Forest looks for middle ground

Finally, the Flathead National Forest is implementing a winter access policy that provides some clarity about where and when snowmobiles can travel, and predictably, there are folks who are unhappy about it.

The entire purpose of the winter snowmobiling policy was to provide some direction on a landscape that had long been wide open to snowmobiles because of murky boundaries regarding motorized use.

The plan sets aside 797,000 acres for snowmobiling, or about 90 percent of the trails and areas that have traditionally been used. There are critics who say this isn't nearly enough, but there are also critics who contend that more today's powerful machines present the potential for rampant expansion of snowmobiling across the forest if not kept in check.

Lines had to be drawn somewhere. People have to come to terms with the reality that there has been and will continue to be increasing competing uses on national forest lands. The "quiet" recreation crowd cannot realistically expect snowmobiles to disappear. Snowmobilers cannot expect to ride wherever they please.

But clearly, there are some who think they can. This winter, there has been a rash of snowmobilers being cited for entering areas that have long been clearly and completely off limits - places like the Jewel Basin and the Bob Marshall and Mission Mountain wilderness areas.

In response, the Forest Service has ramped up its patrols and enforcement for illegal snowmobiling activities. And they should be expected to continue with similar efforts to enforce the newly implemented snowmobile access plan.

We are clearly aware that people are unhappy about it. But the bottom line in this case is we subscribe to the rule of law, even on national forests that probably seem to some as being wild and wide open with no good reasons to prevent snowmobiling in some areas. We support compliance with the new policy for the same reasons we support compliance with fishing regulations or traffic laws.

Undoubtedly, there are anglers who would like to catch more than their limit of a particular species, and we know for a fact that there are some drivers who would like to drive as fast as they want, but society does reserve the right to regulate driving and fishing, and snowmobiling is just one more area where the common welfare is decided by a little give and take.

The new policy can be challenged in court, but unless it is overruled, people will have to - and should - follow the rules.