Did you know the RSC has been working/negotiating with Government for over 30 years trying to keep areas open to snowmobiling in Revelstoke and to protect Mountain Caribou? It is because of the Club working with Gov. for all this time that you are still able to ride Frisby, Sale, Keystone/Standard Basin and Caribou Basin.
In order for snowmobilers to ride these areas the Club`s accepted the responsibility up until 2009 to purchase and maintain signage as well as patrol these mountains each winter. We also produced a caribou brochure that we distributed at hotels and gas stations around town to inform riders about the closures. We distributed them at snow shows when we started to attend them.
The Revelstoke Snowmobile Club had teams of volunteers patrol these mtns. each wknd. to inform riders about the closures and the importance of staying out of them. The RSC still continues to patrol Frisby during the Jan.1-Apr.15 inclusive closure period.
In 2008 the Federal Gov. told our Provincial Gov. to fix the Mtn. Caribou problem. That time the RSC negotiated with Gov. for 2 yrs. The club rode with scientists to show them what we were doing and how it was working. A group of RSC volunteers developed a caribou reporting form that is now used province wide. With this an Agreement was developed that was used as a template for all clubs in the province who had Mtn. Caribou closure areas.
The RSC travelled to Victoria and sat down with ministers of Parliament to show them how our programs were working, how much money, time and effort the Club had been putting into informing riders, keeping them out of the closure areas and stressing to them importance of complying. We did a letter writing campaign, which resulted in over a 1000 letters showing your support. These letters were mailed to our then Premier Christy Clark in multiple packages of 5 which volunteers mailed out everyday for 3 months. At the end of our meeting we were told we were doing a great job and to not expect any additional closures in the Revelstoke area.
The day we got home from Victoria from meeting with Gov. it is was all over the news that the Provincial Gov. had just closed 2.2 million hectres to snowmobiling. We lost 70% of the riding areas to the North of Revelstoke, which included a complete closure to Caribou Basin and an increased closure area at Keystone/Standard Basin.
Gov. again is doing a study on Queest, Boulder and Frisby, and again we are faced with additional closures in the Revelstoke area. The Provincial Gov. has not fixed the Mtn. Caribou problem and now the Federal Government have stepped in. There was a 100% compliance rate at Keystone /Standard Basin in the 2017/18 winter season and there was one ticket issued on Frisby. Be aware you don`t have to get caught and ticketed for it to be an infraction. Compliance officers fly frequently in helicopters and take pictures of tracks in the closed areas.
The importance of everyone complying is always very important and this winter it is CRUCIAL.
The Club has been meeting with other backcountry user groups, meeting with our MLA and our Mayor. We are going to have a Corporate Sponsor evening to inform our supporters who have business`s in town who benefit from snowmobile tourism about the potential of additional closures. As well the RSC will be kicking off another letter writing campaign and we need you support. You will see this in the new year, watch for it.
We are also asking that all snowmobilers riding in Revelstoke this winter watch for riders not complying, take pics., get descriptions and report them, whatever it takes. Peer pressure works wonders we have found.
The fines have been increased to $575. Compliance and Enforcement officers can and will impound your machines and possible the vehicle that brought you there. Gov. has been given a $27 million budget over 3 yrs. You will see increased enforcement and fines issued.
You can find more info regarding Mtn. Caribou closure areas in Revelstoke here on our website.
http://revelstokesnowmobileclub.com/wildlife/ or you can pick up a closure map at any of our trailheads or at the Welcome Centre.
You can find more info here on the Provincial Gov. website. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/snowmobile-closures/
It is your responsibility as a rider to know the closure borders on mtns. where you ride and to comply.
Closures are in effect Jan. 1/19 through and including Apr.15/19, so that means open again on Apr. 16/19.
We cannot stress enough how important it is for all riders to comply. The RSC has hired a GM and we do want to remind everyone that the our board of directors are volunteers, who spend their time and effort being your voice. We do this because for the love of the sport and we too want to continue to ride with our families and friends in Revelstoke. Last time it was 2.2 million hectares, we have heard this time they are looking for 4.4 million additional hectres in the province to be closed to snowmobiling.
The Revelstoke Snowmobile Club needs your support. Blaming other user groups or industry is not a solution to the problem. We all need to work together and maintain a united front. With the LOUD voice of many we can accomplish this.
There has never been a better time to join a snowmobile club in BC that supports the BC Snowmobile Federation.
You can find those clubs here https://www.bcsf.org/cpages/clubs