Helmets focus of Snowmobile Safety Week

Salt Lake City - Utah State Parks and Recreation is stressing helmets, safety and education as part of Utah Snowmobile Safety Week, January 16 through 22 and throughout the snowmobile season. Two snowmobilers have lost their lives this season, and snowmobile program managers want to prevent additional fatalities and injuries.

“We want everyone to be prepared before heading into the backcountry by knowing laws and rules, riding safely, respecting avalanche dangers, and wearing safety gear,” said Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Education Specialist Ann Evans.

Utah law requires youth eight to 15 to complete the Utah State Parks Know Before You Go! online snowmobile education course before operating on public lands, roads or trails. Anyone 16 or older must have a valid Utah driver’s license or a safety certificate to operate a snowmobile on public land. It is illegal for any child under age eight to operate an OHV on public land. The snowmobile course is available at www.stateparks.utah.gov/ohv.

All youth under age 18 are required by law to wear a properly-fitted and fastened helmet. Utah State Parks strongly recommends that all riders wear helmets.

Evans offers these following safety tips:

- Never ride alone. Always ride with a companion and let others know your plan.

- Check weather reports and avalanche advisories at utahavalanchecenter.org. Be prepared by wearing an avalanche beacon, and carrying a shovel and probe.

- Dress for changing weather conditions. Wear layered clothing to adjust for changing conditions.

- Know basic maintenance procedures. Carry spark plugs, drive belts, a tool kit, and a survival kit that contains a map, compass, flashlight, extra food, extra clothing, sunglasses, first aid kit, pocket knife, waterproof matches, and candles or fire starters.

For more information, visit www.stateparks.utah.gov/ohv  . Stay on the trail!

Youth Off-Highway Vehicle and Personal Watercraft Education Courses now Available Online

Salt Lake City – In an effort to meet growing demand for off-highway vehicle (OHV) and personal watercraft (PWC) youth education courses, Utah State Parks now offers online courses at http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/.

OHV course fees are $30 and cover ATVs, off-highway motorcycles and side-by-side ATVs. PWC courses, which cover JetSki and SeaDoo-type boats, are $34.95, which include a $5 certification fee. Upon successful completion of coursework, students print temporary certificates valid for 60 days and later receive permanent certificates by mail.

Students are strongly encouraged to thoroughly study all materials prior to testing. If they do not pass the course, they must pay a second registration fee to retake the test.

“Safety is our number one concern. We want to reduce accidents by educating youth to operate ATVs and PWC safely, wear safety equipment, and follow laws and rules,” stated OHV/PWC Education Coordinator Ann Evans. “Online courses provide easier access to education courses and allow students to learn at their own pace.”

Utah law requires youth eight to 16 to complete the Utah State Parks Know Before You Go! OHV Education Course before operating a machine on public lands, roads or trails. It is illegal for any child under age eight to operate an OHV on public land.

Utah youth, 12 to 17 years of age, are required to complete and pass the Utah PWC Education Course in order to operate these types of boats without an adult on board. Children younger than 12, may not operate a PWC without a responsible adult on board.

Since the creation of the education courses, approximately 22,000 students have completed the PWC course and more than 60,000 students have taken the OHV course.

For more information, visit http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/, call (800) OHV-RIDE or (800) RIDE PWC.

Interest in Poisonous Snakes is Growing

Under the proposed rule change, the midget faded rattlesnake is one of two species that an individual could catch in the wild and breed in a home.

Photo courtesy of Ron Stewart

DWR proposes new safety rules
Did you know that the number of Utahns who want to catch and keep a poisonous snake in their home is growing?

To make sure this activity is done safely, the Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing several changes to the state law that governs it.

Utah’s five public Regional Advisory Councils want your thoughts about the DWR’s ideas. You can read the agency’s ideas at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings/info/2010-02-03.pdf   on the Web.

“The desire to catch venomous snakes in the wild and then breed them in captivity is growing among herpetologists in Utah,” says Krissy Wilson, native aquatic species coordinator for the DWR.

(Herpetologists are people who enjoy catching and raising snakes.)

Wilson says six rattlesnake species live in Utah. The DWR is proposing that enthusiasts be allowed to catch and keep only the two most common rattlesnakes in the state—the midget faded rattlesnake and the Great Basin rattlesnake.

To keep those snakes, snake enthusiasts would have to follow a number of safety rules. “Public safety is our main concern,” Wilson says. “We don’t want a snake to escape from someone’s home.”

The requirements the DWR is proposing would also limit the number of snakes people could catch in the wild and the number of young the snakes could produce each year.

“Snake enthusiasts would also be required to follow all city or county laws related to keeping and raising poisonous snakes,” Wilson says.


Two ways to share your ideas
After reading the DWR’s ideas at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings/info/2010-02-03.pdf , you can share your thoughts with your RAC chairman one of two ways.

(Your chairman will take the input he receives to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets March 3 and 4 in Salt Lake City. Board members will use the input to help them set snake collection and possession rules in Utah.)

E-mail
You can provide your comments to your RAC via e-mail. E-mail addresses for your RAC members are available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings  .

RAC meetings
Five Regional Advisory Council meetings will be held across Utah. You can participate and provide your input at any of the following meetings:

Southern Region
Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
Hurricane High School
345 W. 100 S., Hurricane

Southeastern Region
Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
1765 E. Main St., Green River


Northeastern Region
Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Uintah Basin Applied Technology College
450 N. 2000 W., Vernal

Central Region
Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
Central Region Conference Center
1115 N. Main St., Springville


Northern Region
Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.
Student Union Building, Room 404A
Weber State University
3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden


For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

January and February Winter Programs hosted by Timpanogos Cave

Photo courtesy Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

The National Park Service and the Uinta National Forest invite you to join us for a free winter ranger program series. These free programs will be presented by National Park Service rangers and/or guest speakers. The programs start at 10:30 a.m. at the Highland City Hall multipurpose room next to the library. For further information call 801-756-5239 or visit www.nps.gov/tica .

JANUARY

Location: Highland City Hall Multipurpose Room

Time: 10:30 a.m.-noon

Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010

Program: Avalanche Awareness

Whether you appreciate the power of nature exhibited by avalanches, want to know how they happen and what you can do to stay safe, or just pursue winter sports this program is for you. Learn about avalanche forecasting, safety and mechanics. Try out your new skills during an avalanche beacon exercise. The hour and a half program will be presented by guest speaker Bruce Tremper, Director of the Utah Avalanche Center. The program starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Highland City Hall multipurpose room next to the library . For further information call 801-756-5239 or visit www.nps.gov/tica .

FEBRUARY (Kids in Nature)

Location: Highland City Hall Multipurpose Room

Time: 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010

Program: Senses of the Season (Winter)

Let's bring the outdoors inside with a special sensory program geared toward children ages eight and under. Discover the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of the winter season. All ages are welcome to attend and challenge all of their senses. The hour long program will be presented by rangers Roberta Jacobsmeyer and Karissa DeCarlo. The program starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Highland City Hall multipurpose room next to the library . For further information call 801-756-5239 or visit www.nps.gov/tica .