Snowmobile Use

ONC Board Adopts Policy on Snowmobiles and Other Motorized Vehicles
[Snowmobiles in Yellowstone] The Board of Directors of the Oregon Nordic Club (Portland Chapter) adopted the following policy with regards to snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles on public lands at its meeting on 24th November 2000

We recognize that most of the public lands have historically been used for economic purposes such as timber production, grazing, and mining and will continue to be used for those purposes in the future. We believe that the "fundamental purpose" of our public lands should be to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same and leave them for the enjoyment of future generations.

To promote this fundamental purpose of our public lands, we believe federal agencies responsible for the care of our public land should adhere to the following:

  1. Motorized vehicles and quiet users (e.g., skiers, hikers, snowshoes, etc.) should have separate trails systems because of the inherent danger of mixing motorized vehicles and pedestrian traffic.
  2. That decisions affecting motorized vehicles and quiet users must always include input and hearings from all interested parties.
  3. Land management agencies must recognize that motorized recreation is destroying natural peace and quiet. In our public lands, "natural quiet" is a protected resource defined as the "sounds produced by the natural and cultural components of the land." Our public policy should "strive to preserve the natural quiet and the natural sounds associated with the physical and biological resources of the land." To achieve these standards, "the operation of motorized equipment or sound devices that create unreasonable audio disturbances will be prohibited."
  4. The Oregon Nordic Club (Portland Chapter) believes that motorized vehicles need to be regulated on public lands. This includes speed regulations, operating license, emission control, noise level, and trail use. The governing bodies of our public lands must join together to recognize that thrills for a few should not become a safety and environmental hazard for the majority.


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