational use. It emphasizes responsible use of off-highway vehicles, other forms of travel, and low-impact principles related to outdoor recreational activities. Tread Lightly! strives to increase public awareness and encourage responsible outdoor practices to insure outdoor recreational opportunities are open, accessible and well preserved for years to come.
THE TREAD PLEDGE
Travel and recreate with minimum impact
Respect the environment and the rights of others
Educate yourself; plan and prepare before you go
Allow for future use of the outdoors; leave it better than you found it
Discover the rewards of responsible recreation
TRAVEL & RECREATE WITH MINIMUM IMPACT
Always remember to…
* Travel only in areas that are open to your type of recreation.
* Stay on routes and trails designated for your type of travel.
* Don’t create new routes or expand existing trails.
* Avoid sensitive habitat.
* Cross streams at fords where road/trail intersects stream.
* Understand and practice proper techniques related to negotiating terrain, protecting the soundscape, and generally minimizing your impact on the land.
RULES AND COMMON COURTESY ON SNOW
Before starting a day’s ride, agree as a group on hand signals to use on the trails. You should include signals for “stop ahead,” “oncoming riders approaching,” “slow-hazard or sharp curve ahead,” and “road crossing clear, proceed with caution.” Common signals among experienced trail riders include holding up fingers to represent how many snowmobiles are behind you in your group or holding up a fist if you are the last one.
* Ride single file. Trails are typically groomed wide enough for only two snowmobiles. You must leave room to your left for oncoming snowmobiles to pass.
* Be respectful of habitats where animals feed in winter or seek shelter. Stick to the trails, and enjoy viewing wildlife from a distance.
* Excessive sound is bothersome to some people and to wildlife. Retain and maintain your snowmobile’s stock exhaust system. Snowmobile exhaust is the single most important issue causing user conflict.
* Be a courteous rider. Yield the right of way when it helps the traffic flow to be safer and smoother.
* Keep to the right on the trails—even when you do not see any oncoming traffic. It is essential to stay to the right while riding around corners to avoid collisions with passing snowmobiles. Reduce speeds as required to stay to the right while cornering.
* Pass on the left, but only pass another rider if that rider is aware of your presence and has waved you on. Make sure you have complete visibility of the trail ahead so you know it is safe to pull out to the left to pass. Slower groups of riders should slow down and hug the right edge of the trail to let faster riders pass.
* When stopping along a trail, pull your snowmobile as far to the right side of the trail as possible in a very visible stretch of the trail. Do not stop near corners, and consider how many riders are in your group so the last riders aren’t parked near a corner. Park single file and watch for oncoming snowmobiles.
* Show consideration for others, including snowmobilers, ATV riders, land owners, skiers, hikers, motorists, and wildlife.
* Ride only where permitted. Obey “no trespassing” signs, even if you see tracks in the posted areas. Being a responsible snowmobiler can help all riders retain access to choice riding areas.
* Obey all gate closures. Unless a marked trail clearly routes you around a locked gate, obey all gate closures as you would in a vehicle. If you have permission to go through a gate, leave it as you found it, either open or closed.
* Respect fence boundaries and landowner(s)’ rights, even when the fences are snow-covered. Always obtain permission to cross private land, and stay on the trail.
* Obey all trail signs, including speed limit signs, stop signs, and hazard warnings. Warning signs can refer to bridges, sharp curves, steep hills, large bumps, or road and trail crossings.
* Park in designated areas at trailheads. Do not park in restricted areas or in a way that blocks traffic or other vehicles. If necessary, unload the sleds from the trailer, and then park the tow vehicle.
Avalanche Awareness
The best way to avoid avalanches is to be informed, travel with the appropriate gear, and avoid high-risk areas. Check www.avalanche.org for more information on avalanche safety and if you have the opportunity, take an avalanche safety course. The tips below serve as general safety information for traveling in avalanche terrain.
* Before you go, contact the local avalanche center for the latest avalanche forecast.
* Be prepared with contact information on the local search and rescue organization in case of an emergency.
* Pack rescue gear. Wear an avalanche beacon and know how to use it. A small pack with a shovel and a probe should be worn on the body at all times. Pack a cellular phone, emergency phone numbers, and a GPS device if possible.
* ALWAYS travel with a partner if you travel in avalanche terrain. Have a rescue plan before you begin. What will you do if you trigger an avalanche? How will you respond if you are the rescuer?
* Use terrain to your advantage. Follow ridges, thick trees, and slopes with safer consequences. Avoid terrain traps such as gullies, creek beds, and depressions. Don’t wait at the bottom of steep slopes. Watch other riders from a “safe spot” or area outside of an avalanche path.
* Avoid steeper slopes. Any slope steeper than 25 degrees can avalanche. Slopes 30 to 45 degrees are more prone to slide.
* Periodically check for clues to an unstable snow pack. These include recent avalanches, new snow, wind loading, rain, whumping noises or hollow sounding snow, shooting cracks, and/or signs of rapid or intense warming (roller balls and point releases).
* Smooth steep wind loaded slopes can be very dangerous. Check stability before attempting to ride these slopes.
* ONE PERSON AT A TIME. If you enjoy riding steep slopes remember, NEVER ride above your partner.
* If a snowmobile gets stuck don’t ride up to help. The extra weight on the slope may trigger an avalanche.
* Old tracks do not mean a steep slope is safe. Always check for instability.
* Understand cornice safety. Cornices are overhanging deposits of wind-drifted snow that form along the leeward side of a ridge. Cornice breaks can be caused by the additional weight of you or your machine. Make sure the snow your on has solid ground underneath. Do not ride or ski on slopes overhung by a cornice.
