If a sensitive spot gets noticed by Google searches, then you can bet that your awesome days at that spot may never happen again. We can share awesome days online without naming the spot. People crave unknown spots because of "fear of missing out" on some private secret knowledge- it's a weird human trait that we all have.
xyz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:42 pm
Sojourner... you're more interested in hiding that information than sharing it. Your previous post states that if someone posts about a sensitive location, perhaps all the hard work that the locals have been doing will go down the drain. I'd be very interested in finding out exactly what "hard work" you've done in that respect.
If land-managers have to have a meeting about a fringe activity that looks like hang-gliding to them, it's easier to shut it down and get their ticket book out than write up a user plan. Unfortunately, there are real politics. It was news to me, too.
xyz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:42 pm
Sojourner, I disagree. Snowiters who ask not to talk about sensitive locations remind me of surfers in California who treat every beach like it's their own and slash the tires of anyone who isn't "local" who tries to surf "their" break.
There are really snowkiters roaming CO looking for other snowkiters so they can slash their tires? Wow, sounds frightening out there...
I know you love to kite, and hopefully you can now feel a bit like I'm actually on your side. We're all in search of awesome snowkiting days.
I've learned that even the biggest, most desolate places can get me in big trouble. I had no idea. One spot has a regulation of "No wind powered..." Believe it. However, that same spot has some kiters because they assisted with some maintenance for an official. His statement was "I've seen you guys out there and am pretty sure you're not supposed to be doing that but at least I know you now..." It's a one-on-one thing that could be taken away in a flash if other kiters make assumptions.
I agree that snowkiting is the most innocent thing you can do and "no none should give a damn" as was said earlier. I didn't even know I could be doing anything wrong. Then I had an incident at one of those places where "no one gives a damn"; I was watched with binoculars, staked out, stopped and told I was doing manned flight (and I don't even boost over ice) and essentially was looking at a ticket that equated to LANDING AN AIRPLANE on the reservoir. Holy Crap. The guy who has the book gets to write whatever ticket he feels and then it would be on me to go to court to get it reversed. He must have said "if I ever catch you again..." like ten times. "Go tell your buddies and whoever else does this that I'm here waiting..." Just thinking about the prospect of defending myself in court was a massive burden. In retrospect, I realize that field office probably go a memo to enforce against kiteboarding, had a meeting about the memo, and this was combined with an overachieving "trooper" who was going to ensure he lived up to his duty and was on a mission to stop anyone and everyone.
Darcey's profile showed she is still learning. Lake Dillon is legal, gets as much valley snowfall as anywhere, and there are kiters to meet and other things to do if the wind doesn't come up. Posting about alpine locations with multi-mile approaches or desolate ice patches with 3" of crusty snow and a land-management issue isn't what she was asking. What did happen here was a list of place names was posted that might give other kiter's a negative experience.
Some of us do like the wild ethos of exploring around on kites without doing what everyone else is doing. We keep a low profile and don't enjoy the loud mouth "show-offs" at sensitive spots because getting noticed equates to getting it closed forever.
Hopefully that scratches your itch as to what may actually be going on and why you think other people appear to be acting selfishly. In an age of Instagram Influencers and FOMO, it's not worth using the internet to spout off about location names that might give you or other kiters tickets.
you're more interested in hiding that information than sharing it.
Some of us have style and secret spots that just can't be matched. Who wants to know the locations