Mechanized users, on the other hand, are usually either neutral toward or have a positive attitude toward nonmechanized users and do not dislike meeting them. Cross-country skiers perceived snowmobilers as interfering negatively with their activity, whereas snowmobilers enjoyed or were indifferent to meeting skiers. In previous conflict research between motorized and nonmotorized users, motorized use was a central part of the activity. Motorboating and snowmobiling are examples. In the case of helicopter skiing, however, skiing is the central part of the activity.
Helicopters serve only to access remote settings.
Yet, even brief encounters with the sights and sounds of helicopters or the tracked snow of one who effortlessly arrived before can create antipathy. These findings suggest that recreational activities that use even small amounts of motorized equipment are more prone to be incompatible with nonmotorized recreationists. Goal Orientation and Goal Interference Hypothesis 1 states that as goal orientation increases, goal interference will increase. For backcountry skiers, goal orientation was significantly associated with all three goal interferences. For example, backcountry skiers expressing greater nature orientation experienced greater levels of interference to experiencing nature attributed to helicopter skiing.