I feel very fortunate to have been introduced each summer to the great outdoors by backpacking in the California Sierras starting when I was 7 years old.  My older siblings and parents would stuff sponges under the canvas straps of the army surplus oak frame packs that we used. That was before my mother sewed cloth sleeves for the sponges.  The juxtaposition of those mountains to the concrete and pavement world of Southern California, led me to the Gunnison/Crested Butte area in 1976 to attend college at Western State University.  Here I could  ski and take advantage of all of the outdoor recreation that this area has to offer.  I love cycling, floating rivers, backpacking, all types of skiing, and just being in the peace and solitude of nature.  I ride the lifts now and then, but laying down tracks with my wife Joanie and son, Benjamin and/or friends on a bluebird day in the backcountry is really favorite thing in the world!

I have seen a lot of change in backcountry skiing in the six drainages of the upper valley in the last 46 years. Currently when I arrive at Kebler trailhead I jump out of the car with my ski boots and gloves on so that I can make a quick exit to start climbing and get out of the noise and exhaust pollution. The Slate and Washington gulch trail heads are not as bad but are rapidly approaching that level. The days are long gone when you rarely saw a snowmobile while out skiing. 

While I don’t own a snowmobile, I occasionally get a ride or a tow to some great skiing. I have many friends who own and use them regularly, so I see and understand the access capabilities that people enjoy. However currently, snowmobiles are allowed in 5 of the 6 major upper valley drainages, leaving only the Gothic drainage for human powered travel (snowmobiles groom this area for fat bike travel). A Western State University study has shown that in the last three years, over 63% of our local backcountry users are non-motorized.  If you take Kebler out of the equation (and with it, the snowmobile tour companies), that percentage jumps up to over 90% human-powered users.  I feel that it would be prudent to reserve other drainages for non-motorized use so future generations and wildlife can enjoy the peace and solitude of the environment and nature.  I embrace the Elk Mountains Backcountry Alliance efforts, and I’m proud to be an ambassador for human-powered recreation.