Sleds are the single most selfish and irresponsible addition to skiing

how could it be a setback to the progression of skiing? Maybe to some types of skiing, but certainly not to the newschool skiing that this site is all about. It allows people filming in the bc to get tons more runs and a ton more hits on their jumps than if they were hiking, and even if they hike to hit the jump it gets them to where the jump is gonna be faster and gives them WAY more options of how far into the mountains they can go to find more lines and more spots for booters within a day trip. Not to mention even at resorts when there are big comps or shoots it's pretty handy to get riders to the top of a park quickly. I didn't read any of your other posts in the thread so I'm not disagree with any of your opinions on the matter, other than your statement about progression.
 
this is to goretex, just a question, but why dont you go after the poeple who smoke cigarettes while they ski or ride, or for that matter just skiers and riders who smoke cigarettes ever. Cigarettes do far more damage to bystanders than snowmobiles ever will, so why not attack that?
 
Everyone does things that are "selfish and irresponsible." Anytime you get in your car and drive to the grocery store or to school or whatever it is, that is being selfish and ruining the environment. If you want to play the selfish game, then maybe you should be walking or riding a bike wherever you are going. So many more things than you realize effect the environment negatively, its just not fair to single out sleds. Sledding is one of the msot efficient ways of getting into the backcountry. Much more efficient than taking a helicopter or a snowcat. A sled consumes much less fuel per person (i.e. a common heli used is the Bell 212, which uses approximately 100 gallons/hour, some of the smaller helis use about 50 gallons/hour, a sled over 10 times less fuel/hour than a chopper would).

Also, sledding is a good way to help the growth of our sport. The backcountry plays a large role in the marketing of our sport, and helps get a lot of people interested in skiing.

Everything about skiing can be looked at as a negative contributer to our environment, but then again, so are most things in our lives. Its not fair to look only at sledding as a negative contributer without looking at anything else.
 
Actually 2 strokes are horrible for the environment. They piss oil and un burned gas everywhere. I love my sled.
 
I'm split about sleds. First, the sound of a two stroke can really destroy the setting when you've spent all day climbing to the top of a hill with a spectacular view of the mountains. That being said, I agree that we need to keep them out of our National Parks. Some areas need to be set aside and out of human reach. Funny story here - I had a friend who did a one day assult on Mt Baker, WA. He gets to the top, exhauseted, but its empty of people because its so damn early (he started hiking at midnight), beautiful morning on top of a huge peak. He has lunch, and in the middle of it, some dude on a snowmobile rides up next to him and is like "Whoa man, this is intense up here! Big climb, huh?"

Also, people always do stupid shit with them that gets them or others killed. Like Highmarking. Dumbest fucking thing ever, it should be called, "lets start an avalanche." But hey, skiers cause avalanches too. Snowmobiles just allow people to get themselves into danger much easier I guess.

But finally, I want one. I really do. I might rent one this winter with a friend and just play around. Like jet skis and motorcycles, there is something about going fast on a small vehicle thats just fun. Also, the attraction of doing laps down an untouched powder face all day sounds great. And for sessioning your BC booter, theres nothing better. So, yes, I do want one. People just need to use them more responsibly, and realize that just because you have the ability to go somewhere doesnt mean you should.
 
i would agree that sleds pretty much suck. This coming from a guy who has been on a sled about 500 times over the previous 3 seasons. They are fun, but noisy and pollute a lot. A lot more than a car, even an suv. Go stand next to one when in it's running and you'll know what i mean. I'm glad some ski areas are going with all 4 cycles now. But for rec use, sleds take the soul out of the outdoors and are annoying to everyone else.
 
dude i actually hate you. I'm a snowmobiler who skis not the other way around like most people. I ride over 1500 miles a year and every single one of them i'm wearing a shit eating grin. And ya my snowmobile burns less gas then a heli or snowcat and even some cars. And dont even try to pull the saftey card out. just cz your a stupid pussy doesnt make everyone some people sack up grab there nuts and huck over 150 feet so go blow me. And dont call me and enviormental terrorist i bet i use an eighth of the fossil fuels you do during a year. I ride the bus to school bike around town. So you can take your faggot ass granola munching ass back to woodstock and blow me.
 
the people that die in sled/avy accidents aren't skiers. skiers who use snowmobiles are more responsible than those that sled and don't ski
 
Holy shit! take you hippy ass shit and shove it. The increse in avalanches have been due to the inexperence riders getting out on sleds. All sleds have regulations that the EPA sets. Sleds are not causing global warming by themselves there are a billion other things. Sleds benefit 1-3 people, you can tow.

Also the thing that really pisses me off is you open you think you know about trucks. My big ass truck that i proudly drive is powered by low sulfer high quality diesel fuel that emits less pollution then most cars.

That same truck also get the exact same if not better gas milage than any real SUV. 19-21. Im done , refer to the first sentence of my rant!
 
Fucking epic first posts.... Well thought out, good sentence structure, good topic, good points. Nice work. I agree/disagree.

Sure, they're horrible for the environment but as other people said, so are cars. As far as the progression of our sport, they help a ton. They make accessing new terrain much easier and faster. Building a booter doesn't involve that 2 hour hike so you're worn out by the time you get there. Sure you can skin up a ridge, but sleds are just way more efficient.
 
this is the worst graph i have ever seen!!! How do you explain the quick move up in 1994 and like a almost none in 2000?

Aka this is shit
 
when i move out west i am going to buy a sled and use it, sorry, I know for a fact that there are millions of americans who abuse the environment a lot more than me so maybe you should target them first.
 
so 18 people who inherantly took a risk to ride a sled last year died. im gonna go out on a limb and say thats probably not the best statistic to support ur cause
 
Sounds like gore-tex is sad that he has no sled. So saying that, and reading what he wrote, I say he is an idiot. Go snowmobiling to go skiing or not to go skiing, and then tell me what you think about.
 
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