Chainsaws Roar at Strawberry Pass
By Sara Golling
Ten volunteers who were already pretty good with chainsaws met with two official chainsaw instructors at Strawberry Pass on Saturday, May 30, for a free course in chainsaw operation. The purpose of the course was to certify their ability to handle a chainsaw safely, so they can be covered by the insurance provisions that are part of the Rossland Range Recreation Site.
It rained. They put up tarps. They made a lot of chainsaw noise, and at the end of the day, which came a bit early because they were all so capable, ten volunteers qualified for that insurance coverage while using chainsaws as volunteers in the Rec Site.
The insurance covers other volunteers, but people using chainsaws aren’t covered unless they have taken the course — and passed.
The Rossland Range Recreation Site is a relatively new creation, taking in the land between the Red Mountain Resort commercial recreation tenure and the Big Red Cats commercial recreation tenure. It encompasses the area containing a number of “trespass” shelters used and loved by Rosslanders and many others from near and far who like to roam on various types of skis or on snowshoes. The Rec Site was created to ensure some form of protection for free public recreation in the remainder of the Rossland Range, and one requirement was that an organization take on the task of creating a Management Plan, and implementing the plan.
Friends of the Rossland Range Society stepped up to take on that job, with a great deal of input and assistance from the community. To learn more, click here.
