Discussions

So nice to have a great place to hike and bike , cross country ski and snow shoe and run. There are a lot of trails to choose from. I noticed a definite increase in people from Brandon coming out to the trails. Along with that I have noticed drink cans along the road to the trails. As well garbage left on trails and dogs off leash. The worst is the continual damage to the warming shack. Garbage thrown inside. Breaking the door and windows and tearing the pipes to the stove apart so it can no longer be used. Plus covid rules still apply. You are not suppose to be walking in large groups as I have seen over the holidays. And extended families hiking together. Don’t put others at risk just because your outdoors. Oh and an FYI for the skiers you don’t own the three loops. People are allowed on all trails walking or biking. It’s a wildlife management area not a ski park. So everyone needs to respect others so we. An maintain this gem in the Brandon Hills.

B bills has like 20/30 trails in total. And for 5 months of the year the skiers want 3 of them for there sport. I don’t think that’s very unreasonable to show them common courtesy. Especially considering the volunteer effort and dollars that go into the grooming.

Sounds like a whole lot of complaining on your part. If you want to enjoy the Brandon hills, than enjoy it! If you see garbage and it bothers you, pick it up. If you see families in large groups and it bothers you, move along since you have no idea of their situation and how many they have in their bubble. Also, 3 ski hills is not asking a whole lot if there are 30 trails. Why not make your New Years resolution to complain less, and enjoy life more, including the beautiful Brandon hills and the wonderful weather we are having

Totally true 5.3. I’m glad there is another perspective. There is plenty of room for all on the three loops. Skiers don’t need the whole width of trail. And I see them skiing with their dogs. So those foot prints and deer and rabbits and coyotes don’t bother them lol. Oh and by the way I ski to and have used the hills since the 1970’s when they were a lot less used. I don’t think I’m suppose to spend my trips to the trails cleaning up other peoples garbage just because they are irresponsible. And your idea about just move along and ignore the group gatherings that are punishable by law that’s pretty lame. It’s people like those ones that have exhausted our health care system due to their selfishness. So yes I’m complaining. I don’t litter and follow the laws and that makes me bad ?

If there is litter and garbage on the trails and warming hut, the wrong people are using it.  
 
People that don’t appreciate the outdoors. People that want to escape from the city without respecting the land.  
The more people that use it and abuse it will absolutely hurt this WMA going forward.  
 
Doesn’t hurt to complain about these losers. These are people we don’t want out there.

the Hills ever since they were first established. The 2.5, 5 and 7.5 trails have always been used for skiing in the winter. When they are groomed, walkers, do not respect the tracks and walk on them and ruin the track for skiers also, they are HILLS. Skiers coming down the hills could very easily have trouble avoiding walkers, many of them walking the wrong way on the trails. For safety's sake there needs to be designated trails for walkers and for skiers. This is the process used at Riding Mountain and seems to work well. We are so lucky to have this facility and all should be able to use it, if they show a little respect.

What kind of world do we live in? Why should anyone clean up other people's refuse? Entitled much?

5.3 good comments however for a bit of context, the only trails built in the Brandon Hills with owner approval are loops A, B, C, and the Practice Loop. Built for xc sking competition they are challenging trails with aggressive topography in sections. For 36 years the trails were maintained and groomed by a group of loosely organized ski volunteers (hard work). People donated money on a volunteer basis as well .... for decades. People respected that for many years however it has changed on the last few years. Skiing in the hill is dangerous for the skiers now. Dogs unleashed scampering everywhere or even attacking skiers, herd walkers like bowling ball pins aligned on the trails, and the impact of crushing tracks makes for horrible and dangerous ski situations. The signs that were placed in the hills about three years ago do not acknowledge Loop A, Loop B or Loop C as used for xcountry sking so anyone going to the hills for the first time often have no understanding or historical context or trail etiquette. (Practice loop was not groomed for years as an option for dog walkers) It is very disappointing not to be able to ski in the Brandon Hills however it is no longer a Hidden Gem ... at least for skiing. Have used the hills for decades, summer, winter and seasons in between so I might have a bit of a different view point from folks with more recent hills experience. For those folks whom donated $$ and worked hard on the XC ski trails for decades, a big shout out of thanks.

about horses?  
 
People seem to have a problem with riders on horseback using the hills as well.  
I will guarantee that riders are not going to get off their horses to clean up poop either.  
Is that an issue?

Also remember its a wildlife management area. Its on the maps. Also just remember that we can hunt in the area also as we have paid our memberships for those that hunt.

1 comment is the exact reason why I have never ventured out to the hills to go snowshoeing! I have no idea where I can and can't go and what trail is what. I do know enough to stay out of the ski paths, but was on a walk in another spot where a xc skier had just passed us, couple minutes later I had to tell my wife to get out of his tracks. We weren't snowshoeing, so it was easier for her to go in the tracks with shoes on. She actually had no idea that it wasn't "proper" to walk in his tracks, nor did I until a few years back when this exact same post came up and I was looking into xc skiing.  
I would love to take in the hills, but between the yearly battles on ebrandon about this and the amount of uncontrolled dogs on the trails, I know I will be in a fight with someone! For me, my "ignorance" wouldn't be intentional, it would be lack of knowledge of the "rules" many people have put on things, that only certain people would know.  
 
Edited by BigDaddy 2, 2021-01-03 16:44:02

Have you ever ran a grooming machine? Do you know how easy it is to hug one side of the path or the other. Maybe the machine is so wide and it can only have the track in the middle because of that.

Thank you for comment. I was asked to stay off the xc ski trails while snowshoeing. This was several years ago .... the request was stern. I knew something was up and was using a section of xc ski trail to get to single track. Never gave the skier a hassle as it was well known that the trails were ski trails in winter. Adjusted my routing. Snow shoeing is a great past time, much less technical then xc skiing, yet a great work out. Less chance of crashing is appealing now.