WINTER SPORTS 123 



Because of the many different points where winter sportsmen may enter 

 or leave the forests, and because of the limited personnel available to keep 

 watch over them, only estimates of the extent of winter use of national forests 

 now are possible. But winter sports visits exceeded 1 /{ million, most certainly, 

 in 1938. Nine-tenths of this use was on 50 of the 130 forests. These 50 forests 

 lie in 5 States, and the distribution of the winter-sports use ran approximately 

 thus: 



On 17 forests in California 639,000 visits; on 7 in Washington 106,000; 

 on 14 in Colorado 110,000; on 13 in Oregon 140,000; and on 11 forests in 

 Utah 88,000. 



For the West the total reached 1,182,764. New Hampshire's White 

 Mountain Forest received 69,000 visits. All other national forests, including 

 those of Alaska, took care of around 43,000 among them. And nearly every- 

 where, where latitude or altitude permit, there is evidence that winter use 

 is not only mounting, but soaring. 



FACILITIES . . . All this has led to a reenaction, rapidly, of the dilemmas 

 presented when people first began coming on to the national forests to 

 picnic and to camp. At first forest officers could say, God bless them, and 

 leave them alone. Then less skilled vistors came, and in greater numbers;- 

 and soon they had to consider making some rules and providing facilities. 



To plan, rear, and maintain winter-sports facilities sufficient to meet 

 the demand presents an administrative problem of considerable magnitude. 

 The first lone winter adventurer gloried in his self-reliance; but an increasing 

 army of novices congregating in favored areas cannot be allowed to freeze, 

 get lost, or break their necks, regardless. Fortunately, the sports most enjoyed 

 by the great mass of winter visitors require only simple facilities, and if 

 these are wisely planned they do not measurably mar the forest atmosphere. 



One essential on a winter-sports area is to get the crowds up the moun- 

 tain and down again, with reasonable safety, after private means of con- 

 veyance have gone as far as they can. Formerly, the people came to the 

 forest in special cars chartered by an outdoor club to be shunted off the 

 main line at a winter resort. Now week-end or holiday "snow trains," often 

 running in several sections directly from metropolitan centers, are needed 



