Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Having written an article recently on respecting the rights of others on and off the trail (Standard Examiner, Jan. 20), I thought it was time to talk about respecting the lands we ride. Utah is an ATV riding mecca with some 80,000 miles of trail lacing the land between its borders.

Each year, the machines offered are becoming bigger and more powerful than ever. A large number of those are in the 1,000 cc class. These machines will take you further and faster into the backcountry.

Driving that much power comes with a lot of responsibility, but a person isn’t offered any training when he buys one of these big machines. If you have a driver’s license, you are good to go. While the training given to drive a car will prepare you for highway driving, it will not be adequate for off-highway driving and the impact it has on the land. Learn the limits of your machine and your abilities.

Fortunately, there is a place to learn the principles of riding responsibly. It is found at the Tread Lightly website — www.treadlightly.org. Founded in 1985 by the United States Forest Service as an awareness program, Tread Lightly became a nonprofit organization five years later. Today they are an organization of over 40,000 members receiving support from 80 different companies including Ford and Toyota.

Because motorized recreation has the potential to penetrate the back country further and faster than other recreational groups, one of the Tread Lightly purposes is to educate motorized user groups. Jerrica Archibald, who is in charge of communications for the national Tread Lightly organization, explained their mission. She said, “It is to empower generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly through stewardship and to further the goals of responsible and ethical recreation.”

Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

I like the word “stewardship.” When I venture into the wonderful wild, I need to treat it as if it belongs to me, which it does. As a U.S. citizen, it is my privilege to enjoy the vast beauty of our public lands.

The “Tread” part of their name is an anachronism designed to emphasize Tread Lightly principles:

• Travel responsibly by staying on designated trails. Cross streams only where the trail passes through. Don’t ride muddy trails and avoid widening trails. Don’t make short cuts between trails
• Respect the rights of others including land owners and other recreational users. Don’t do anything to impair the outdoor experience of others. Leave gates the way you found them. Respect 50-inch gates — if a trail becomes a road because of use by wide machines in a Roadless Area, it will have to be closed.
• Educate yourself about your machine, the trail you plan to ride, regulations and weather conditions.
• Avoid sensitive areas like meadows, wetlands, streams and delicate soils. Don’t disturb historic sites.
• Do your part by modeling proper behavior. Dispose of waste properly and leave the area better than you found it.

The Tread Lightly program comes to mind every time I ride the backcountry. They have taken me through some beautiful countryside, but I have come across some areas that have been devastated by fire.

While some of these fires have been lightning-caused, human-caused fires have always been a problem. The Tread Lightly website contains valuable information about what I can do to prevent wildfires in the backcountry. They include:

• Campfires — Last year, we had wildfires sparked by campfires that were thought to be extinguished. When you build a fire, be prepared to put it out and make sure it is dead out. It is not safely out unless you can put your hand in it. I was surprised to see campfires on the Skyline Trail above Kaysville last year when the fire danger was so high.
• Fireworks — I enjoy fireworks as much as the next person, but they are not allowed on public lands.
• Target shooting — Shooting guns on public lands carries with it a measure of responsibility. When shooting, be aware of the type of ammunition you are shooting as well as the type of targets you are using. Even shooting at gun ranges has been an issue.
• Conditions of your machine — The time to inspect your machine is before your ride begins. Dragging parts like chains can throw off sparks that can start fires. Do not park your vehicle on dry vegetation. Catalytic converters are hot enough to cause a fire.

When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and learn to responsibly enjoy our public lands.

Photo supplied

Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.

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