Tony Grove decision riles skiers

Cross country skiers are irked while snowmobilers are pleased with a U.S. Forest Service decision dividing the Tony Grove-Franklin Basin area among competing winter recreation interests.

The region, part of Wasatch-Cache National Forest, stretches south from the Idaho boundary for about nine miles and east from the Mount Naomi Wilderness, generally three or four miles. Controversy over the region stretches back in time, too.

"I've been here six years, and it's been going on as long as I've been here," said Robert Cruz of the forest's Logan Ranger District, speaking of conflicts between motorized and non-motorized winter recreation advocates.

"Some of this stuff has been going on since the mid-'70s. It's been a challenging process."

Before 2003, the entire area was open to all types of winter recreation. In a 2003 revision of the forest plan, 9,500 acres of the region was closed to motorized winter recreation, such as snowmobiles. Some higher areas were left open to snowmobiles.

Since then, the national forest has been working to revise the map. In a decision announced Friday, the Forest Service ruled that the Bunchgrass and Hell's Kitchen areas are closed to motorized vehicles, while other parts are open.

No snowmobile trail will be created through the Bunchgrass area, while a ungroomed trail north of that area will be marked with signs.

Cruz said the decision "opens up a little more ground," improving safety for motorized recreation. It gives snowmobilers a better exit route in case of emergency or a sudden storm, plus better access to Steam Mill Mountain.

Fans of non-motorized recreation, equipped with snowshoes, cross-country skis or dogsleds, will have two "fairly large contiguous areas" where powered vehicles are banned, he added.

Any terrain open to motorized sport remains open to people wishing to enjoy it without motor vehicles.

Nick Bouwes, president of the ski group Nordic United, said only part of the area was closed to motorized use in 2003 — 9,500 acres out of 20,000 acres.

Of the 9,500 acres where skiers once could glide in solitude, he said, "I think we lost about 60 percent of it" with the new decision.

"We thought the 2003 forest plan was a reasonable compromise. ... It still allowed snowmobilers to have access to Tony Grove."

Agreeing that people using snowmobiles should have an emergency exit, skiers drew up a plan to let them get out of the high country easily, he added.

But when the plan was released, it seemed too generous to snowmobilers, Bouwes said. A federal suit was settled with the Forest Service agreeing to prepare an environmental assessment, he said.

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