Skiers Should Angle For Something Else To Complain About

Cross country skiers would have a better perspective on life if they spent more time fishing.

At least that way, they’d have a reason for their insufferable grumbling.

When whining was heard at Mount Spokane 20 years ago, the source usually was bald tires spinning on the slick road into the park.

Times have changed. It’s shocking to note the number of people grousing about the price increase for a Sno-Park permit to use Mount Spokane’s cross country ski trails, plus other winter recreation areas across Washington.

The cost doubled this year to a mere $40 for the entire season. The price is the same whether there’s one person in the vehicle or a dozen.

Some of the complainers are downhill skiers, who, ironically, dole out $90-$100 for a family of four to ski at Schweitzer for a single day.

Some of the whiners think nothing of making a trip or two a year to the Methow Valley, where a three-day trail pass costs $33 a head.

The bulk of the grumblers are among a relatively new phenomenon in the world of nordic skiing. These tech-weenies snivel any time the groomer doesn’t work the trails into a carpet of manicured perfection.

They are like the princess and the pea.

And the princess was a pain in the neck.

The advent of groomed cross country ski trails has brought out the best and the worst in the nordic crowd.

Some people realize that groomed trails pave the way for novices that might not otherwise try the sport. Fast skiers can go faster. Families can go farther. Beginners can learn more quickly.

Unfortunately, the tech-weenies have become so dependent on grooming that a little berm in the skating lane or a few inches of new snow in the tracks throws them into a full-bore panic. And you seldom see these whiners among the volunteers who maintain the trails.

During nearly 20 years of teaching kids how to enjoy cross country skiing at Mount Spokane, I’ve never heard a youngster complain about trail conditions.

On crust, kids rejoice at going faster.

In powder, they frolic through the trees.

Perfectly manicured trails are simply a bonus.

They don’t mope around the parking lot and cuss the state park staff for imperfect grooming.

I feel like holding my hands over the kids’ ears when I see tech-weenies steaming down the trail.

Real nordic skiers, young or old, realize that all it takes to have fun on cross-country skis is snow.

Tech-weenies have lost touch.

Fishermen, on the other hand, are getting news that warrants grumbling, and perhaps a few letters to Olympia.

A dire shortage of fish will create moaners even among the meek.

The budget crisis that emerged last year within the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department already has reduced department personnel and the number of miles wildlife agents are allowed to drive while watching for poachers.

The next crunch appears to be on the number of fish stocked in Columbia Basin lakes.

For lack of a part-time staff position and $3,500 for fish feed at the Columbia Basin Hatchery, the department tentatively plans to drop a half-million fry from its spring stocking schedule.

“That translates into 380,000 catchable-size fish that won’t be available to anglers in Basin lakes next year,” said Joe Foster, regional fisheries manager in Ephrata.

“Quite a few of the desert and seep lakes might not be stocked at all,” he said. “I’ve asked the administration to look into other options, but there’s been no response.”

To make things worse, the department has axed the budget for rotenone. The region has a small stockpile of the organic chemical used to keep trout lakes in top production. But not nearly enough.

That means only a few lakes can be treated this year to kill non-game species so trout can thrive. Perhaps no lakes will be treated next year.

“We’re already behind schedule with rehabilitating lakes,” Foster said. “This will put us behind tremendously.”

That’s not the end of the bad news.

The Okanogan hatchery is third on the state’s list for closure, depending on the depths of the budget crisis.

The Colville hatchery was listed for closure last year, but the Colville Tribe stepped forward with cash to keep it running.

The tribe’s graciousness is rumored to be waning under political pressure to pull the slot machines out of their casinos.

One thing’s for sure. Anglers aren’t likely to have much sympathy for tech-weenie skiers.

At least skiers have snow.