Get your Skidoos out and go to Yellowstone!

[MtnBiker]

Judge Strikes Down Snowmobile Ban
Friday, October 15, 2004



CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A federal judge on Friday struck down a ban on snowmobiles (search) in Yellowstone (search) and Grand Teton (search) national parks, calling it a "prejudged, political" move that sought to exclude the vehicles from all national parks.

U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer ruled that the Clinton-era ban was invalid because it did not involve adequate public participation and failed to follow federal law. His decision could clear the way for new rules that allow the machines.

The rule was "the product of a prejudged, political decision to ban snowmobilesset to take effect last winter, was set aside in early 2003 by the park service to settle a lawsuit filed by snowmobile makers. Under the agreement, new rules were drafted to allow a limited number of snowmobiles inside the parks.

Attorneys for snowmobile manufacturers, winter resorts and other tourism-related ventures asked a federal judge last month to permanently lift the ban so businesses could have peace of mind about their survival.

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[Merlin1047]

Personally I have no problem with the ban. If snowmobile manufacturers would put a decent muffler on their machines to reduce the noise levels then perhaps there would be less resistance to allowing people to operate them in national parks. But there is nothing more annoying in a park than to hike out into a wilderness area to enjoy the solitude only to have some jackass come zooming by on a machine that sounds like an elephant with diahrrea.

 

[MtnBiker]

Yellowstone National Park is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined, the fact that snowmobiles will be allowed in doesn't allow them to go anywhere and everywhere or at any speed. They would still have to follow park guidelines and stay in designated areas and trails. There is abundent oppurtunity for people to enjoy the park on skiis or snowshoes in the winter away from snowmobiles.