Strawberry rangers on the lookout for lessons, guides etc..

[bordy]

Had the Rangers come right over to every kiter they could , asking very round about leading questions, it was obvious they were looking if anyone was Guideing or giving lessons at Chicken Creek, this can lead to open contaniers violations, cars being looked into to see how much gear,you have, etc.

Keep an eye out for the forest service truck and, as Peter Miller mentioned earlier this year in another post, a very over zellous young lady with very poor people skills who wants to find out why she can write you a ticket for something versis coming over to ask questions about kiting.

It is a very lame approach that feels like she is baiting you into the answer she is hoping to hear about ," Who to take lessons from, who teaches in the area" as if she is interested in kiting and wants to ride strawbs cuz she works there and sees the kiters. "Where you out kiting alone or with a "group", Was some one showing you around"... It was not a good experance for myself and several other kiters, Being there are no boaters on the lake we are on the recreation radar and must be doing something wroung so we must be watched and monitored. Ryan has a large logo for his company on his Jeep and he was the first guy they pulled up next to and started asking question about. I had a car full of gear so I was questioned, the kid next to me had a open beer ( and some ones littered beer can by his car which must have been his and possiblily ment we was intoxacated after the littlered beer and his 3/4 full real beer, according to the ranger) so he was questioned, It did not work out well for the awsome session vibe that lead to the parking lot scatering and leaving with rangers questioning, and writing tickets to who they could still get to for other violations, that started from them asking question and looking in cars. As well as following kiters who they may or may not felt could be driving under the influance after a beer in the lot, around the canyon. It was lame for several people.

I would be careful about any contact with the rangers, I did not seem like they were their to improve their relationship with any of the kiters in the lot, but to insure all of the rules and regulations of strawberry were being followed, while assuming we were ignorant enough to not understand the true meaning of their line "what are you doing can I come snoop around your stuff questioning" It was weird.

[windzup]

Bummer to hear the Rangers at Strawbs aren't as gracious as the Rangers at Skyline, hopefully we can show them the true intentions and happy attitudes that wind riders share. I'm pretty sure snowkiters enjoy the mountains more than anyone else! Definitely not right to use lame excuses to entrap or search vehicles, that seems intrusive and unamerican.

Quick Legit Answer..... Just tell the Rangers that NO Body teaches at Strawbs, and that all lessons are done at Skyline, under an authorized use permit. Kite Utah is an authorized school, with permits to teach on the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Refer the rangers to the http://www.KiteUtah.com website. That should keep them straight.

Or tell the rangers the other truth, that lessons are taught on private property in Park City. (Even if the property owner is unaware)

We used to hold annual permits for guiding at Strawbs, but a couple years back the Forest Service reorganized and eliminated annual permits, switching to long term permits. Good news is we scored a 5 year permit at Skyline, bad news was the Strawbs Rangers decided there are too many other winter recreation users in the area to allow any new users long term permits. The Rangers have voiced complaints that Strawberry is the busiest winter recreation area in Utah, and they have there hands full managing all the users at it was (Nordic skiers, snowshoers, slednecks, etc.)

Now if anyone was teaching or guiding at Strawbs, then the rangers are justified in doing there jobs. The fact that there are Zero permits issued for kiting at Strawbs makes kiters an easy target. The goal for the Forest Service is to ensure everyone is using and profiting from the forest in a fair manner, if an instructor is teaching without a permit or insurance, then the Rangers are going to enforce the rules. Unfortunately, team riders, shops, stoked individuals and instructors all can be easily identified and lumped into the same group because of all the cool stickers and gear we carry with pride.

BTW- Rangers watch our local forums and websites, part of our permit application was listing all online sites where we might promote our activities that are offered on forest service lands. One Ranger told me they watch all YouTube videos with links to the area in the title, looking for anyone that is commercially producing videos without forest permits. It would not surprise me if there are Rangers on FaceBook posing as newbies.

Windzup,
Brian Schenck

[Mark Johnson]

When asked who is guiding at strawberry. You could tell them Jah is my guide, when I am through smoking the sacrament I will enlighten you!

[PeterMiller]

I have been to Skyline and Strawberry this year and its just amazing how different the park rangers are at skyline they are freindly and just want everyone to be safe and have a good time. However if you like going to stawberry just be prepared for the rangers to be probing and asking you leading questions as you are a guide and writting down you liscence plate and looking thru your car and in my view treating you like lessor of people. Its sad but this is what we are paying our taxes for. I wonder how long it will be they will be asking for our papers oh now its your drivers liscence. We have a awsome kite community any time anyone is in need I have seen so many help others I wish the rangers would know that. I like to think that the kite community has brought in some extra dollars by having our state being showcased on you tube put your company logo in the video and it let the rangers know and you have a ticket. Look at the irony of that.