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John Atkinson has posted a response to editorials written by Ben Rose (Green Mountain Club) and Adam Howard (Backcountry Magazine) regarding the cut on Big Jay. The article, posted on VTsports.com, is a revamped call to action for backcountry skiers to organize and for outdoors organizations such as the Green Mountain Club to support such organizational efforts. Atkinson articulates the crux of the backcountry cutting issue succinctly in his article:

The difference between breaking branches and cutting trees with chainsaws is only a matter of degree. If we don’t have permission, we shouldn’t do it. But this highlights the issue/problem that there are only a few small, mainly private, places where this type of work is currently planned and permitted.

On one hand, backcountry cutters are aware they are violating laws by taking the matter into their own hand. This is clearly an illegal and ethically unsound activity. However, backcountry skiing has not been fostered, developed, or supported by outdoors clubs, state governments, or regional skiing organizations. The number of officially maintained backcountry trails dwindled following the development of lift serviced skiing and no official backcountry glade program has ever been instituted in any New England state aside from a couple privately and co-operatively owned ski areas. Perhaps backcountry skiers should not be taking to the woods with loppers and hand saws to trim lines (despite many doing so in environmentally sound and sustainable ways, unlike the Big Jay cut). However, high demand and short supply has forced many hands into action. A coming together of backcountry skiers and local clubs, organizations, and governmental agency to redirect illegal efforts into sanctioned backcountry skiing runs would be a welcome solution.

• The Enemy

Green Mountain Club member and Backcountry Magazine editor Adam Howard has responded to Ben Rose’s recent article in VTsports.com about the Big Jay cut. Adam presents many of the common themes and arguments that are representative of the backcountry perspective.

Howard suggests that Rose is missing a key opportunity to lead rather than posture on the issue. Specifically, the article suggests that the Green Mountain Club could utilize the Big Jay issue to attract backcountry skiers to the GMC, increase club membership, educate the backcountry skiing community, and utilize the good will to mobilize efforts to promote legal and sanctioned backcountry cutting activities. This sounds like a win-win-win solution rather than a cease and desist ultimatum.

• A Cut by Any Other Name

Ben Rose, Executive Director of the Green Mountain Club, has recently addressed skiers and riders in regards to backcountry access. In the VTsports.com article, Ben Rose continues hostile attacks and posturing rather than inviting a dialog. Having an actual conversation might force Ben Rose to concede that the problem is not just illegal cutting but a lack of official access and maintenance for backcountry tree skiers.

Rose’s defiance of logic is most acutely displayed when he writes that “If you can’t hack it, don’t hack it” as if to suggest Vermont has an abundance of naturally occurring glades that don’t need pruning. The fact of the matter is that nearly all tree skiing in New England is maintained with very few locations sporting respectable spacing. Speaking on a personal note, I love tight lines and thwacking through brush to earn a few yards of powder turns. I can hack a lot of things but it is hard to hack tree skiing in New England, even in Northern Vermont, without a little assistance. To suggest that the few naturally occurring glade lines in Vermont are enough to satisfy the masses of tree skiers–that yes, can indeed “hack it”–is naive.

The article approaches its conclusion with a statement that “Sorry, but we need to have a serious conversation.” Why the apology to begin a statement of truth? The insinuation seems to be that the backcountry skiing community does not want nor is ready for such a conversation. We DO need to have a serious conversation.

This conversation needs to be approached seriously by both sides of the issue. Hard line conservationists must realize that the reason this has become such a serious issue is because of pent up demand and no official and legal outlets for the activity. This “problem” will not go away by having a one way so called conversation. Rather, this issue needs to be addressed with both sides admitting the faults of their arguments, stop posturing, and find some compromise and middle ground. Otherwise, the calls to stop trimming tree lines will simply be ignored and the practice will continue business as usual but with perhaps a little more stealth due to the Big Jay incident.

Great lines are almost always made, not found, unlike what Mr. Rose’s article suggests. Considering the article title suggests addressing the “Future” of the Backcountry, it seems like Rose is only looking backward instead of realistically looking forward. Cease and desist ultimatums are never appropriate when trying to have a “conversation” and addressing the root cause of a problem.

• Jailhouse Chute and the Future of Backcountry

The Green Mountain Club has released a Press Release requesting that “The Scar” be avoided during the spring melt off. During this time, the cut on Big Jay will be extremely vulnerable to erosion damage. During a work day this past fall, a Green Mountain Club led work crew installed erosion control devices. The Club fears that these erosion control devices could be damaged and rendered useless if the area sees foot traffic.

The press release also refers to an initiative to engage backcountry skiers in land management discussions:

In related news, GMC recently met with a group of backcountry skiers to discuss the development of a Vermont Backcountry Skiers Code of Ethics (Leave No Trace). We discussed the need to develop or identify an organization that can coordinate backcountry skiers to engage in land management discussions relating to the use of public lands for backcountry skiing. Stay tuned for more information about this initiative.

This is a positive step forward that was absent from how the Green Mountain Club handled the Big Jay situation this past winter, especially in regards to the meeting announcing the restrictions at the Jay Peak Resort Stateside Lodge. Any discussions of backcountry skiing land management must include concessions to the backcountry skiing community about maintaining thinned out backcountry tree skiing lines and locations. The Green Mountain Club seemed hostile to this issue at the Big Jay meeting. Backcountry skiers will also be forced to agree to concessions for such a land management proposal to succeed. The backcountry skiing community awaits further details on this meeting.

• GMC Press Release: Illegal Scar on Big Jay Vulnerable to Further Damage During Spring Conditions