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The San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office is investigating an incident from Sunday in which two all-terrain vehicles went off-road illegally and damaged pristine alpine tundra north of Silverton.<\/p>\n
Two ATVs were spotted about 1:30 p.m. driving across the alpine wetlands in Velocity Basin below Storm Peak. The area is adjacent to Silverton Ski Mountain, and many ski runs go through the basin.<\/p>\n
Silverton resident Wesley Berg was in the area to go hiking with his wife and a friend when he spotted the ATVs. Berg immediately took out his camera and took photos of the vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey came around to us \u2026 and I said, \u2018Are you aware driving off-road like this is illegal?\u2019\u201d Berg said. \u201cHe said they didn\u2019t know the road ended, which it\u2019s pretty obvious. I didn\u2019t buy that excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angered about the damage the ATVs caused to the alpine tundra, Berg posted the photos to Facebook hoping to identify the driver and occupants of the vehicles.<\/p>\n
Word of the illegal ride caught the attention of the San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office, which immediately began an investigation, Sheriff Bruce Conrad said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnywhere that\u2019s not obviously a marked road is illegal, and we\u2019re very determined to catch people doing such,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen in doubt, don\u2019t go there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deputies went up to the area and took drone footage of the damage, Conrad said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were literally sliding sideways over the marsh, through heavy wetland into rock, over snow, leaving tire tracks all over up there,\u201d Conrad said. \u201cThat damage will last a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through social media, Conrad said authorities were able to identify the people involved in the incident. He said six people from Colorado Springs were involved. The group had rented the ATVs from a company in Ouray.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was our Facebook community, really, that got on it quickly,\u201d Conrad said. \u201cAnd, the OHV (off-highway vehicles) community really stepped up to the plate to police themselves and make sure these folks were brought to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conrad said the people have yet to be ticketed. Penalties for the illegal ride can include fines and restitution costs.<\/p>\n
With a growing number of ATV\u2019ers visiting Silverton, illegal off-road rides that damage mountain terrain are becoming more common. The town of Silverton opened some streets to ATV use in spring 2014, which has drawn more visitors each year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s getting more and more common every year,\u201d Conrad said. \u201dThere\u2019s just more OHVs now. That segment of visitor is growing exponentially, and we have a certain percentage acting poorly.\u201d<\/p>\n