UPDATE 08/25/2024:
I just submitted my comments. I kept my snowmachine tour comments as below, but I changed my mind on the helicopter tours. I had been struggling with these all along. More people commented since this post was first published. I finally realized I was trying too hard to compromise on this one. Here are the comments I included about the helicopter tours:
I do not support this part of the proposal.
Part of the problem is that I don’t have enough regular interaction with helicopters to know how these might affect me. Or how they might affect wildlife in the area. When I have had interactions with them, they are often loud.
I want to be supportive of outdoor-based tourism, but the White Mountains NRA is place that people go to find peace and quiet. Helicopters can shatter the quiet in ways far more intrusive than snowmachines. Besides the effect on humans, there is also the effect on wildlife to consider. I could not find any good data on either.
If this is approved, the proposed flight path seems reasonable. It does a good job of avoiding the public use cabins in the area and the most-heavily trafficked trails. I read that the company must supply “flight path logs quarterly,” for evaluation. I assume those are from GPS data. If not, I request that they be from GPS data.
I don’t know what a reasonable above-ground height is to minimize impact on other recreation area users and wildlife. I lack sufficient personal knowledge and looked for some information online but couldn’t find much.
Without good data, I ask that if this part of the proposal is approved that the minimum flight height be 2,000 feet instead of 1,500 feet. This is based on this Federal Aviation Administration recommendation.
But I hope the helicopter tours are denied.
Comment Deadline August 28, 2024
After receiving a lot of comments on my first blog post regarding a proposal for helicopter tours and increased snowmachine tours in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, I have altered my original stance.
If you are unaware of what’s happening, Borealis Basecamp, an aurora-focused tourism business north of Fairbanks, has submitted a proposal to increase its snowmachine tours from 14 to 28 snowmachines per day and add helicopter tours, up to five per day. Read about the proposal and how to comment HERE. Comments are due by August 28.
Originally, I was not opposed to the proposal. But my first blog post got a lot of good comments on my post, on the Fairbanks Trail and Waterway Users Facebook group, and from emails. Thank you to everyone for thoughtful comments.
The proposal has me struggling to figure out how to balance supporting the tourism economy with the rights of the average citizen. I use the recreation area regularly, biking or skiing in winter, hiking or running in summer and fall. I love the wilderness experience there, especially the peace and quiet. I am still somewhat supportive of the proposal but with caveats.
Snowmachine Tour Increase
Originally, I wasn’t opposed to the additional 14 snowmachines, but now I will ask for an increase of just 10 snowmachines. I think that is more reasonable number when thinking about how large groups affect others. I would feel differently if the tours were less frequent, but they are asking for a daily increase. I will also ask for the current permit to be reduced to 10 per day when it is renewed.
I also will ask that BLM require the tours to have clear identification. If they are violating the permit or acting poorly, other trail users should be able to identify them. And if the tours are acting reasonably and politely, other trail users should know that.
Additionally, I will ask that the permit be contingent on the use of four-stroke snowmachines without paddle tracks. That is a big ask, as new snowmachines are expensive, but four-stroke snowmachines are quieter and less smelly than two-stroke engines. I have been around them in Yellowstone National Park and was impressed by the difference. (Electric snowmachines, such as those recently purchased at Chena Hot Springs Resort, would be fine, too.) I doubt the business is interested in using paddle tracks. I mention them because they unfortunately leave a poor trail surface for many other trail users.
Helicopter Tours
I struggle even more with this. I don’t have enough regular interaction with helicopters to know how these might affect me. Or how they might affect wildlife in the area. The proposal has a flight path that seems reasonable. It does a good job of avoiding the public use cabins in the area and the most heavily trafficked trails.
The proposal says that the business will supply “flight path logs quarterly,” for evaluation. I assume those logs are based on GPS information, but I will ask for that in my comments.
But the proposal would require that the helicopters fly at least 1,500 feet above the ground during the flights. I occasionally see helicopters flying overhead, but I don’t really know how high they are. Airplanes already fly over the recreation area, typically pretty high. But how high? I just don’t know. I prefer the quiet, but the planes usually don’t bother me. How would the helicopters compare to that? Since I lack sufficient personal knowledge, I will ask that the minimum flight height be 2,000 feet instead of 1,500 feet. This is based on this Federal Aviation Administration recommendation.
I have pondered whether five flights a day is too much. Some argue that none are needed, and they have good arguments for that. Personally, I have no need for them. But I am trying to be supportive of our tourism economy, so I will not oppose them. I think five per day is a reasonable maximum, but no more.
Balancing Act
I want to support outdoor recreation tourism in Alaska. It helps diversify our economy. Locals can benefit several ways, such as through jobs and selling goods and services to the businesses. A healthy outdoor recreation tourism industry also provides more incentive to invest in the infrastructure, like trails, docks, trailheads, and signs. But this must be balanced with reasonable regulation so that we are not crowded out of the public lands and trails nearest to us.
Whether you support or oppose this proposal, please comment if you care about the White Mountains National Recreation Area.
The flight path logging software proposed by the Applicant
https://www.spidertracks.com/
Thanks, Tim.
Hi, Eric. Here is a link to a pretty condensed collection of resources regarding the impacts from snowmobile use on wildlife and ecosystems in general:
https://winterwildlands.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Environmental-Impacts-from-Snowmobile-Use.pdf
I saw in comments you were interested in learning more about impacts to wildlife, so I thought I’d share.
Thanks for that resource, Andrea.
Eric I see no harm with the snow mobile tours if only 4 stroke engines are used. I am adamantly opposed to the helicopter tours regardless of the altitude. Reason A) I know the area well and have used the trail system since 1974. Esp. the area near Windy Gap is prone to cross winds that kick up without a clue. The weather forecast isn’t always accurate. There fore a danger factor and in the event of an accident then the State of Alaska would be taxed to respond or the Air National Guard from which I retired. Reason B) Many trail users such as myself travel far from the main trails for hunting, trapping, recreation inc. snow shoeing, cross country ski and just plain hiking. We are allowed to camp in tents and no one is going to enjoy Helicopters flying back and forth up to 70 times a week. Reason C) Wildlife will be affected over a matter of time. There are dens for the Wolves that will be abandoned and the ungulates such as Moose and Caribou will be affected. I have spoken to the trail planners via telephone and submitted my comments to their web site.
Thanks for your thoughts, Elwin. I’m glad you have spoken to them and submitted your comments.
Hi Eric,
Thank you for taking the time and effort to address this issue and all the work and time you put into trail advocacy!
I do have some strong opinions that differ from yours and I’m putting some of them here because you’ve graciously asked for input and have an open mind. I’m going to focus my comments primarily on the helicopter component, but some bleeds over to the additional snowmachine tours.
In addressing your Aug. 22 post’s statement, “balance supporting the tourism economy with the rights of the average citizen.”, and your statements in the Aug 3 post, “I am also happy that people can make a living by, in part, using our public lands and trails. We need a diverse economy and outdoor recreation should be a part of it. We locals can benefit from a healthy outdoor recreation economy because there is more incentive to invest in the infrastructure, like trails, trailheads, and trail signs.”
I believe these statements are built on an untested and uninformed premise. Nobody has data to support an objective analysis of how this sort of permit will affect or help our economy, bring jobs to Fairbanks, or simply accomplish the things you’re hoping for. I find it frustrating that you want to see data on impacts to wildlife before making a stand on that (per your response to Don), but yet are willing to accept or promote a stance that somehow this permit will lead to a positive impact on our economy or trail infrastructure when there is a similar dearth of data. Why aren’t you (WE!) asking for data on the money and economics before building opinions on this issue?
From a business perspective, my insight is that the helicopter tours and snowmachine tours will simply be a value add to Borealis’ bottom line (they are in the Northern Lights viewing business). They’ll take already booked guests, upsell them on of these “excursions”, and build a large profit margin while employing very limited additional staff. This is business 101. With respect to the helicopter component, every user of the trail with moderate to good hearing will be impacted by the flights. ALL DAY LONG. This will no longer be a peaceful and quiet environment. I personally can hear helicopters operating out in Tanana Flats inside my home on the hillside north of town. So what Borealis would do, is put 15 people (5 flights x 3 passengers) per day into that area, destroying the peaceful environment, to build a huge profit margin while employing maybe one pilot and one tech, both of which will likely reside out of state. Is this the economic boon you feel will help our economy? And if I’m wrong, do you have info or data from Borealis to contradict that? This proposal simply consumes resources and negatively impacts a huge user base to put money into a single corporation’s profit margin to help 15 people/day pay large sums of money to “experience” the Whites (and our public lands). Why are we not demanding a financial disclosure for where that consumption will go? I’d also point out as others have, this is NOT a local company. Go dig into the corporation database for them here: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/cbp/main/search/entities
If the helicopter tours are permitted, what will be the enforcement if they deviate off course? Don Morton’s comments were uniquely insightful on this issue. Sure, GPS logs every quarter for “compliance” but what are the metrics for penalty, what does “compliance” mean? What if they do deviate? Will their permit be revoked if X number of deviations occur? What is the mechanism or pathway for user complaints if they were to get buzzed while on the main trails far off-course from the flight path (people have experienced getting buzzed by an R-44 out there already)? Is there going to be a hotline or email or outreach for keeping their behavior in check?
And yes, this is a slippery slope. Does BLM have any long-term guidelines for managing this type of use (I haven’t had time to research that)? As other’s have commented, once you open the door, floods will roll in without structured plans. I’d suggest you go out and look at what has happened in the Grand Canyon after the first small window was opened to allow helicopter tours. Pete McBride has a very insightful photo and look at this : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/grand-canyon-hike-conservation-pete-mcbride-book
Best,
Heath Sandall
Thanks Heath. I read your comment but forgot to approve it! Sorry about that. Yours was one of several comments that helped convince me to alter my stance on the tours.
When my wife and I ran dogsledding tours in the wmnra for 4-5 seasons, we were limited to week days only and no holidays, as well as a 12 night limit this was for cabin rentals, but also trail traffic is important as well, I think. Do we really wantsuch heavy use of that 5 mile stretch? That seems crazy. Why does BBcamp even want to run there anyway, just use or cut a trail on state land somewhere…
I do not support helicopter tours in the White Mountains.