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VAST News Featured Club Club News Real Estate Trails Report Featured Dealer In Memory Marketplace Landowner Spotlight Lodgings Events Winter 2016 4.95 SnowmobileSnowmobile VERMONTVERMONT ASSOCIATION OF SNOW TRAVELERS VERMONTVERMONT ASSOCIATION www.vtvast.orgwww.vtvast.org VAST News Featured Club Club News Real Estate Winter 2016 4.95Winter 2016 4.95 Whos in the Groomer Overview of VAST Awards Featured Club Jacksonville E-Z Riders Landowner Spotlight - The Warming Hut ALL AROUND POWER 1746 MEMORIAL DR SAINTJOHNSBURYVT WWW.ALLAROUNDPOWER.COM DAN TURCO AND SONS 62 N SHREWSBURY RD NORTH CLARENDONVT WWW.TURCOSYAMAHA.COM FRANKS MOTORCYCLE SLS SERV LLC 120 CENTER RD ESSEX JUNCTIONVT WWW.FRANKSMOTORCYCLESALES.COM RONNIES CYCLE SALES OF BENNINGTON 2601 WEST ROAD BENNINGTONVT WWW.RONNIES.COM NEW YEARS T H E Y A M A H A NEW YEARSNEW YEARSNEW YEARSNEW YEARSNEW YEARSNEW YEARSNEW YEARS SALES EVENT in incentives on select models at participating dealers. UP TO in incentives on select UP TO 2500SPECIAL FINANCING OFFERS At participating Yamaha Snowmobile Dealers. New Years promotion valid December 29 2015 through April 30 2016. Offer valid for select new 2011-2016 Yamaha Snowmobiles except SRX 120 and 16 Spring Power Surge models. See dealer for complete details. 2016 Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A.All rights reserved. Prototype model shown. Final specifications may vary.Always wear an approved helmet eye protection and protective clothing.Always ride within your capabilities allowing time and distance for maneuvering and respect others around you. Know the conditions. Observe all state and local laws. Dont drink and ride. NEW YEARS YAMAHA-SNOWMOBILES.COM For more Yamaha dealers visit yamaha-snowmobiles.com. Winter 2016 1 Table of Contents Winter 2016 FEATURES 14 Station Location Where to gas up on the trail in the Northeast Kingdom 16 Why is Vermont and VAST Different Vermont snowmobiling is unique when compared to other states 18 Awards There are many awards that any VAST member can win 22 In Memory Remembering Jackie Roese and Tom Frostic 24 Landowner Spotlight Rick and Cindy Yuris offer The Warming Hutfor snowmobilers to use on their land in Ludlow 26 Featured Dealer Absolute PowerSports in Wells River 30 Whos in the Groomer Our annual tribute to the dedicated individuals who keep the trails smooth 68 Featured Club Jacksonville E-Z Riders are where the trails begin on the southern end Departments 2 VAST Direction Executive Directors Message 3 VAST News 4 Trailblazers 28 Trails Report 43 Calendar of Events 44 Club News 67 Marketplace 73 Real Estate Lodgings 76 Lasting Image XX oN tHe CoveR Chester Snowmobile Club Trailmaster Dick Bigwood Patty Companik photo 68 30 24 2 Snowmobile VERMONT VAST STAFF Executive Director Coeditor Cindy Locke cindyvtvast.org Ext. 11 Trails Administrator Matt Tetreault mattvtvast.org Ext. 12 Media Manager Coeditor Designer Beth Godin bethvtvast.org Ext. 16 Office and Programs Manager Cyndy Carrier Jones cyndyvtvast.org Ext. 10 Finance and HR Manager Sheila Fenoff-Willett sheilavtvast.org Ext. 14 Trails Manager Shane Prisby shanevtvast.org Ext. 18 VAST OFFICERS President Tim Mills 802 234-5000 timmills1myfairpoint.net Vice President Jeff Fay 802 434-6633 jfayvastcomcast.net Treasurer Tom Baltrus 802 464-8211 twbaltrusgmail.com Secretary Jim Hill 802 343-4478 jh_buildershotmail.com Having lived in Vermont since 1978 I have seen winters with low snow in the past. That being said it sure doesnt make it any easier. Its tough to know how much you all want to get out there and ride and groom and having no way to make it snow. I just keep hoping and praying for snow and more snow. Maybe by the time this magazine issue comes out all our snow dances will have worked. In the VAST office we have been busy even without major snowfall. There is a lot that goes into running the snowmobile industry in this state. I have written an article in this edition that speaks about what VAST is and why we differ from other states. I hope you enjoy it. While waiting for more snow and more trails to open I have been out at club events riding and meeting VAST members. Along the way I took some pictures that I would like to share with you all. Get your snow dance on and be safe out there. As always thank you so much for all you do for VAST and snowmobiling in Vermont Fond regards Snowmobile Vermont Magazine 26 Vast Lane Barre Vermont 05641 T 802 229-0005 F 802 223-4316 infovtvast.org vtvast.org Snowmobile VT Magazine ISSN 2374-5630 is published five times Fall October Early Winter December Winter January Late Winter March and Summer August by The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers Inc 26 Vast Lane Barre VT 05641. Periodicals postage paid at Barre VT and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send ad- dress changes to VAST 26 Vast Lane Barre VT 05641-4477 VAST Direction snowmobiling in Vermont Fond regards Having lived in Vermont since 1978 I have seen winters with low snow in Publications Committee Chair Contributor Patty Companik Member Writer and Photographer 203 710-7358 pattyvtvast.org Left Incoming club President Richard Fortin and County Director Dave Page not pictured present Bob Dexter with an award as outgoing President of the Brighton Snowmobile Club. beLoW The Turk Scaffidi families from Mullica Hill New Jersey dropped in for a bite to eat at Chez Pidgeon in Norton during their trip to Vermont in January. Winter 2016 3 VASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVASTVAST NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWS Winter 2016 2016 SNOWQUEST The Rutland Herald and Times Argus newspapers are once again organizing SnoQuest. The game is open to all VAST members. Grand prizes in the past have ranged from a new snowmobile to cold hard cash. The twist for this years game is a unique take on the traditional Poker Run. Look for rules and more details at www.timesargus.comsnoquest or www.rutlandherald.comsnoquest on Friday Feb. 5. Game play is slated to begin on Friday Feb. 19 and end on Monday Feb. 29. You can email snoquestrutlandherald.com or snoquesttimesargus.com for more information. PRAY FOR SNOW By Patty Companik Lee and Robyn Whiting members of both the Chester and Andover snowmobile clubs donated a Pray for Snow carved wooden bear to the two clubs. In turn the clubs presented it to Cindy Locke VAST Executive Director at a club fundraising event on Saturday Jan. 9 to thank her for coming to their community and spending time with some of the local membership. Cindy was presented the bear by Stan Choiniere president of the Chester Snowmobile Club Nicholas Baker of the Andover Mountaineer Snow Riders Windsor County Director Dick Jewett and club member Lee Whiting. I believe most of us would agree that we need snow It has been a slow start to the season and we are all waiting for the snow and cold temps to come and stay with us for a fewmonths. The lack of snow this year was the inspiration for this cute 28 tall carved wooden bear. The Pray for Snow bear was created by Barre Pinskes Vermont Wooden Bear Company located in Chester Vermont. You can have the bear customized to have your own pray for message on it. If you are interested in a bear please contact Barre Pinske at 508-965-3211 or barre.pinskegmail.com. Thank you to the folks from the Chester and Andover clubs and communities. We hope your generous donation of this bear containing our special prayer message will bring us some much needed SNOW The bear is displayed in the lobby at the VAST office for all members to enjoy. Lee Whiting Stan Choiniere Dick Jewett and Nicholas Baker presented thePray For Snowbear to VAST Executive Director Cindy Locke on Jan. 9. 201516 SEASON PHOTO CONTEST Send those photos in All six winners will get a Snowmobile Vermont beanie hat. First place receives a TMA for next year and the cover shot of the Fall 2016 issue. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 1. All photos must be high resolution at least 3 MB. 2. The person submitting the photos must be the person who took it. 3. Once you submit your photo you are giving VAST copyright permission to use this photo in the magazine and for future marketing purposes. 4. To enter Email your photo and caption to editorvtvast.org with the subject PHOTO CONTEST. 4 Snowmobile VERMONT Snowmobiling in Vermont has a rich history of volunteer participation. From the time a few snowmobilers informally came together to create and maintain trails and create VAST to what is done today to manage our Vermont snowmobile system. The Trailblazer Award is presented to VAST volunteers who have served their club county and VAST for at least 25 years. They will receive a special Trailblazer name badge and a letter of commendation. In addition each Trailblazer will be considered for the prestigious Founders Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. The Trailblazer Award honors the grassroots spirit and dedication of the many people who have made snowmobiling what it is today by freely giving their time hard work and resources for 25 years or more. VAST is proud to honor the following longterm volunteers with the Trailblazer Award Wendall Manseld is a founding member of the Stowe Snowmobile Club and has served as Treasurer for 46 years. He has a long history of helping with trail work and does a great job selling TMAs Dave McFadden has been a member of the Alburg Sno Springers Club for almost 50 years. He has served as club Treasurer Trails Coordinator and county Trails Coordinator. Dave has maintained and groomed the north end of the Alburgh trails as long as anyone can remember. He and his wife Rachael have created an incredible amount of goodwill between the club and landowners. Rachael McFadden has been Secretary of the Alburg Sno Springers for 25 plus years. She often rides shotgun on the groomer with Dave and plans to learn how to operate it when she retires Rachael participates in all club activities including trail work. Raymond Rodrigue is President of the Orleans Snow Stormers. He has volunteered for over 30 years doing trail work and operating the groomer. As Orleans County Trails Coordinator he works with the VAST Trails Committee and is an ambassador to promote VAST and snowmobiling to local businesses. Ray is a master of details and it shows in all that he does. Conrad Stewart has volunteered for 42 years and is still going strong. He has been President of the Mount Abe Snow Sports Club Addison County Director and Addison County Trails Coordinator. At age 85 Conrad is still pounding stakes and continues to be a great asset to his club county and VAST. Ernest Choquette has served the Country Riders Snowmobile Club for 40 years and was instrumental in purchasing the clubs first groomer. He organized the construction of Trail 242 and several bridges. He served as club President for a number of years and continues to be an active and contributing member. Dale Allen is a 40 plus year veteran of organized snowmobiling. He is a member of the Lamoille County Sno Packers and Hardwick Snowflake Ridge Runners for whom he grooms trails. Dale has represented Lamoille County as Director and Trails Coordinator and has been President of the Snow Packers. Hes always there for trail projects and keeps up to date by attending VAST Trails meetings and serving on club committees. Dick Bigwood is a member of the Chester Snowmobile Club. He is not just a member but also an incredibly active 84-year-old volunteer. He has maintained and operated trail groomers for many years. In addition he has participated in many trail projects including bridge construction and debrushing often taking the lead. Dick gets the permission slips signed by almost 70 landowners many from out of state. He sends each one a personalized Christmas card annually. He manages the trail signs for the club putting them out picking them up and keeping them in good repair. Do you know someone who deserves a Trailblazer Award Download a nomination form at www.vtvast.org and send it to Cyndy Jones at the VAST office at cyndyvtvast.org. Rachael McFadden Dave McFadden and Dick Bigwood are a few recipients of VASTs newest volunteer award. The Trailblazers Award is given to members with over 25 years of volunteerism. Trailblazers CornerBy Dave Ladd 25Years of Volunteering Winter 2016 5 A message from VAST President Tim Mills VAST News On Nov. 18 Rutland County made a donation of 3000 to The Vermont Achievement Center VAC. The Vermont Achievement Center Inc. a 501c3 charitable organization has been serving the needs of children and families throughout the Rutland region and Vermont since 1937. VAC continues to offer innovative and responsive programs in special education early education and child care family social services and intervention as well as water safety and aqua therapy. The programs provided by VAC touch the lives of more than 7000 children and families throughout our region each year. - courtesy VAC website at www.vacvt.org. Becky Wisell VAC Development Director commented that their specially equipped indoor rehabilitation and physical therapy pool was on the brink of being closed several years ago. Donations from Rutland county snowmobile clubs bolstered the operations fund and gave them the ability to keep it open. Some county club members also donated their time in the past to give these children many of whom are handicapped the chance to have a snowmobile ride. Mitch Golub VAC President CEO Becky Wisel VAC Development Director Merritt Budd VAST Rutland County Director and Ann Hunt VAC Pool Director celebrate the donation of 3000 from Rutland County clubs. RUTLAND COUNTY DONATES 3K By Patty Companik Ridge Climbers member Allison Riker stamps Tims hand at their 1st annual Cabin Fever Dance held this January in Royalton. I am looking out the window patiently waiting for the white gold to start falling from the skies in measureable amounts. The cruel simplistic reality of Mother Nature not cooperating this snowmobile season has been extremely frustrating. To date we have had a total of two snowstorms. Well two snowstorms and a half of a day of steady pouring rain. The anticipation for me personally starts during hunting season after the leaves have fallen and the air starts to turn crisp. As snowmobilers we always believe that the upcoming snowmobile season is going to be second to none with an endless bounty of snow for us to ride on but this winter has been a disappointment. The opening of the season on Dec. 16 has come and gone with not a track made behind my sled to date in mid-January. Living in the Northeast as we do you wouldnt think a slow snow start to the season is possible. In reality it is more common then we realize. Historically this happens to us about once every four to six years. You may feel that this is the end of the story but it is far from over. Just because the weather isnt cooperating doesnt mean that everything comes to a stop. The lack of snow has given us an opportunity to continue working on our grooming equipment and fuss with other items we didnt have time to work on before the season started. Across the state safety classes were still being held. I know for a fact that clubs statewide have planned and toiled over fundraising events.The lack of snow only means you cant ride your snowmobile there but you are still able to attend by car or truck. In January I attended one of our neighboring clubs rst annual dances with a live band and a 5050 rae. My local club is going to be cooking food at the Vintage Snowmobile Rendezvous on Feb. 27. We are also planning our big dinner and rae which we hold in April every year. These events are very important to our local clubs. They depend on these fundraisers every year. This is also an excellent opportunity to keep from getting cabin fever. Just grab your latest Snowmobile Vermont magazine and look through the events section to see what is going on. Another good place to look for events being held by snowmobile clubs is on the VAST website and also on social media. Facebook is an excellent source for clubs to post events riding conditions and other interesting tidbits. With everything that is going on this winter there is no reason for anyone of us to be bored while we wait for the snow to arrive. Ride Safely and Smooth Trails Tim Mills VAST President 6 Snowmobile VERMONT VAST News Mother Nature sure has been confused this season. It was 60 degrees for Christmas and 50 degrees for New Years. There is still only enough snow to be a nuisance. I guess the Old Farmer who wrote this years almanac had it wrong. This season was supposed to begin where the last one ended with decent snow depths and great riding Not so much as of yet. Its at least cold for a change with a dusting of snow occasionally. It is still not nearly enough to open much of the trail system. All the prep work has been done or just about done maybe a few trees to clear a railing on a bridge to mend or a few more signs to put up. Oh yeah that last minute trail reroute for whatever reason. The work still needs to get done even if the snow is late in getting here it will get here soon... hopefully. Groomers are serviced and fueled ready to roll soon... hopefully. TMAs have been purchased through local clubs if not soon...hopefully. Sleds are shined up waiting patiently to break free and hit the trails soon...hopefully. By this time in the season we should already have some miles logged and a few stories to share soon...very soon...hopefully. There are still club events going on most weekends that are accessible by road vehicle. It is not nearly as exciting as riding in but its still very important to show support for local clubs when possible. Many of these events are fundraisers that provide clubs the means to keep their trails your trails open for the season when projects are not fully funded through the VAST grant programs. With the chance of a low snow year TMA sales may not be as expected which will have a trickle-down eect for all areas of the Association. Fewer TMAs mean less income and less available funding for projects and equipment. The work still needs to be done even if the snow is late. Weather patterns are cyclical and a few good snow years are always followed by a year or two of minimal snow and above average temperatures. This may be one of those years... hopefully NOT. As ocers directors and sta we have a responsibility to the membership to make wise decisions in the coming months to minimize the impact a below average year has on the Association. Not an easy task with the uncertainty of this thing called El Nio some wild ospring of Mother Nature Im sure. In closing out these ramblings of frustration I would like to express my appreciation to all of the volunteers who have spent time over these last few months making sure that things are ready to go for that day when the only sound heard is - BRAAAAAAAPP Ride Safe Ride Wise Ride Soon... Hopefully Je Fay VAST Vice President A message from VAST Vice President Jeff Fay MIKES STORY Snowmobile Safety Video In May of 2015 Micheal E. Bagley Jr. became a new father to a beautiful baby boy named Hunter. 11 days later Mike lost his life in a tragic snowmobile accident leaving Hunter and his mother Sarah Kaminski to go on without him. The family wanted to spread the word about snowmobile safety and help others avoid a tragedy like this. They joined together with law enforcement and others who were witnesses to the accident to create a video to tell about that fateful day and to warn others to be careful and safe. The story is told interview style by the people that witnessed this unfortunate accident. The story unfolds as you would expect a normal day with outdoor activities then in an instant everything changed. - Jerry Wood photographer lmmaker. If you have not seen this video please take 15 minutes to watch it and share with friends and family. You can find the link on the VAST website Youtube or Facebook pages. If you would like a DVD to show at a club meeting or safety course please contact Rick Kaminski by email at kaminskivermontel.net or call 802- 316-0190. It was Rick Kaminskis idea to have this video made and he hopes that everyone watches it and considers their actions out on the trails. He was riding with Mike the day of the accident baby Hunter is his grandson. Winter 2016 7 8 Snowmobile VERMONT AWARDS NOMINATING Awards The Awards Committee promotes the VAST scholarship program and annually selects the winners of two 1500 scholarships from the applicants. Each application is reviewed in detail by the committee. The essay is a very important part of the scholarship process. Each committee member scores the applications based on a number of criteria including involvement with their club. The two candidates with the highest aggregate scores are the winners and their applications are forwarded to the Northeast Chapter for a chance for an additional 1000 scholarship. This committee also reviews the awards that are available to recognize members of VAST and those outside the organization who support VAST in significant ways. An overview of the available awards can be found in the article on page 18. The committee meets to review all submissions and has an open dialog about each entry before a final decision is voted on for every award. Pictures videos and letters are reviewed by every committee member. It is amazing to read some of the major contributions so many people have made over the years and is something we really enjoy doing. We are always looking for more nominations. We know there are many more people out there doing a lot of hard work for VAST which we dont receive nominations for. It only takes about an hour of your time to write something about someone you know so that they may be recognized. Nominating The Nominating Committee recruits Meet the Committee VAST News and encourages candidates for the elected VAST officers. This year VAST voted in three new officers Tim Mills as President Jeff Fay as Vice President and Jim Hill as Recording Secretary. Tom Baltrus will continue in his current role as Treasurer. If you or someone you know may be interested in one of these positions in the future the committee welcomes you to contact us with your nomination. Most meetings are held in the first half of the calendar year with applications for scholarships due March 1 and nominations for awards due April 1. It gets busy fast since the decisions are made in a short period of time shortly after the deadlines. Plaques have to be ordered as well as other items and time is needed for the engraving. All this has to be done in preparation of the annual meeting at which time the awards will be presented. We have an outline of awards which are covered each year but we also encourage ideas for other recognitions. In 2015 we created two new awards The Trailblazer one nomination is awarded the Founders award and the Horizon award. If you have an idea or suggestion for other awards or ways to recognize people please let us know. Serving on this committee is rewarding in more ways than one. There is great satisfaction in selecting scholarship winners and recognizing individuals for their hard work and contributions to snowmobiling in Vermont. Regards Awards Nominating Committee Committee Members Dave Ladd Co-Chair Merritt Budd Co-Chair Patty Companik Dick Jewett Star Poulin Full Service Machine Shop 1778 VT Route 105 Newport VT 05855 MADE IN THE USA TUCKER SNO-CAT EQUIPMENT New and Reconditioned Equipment and Parts for Tucker Sno-Cats infogetsno.com www.getsno.com 802 334-7779 OPEN HOUSE GROOMER DEMO DAY February 20 2016 8 AM to 3 PM at Get-Sno Maintenance Seminars Operator Challenges with prizes Product-line Representatives Groomer Demos Tours Coffee and donuts served in the morning and lunch at noon. PLEASE RSVP by phone or email infogetsno.comPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVPPLEASE RSVP by phone or email infogetsno.com SNOWRABBIT GROOMERS Winter 2016 9 VAST News The 24th Annual Yankee Sportsmans Classic show was held Jan. 15 -17 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex. This year the VAST booth was set up directly across from the Vermont State Police Marine Division which handles snowmobile safety training. We had many questions from visitors to the VAST booth about snowmobile safety courses. With the VSP right across the isle we were easlily able to send folks over to Jere Johnson the Education Coordinator for the program. He was kind enough to bring some safety stickers and pamplets for VASTs booth. In addition to the safety themed handouts VAST also had keychains flashlights Snowmobile Vermont magazines LVRT and Snow Trails Conservancy literature for visitors to pick up. Several lucky folks who took some extra time to chat with us also walked away with the new trails map. We came back with some excellent ideas for new promotional items and how to improve interaction at future trade shows. Congratulations to Brenden Hinman of the Mallets Bay Lakers club who won our drawing for a gift basket that included a gift certificate to Absolute PowerSports Vermont food products a Snowmobile Vermont baseball hat and beanie hat. We are very grateful for everyone who volunteered to set up man the booth and tear down over the course of the three-day event. It was a successful event thanks to volunteeers Bob Stewart Carmin Lemery Jeff Fay Jim Hill Pat Poulin Roger Gosselin Silver Mills Star Poulin and VAST staff Beth Godin and Cindy Locke. CALL FOR BEST PRICING 501 Wahconah Street Pittsfield MA 413 443-0638 ronniesharleydavidson.com Monday-Friday 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-4pm Sunday 10am-4pm R The Way Out. 2016 Polaris Snowmobiles Are Here Left Beth Godin Silver Mills Roger Gosselin and Carmin Lemery ran the booth on Saturday morning. RIGHt Silver Mills helps a visitor to the booth locate trails near his home. 70 Industrial Park Road I-91 Exit 17 Route 302 Wells River VT 70 Industrial Park Road Wells River VT 802-429-2500 70 Industrial Park Road I-91 Exit 17 Route 302 Wells River VT FINANCING AVAILABLE FINANCING AVAILABLE STOP IN SEE HERB TODAY 2016 600 Indy ES 8399 Stock SP55251 2016 Rush 600 Pro S ES 11199 Stock SP57858 2015 MXZ TNT 800 ETEC Retail 12199 Sale 10995 Stock SS00425 one left 2015 MXZ TNT 900 ACE Retail 10649 Sale 9795 Stock SS00115 FINANCING AVAILABLE 2016 ZFORCE 500 9299 Stock XM00019 2016 UFORCE 800 EPS Sale 11299 Stock XM00043 2016 ZFORCE 800 EX 11999 Stock XM00383 WWW.ABSOLUTEPOWERSPORTSVT.COM 70 Industrial Park Road I-91 Exit 17 Route 302 Wells River VT 2016 SLINGSHOTS IN-STOCK READY FOR DELIVERY one left See dealer for details. 2015 Slingshot. Absolute Powersports VT is not responsible for any typographical errors. ABSOLUTE POWERSPORTS IS YOUR LARGEST CF MOTO DEALER IN THE AREA WITH OVER 30 UNITS IN STOCK AND READY TO GO 2015 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. BRP. All rights reserved and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the USA products are distributed by BRP US Inc. See an authorized BRP dealer for details. BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications prices designs features models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate clothing including a helmet. Dont drink and drive. Absolute Powersports VT is not responsible for anytypographical errors. Polaris recommends that all snowmobile riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. 2015 Polaris Industries Inc. Warning For safey and training course information see your dealer or call the SVIA at 1-800-852-5344. ATVs and UTVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety always wear a helmet eye protection and protective clothing. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Avoid excessive speed and stunt driving. Be extremely careful on difficult or unknown terrain. Utility Vehicles and ATVs are off-road vehicles only and they are not designed equipped or manufactured for use on public roads or highways. Never ride on public roads or carry passengers. CFMOTO recommends that all off-road riders take a training course. CFMOTO ATVs recommended only for highly experienced riders 16 years and older. N EW N EW Winter 2016 11 VAST News Where Service is Part of our Name 1972 US Route 5 Derby Vermont 05829 Where Service is Part of our Name 1972 US Route 5 Derby Vermont 058291972 US Route 5 Derby Vermont 05829 GOT VAST STYLE Do you wear your VAST Snowmobile Vermont logo apparel out on the white carpet We are on the hunt for you If you are spotted out and about in our logo wear we will snap your photo and put you in the summer edition. So if youve got style flaunt it If you need to catch up on the latest fashions you can find sweatshirts hats t-shirts longsleeve shirts and vests in our store online at www.vtvast.org. Just about a year ago we were lucky to bring on board Shane Prisby as our new Trails Manager and Lamoille Valley Rail Trail Project Manager. Shane came to us with a great background and a good understanding of trail development and state laws and regulations. He has been a great help to us regarding the LVRT and to Matt regarding general VAST trail work and issues. Recently Shane and his wife Hannah welcomed their first child Wyeth Williams Prisby. A couple of months ago Beth Godin joined us and is now our new Media Manager. Beth is doing an outstanding job working on the Snowmobile Vermont magazine and website. Soon she will begin work on our new Snow Travelers Guide. In the meantime she is going out to events to cover them and meet our members. Beth is always looking for folks to write articles and take pictures so let her know if you have any ideas. We are super excited to have her as a member of our already solid team RECENT ADDITIONS TO VAST By Cindy Locke Executive Director NEW VAST WEBSITE We hope everyone has had the opportunity to check out the new website at www.vtvast.org. If you have any suggestions or questions about how it works please contact us at editorvtvast.org. Some great feedback has come in and we and have incorprated several changes since the inital launch. More additions including a classifieds section are in the works. Training sessions will be happening soon for members to learn how edit club pages add events and post trail conditions. Please select one person from your club to attend these sessions. Keep on the lookout for an email from VAST with information on these training dates. Bob from Connecticutwas caught wearing his Snowmobile Vermont baseball cap at Chez Pidgeon in Norton this January. Cindy Locke photo 12 Snowmobile VERMONT PRINOTHLtdGranbyQubec450-776-3600-PRINOTHLLCGrandJunctionColorado970-242-7150 The NEW HUSKY a combination of power maneuverability and efciency supported by the all new Tier 4 nal 228 bhp clean engine plus user-friendly controls and cabin comfort features. www.prinoth.com A legend is reborn. The New HUSKY. Snowmobiling is a sport we all love. However it is much more than the thrill we get for 12 to 15 weeks each winter as we ride some of the finest trails in the U.S. enjoying spectacular scenery and exciting events. It is something very special and a way of life that we must preserve for future generations. The success of VAST for nearly 50 years is attributable to the tireless efforts of its volunteer members who work year round building bridges fundraising improving and maintaining trails all in an effort to enjoy the sport we love. VASTs success can also be attributed to its long-standing relationships with its landowners. We are very thankful for the privilege of maintaining snowmobile trails across these private lands which is something we take very seriously and make every effort to protect. As you know Vermonts landscape is changing. Today more and more land is being subdivided into smaller parcels dramatically increasing the number of landowners VAST must manage in order to maintain continuity in our trail system. In some instances this fragmentation causes trail closures which either force expensive rerouting or the loss of entire sections of trail. In response to this changing environment within Vermont VAST has formed the Vermont Snow Trails ConservancyCharitable Trust. Mission Protect and preserve lands for snowmobile trails. Develop partnerships with landowners communities and organizations to protect and PRESERVING TRAILS By Mark Ellingwood VAST News Winter 2016 13 www.centralvermontmotorcycles.comwww.centralvermontmotorcycles.comwww.centralvermontmotorcycles.com CENTRAL VERMONTCENTRAL VERMONTCENTRAL VERMONT MOTORCYCLESMOTORCYCLESMOTORCYCLES youryouryour locallylocallylocally ownedownedowned andandand operatedoperatedoperated powersportspowersportspowersports headquartersheadquartersheadquarters 360 west street rutland vt Visit Our ShowroomVisit Our ShowroomVisit Our Showroom Mon.-Fri. 9-6 Sat. 9-4Mon.-Fri. 9-6 Sat. 9-4Mon.-Fri. 9-6 Sat. 9-4 802 773-4533802 773-4533802 773-4533 preserve snowmobile trails for winter recreation. Form partnerships with other Conservancies and Trusts to protect and preserve snowmobile trails. Raise awareness of the need to preserve snowmobile trails and to generate support through education information and fundraising. Enhance and promote snowmobiling through trail preservation. One of the most important functions of the VSTCCT is to secure permanent easements from landowners who want to preserve the sport of snowmobiling. This can be accomplished either by landowners granting easements as a tax deductible donation or through purchase. We hope you will take the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the VSTCCT. Become involved with us in fundraising and help us identify opportunities that foster our goal of preserving snowmobiling for future generations. Contact Cindy Locke Executive Director of VAST and Vice President of the Vermont Snow Trails Conservancy at cindyvtvast.org or 802-229-0005 ext. 11. WHO FOUND THE HELMET Everett Adams of Langdon New Hampshire found the helmet in the last issue. It was hidden on the Slim Jim box in the photo of Lawsons Store on page 29. Everett and his wife Estelle are members of the Lunenburg Polar Bears along with their son Eric and his wife Tracy. Their grandsons Chase 6 years old and Nick 3 years old all enjoy the trails in the area very much. If you find the helmet in this issue you could win a beanie baseball hat or t-shirt Email your answer to editor vtvast.org. WHO FOUND VAST News 14 Snowmobile VERMONT LAKEFRONT EXPRESS MART 99 Cross St. Island Pond 802 723-6507 TRAIL Corridor 114C LUNENBURG VARIETY 23 West Main St. Lunenburg 802 892-1147 TRAIL Corridor 102F2 NORTON COUNTRY STORE 540 VT Route 114 Norton 802 822-5511 TRAIL Corridor 105F2 JJ GAS 25 VT Route 114 Norton 802 822-5706 TRAIL Corridor 105A SKIDS TRUCK STOP 100 Bridge St. Route 2 Lancaster NH 603 788-5533 TRAIL Off Corridor 2 STRATFORD VILLAGE STORE 77 Main St. North Stratford NH 603 922-5200 TRAIL Off Corridor F98 ORLEANS ALBANY GENERAL STORE 842 Main St. Albany 802 755-6810 TRAIL Corridor 14 BOBS QUICK STOP 6196 Route 14 Irasburg 802 754-2104 TRAIL Corridor 14 EVANSVILLE TRADING POST 645 Evansville Rd. Brownington 802 754-6305 TRAIL Off Corridor 16 HILLIKERS STORE 2519 VT Route 105 Newport Center 802 334-5622 TRAIL Off Corridor 105 KYLES QUICK LUBE 3351 US Route 5 Derby 802 766-8143 TRAIL Corridor 14 LITTLE JOHNS MINI MART 1247 VT Route 105 Newport Center 802 334-2245 TRAIL Corridor 105 LOWELL GENERAL STORE 3042 VT Route 100 Lowell 802 744-6848 TRAIL Corridor 100 LUCIERS STORE 4167 VT Route 105 Newport Center 802 334-8056 TRAIL Corridor 120 ORLEANS ONE STOPMINI MART 115 Main St. Orleans 802 754-6568 TRAIL Off Corridor 58 THOMPSONS REDEMPTION 3731 US Route 5 Derby 802 766-2522 TRAIL Off Corridor 105 TROY COUNTRY STORE 6561 VT Route 100 Troy 802 744-6146 TRAIL Corridor 101F1 WESTFIELD GENERAL STORE 17 North Hill Rd. Westeld 802 744-2223 TRAIL Corridor 101 Gas up and grab a bite to eat at Upper Valley Grill off Corridor 302 at the entrance to the Groton Sate Forest We recommend the Reuben sandwich This 2008 photo shows a group of riders from Meriden Connecticut fueling up. Photo provided by store owner Bill Kane StationLocation-NortheastKingdom CALEDONIA NICKS GAS N GO 590 Main St. Lyndonville 802 626-5030 TRAIL Corridor 52 PETTICO JUNCTION STORE 12 Vermont Route 18 St. Johnsbury 802 748-2147 TRAIL Corridor 4 DL BEVERAGE 308 VT Route 14S Hardwick 802 472-6881 TRAIL Corridor 14 15 CENTER TOWER MINI MART 1786 Memorial Dr. St. Johnsbury 820 748-8449 TRAIL Corridor 5F4 DL BEVERAGE 1955 VT Route 16 East Hardwick 802 472-6882 TRAIL Corridor F14 JOES POND COUNTRY STORE 2Vermont Route 15 West Danville 802 684-3630 TRAIL Secondary - 7F2 MARTYS FIRST STOP 421 Route 2 East Danville 802 684-2574 TRAIL Secondary - 7F2 SMITHS GROCERY 759 Main St. Greensboro 802 533-2631 TRAIL Corridor F14 UPPER VALLEY GRILL 2967 Scott Hwy. Groton 802 584-3101 TRAIL Corridor 302 ESSEX BARNIES MARKET 200 Main St. Concord 802 695-8133 TRAIL Off Corridor 18F4 CANAAN GULF STATION 204 Main St. Canaan 802 266-8900 Off Commerce Trail - 96F J J GAS 25 VT Route 114 Norton 802 822-5706 TRAIL Off Corridor 105A KINGDOM MARKET 12 Railroad St. Island Pond 802 723-5464 TRAIL Secondary - Off Corridor 114C StationLocation Winter 2016 15 By Scott Blanchard If you build it they will come. On a moderate but windy day in January people came to gather on a field of dreams and took a trip back in time. This field wasnt in Iowa and Kevin Costner wasnt there. In fact the field was in Washington and covered with snow and vintage snowmobiles. The Washington Snow Flyers held their first annual Vintage Snowmobile Rally on this day at Carpenter Park. It was a smashing success. The event was the brainchild of Tony Ziter and Snow Flyer President Fred Blanchard who felt an event like this would be a perfect fit for their club and town. The event site had ample parking excellent food and an 8-acre field that the participants could take their old sleds out on to clean out the cobwebs. The sounds and smells triggered a lot of reminiscing from the older folks. They told stories about the machines they used to ride and about trips they took and the people they rode with some who were there and some whod passed on. Nearly 200 spectators ranged from very young to very old and enjoyed the more than 55 entries lined up neatly in rows. The crisp wind couldnt dampen the spirits of the group and throughout the day people meandered in and around the antique entries and then in to the warm building for a coffee and a snack. The folks who had the most difficult job of the day were the judges. Paul Crane Henry Harvey and Chuck Otis were up to the task and judged restored and unrestored machines in multiple age categories. Trophies were awarded for first and second place in all categories and the winners ranged from as far away as Berlin New Hampshire to a sled that was right next door. The Snow Flyers would like to thank all those that participated by bringing their antiques to Washington to put on such a wonderful display. They recognize that they couldnt have pulled it all off without the help of a lot of people. This was a family event and it was families that volunteered their time to work it. The Blanchards Ziters Beedes Bresettes Duranleaus Farnhams and Otis families and other volunteers made it all possible and successful. The club would also like to thank ZMI for sponsoring the trophies. Next year the event will be on Jan. 7 2017. Contact Fred Blanchard at 802- 883-9983 for more information. WASHINGTON SNOW FLYERS FIRST ANNUAL VINTAGE SNOWMOBILE RALLY Club member Tony Ziter Washington Snow Flyers president Fred Blanchard and many other club members made this first annual event a great success. Cindy Locke photos The sounds and smells triggered a lot The event was the brainchild of They told stories about the machines they used to ride and about trips they took and the people they rode with some who were there and some whod passed on. Nearly 200 spectators ranged from very young to very old and enjoyed the more than 55 entries lined up neatly in rows. The crisp wind couldnt dampen the spirits of the VAST News 16 Snowmobile VERMONT I am often asked questions about VAST mostly regarding why it costs more to ride in Vermont than it does in our neighboring states. This is a great question and one of many I love to answer. There are many contributing factors which I will outline in this article but in a nutshell one very big nutshell it is because VAST is unique and there is not another state in the United States that has statewide riding like we do. Our entire snowmobile industry is maintained entirely by a non-profit organization with six staff and thousands of volunteers. What does that mean Well for instance in other states the snowmobile industry is run by state government. These states use multiple state agencies to do the work. While you might say Well maybe Vermont should do that. The State of Vermont is not set up to take on this industry because of costs manpower and lack of infrastructure. If we moved to being run by the State this would also adversely and permanently change the important structure of VAST which is our club system. Instead the State of Vermont through many agencies and the legislature have built a strong partnership with VAST to run snowmobiling in Vermont. If youre fairly new to VAST let me give you some history. VAST began back in the 1960s with a group of snowmobile enthusiasts that wanted to quell the suspicion of this new sport and organize so they could begin to build a trail system that they themselves could ride on and entice others to join the sport. It took some time to get folks to realize that this could be a great sport for themselves and for Vermont but the growing number of enthusiasts did not give up. Most snowmobilers in Vermont at that time used sleds for farm work or to get around the farm in the winter. I hazard to say that if those folks werent so brave to introduce the sport of snowmobiling to Vermont when they did we would not have the great trail system we do because of state laws now that govern development. All you have to do is look to the largest winter economic engine in Vermont downhill skiing to note that if those trails on Vermonts mountains were not cut when they were back in the 1950 and 60s we probably would not have downhill skiing in Vermont now. 80 percent of the VAST trail system is made up of private lands and Why is Snowmobiling By Cindy Locke Executive Director in Vermont Different from other states Riders want to know... Winter 2016 17 the remaining 20 percent are state or federal lands. As a way of encouraging private landowners to allow VAST trails on their property in the 1970s Vermont enacted two statutes that protect those landowners from any liability if they allow trail use or public use at no charge. In addition to that protection VAST spends over 125000 on liability insurance annually to protect the trails and those that ride and work on them. So where else does the money go that VAST collects from TMA sales sled registrations magazine advertising merchandise sales etc. 80 percent of our income goes towards our trail system in the form of grooming trail construction trail maintenance policing etc. In fact 44 percent is for grooming alone. If you ride in other states and compare them to Vermont you can tell that we spend a lot of time effort and money making sure our trails are in excellent condition and incredibly well signed. When we have a year like we are having this winter grooming is not happening as much as it did last year but then TMA sales will be down too so each balances out some. On big snow years we do spend more on grooming and sell more TMAs and sometimes have the ability to have some money to put aside for grooming in the future emergency planning and disasters like tropical storm Irene. Even in low or no snow years we still pay for grooming to support the clubs and their machines. VAST is a very unique organization. We absolutely could not do what needs to be done to maintain the trails we have without each of the volunteers. Also very important is the fact that we would not have the trails if not for generous landowners. It is our goal to continue to run VAST as lean as possible to give our clubs landowners volunteers and members as much support as they need to thrive and protect the best trail system in the Northeast. Administration includes but is not limited to payroll benefits all VAST office operating expenses all insurances including trail liability 130000 annually building upkeep vehicles professional services travel expenses committee expenses and government relations. Administraon 16 PR Markeng 2 Media Communicaons 3 Addl Trails Admin not sta pay 4 Trail Grooming 44 Trail Maintenance 6 Trail Construcon 4 Trail Emergency Funding 1 Trail Debrushing 1 SSTP Statewide Snowmobile Trails Fund 19 Annual Budgeted Expenses 4.1 Million 18 Snowmobile VERMONT VAST is a true grassroots organization with volunteers being the foundation. From the very beginning even before the concept of a statewide snowmobiling community was envisioned riders began to work together to cut brush on old logging trails build bridges and do what was necessary to have a place to operate their snow machines. It was volunteers who created the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers and volunteers whose endless efforts provide us with the best snowmobiling in the Northeast. It has been a long tradition at VAST to recognize the outstanding achievements of the clubs and individual volunteers of all ages through the presentation of awards. This article will provide a synopsis of all of the available awards at present. The following awards are selected by the Awards Committee from nominations from the membership. Thats right any member of VAST may nominate a potential recipient and the committee is dependent on the membership for nominations. Recipients of the following four awards will be entered for consideration for national awards of the same names. Snowmobiler of the Year is an honor reserved for an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the overall good of snowmobiling in Vermont. The recipient is a true volunteer who has unselfishly extended him or herself in multiple ways to make snowmobiling more enjoyable in the future. Snowmobile Family of the Year recognizes snowmobiling as a family activity. Its not unusual to have families who ride together and volunteer together. The recipient family may be a couple or several generations who have collectively advanced the sport of snowmobiling. Junior Snowmobiler of the Year is presented to a youth 15 years old or younger who has actively participated in trail work charitable events and other club activities. Dealer of the Year award is earned by promotion of the sport to both active snowmobilers and non- snowmobilers promotion of club membership leadership in club or state snowmobile associations participation in fundraising and charity events and involvement in trail grooming operations and special projects. Horizon Award is presented to an individual who may or may not be new to snowmobiling but has stepped out of the background and served their club county or VAST at a level far beyond expectation. There may be multiple awardees annually. Trailblazer Award is new but long overdue. This award recognizes individuals who have volunteered for 25 years or more. These are the people whose volunteer efforts cover any and all aspects of snowmobiling in Vermont. Nominations are accepted at any time. Awardees will be featured in Snowmobile Vermont magazine and one Trailblazer will be chosen annually by the Awards Committee to receive the prestigious Founders Award which recognizes outstanding volunteerism. Snowmobile Club of the Year is given to a club whose trail projects community involvement and charitable activities set it apart as an example for other clubs to follow. 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Richardson OwnerBroker Awards important trail project. While all trail projects are important selection may be based on the magnitude and obstacles to overcome or it may be on how critical the project is to the local or statewide trail system. The following nominations are considered by the Awards Committee with input from the Trails Administrator Chair of the Trails Committee and the Trailmaster from the nominees county. Most Improved Trails is awarded to a club whose trails have been significantly enhanced by recent construction and maintenance better signing and improved grooming. Best Signed Trails recognizes a club who is in complete compliance with signing guidelines established by the Trails Administrator whose intersections are clearly marked and signs are appropriately placed and maintained throughout the riding season. Best Groomed Trails as the name implies goes to a club who has done an outstanding job in keeping their trails in great shape. Like many things its hard to define but you know it when you see it. What now As youve read through these awards surely someone has come to mind who deserves consideration for one of them. Download the appropriate nomination form from www. vtvast.org fill it out and send with supporting data to Cyndy Jones at the VAST office. If you dont have computer access Cyndy will send you a form. Remember you are nominating not voting. One well written and supported nomination is going to receive more attention from the Awards Committee than 10 photocopied ones with minimal information. The President Executive Director and Trail Administrator each have their own set of awards that they may present annually. The following awards are presented by the VAST President The Carmi Duso Award is given to an individual whose service and enthusiasm for VAST and the sport of snowmobiling exemplify the best 20 Snowmobile VERMONT Awards characteristics of volunteerism and leadership above and beyond the call of duty. This is an open award and may be presented to anyone in the snowmobiling community regardless of age or level of service who displays the above qualities. DirectorOfcer of the Year award is presented to an individual who leads or actively participates in VAST committees charged with issue resolution policy development or development of long range plans. A candidate for this award exhibits leadership in county and VAST unity. Outstanding Local or National Business Participation is given for significant monetary or non- monetary contributions to VAST county or local clubs or a VAST supported charity. A candidate may organize or contribute to media coverage favorable to snowmobiling locally or nationally. A Distinguished Service Award is given to any outgoing Director or Officer. The President may also present awards to staff members volunteers landowners law enforcement personnel or other outside individuals for Significant contributions to local and county trail systems and club operations. Significant efforts benefitting a local club or county. Outstanding examples of cooperation between agencies and organizations that benefit Vermont snowmobiling. Significant assistance from landowners to acquire permission for or adjust land management activities to accommodate snowmobile trails. Donation of easements for snowmobile trails. Outstanding efforts to promote safe responsible and legal snowmobile operation. Active political or legislative lobbying in support of snowmobiling. There are two separate types of awards presented by the Executive Director. The rst three are entirely at the EDs discretion. The Legislator of the Year award may be given to the Vermont State Legislator who has worked the hardest to advance snowmobiling in Vermont. The award is based on the legislators support for legislation or for work that enhances and advances the Statewide Snowmobile Trail System. It may also be given for overall support for snowmobiling as well as commitment to the advancement of snowmobiling in Vermont. A Vermont Public Official who has worked the hardest to advance snowmobiling in Vermont may be presented with the Public Ofcial of the Year award. Similar in scope to the Legislator of the Year award it provides the opportunity to recognize a broader range of individuals. The Executive Directors Award of Excellence is given to an individual or club that has demonstrated that they have gone the extra mile for snowmobiling in Vermont. The recipient must have worked tirelessly for the advancement and betterment of snowmobiling and have overcome great adversity to ensure that all Vermont snowmobilers have an integrated and connected snowmobile trail system on which to ride. The following two awards are presented by the Executive Director but may be nominated by the membership. There is no nomination form.The nomination must be in writing and include sufficient documentation of the candidates suitability to merit consideration. First there is Honorary Membership. Nominations must be given to the Executive Director prior to June 1. The Executive Director must forward all recommendations to the Board of Directors and the Board must unanimously approve Honorary Memberships. This award may be given to a deserving non-VAST member. Legislators and Public Officials may qualify for this award. Honorary members shall not be 413 284-1673 2 Wilbraham Street Palmer Mass. www.flamingomotorsports.com ski-doo sales service Clothing accessories Karavan trailers VAST registrations Factory trained technicians NEW ITEMS CLOTHING GEAR Winter 2016 21 Awards All applications must be postmarked or faxed NO later than April 1 2016. Applicationsreceivedafterthatdatearenotconsidered. To obtain an application visit httpvtvast.orgscholarships.html or contact Cyndy Jones 802 229-0005 ext. 10 Please send all applications to VAST awards two 1500 scholarships annually. VAST Scholarship Awards are open to VAST members their spouses andor dependents of all ages to help you further your education in any post secondary school including vocationaltechnical education. Two Chances to Win The applications of the top five finalists will also be submitted for consideration to the Northeast Chapter of the International Snow- mobile Councils NEISC Scholarship Awards program. The NEISC awards two 500 scholarship awards annually. Two1500 SCHOLARSHIPSAPPLICATIONSARE DUEMARCH12016 SCHOLARSHIPSAPPLICATIONSAREAPPLICATIONSARE Vermont Association of Snow Travelers Inc. 26 Vast Lane Barre VT 05641 802 229.0005 www.vtvast.org MakeaDifferenceNominateSomeone NOMINATIONSARE DUEMARCH12016 To obtain nomination forms go to httpvtvast.orgawards.html VAST volunteers and clubs are dedicated and committed all year long. Please take the time to nominate someone who deserves recognition. Horizon Volunteer Trailblazer Snowmobiler of the Year Snowmobile Family of the Year Jr. Snowmobiler of the Year age limit 15 Dealer of the Year Snowmobile Club of the Year Awards for Clubs Trail Related Most Improved Trails Best Signed Trails Best Groomed Trails Trail Project of the Year entitled to voting privileges and they will not receive VAST correspondence. Nominations for the Partnership Award must be given to the Executive Director prior to May 1. All recommendations shall be forwarded to the Board of Directors and the Board must approve the Partnership Award. This award is to recognize any individual landowner group town or other organization that consistently advocates for snowmobiling in Vermont. The award is an engraved plaque and is to be presented at an appropriate event in the recipients community. The Trails Administrators awards may be presented annually. They recognize individuals for their contributions to VASTs reason for being snowmobile trails. Club Trails Coordinator of the Year is presented to an individual who has demonstrated commitment to snowmobiling at the club level by a positive leadership role in the development and maintenance of club trails. County Trails Coordinator of the Year goes to a county trail coordinator who actively supports the clubs in his or her respective county and does an outstanding job acting as liaison between VAST and individual clubs. Groomer operators do much more than ride around in their machines. For most it is a major commitment of time to keep the trails in the best possible shape. The best of the best are presented the Groomer of the Year award. The Trails Administrator also presents the Personal Attributes awards recognizing individuals for their leadership and contributions to the VAST trail system in the following categories Dedication Enthusiasm Effort Motivation and Ambition. If there is one point that bears emphasizing theres an award available that each and every volunteer and club can win. Its an open system and the Awards Committee welcomes nominations so think about who deserves an accolade and nominate them Go to www. vtvast.org and click Forms to for download links to nomination forms. 22 Snowmobile VERMONT It was about fifteen years ago and it was my first experience with trail work. It was out on Trail 58 in Island Pond. If you have ridden this trail you may understand what the meaning of the opening is. Jackie Roese and I were given the task of following our husbands down Trail 58 and putting up the rope on this trail. After that day out on the trail Jackie named our group the Rope- A-Dopes and for the next fifteen years our group has been out volunteering for the Brighton Snowmobile Club putting up all that rope. Jackie Roese passed away in early November and The Brighton Snowmobile Club has lost another member of our snowmobile community. Jackie and her husband Stacey are true snowmobilers and both love the sport. They have been snowmobiling for over thirty years. Their snowmobile trips have covered New York New Hampshire Maine and Vermont. My husband Chuck and I would spend Saturday nights having dinner with Jackie and Stacey and would enjoy hearing about their journeys and fun times which included J.K. ending up the Rhubarb and their daughter Barbaras engagement in Rangley Maine on a family snowmobile trip. It was one of those trips to Vermont that they discovered Island Pond and purchased a piece of land and built their home. Jackie called Island Pond home and left Long Island behind. She became a part of the town and part of the snowmobile club. She always helped to support the club any way that she could. She did trail work made lunches painted stakes helped with landowner appreciation sold rae tickets for the fundraiser and so much more. Jackie was also very active with the Island Pond Chamber of Commerce and spent a great deal of time volunteering to help support the town. She was part of the group that kept Friday Night Live serving chicken dinners every week counting ducks for the races decorating boats and working on the Winter Carnival. Family and friends were most important to her. Her door and garage were always open to everyone. It seemed like a large portion of Long Island followed Jackie and Stacey to Island Pond. She enjoyed sitting on her front porch and watching her children and grandchildren wear out the snow and grass on the hill in the summer and winter. The Brighton Snowmobile Club dedicated Trail 142 in memory of Jackie at a fundraiser in January. I know Jackie would be touched by this dedication. I ask that everyone who reads this continues to volunteer and support the sport that she and Stacey loved. The Island Pond community will truly miss Jackie. I know I will. In Memory The Original ROPE-A-DOPE JACKIE ROESEJACKIE ROESEJACKIE ROESEBy Susan Purdell The Original JACKIE ROESEJACKIE ROESEJACKIE ROESE toP Jackie and her daughter Barbara snowmobiling last year in Island Pond. bottoM Susan Purdell presents Jackies husband Stacey with the sign for the trail dedication. Winter 2016 23 In Memory With the slow start to the season it has given us time to realize this will be our first season without our friend and club member Tom Frostic and to reflect on the impact he had on our lives and the Trackmakers Snowmobile Club. Near the end of the season last year Tom passed away and the club along with VAST not only lost a good friend but a true example of what a volunteer is. Tom lived in New Jersey and in the early 1970s he traveled to Vermont to see a good friend who showed him the world of snowmobiling. He was hooked from the start. He ended up moving to Vermont soon after and joined the Trackmakers Snowmobile Club. Over the last 43 years he has held every position of office in our club. I first met Tom on a project to build a new bridge for a new trail headed to Worcester. If you asked him about snowmobiling his reply wasnt about a ride he had or how many miles he rode but instead about a project that needed doing or a trail that needed debrushing or what needed to be done on the groomer. He loved working on the trail system more than riding it. He always had a smile on his face and never got too excited no matter the situation whether we were working on redecking a bridge on a beautiful day or putting a track back on the groomer in the middle of a hill at night when it was 10 degrees. Tom had strong ties with the community and knew most our landowners personally. No matter what needed to be done or what needed fixing Tom knew a guy. If not he would be the first to jump in and do it himself. It didnt matter what time of year it was when you stepped into his house the kitchen table would always be strewn with snowmobile books and papers land maps of the trail system groomer parts and notes he had written down about what he thought needed done next. Thats why he was also our clubs historian. Tom kept a photo album with all our clubs trail projects through the years and he had a story to go along with each one. It is a tradition that the club hopes to continue. When the club first talked about buying a groomer he had some reservations about all the extra work to be done by such a small club with very few active members. But once we had it there was nothing he enjoyed more. Grooming wasnt work for Tom it was like a Sunday afternoon drive with his best friend and co-pilot Jack Sweeney along for the ride. You would see him at the end of the day ask if he had trouble when he was gone longer than ususal. Hed say that he had just stopped and talked to landowners and snowmobilers. If you would listen he would talk. The only thing he enjoyed more was when he would say Hey leave me the Montpelier run. Im taking my grandkids out today. To Tom there wasnt anything more important than family and luckily for the Trackmakers he considered us FAMILY. Trackmakers Loss is Heavens Gain By The Trackmakers toPTom out for aSunday afternoon drivein the groomer. bottoM Tom and his best friend Jack Sweeny working on a bridge project. 24 Snowmobile VERMONT Rick Yuris grew up in Wallingford Connecticut and in 2000 he purchased land and built a home in Ludlow Vermont. Since retiring both he and Cindy his wife of 18 years spend most of their winter there. It didnt take long until he was very involved in the local snowmobile clubthe Ludlow Side Hill Cronchers. Neither Cindy nor Rick Yuris ride anymore. They are sledless but that doesnt stop them from being very involved with the snowmobile community. In 2008 the Ludlow Side Hill Cronchers and their volunteers built a warming hut on his property. It is a 12 x 24 building with a small wood stove microwave electricity and lighting. The county also has a handicap port-a-potty located right behind the hut for all riders to use if needed. You can find this destination on the VAST map at the intersection of trails 127A and 127B. The hut sits at the end of their seven acre property that borders the power lines. When you are at the hut you feel like you are on top of the world. It really does have quite a view from there. They have a webcam on their house which faces the hut. You can check out the webcam and the weather in full detail anytime from a link on the clubs web site www. sidehillcronchers.com. The website and Facebook page are maintained by Rick. One of the main reasons Rick and Cindy continue to manage the hut is because of the the young kids. Watching new riders with their parents and seeing the awesomeness they are clearly experiencing is wonderful they say. This is the perfect area to take your new riders. The terrain has a slight grade but is relatively flat and wide open. On the picnic table inside the hut you will find a guest book. Be sure to sign it and leave a short note. They have met people from so many different places. The social aspect of this hut is something Rick and Cindy clearly take joy in. If your timing is good you may even find some fresh baked cookies in the hut compliments of Cindy. In addition to the hot cocoa coffee and tea which you can always find in the hut many riders will leave other food items for all to enjoy. They had to put up a donation bin on the wall because so many people like to leave something when they are done resting or warming up. Rick didnt want to do it but the demand became too great. For the past several years they have worked in collaboration with County Landowner SpotlightLandowner SpotlightLandowner Spotlight by Patty Companik lines. When you are at the hut you feel like you are on top of the world. It there. They have a webcam on their weather in full detail anytime from . The website and Facebook page are maintained by is something Rick and Cindy clearly by Patty Companik A few simple rules 1 Respect and take care of the facilities. Keep it clean. In fact try leaving it nicer than when you arrived 2 No smoking insideThe Hut. 3 Respect theneighboring landowners. Remember sound carries especially at night. If these few simple rules can be followedThe Hutwill remain open for all to enjoy. It took the support of many many people to provide this facility. It only takes the abuse of one to cause it to be closed. Dont be the one Warming Hut The Hut is provided by the hard work and generosity of many. USE IT ENJOY IT PLEASE DONT ABUSE IT The hard work of the volunteers of the Side Hill Cronchers Snowmobile Club financial support from our donors and members and the generosity of our landowners make it all possible. The Winter 2016 25 Sheriff Mike Chamberlain and his deputies to host the opportunity for sled safety checks at the hut. Rick had so many nice things to say about the Sheriff and his crew.The safety check is a positive experience.They do the official checking of the sled and paperwork but they also help to educate riders in the process.They average about one hundred safety checks per year. This can be a challenge to schedule when we have a low snow year like this one so far. When I asked him about what challenges he sees in the future he quickly replied Keeping those volunteers we have engaged and getting new ones involved. Without volunteers VAST does not exist. Its a balance of the folks who live locally and those who dont and who may only be available on weekends. Both groups have much to offer and although it may differ everyone has something to add and can help in getting things done. We need new ideas. Some change is good and should be welcomed. We all have the same goal working together for the betterment of the sport but we may have different ideas of how to get there. We need to be sensitive to making those not from the area to feel a part of the area. After all the clubs and VAST are made up of all people interested in promoting snowmobiling in the state. I realize many if not most snowmobilers are not interested in volunteering but we must be sure that we dont turn off those who are. Rick has had his own set of health challenges this past year but this has made him even more driven to provide an escape for riders. Rick is open to hosting clubs and events fromanywhere in Vermont for their social activities.If you have asocial event which will promote the future of snowmobiling and need a place to meet warm up and offer something to eat to the ridersreach out toRickto share your ideas. Rick commonly known as The Hut Master offers a safe heaven for all riders on his property.They are a family who doesnt ride but loves the sport enough towelcome all riders to their home. If you are in the area please take a moment to stop by check out the place sign the guest book and thank Rick and his wife Cindyfor their generosity. Generous landowners Rick and Cindy Yuris maintain a warming hut for snowmobilers to rest in on their property. Patty Companik photos Landowner Spotlight 26 Snowmobile VERMONT It is hard to drive by the Wells River Absolute PowerSports location off Route 302 without noticing its parking lot impressively filled to the edges with tractors and ATVs. Customers with interest in motorized recreation for any season can find something fun there. However the big stars are on the showroom floor inside the building at this time of year. Ski-Doo and Polaris sleds Klim clothing GMAX and BRP helmets and Fly Racing gear dominate the large open building. If youre not too dazzled by all the bright shiny toys when walking in onto the showroom floor you might look up and notice some dustier models peeking over the balcony above. These are a few of owner Lee Fosters vintage snowmobile collection. Hes been adding to it over the past five years since he received his first one in partial trade for a new sled. They immediately intrigued him and he now has a total of fifteen in his collection and hopes to continue to grow it. A sales experience at Absolute can turn into a museum experience in a moment when you catch a glance of these classic rides. Lee is happy to chat about how many different manufactures there used to be in the 1970s back when he had more time to ride. Two of his favorites from the collection were down on the floor level in front of his office helping to promote the Washington Snow Flyers First Annual Vintage Sled Show that was held Jan. 9. FEATURED DEALER It is hard to drive by the Wells River might look up and notice some dustier to ride. Two of his favorites from the By Beth Godin Winter 2016 27 Featured Dealer In the spring of 2007 Lee Foster and Jim Tees opened the doors on their new powersports dealership in Wells River Vermont. However Absolute PowerSports did not begin its story there. Lee and his wife Deb ran Moto Magic in Littleton New Hampshire selling Polaris and Kawasaki from 1988 to 1998. After a few years out of the business Jim approached Lee for input on starting a dealership and the conversations morphed into a partnership. Together in 2006 they formed Absolute PowerSports VT and purchased an existing dealership in Groton with plans to move into a renovated bus and truck garage in Wells River just off I-91. Another dealership in Gorham New Hampshire was being looked into at the same time as the dealership in Groton Vermont. Absolute PowerSports in Gorham New Hampshire opened in May of 2007. Deb and Lee say that one of their favorite things about being a part of the snowmobile industry is that they get to play a role in helping create family time in the great outdoors. Watching families get out there and enjoy something together is a rewarding aspect of the business. Absolute is involved with their local clubs and sell TMAs for Coles Pond Sledders Topsham Ridge Runners Buckaroos of 302 and the Newbury Border Riders. They also have hosted several chili cook-off club fundraisers at their location and most recently donated a gift certificate to VAST for our prize drawing at the Yankee Sportsman Classic in January. If youre riding in the area you can take a secondary trail off 302 from PH Truck Stop a short connect over the CrossVT trail then onto Industrial Park Rd and ride right to their door. Sales Manager Herb Ziter would be happy to show you all the new snowmobile models. Parts and Service Manager Travis Edson can order you some parts or help you find the right jacket helmet or anything else you need. If your sled needs some work Service Technicians Tim Derby Nick Burke or Jon Tabor are all skilled mechanics and can fix just about anything including motorcycles tractors and ATVs. Service Technician Tim Derby replaces a carburetor boot on a customers sled. He is an MMI graduate and while he enjoys working on snowmobiles Harley motorcycles are his passion. Nick Burke left is an avid snowmobiler and has worked for Absolute for over four years. Jon Tabor is a graduate of WyoTech Wyoming Technical Institute and has been with Absolute for two years. Office staff April Edson and Kiley Thompson handle the very important behind-the-scenes work of marketing customer service tracking orders and parts and customer financing. Travis Edson has a lot of knowledge on fitting customers with the right helmet and other gear suited for their style of riding. He started out at Absolute as a technician and is now the Parts and Service Manager. Beth Godin photos 28 Snowmobile VERMONT TRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILSTRAILS REPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORT The main focus of this issue of Snowmobile Vermont magazine is GROOMING and our gratitude for our volunteer groomer operators out there. Despite the main focus of this issue there hasnt been much grooming yet this year. A few clubs have been out during weeks 3 and 4 packing in the water bars and removing the pesky blow downs that seem to multiply each time the volunteers turn around but that has been about it. We are halfway through January and the total mileage logged by the VAST grooming fleet to date is 1171.8 miles. The grooming fleet typically grooms over 140000 miles in a season. There is still time so dont let this statistic get you down. I am sure that this number will grow in the coming weeks and you will be planning another ride in great snow conditions by the time you read this. Right now smack dab in the middle of January it appears as if we are only one storm away from opening things up. We will wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for us. Even though there has not been much grooming yet this season we can talk briefly about how much grooming has changed in the last 47 years. Most clubs started out with an old single cylinder sled that cost a couple hundred dollars with homemade drags like the one shown in the corresponding photo. Club members used their ingenuity to piece together a drag with whatever materials they had lying around from prior projects. The drag was hooked to the sled with a rope and Viola There was a drag The machines traveled at 30 miles per hour or less in most instances and there were few riders so these drags worked well and kept the trails in good shape for the bogie wheelleaf spring suspensions of the time. Over time machines changed significantly along with the number of riders and to keep pace so did the grooming equipment. Drags were made from steel with stiff hitches and multiple cutting blades that tripped when they caught a rock or other solid objects hidden beneath the snow. Power units evolved from small single cylinder snowmobiles to Bombis LMCs and other larger more expensive bulldozer like equipment. In the last 15 years we have evolved even more into the over 175 horsepower diesel driven 250000 pieces of equipment that we now use along our trail system in most areas of the state. These machines are set up with just about anything a person could want in terms of comfort and capability to leave a smooth trail behind. Drags now typically have six to eight spring loaded cutting blades and cost on average between 18000 and 21000. They are steel masterpieces with hydraulic pistons and even vibrating heated packing pans with shiny diamond plate tool boxes and LED lights. Even though they are higher priced and have more options on them than they used to the principal behind their design is still very similar to the first drags that were built using old 2x4s and steel bands off from the lumber stack as cutting edges. It is proof that the pioneers of snowmobiling truly knew what they were doing and as a result have influenced the way we do things now even more than 40 years later. For those who wonder where their TMA dollars go that shiny piece of metal you see out on the trails is one of the main places the funding from your TMAs goes. VAST Grant-in- Aid monies helped to purchase three brand new power units and one used power unit this season along with four new drags and one used drag. Additionally the funds helped to repair six power units so they could be out on the trail working properly and doing what they do best. In addition to helping with the purchase and repairs of the equipment VAST pays the groomers a per mile rate for each mile that they groom. The Yet another example that proves the pioneers of snowmobiling knew what they were doing. This photo is of aFrenchiedrag which was designed and fabricated by Frenchie Gauthier a prominent snowmobiling pioneer from Windsor County. Many of his drags are still used to this day to groom VAST trails. This particular drag is believed to be the last one that Frenchie built before he passed away. Thanks to Richard Wright and Mary Hutchins of the Hurricane Riders for sharing this photo by Matt Tetreault VAST Trails Administrator Winter 2016 29 Trails Report This schematic of an old school snowmobile drag was provided by Leon Woodie Woods from the Cavendish Green Mountain Snow Fleas. The club used these drags to maintain their trail system between 1969 until around 1976 when Jack Koponen from Tyson Vermont designed a steel drag that didnt break when you hit something hard According to Woodie the wooden drags as shown in this schematic were very adaptable. You could screw a couple of door hinges to the side rail on two drags and groom double the width and then fold one on top of the other to get through the narrow sections of trail If you want to take a trip back to the golden years of snowmobiling feel free to use this design to build your own drag Thanks to Leon Woodie Woods for providing this for me to use and for all of the years of service he and his wife Gail have provided to VAST as volunteers. When you meet a groomer on the trail... Maintain a safe distance between your machine and the front of the groomer or the back of the drag. Even though the groomer is slow it may need to stop or make a maneuver suddenly. Dim your HIGH beam lights to LOW The glare in the numerous and enlarged mirrors make it difficult for the operator to see. Wait for the groomer operator to give you a sign that they see you and allow them to stop or pull over to the side of the trail so you can safely pass by them. It is often much easier for the rider to pull off the trail so that the groomer can pass by especially if you are meeting them head on in a narrow section of woods. On a fresh groomed trail try to take it a bit easy up hills in and out of corners and when accelerating.The operator has just spent hours laying down a smooth trail for everyone to enjoy not just you and your buddies Always keep to the right of the trail for obvious reasons. It also allows the drag to leave a smoother trail behind the groomer. Riding in the center of the trail created a groove and the side rails on the drag ride up on the outside making the groove difficult to cut and fill back in again. If you see the groomer lights go by it does not mean you need to get on your gear fire up the sled and head out and ride around behind the groomer all night undoing the work they have just done. Wait for the trail to set and ride it a few hours later. It will be a much more enjoyable riding experience for you and everyone else. If your snowmobile breaks down while you are out enjoying the trails be courteous enough to put it to the side of the trail so the groomer can pass by if it happens along while you are out chasing parts gasoline or a buddys sled to tow it. Last but not least please stop and help. You are VAST too While you are out riding you may come across a groomer stopped along the trail. If they are out cutting trees or maintaining the trail or are working on the machine please stop and offer your assistance. A mere minute of help holding a flashlight or removing a limb from the trail may be all that is needed to get that groomer operator home safely that night with a smooth trail behind them. Old School Smooth larger Class 1 pieces of equipment are paid 12 per traveled mile to groom. We are a service based organization where members purchase a pass that goes 100 back into the maintenance and management of the trails you ride on and enjoy. The trails are only as good as the funding source behind them When you see the groomer out there please remember to treat them with respect. Take the time to read through this list of basic practices you should follow that can make your ride more enjoyable and make the groomer operators job a bit easier. See you on the trails 30 Snowmobile VERMONT Whos In The Groomer Artie Mattison Green Mountian Trail Blazers by Patty Companik Its been only three years since Artie Mattison began his grooming career with the Green Mountain Trail Blazers. Artie has been the owner of an excavating company Old Depot Construction since 1988. He was awarded a contract after Tropical Storm Irene for work on the Lake Brook Trail. While doing his excavating work he started talking with folks about grooming and the next thing you know Artie volunteered to help out. Artie likes all of his toys snowmobile ATV boat and driving the groomer. He had several of his toys out for me to see during our interview. He also has a place by Lake Seymour in Morgan where he does his boating. His father used to sell Homelite Chainsaws and Homelite came out with a line of snowmobiles in the late 60s. I did a little research on Homelite. In 1969 Homelite built three models of snowmobiles The Ranger with a 10HP Husquvarna engine and a 12-inch track The Forester with an 18HP JLO engine with a 15 12 inch track and The Explorer with a 23HP JLO engine with an 18-inch track. The advertisement said 3 new smooth speedy sassy ones for 69. Nothing else comes close to the exhilarating fun of snowmobiling. The models and makers may have changed over the years but I think we would all agree that nothing else comes close. Artie began riding in the 70s. His dad told him if you want to ride you need to earn money and buy your own sled and he did just that Arties ride of choice is a Yamaha. He used to ride with his brother Bruce. He has two children Travis and Rosie. Travis the next generation enjoys riding as well. Artie was born and raised in Arlington Vermont and currently lives in Shaftsbury. The club grooms with a 2006 PistenBully. There were a lot of repairs done to the machine this year tracks bearings suspension back window lights brush guard etc. Artie is a natural at this type of thing. Owning working with and repairing large equipment for his business the groomer was just one more machine to work on. I was able to go on a short ride with him on the property that the groomer is parked on. There is a radio in the groomer which is connected to the Woodford SnoBusters. They really dont have good cell service on their trails so if they get into trouble they will radio the SnoBusters who will relay the message and get them help. The main trails that the club grooms are 7 7A 7F1 7F2 7F3 and 7F4 most of which resides in the National Forest. A total of 26 Class 4 miles and 48 Class 1 miles for a total 74 miles is the responsibility of the Green Mountain Trail Blazers from the Bennington County. Last year there were five or six people who helped with grooming and with 74 miles to groom they are always very busy. Artie likes grooming during the day because it gives him the opportunity to stop and talk with the riders. He has club stickers in the groomer which he hands out. Most riders really like when he stops and talks with them. Many know about grooming but few actually get to see the machine in action. I asked Artie if he has anyone ride with him. He said that most people dont want to ride with a groomer after they hear they will be in the groomer for eight to ten hours going about five to eight miles per hour. The cool thing about going that speed is you see everything. He sees all kinds of wildlife on the trails but has not seen a moose yet. He has seen tracks or hair in the snow where they were resting but he is pretty sure the sound of the machine gets them moving and out of sight long before he gets to them. He also gets to see where riders have gone off the trail. In some cases he wonders how they ever got out of the mess they were in Artie grooms because it is fun. He truly enjoys the entire experience. Artie Mattison shows off his arsenal of toys Patty Companik photo Winter 2016 31 Whos in the Groomer Corey Barnes David Livingston Mount Abe Snowsports by Lewis Barnes The New and Upcoming Faces of VAST The Mount Abe Snowsports Snowmobile Club located within Addison County Vermont is fortunate to have two enthusiastic groomer operators David Livingston and Corey Barnes. These men are the new and upcoming faces of the VAST organization. David age 26 and a third generation Vermonter and Corey age 24 and an eighth generation Vermonter grew up together as friends on the same rural road outside the town of Bristol. Together they traveled around New York and New England racing in the Rock Maple Racing snowcross circuit. Their families also snowmobile together all around Addison county. David is the Mt. Abe Snowsports Trail Coordinator and Corey marks many of trails in the lowlands. Both men put in many volunteer hours physically working on the groomer and maintaining it throughout the winter season. When they arent grooming or fixing the equipment you can see them out on the trails riding their Arctic Cats. Cory got a new ride this year The club is fortunate enough to have the use of a large and well-equipped garage for these guys to work on the groomer thanks to Davids dad Dave Livingston who owns an excavating business. Having access to equipment Above Dave Livingston his son David Livingston and Corey Barnes repair axels and change the uids in the clubs 2000 PistenBully 100. beLoW David Livingston and Corey Barnes. Lewis Barnes photos such as air compressors torches and the correct tools makes their jobs a lot easier when repairs and maintenance are needed. These guys usually split grooming the 40 miles of trails on Routes 17 7 due to the fact they both have full time jobs. David grooms the woods and the highlands and Corey grooms the fields and lowlands allowing for the Mt. Abe trails to be groomed four days or nights a week. 32 Snowmobile VERMONT Dana Nason grew up in Jefferson New Hampshire and like so many had a fascination for snowmobiling. You become quite popular when you own the third snowmobile in town he says. The year was 1966 and the snowmobile industry was starting to buzz. Years went by and he moved to Lunenburg Vermont in 2003. His desire to groom snowmobile trails did not take long to pan out. He joined the Lunenburg Polar Bears Snowmobile Club and immediately started smoothing out the trails with the clubs Yamaha VK540 and homemade drag. He knew that keeping the trails smooth has always been a priority since the club formed in 1966. Six years ago the club acquired a used Class I grooming machine. He was a natural in the cockpit and not only mastered the operation of the big rig but also gained valuable experience repairing frequent equipment failures. In 2012 the club purchased a new PistenBully 400 and Master Mogul drag which are in use today. Recent modifications included traction adjuncts and a custom- made hydraulic brush cutter. Additionally two Ski-Doo Skandic fan-cooled utility machines were added to drag the Class IV trails. Now with a fleet of three machines Dana leads a team of six operators. He is the Club Trailmaster and everyone knows it. He works weekends as a security guard at Littleton Regional Hospital in New Hampshire. But Monday through Friday during the Fall and Winter his fullpart-time volunteer job is to tackle trail repairs and reroutes manage the grooming assignments install signage schedule contractor repairs sustain landowner agreements attend meetings monitor TMA sales and monitor club finances as Treasurer. During his free time he grooms snowmobile trails. Each season he logs over 1000 miles which is the equivalent of driving to Florida. Theres no rush. He and his wife Sally often head south anyway when the season is over. But during the snow season she often finds him in the garage. It resembles a fully-stocked snowmobile club warehouse. Hes likely out in the yard doing inventory on Dana Nason Lunenburg Polar Bears by Mike Mutascio signs or perhaps securing equipment and lumber for the days trail project. His pickup truck resembles a mobile repair shop and logs as many miles as the grooming fleet. It is packed with every widget and tool necessary for rapid repairs sign installation and bridge rehab. If more parts are needed the Lunenburg Variety Store serves as the drop-off point for deliveries. While he piles up hours keeping the fleet in working order many are amazed at his uncanny resistance to sub-zero temperatures. The clubs equipment is not sheltered nor is Dana. He is often seen laying in pink snow replacing leaky hydraulic hoses during a driving snowstorm with temperatures 20 below zero. An hour later the machine is back on the trail laying down some winter magic for VAST snowmobilers. The Polar Bears trail system is unique and Dana is up to the challenge. There are huge variations in terrain and elevation that require considerable skill. The split-lane Lunenburg Pipeline is just one example with steep hills weedy bogs and finicky water bars. Like many he prefers grooming at night due to lower traffic visibility and trail setup following a pass. When grooming during the day you do not get the benefit of warning lights. And watch out for those moose says Dana. They are very active in the Northeast Kingdom. Once we make a pass with the drag the moose are the first to try out the new trail. On occasion they are guilty of knocking down signs and stakes. For any operator there is an inherent fear of breakdowns on the trail. Dana says You have to be prepared for anything day or night in any kind of weather. Its prudent to have communication equipment and a club plan. A guest is always welcome when he heads out with the PistenBully. Its an opportunity for members to learn about the equipment operation and techniques of grooming. Help is especially welcome when the brush cutter on the drag needs a thorough cleaning. Early in the season it often resembles a giant porcupine. His favorite part about grooming is the challenge of Whos in the Groomer Dana Nason with the clubs PistenBully 400. Mike Mutascio photos Dick Bigwood Chester Snowmobile Club by Patty Companik It all began in 1993 with a chance encounter with Dick Jewett. Richard Dick Bigwood was out cutting brush when Dick Jewett came up the path in a Tucker.Mr. Jewett asked if he wanted to ride with him but Mr. Bigwood had plans that day and had to decline. What happened in 1994 was a different story. Mr. Bigwood was out on the trails again and this time when Mr. Jewett came by he was able to join him At that time the Chester Snowmobile Club had a used short track Tucker 2000 which Dick Jewett and Club President Stan Choiniere purchased in Minnesota. The first year Dick Bigwood was involved with the club he replaced the belts on that Tucker. When this magazine is mailed Dick Bigwood will officially be 85 years young. Dont let that number fool you. He has more energy then men half his age. Dick has been married to his wife Dorothy Dolly for 61 years. He charmingly says Its a work in progress. They have three sons and one daughter. All but one live in Vermont today. Dicks mom was born and raised in St Albans.Her family moved to Massachusetts when she was in her teens where Dick was born and raised but he was destined for Vermont.Dick and Dolly purchased their Chester Vermont home in 1974 on Mothers Day. He renovated the house one room at a time. They moved there full-time in July 1993 the same year he met Mr. Jewett. Dick retired after 43 years of service from Bay State Abrasives Grinding Cut-Off Wheels in Massachusetts. He fondly reflected on his time there where he started in heat treating and was promoted to lead man then to foreman. He told me he still gets calls from the guys he worked with. Dick had his children on sleds when they were four and five years old riding in Massachusetts. After purchasing his Chester Vermont home they began to ride in this state. Back then you could ride anywhere you could get your sled between the trees Dick said. Snowmobiling was a family affair. He hasnt ridden in years but spends plenty of time on the trails grooming. The Tucker is 5 years old but looks brand new.Dick trucks in water to power wash it takes the time to polish it and touches up the paint as needed.Every year he spends five to six hours changing the fluid and filters.Not only does he care for the heading out at night during a fierce snowstorm. He also enjoys interacting with passing riders and is known to offer a frosty wave through the window. Its quite a challenge for a groomer operator to guess the face inside a snowmobilers balaclava or behind the helmet visor. Its ok because everyone knows Dana. He is the go-to guy for conditions weather forecast or simply fulfills a snowmobilers appetite for whats been going on around here The engine chugs loudly but reading lips is a groomer operators cherished skill. He sticks to the basics and leads by example. If you want to be a groomer you must be dependable loyal and able to work in tough conditions he says. He is committed to the continuing improvement of the VAST snowmobile trail system is proud of its quality and strives to enhance the experience for others. Each winter thousands of VAST snowmobilers log miles of smiles in Essex county. Perhaps the future for some is becoming a groomer operator like Dana Nason. Whos in the Groomer Patty Companik photo Winter 2016 33 34 Snowmobile VERMONT Whos in the Groomer groomer but the barn and the property it is stored on as well.Dick has only missed ONE scheduled maintenance day in the past 22 years he had to attend his 60th wedding anniversary party that day June 20 2015 which his family was throwing for him and his wifeDolly.I would say he had a good reason for not being there Dick also gets all the permission forms signed each year and visits each and every landowner sometimes multiple times in order to catch them at home.He sends all one hundred landowners Christmas cards and calls each of them every Christmas Day to thank them for their generous use of their landon behalf of the Chester Snowmobile Club. For Dick its about building relationships.In my heart I believe some landowners may not be eager to sign that form every year but they do it for him When you have these personal relationships with your landowners they know they can call you. They know they wont just see or hear from you once a year for a signature. They know you and that goes a long way You can also thank Mr. Bigwood for one of the best signed VAST trail sections. He cares for putting up and taking down the signage every year. He does this on foot or with the use of his truck. For the larger landowners Dick Jewett will help him as needed. Dick Bigwood and Dick Jewett groom together every day except for Saturday when there is just too much sled traffic. Dick Bigwood received the VAST 2006 Groomer of the Year award Patty Companik photo On Saturday Dick Jewett goes out to groom the Western portion of the route beginning around 5 p.m.and returns to the barn around midnight. The Western portion of the route includes parts of route 12 121 35 and all of 11 11A. He fuels the Tucker in preparation of its next run.Around 1 a.m. Dick Bigwood arrives at the barn to start grooming the Northern portion of the route which he completes around 10 a.m. on Sunday. The northern portion of the route is route 12. During the week they groom together alternating the northern orwestern route each day. They put in eight hours on these alternating daily routes. The Chester Snowmobile Club is responsible for 59 corridor miles and 19 secondary miles.Both men take great care in grooming these miles. They both received a well-deserved Groomer of the Year award in 2006. Dick Bigwood was proudly wearing his 2006 Groomer of the Year jacket for our interview. I asked him about any challenges he has had grooming. It still bothers him that once three to four years ago he was unable to finish his route. He kept trying to make the hill but the Tucker kept rolling backwards. He had to cut back branches to untangle the Tucker and then back down the hill. Dick likes to do things right and not completing the route that night still haunts him. What does he like best about grooming He enjoys the solitude grooming with the radio on when its just him and the trails. It doesnt get much better than that. For Dick this isnt a job this is a lifestyle.The relationships he has built the care and maintenance for the equipment and the commitment to grooming is beyond words.He does all of this and more because it is truly what he enjoys doingHe is one of the kindest hardworking and dedicatedpeople that I have ever had the privilege and honor of meeting. Dave McFadden Alburg SnoSpringers by Beth Godin When you mention snowmobiling in Alburgh thats who they think of Alburg Sno Springers president Dave Ladd says about Trailmaster Dave McFadden. McFadden 70 joined the club in 1968. VAST founders Bill Mitzi Oakes had become club members one year earlier. He has volunteered in many capacities for the club ever since. He was treasurer for 23 years starting in 1985. His first snowmobile was a Evenrude Skeeter which he bought brand new in 1965 for 900 at Tudhope Marine in North Hero. He has had several others since then and continues to put the miles on. Last year he rode 1000 miles just in Alburg and a total of 3300 throughout Vermont and New York. Dave McFadden is well-known in town and around Vermont from his more than 40 years as a lineman with the Citizens Utilities Vermont Electric Cooperative where he sometimes snowmobiled to work on the power lines. Dave began helping with grooming in the 1980s using a homemade drag pulled by a Ski-Doo Alpine model snowmobile. Its single ski and double side-by-side track allowed it to easily traverse though deep snow and break trails after a fresh covering. The downfall was that at every road crossing the Alpine would get stuck as the drag would catch on the banks and get hung up. Over the years the club went through a series of other Dave stores one of the clubs Track Trucks at his home on the northern end of the trail system in Alburgh. Dave Ladd photo Winter 2016 35 grooming vehicles and groomer operators. Daves job as a lineman kept him very busy but he made the time to assist others using a Thoikol groomer and later an older model used Tucker. He was Trailmaster on and off beginning in the late 1980s. He says he spent more time grooming back then when we were getting heavier snow. He retired in 2007 from the electric company and has been keeping the trails tidy ever since doing such a fantastic job that he won the VAST Groomer of the Year award in 2011. After the clubs old Tucker finally blew up in 2000 they went on the hunt for another groomer and located a dealer in New Hampshire. The dealer had two ASV Track Trucks 1990 1991 models that were traded in by the Scrub Oak Scramblers of New Hampshire. Dave thought theyd be able to go down and check them out and choose one. However the salesman had a different deal for them Buy one get one free It was take them both or not all for a total of 10000. This was during a low membership time and finances were tight. Dave and his wife Rachael generously loaned 6500 with no interest toward the purchase in addition to 1000 loaned by Bill Mitzi Oakes. The balance was made up by the clubs savings and a trade-in allowance from their old Tucker. Now with two groomers the club is able to set a designated route for each and a schedule that consistently keeps their section of VAST trails in excellent riding condition. One truck is located on the south end of town and grooms 33 miles up to Route 2. The other truck grooms 29 miles beginning at the McFaddens residence. It does two separate loops meeting up to Route 2 where the other groomer had turned around. This year Sno Springers club member Darcy Couture is willing to groom the southern end but his full-time job will limit his available hours. Rachael who is also the club secretary often rides along on Daves grooming runs and has operated the Track Trucks a time or two. Newly retired after 37 years in the insurance industry she now has some free time and expressed interest in helping with the southern route. She certainly has the confidence and guts to do it. It doesnt seem like its going to be too hard she says. Theres only two levers Vermont natives Rachael and Dave met in the late 60s while living on the same street in Alburgh. Once they started dating it wasnt long before she was out riding one of Daves sleds. It did not take much convincing for her to join the Sno Springers and get her own sled soon after a 1970 Bombardier. They would often ride in Norton with Daves good friend Mark Ellingwood and his wife Rena. Mark groomed trails for the Brighton Snowmobile Club and he was the inspiration for Dave to try his hand at it and get more involved with trail maintenance in all seasons. When asked about the challenges of grooming Dave said he wished riders would not spin their tracks excessively on the trails when taking off. This is the snowmobile equivalent to smoking your tires in a car or on a motorcycle and really isnt as cool and impressive as the culprits think it is. Dave says the fast starts can damage a sleds mechanics over time and also create a pile of snow that builds up behind the track. When frozen into a hump it makes grooming difficult not to mention causing a rough ride and a potential hazard for other sledders. Dave is particularly proud of his role in helping expand and preserve the Alburgh trails. His close connections and good relationships with landowners as well as his work ethic are important aspects of this accomplishment. While keeping landowners happy is always a top priority for all clubs in Alburgh is it absolutely vital. With the high concentration of wetland terrain and the peninsula geography of Alburgh trail location options are hard to come by and this makes rerouting nearly impossible. Whenever there is an issue with bad behavior on the trails it is Dave who fields unhappy landowners calls smoothes things over and addresses the issue with the perpetrators. He is respected for his honest straightforward personality so his firm yet fair warnings are usually heeded. Last summer Dave was instrumental in working with the club to cut a bypass trail that allows them to ride through a wooded area instead of a short section that was previously traveled on the road. Club members also mapped out and cleared a new trail connection to an additional gas station. Dave is not one to give up on anything and will do whatever it takes to get the job done as was evidenced by an event last fall. While opening the Alburg Recreational Rail Trail to prepare for groomer access they had to move six 2500-lb. concrete blocks out of the trailhead. With no heavy machinery available at the time Dave suggested that he and Dave Ladd move them with a come-along. Read about how it worked out in the Alburg Sno Springers club news on page 53 this issue. Left Dave proudly displays his Groomer of the Year award in his den at home. His wife Rachael will be helping groom trails this year. Beth Godin photo Above One of the Sno Springers Track Trucks can be seen most years in Alburghs 4th of July parade. Dave Ladd photo 36 Snowmobile VERMONT Jon Foster Derry Sled Dogs by Patty Companik Whos in the Groomer Jon Foster is the Groomer Master for the Derry Sled Dogs of Windham County. He started grooming in the late 80s right after he got out of high school. The local club was looking for people to help groom at the time. He and his buddy Wayne Parker volunteered to groom. Wayne isnt involved anymore but Jon has continued his support and involvement through the years. Jon was born and raised in Weston Vermont and currently lives in the Mount Holly area. He always rode a snowmobile as a kid. His dad had an old snowmobile he used but in 1989 Jon bought himself a new Artic Cat. Jon has been the owner of West River Auto in Londonderry since 1999. Having a mechanic is a wonderful blessing to the club. Jon along with the support of Drew Fraser Mick Arce and Andrew Blanchard regularly work on the 1993 Tucker. Last year they rebuilt the rear tracks. This years focus was on the rebuilding the front tracks. The Derry Sled Dogs did a major reroute on their trail this year which I personally was thrilled to hear about. They were able to reroute halfway up Moses Road so now the trail takes you through Kinhaven Music School property in Weston. They still have the other half of the trail to focus on rerouting but this will take some time and planning to get done. This year they also put up a small bridge behind the firehouse on Route 100. This makes it easier to get to the gas station. They groom the main route Route 7 from the top of 155 Mount Holly to Mount Taber. They are responsible for 29 miles of trails of which 20 are corridor. Most of their main route is through the National Forest. An average night of grooming takes about six hours for approximately 14 miles. Jon prefers grooming at night. It is easier to see snowmobilers at night becasue of their headlights. The club has four people who groom. They almost always ride with two people in the groomer. Most of the area they groom has no radio or cell service so having two people is for safety purposes. Jon also is the person on the team who teaches folks how to groom. New volunteers are always welcome Drew Fraser Derry Sled Dogs Club President says that Jon is an excellent teacher. He is very patient and very knowledgeable. The machine is not easy to run. He explains what you should be doing and how to listen to the engine so you know if you need to stop and check it or get off the trail so you dont get stuck. A lot of grooming is how things feel and sound. By listening to the drag you can determine is it needs to be raised or lowered. Drew couldnt say enough nice things about Jon. He is a real down-to-earth guy who is always willing to help. Drew says that a clubs continued success is based on a good core group of people. Though they have many members it is always the same core group of folks who come out and help. He just became president this year but has been riding since he was seven years old. He told me that his dad said When you can start it by yourself you can ride it. With plenty of experience with the sport Drew and the core team will continue to work hard to keep their piece of the trail system a pleasant riding experience for all to enjoy. I asked Jon about the biggest challenge they face. Jon says its the maintenance of the equipment. Cold weather and steel really dont go well together things get broken. Making sure you keep the equipment greased is important finding the time to do this is also a challenge. Jon still rides but spends most of his hours on trail in a groomer. Grooming is something he enjoys and the reason why he has done it for over 26 years. Derry Sled Dogs received a grant from VAST this year that paid for half the cost of their brand new drag. Patty Companik photos Winter 2016 37 Whos in the Groomer Paul Racine Chittenden Dammers By Beth Godin When you hear the story of Pauls first grooming experience you might wonder why he wanted to keep doing it but most groomer operators will agree that when you get the grooming bug you just cant shake it. Paul shares his story I was asked to go grooming in our old 1980 Tucker one night. We all knew it wasnt dependable. It broke down and we had to walk a long way out of the woods to Mendon Pico Motel to use their phone to call for a ride home. We went back the next day and repaired it. It must be a sickness Even after that I kept grooming and working on the groomers Paul Racine started grooming in 1990 and was Trailmaster and groomer operator for the Chittenden Dammers from 1993-2005. Club president Doug Todd convinced him to start up again in 2012 as a groomer operator. His wife Gwen Paul Racine gives the Tucker a good groomingat the end of last season before storing it away. Gwen Racine photos When he isnt grooming Paul enjoys riding the trails with his family. He is pictured here riding last year with his grandkids Abigail and Collin. Paul repaired theold green draglast summer. He spent many hours working on it but also enjoyed doing it. What was once green is now a bright orange and blue. is also very active in the club and was an inspiration for Paul to get more involved again. These days he runs a 2006 Terra Track 2000 Tucker and is looking forward to getting a new one in the future. He says Ill run whatever brand or model the club gets. I like them all as long as they are not broken all the time He currently volunteers a lot of time on mechanical and welding repairs on the 10-year-old Tucker and two drags. Trailmaster Evan Smith and Vice President Wendal Smith also help a great deal with the repair work. After retiring in 2013 as a hydro mechanic for Green Mountian Power and CVPS he now has more time for his snowmobile hobby volunteering and for his family. His children grandchildren and wife all enjoy snowmobiling together and they often ride in the groomer too. His guest riders are also usually capable of driving the Tucker as well in case anything goes wrong. Last year he had 12 different riders in the groomer. Gwen goes out with him more than anyone and they often see wildlife on their grooming runs including fisher cats and moose. Riders dont often see what lies ahead of the groomer. These are small drifts on the Bloodroot. 38 Snowmobile VERMONT The Barre Town Thunder Chickens are fortunate to have a team of talented groomer operators that take care of our equipment and offer riders consistent conditions throughout the season. For several decades Vinny Covino had been our primary groomer and caretaker of our Tucker Cats operating out of his shop.With his retirement after the 2013-2014 season we moved our operations to another location. The operators he trained continue his legacy. Steve Malnati Jon Joslin and Kevin Collins can now be seen at the helm of our 2010 Tucker Cat 2000 creating 40 miles of white pavement for VAST members to enjoy in Washington county. Our trail network connects with our neighbors the Sno-Bees of Barre Billtown Moonshiners and Washington Sno Flyers. As part of their seat time these three perform maintenance on the machine before and after their shift and team up in-between groomings to provide necessary TLC. We find that doing preventative maintenance has helped avoid breakdowns during their shifts adds longevity to our equipment and reduces potential big-ticket repairs down the road. With full time jobs as an electrician and mechanics we are lucky to have readily available skillsets to regularly service our machine and dive in to address issues on the fly. Kevin Collins Jon Joslin Steve Malnati Barre Town Thunder Chickens by David Rouleau Winter 2016 39 We are able to share the workload and keep a fresh groom on the trails by having three operators taking shifts and dividing our network into two halves. Each side is refreshed early in the week and set up for the weekend with a focus on main corridor cleanup after busy weekend traffic.This allows for smooth trails all week long and shorter shifts. It prevents burnout and results in a crew that is still excited about grooming toward the end of the season. Grooming at night allows for the best trail setup and these guys try to get underway around 6 p.m. after arriving home from their day jobs.Grooming shifts usually range from six to eight hours depending on conditions. Any night where you dont have to winch up a hill is a good oneBeing located in Central Vermont allows the crew to take a quick supper break at Applebees and theyve been known to get Dominos Pizza to deliver All three of our operators have been involved in grooming for our club for about a decade Jon being the son of one of our founding fathers back in 1972.They are all avid snowmobilers and enjoy hitting the trails outside of their five mile per hour perspective in the big orange Cat Steve and Jon also take the lead on any trail projects bridge repair reroutes and often call upon Kevin and other club volunteers once all the paper work is in place. Steve handles our grooming paperwork with VAST and Jon serves as our Trailmaster shaking hands with our landowners each year to obtain written permission to utilize their land. When asked about accomplishments grooming for our club there is a clear consensus of pride to be involved with trails that have won accolades for quality and consistency in our region.A big thanks to all the grooming crews out there for their efforts behind the scenes allowing us such a wonderful winter playground to enjoy 40 Snowmobile VERMONT Milo Day Hazens Notch Snowmobile Club by Roger Gosselin Whos in the Groomer Tucked between the Green Mountains in the town of Lowell on the side of Vermont Route 100 sits a PistenBully Trail Bully patiently waiting to make its way out onto the Hazens Notch Snowmobile Club Trail System. The operator Milo Day can be found scurrying around the machine completing his pre-trip inspection while daylight is starting to dwindle away. Come on lets go shes ready to groom he declares before turning the key. Tonights adventure would take us east up over the mountain to the town of Irasburg. Hazens Notch Snowmobile Club established in 1979 is a club of about 150 members and maintains 46 miles of groomed VAST trails in the Southwest corner of Orleans County. Covering the towns of Lowell Albany Westfield and Irasburg the clubs trails traverse the sides of the mountain that splits their system in half. Milo an avid snowmobiler and a VAST volunteer since 1993 is one of four groomer operators for the club. Ever since Milo moved to the area from Jericho with his wife he has been dedicating thousands of hours to Hazens Notch. He has spent five years as the Orleans County Director and six years as the Orleans County Trails Coordinator. He currently serves as the Alternate Director of Orleans County and the Vice President of his local club. Yeah Ive pretty much been given a life sentence to this sport not that its a bad thing he said as he chuckled in the drivers seat of the Trail Bully. I am always pestering Darren the President of Hazens Notch in one way or another. As if all of that volunteering wasnt enough he also grooms for Country Riders Snowmobile Club his neighbors to the North based out of Troy. Grooming for Country Riders is pretty cool. I get to groom Trail 242 over the mountain which can be interesting sometimes. Its one of the highest elevation trails in the state. Milo began his grooming career under the wing of John McLane from Gihon Track Packers. Starting out as the passenger during several shifts with John Milo quickly began to fall in love with trail making. They both began grooming for Hazens Notch in 2002 and Milo has been doing it ever since. I really love doing it. I love being out on the trails whether its on my four-wheeler doing maintenance in the groomer or on my snowmobile. I love being able to take a really bumpy trail and making it flat. I can picture the lucky snowmobiler that gets first tracks in the morning after it has set up all night. They are going to have a huge smile on their face Milo like most operators usually isnt able to make first tracks in the morning after being out all night. Sometimes groomer operators arent able to ride snowmobiles as much as we would like to but at least we are out on the trails. When asked if there was anything about grooming that he didnt like Milo adamantly shook his head no. This has got to be my favorite trail to groom. he stated as we peaked over Lowell Mountain on Trail 100 near the controversial wind turbines. I can see way into New Hampshire on a clear night. The views from the top of this mountain are amazing. When asked what he thought about the wind turbines he simply saidNo comment with a smile on his face. Milos treks over the mountain in the groomer are usually solo runs. I like to groom by myself. Usually I get chatting with the operators from other clubs on the radio so Im not too lonely. Im known as being pretty talkative on the radio especially when the County Director is out grooming also. A survey of other operators in Western Orleans county proves that this is true. When hes not operating a groomer for one of the two clubs in Orleans County he is usually found doing some sort of trail work attending meetings or building new junction signs for the club. Milo pours his heart and soul into everything he does for snowmobiling in Vermont. In 2014 he received the VAST Presidents Distinguished Service Award as a direct reflection of the amount of time he spent in service to the sport. He was an integral part Come on lets go shes ready to groom - Milo Day Roger Gosselin photos Winter 2016 41 Whos in the Groomer in the development of the very first Orleans County Snowmobile Trails Map and helped the County earn the current reputation as a top snowmobile destination. As we made our way down the east side of Lowell Mountain the lights from the village of Albany began to peek through the trees. I miss stopping at the Albany Village Store. I used to grab some food there. When asked about his favorite grooming snack because we know that every operator has hisher favorite snack and usually has to eat dinner on the go he replied with Water. I usually dont eat much. I keep pretty busy so I dont think about food that often. His sentence was interrupted by the distraction of headlights coming through the woods. Milos work of art that he had been constructing all evening was about to be torn up by a couple of night riders. I dont mind snowmobilers riding on my fresh groomed trail I just wish they would have some respect and not spin up the corners. The best thing that snowmobilers can do when they meet a groomer is slow down pull over and wait for directions from the operator. A quick stretch break was in order as we pulled into Bobs Quick Stop in Irasburg. Now on hour four of the shift Milo was still running strong even after putting in a full day at his regular job. We got to do what we got to do to keep the trails smooth for our members After a quick chat with the store clerk who was happy to see us we headed back West over the mountain. Milo recalled the time he was stranded on Trail 100 in Albany when the machine broke down. It was -28 degrees and he had no cell phone service. Luckily I was able to catch Ron Merrill from Country Riders on the radio and he sent me help. There we were on the trail in the middle of the night fixing one of the injectors. Milo laughed about the incident and chalked it up to just another day on the job. Six long hours later we were pulling back into Lowell and had reached the end of his shift. If I had any advice for new groomer operators it would be this God gave you two eyes two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion. Listen and learn from those who have been there and broke that. The most important thing is that your heart has to be into it he said as he climbed out of the groomer. One couldnt help but notice that Milos heart is indeed into the sport of snowmobiling. As one of the states many volunteer groomer operators Milo is part of an integral team dedicated to help the sport succeed to be around for generations to come. Time to go home and get some sleep and do it all again tomorrow he said with a chuckle. Thank you Milo for all that you do for your club the county and VAST as a whole. Your dedication does not go unnoticed. Ral Cyr Brent Brigham Franklin Country Snow Raiders by Ral Cyr Up in the Northwestern part of the state lies a club that may be one of the oldest in the county. The Franklin County Snow Raiders Snowmobile Club was established in the late 60s. It has seen many members of which it has only one of the original lifetime members left our current treasurer Ken Stockwell. The club had little to no grooming of their trails and was contracted out until the last 10 years. At this time the club felt it was in fairly good shape to purchase their first used groomer. Due to not having any credit with the banks and with the help of members Ral Cyr and Brent Brigham they signed for the loan and the club had its first and current Tucker 2000 Sno-Cat power unit with a 16-foot AFMI drag. The clubs primary groomers are Ral Brent but from time to time had a couple other members available to help out Bob Cadieux and Kevin Badger. Ral is currently the County Trails Coordinator the clubs Trailmaster and grooming manager and is responsible for maintenance on the equipment. Here is his story and experience. Ral We started grooming the year we first purchased the machine ten years ago. I say we because although Ive been the Trailmaster and grooming manager for the last 10 years Brent has been an integral part of the grooming operations as much as I have. He is also a former County Trails Coordinator Trailmaster and is currently our club President. We share responsibilities for the most part and if there is anyone who can make himself available at a moments notice Brent is the the man that I can count on most of the time. We always do the first maiden voyage of the season together in the event of last minute fallen trees and unexpected discoveries. The last couple of years have been brutal as it seems the day before we decided to go out when we finally did have enough snow thered be a wind storm or heavy wet snow. We spent a lot more time cutting branches and trees off the trail. All in all when I think we have a good system worked out after the maiden voyage we split the grooming between us. For instance I may groom the St. Albans and Bay area and head towards Fletcher. Brent will meet me on the way so he and his daughter Elena would take over and finish up the system. Sometimes the opposite happens where Bent and Elena would start off the day and I would meet them and finish. Personally I prefer to groom during the very early morning hours and be back by mid to late morning. I find it gives the trail more time to set up verses grooming at night and having the sleds come up behind you and tear up what you just laid down. It also helps my wife Alicia to not worry as much knowing were grooming in the daylight and not into the wee hours of the morning. This gives us time to ride our own sleds and enjoy our county and neighboring trail system. Whatever time we go out to groom our target is to try to do our complete trail system. We have a midpoint fueling station that is convenient 42 Snowmobile VERMONT so we always have a good supply of fresh fuel. We have approximately 34 miles on our system and every year it seems we have to change the trail a bit which of course goes with the territory. I work full-time for a local pharmaceutical company here in St. Albans and so timing is very important when maintaining the trails in the grooming world. I also have a small fleet of construction equipment that I use to build maintain and repair parts of our trail system if needed. I do the basic maintenance on the groomer oil grease minor track and cleat repair. Every other year or so we send out the machine to our dealer Get Sno for a very thorough servicing. This year with the clubs blessing I applied and was fortunate to secure a grant for a new 18-foot drag. I am sure we will give the riders a better ride on our trail system providing we get a decent snow base. I enjoy grooming because it feels good to know that our hard work is enjoyed by many others and it also lets me enjoy the wonders of nature along the way. It seems that deer foxes turkeys and coyotes have no fear of the groomer. Every now and then I have to wait for the critters to get off the trail and I can tell you that they are not always in a hurry. As a groomer its nice to meet fellow snowmobilers who are not from around here and let us know that our trail system is better than a lot of other states. I have to point out that grooming isnt always a walk in the park. One particular time during a blinding snow wind I slipped off the trail by about two feet and ended up into a six to eight foot ditch. Lucky it was in an open field and all I had to do was unhook the drag and the Tucker came right back out on the trail and had to hook back up. Theres been times that Ive been in a snow storm and had to shut the lights off just to see where I was going. In case some of you groomers out there think this is crazy...try it. It really works. There is one particular story that gets circulated around about the night that Brent took the machine out during a heavy storm and got himself turned around. He made a couple of figure eights before he finally got his bearings found the trail and headed in the right direction. The best part of this story is that all of these figure eights were done on his own land that he signed himself. Yeah we pick on him about that and laugh about it. But that just goes to show how blinding and disorienting a snow storm can be. Replacing a broken cleat on the trail can be a pain but that goes with the territory as well. One particular freezing cold night Brent was out the key switch malfunctioned shutting down parts of the electrical system. Instead of being stranded he managed to make it back 15 miles to my place without any heat wipers and minimal lights. From time to time I will bring along a rider if Im out alone and introduce them to the world of grooming. Some people think its easy then realize after the first hour that its either too slow or boring or too intense when youre in the woods. The thing about grooming is that its not a quick drive to the end of the system and back. The groomer has to constantly be aware of his surroundings and is constantly adjusting the drag to meet the conditions of the trail. He has to know the limitations of both the power unit and the drag. There is a feel that has to be learned to know when something is not quite right when to stop and check things out and maybe even turning around and head back home before its too late. Then theres the grooming logbooks and weekly paperwork that has to be filled out and sent in to the VAST office. Some folks who have never groomed before think that when we get the first six inches of snow the groomer should be out there grooming the trails. Depending on the conditions in my opinion this could be the recipe for disaster. If the ground or small waterways are not frozen the trail could be worse off after the groomer passes through rather than wait until more snow and colder weather arrive. This can lead to upsetting the landowner and risk losing sections of trail and in our case shutting us down completely and having to scramble to find a reroute. My advice to anyone out there is to be respectful to our landowners our groomers and other snowmobilers. Basically in a nutshell respect all the people we meet because you never know who may have a hand in keeping our snowmobile trail system in this state open. 8Brent Brigham and Ral Cyr share the responsibility of operating Franklin County Snow Raiders Tucker 2000 Sno-Cat. Whos in the Groomer Winter 2016 43 Dale Allen LYNDON SNOCRUISERS POKER RUN Feb. 13 10 am - 5 pm Lyndonville Cost 5 per hand 802 754-9385 lyndonsnocruisersgmail.com www. lyndonsnocruisers.com. BUCKAROOS OF 302 ANNUAL DICK PAGE RIDE-IN Feb. 13 11 am - 1 pm Groton Town Garage Cost 10 Barbeque chicken with all the fixings 802 584-3917 buckaroosof302gmail.com buckaroosof302.com ROUTE 100 SNOW TRAVELERS 7TH ANNUAL POKER RIDE Feb. 13 10 am 4 pm 189 State Garage Road Rochester Cost 15 per hand includes lunch 802 767-3624 route100snowtravelersaol.com www.route100snowtravelers.com CONNECTICUT VALLEY SNO-RIDERS COOKOUT AT THE ROOST Feb. 13 11 am - 3 pm Trail 1 between EX410 and EX523. Cost 10. Snacks Hot Dogs Hamburgers Chili 802 328-2182 j.orlowskiymail.com POSTPONED - BAYLEY HAZEN ROAD BAKED BEAN DINNER Feb. 14 1130 am 230 pm 638 Hollow Woods Rd Peacham Cost 10 5 under 12 Free under 6 Baked beans hot dogs rolls coleslaw grilled onions desserts and beverages 802 633-4920 bearroyal-electric.biz www.bhrsnowclub.org WEATHERSFIELD PATHFINDERS ANNUAL POKER RUN Feb. 14 8 am 2 pm 138 Quarry Road Perkinsville Cost 10 per hand 5050 rae and door prizes Barbeque 802 376-6680 sak723icloud.com COUNTRY RIDERS POKER RUN Feb. 20 12 pm 5 pm Dinner at the end of ride 802 988-1115 kathdicarloaol.com www.counrtyridersvt.com WOODFORD SNOBUSTERS ANNUAL HOT DOG ROAST Feb. 20 12 pm Airport Rd. Somerset VT Cost 8 Two hotdogs baked beans chips cookies beverage. Bon fire. woodfordsnobustersyahoo.com JACKSONVILLE E-Z RIDERS SNOW FEST RAFFLE Feb. 20 11 am - 3 pm 1009 Saddada Rd. Whitingham Ride-in food music games snowcross demo vendors raes. www.ezriders.org DRIFT DUSTERS WINTER BASH LANDOWNER APPRECIATION DINNER Feb. 20 630 pm 11 pm 1928 US Route 5 Derby Cost 100 Free for landowners Includes dinner for two and a 1 in 125 chance to win a 2016 Ski-Doo MXZ 600. After party at The Cow Palace with more prizes and a DJ. 802766-5583 driftdustershotmail.com www.driftdusters.com COLES POND SLEDDERS SOURDOUGH PANCAKE BRUNCH Feb. 21 10 am - 1 pm Walden Methodist Church 109 Noyestar Rd West Danville Pancakes Eggs Bacon Sausage 802 533-2595 grpciwmyfairpoint.net www.colespondsledders.com POSTPONED - WORCESTER RANGERS TRAILSIDE TALES TREATS Feb. 27 10 am - 3 pm Worcester Village trail C212 Coffee hamburgers hot dogs and more 802 522-7333 worcesterrangersgmail.com WARDSBORO PATHFINDERS RESCUE RIDE-IN BBQ Feb. 27 11am - 2 pm Stratton Rec. Area Cost 10 Many kinds of food rae prizes. Benefits Wardsboro Rescue Rescue Inc. www.WardsboroPathfinders.com COUNTRY RIDERS BON FIRE HOT DOG ROAST March 5 1 - 6 pm OS 29 Newport Center VT 802 988-1115 kathdicarloaol.com www.countryridersvt.com SNOW FLAKE RIDGE RUNNERS JAMES GATES MEMORIAL RIDE March 13 10 am Buffalo Mountain Power Sports Hardwick Proceeds benefit Lamoille Area Cancer Network and Coles Pond Sledders. jrivard919gmail.com Dale Allen Great Food Music Snow Games Groomer Rides Raffle Team Southside Snocross Polaris Demos Much More February 20 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Two-State Ride In on Trail WM-8 1009 Saddada Rd. Whitingham Vermont www.ezriders.org infoezriders.org Sponsorship Raffle Items Provided By Mount Snow Macks Studs Big Y DIVA Snowmobile Gear Applebees Shaws Hilton Hotels South Side Sales1st Stop Gas Station Cherry Creek Sales Landmark Trust USA A to Z Snowmobiles Jacksonville General Store WW Building Supply Dots Restaurant Hunters Recreational 99 Restaurant Spoonwood Cabins WinNelson Fat City Motor Works ADDISON COUNTY Foote of the Mountain Sno-Travelers The cold weather and snow has finally started to arrive. Hopefully by the time this is published the swamps are frozen solid and we are all out enjoying the winter beauty of what Addison county has to offer. We have spent many hours getting our trails ready for this winter. There are a couple of reroutes that you will find. We will now be grooming all of the way to the Leicester suspension bridge. The Paddlers Pub at Waterhouses will be open this winter. We have a new connector trail to the Leicester store. Please visit and like our Facebook page for up to date news and conditions. Mike Paquette Trails Coordinator Like us on Facebook George Devoid shows off the intersection sign for Kampersville and Paddlers Pub. ADDISON COUNTY Lewis Barnes 802.453.3816 barneschamplain.edu BENNINGTON COUNTY Vacant CALEDONIA COUNTY Ken Gammell 802.535.4688 CHITTENDEN COUNTY Pat Poulin 802.878.5648 polaris70comcast.net ESSEX COUNTY Dave Page 802.723.5041 dkp_handyhotmail.com FRANKLIN COUNTY Michael E. Burns 802.527-9471 meburns2013myfairpoint.net GRAND ISLE COUNTY Dave Ladd 802.372.5709 snospringerdavecomcast.net LAMOILLE COUNTY Carmin Lemery 802.760.8121 stowesnowmobileclubgmail.com ORANGE COUNTY Ron Garvin 802.439-3550 rongarvinaol.com ORLEANS COUNTY Roger Gosselin 802.274.4502 vtsnowmobilergmail.com RUTLAND COUNTY Merritt Budd 802.438.5180 mlumbuddgmail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY Mark Reaves 802.595.7602 802.595.5614 mreaves68gmail.com WINDHAM COUNTY Roone Gibbs 802.843.2486 westfallvermontel.net WINDSOR COUNTY Dick Jewett 802.875.3063 rgjewettvermontel.net 44 Snowmobile VERMONT VAST Board of Directors Winter 2016 45 BENNINGTON COUNTY CLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWSCLUB NEWS Sno-Flake RidgeRunners first grooming run of the season. Tim Hall photo Woodford SnoBusters As this is being written we are almost a third of the way through winter and most of the VAST trails are not open due to lack of snow. I always try to have a positive outlook and I am positive we would really enjoy major snowfall right now The Woodford SnoBusters have been busy this season. Delegates attended the VAST Annual Meeting at Okemo we hosted a booth at the Sled Expo in Massachusetts. Volunteers spent countless hours clearing trails and maintaining and repairing equipment. We always need and appreciate new volunteers so come join us The Woodford SnoBusters held four snowmobile safety courses in Woodford this fall and early winter. In addition Lisa Michaud taught a course in East Hampton Connecticut in November. Thank you to Alain Fradette who volunteered to redesign the Woodford SnoBuster website Check it out at www.snobusters.com. The WSBs are so impressed with our new site that we are now offering website advertising. Ads will run for the 2015-2016 season and be linked to our Facebook page. Reach out to woodfordsnobustersyahoo.com to enquire about placing an ad on our fabulous new website. Congratulations to Denise Capece. She was the winner of a 2016 Ski- Doo MXZ 600 Sport Thank you to everyone who participated in the SnoBusters snowmobile rae After donating 10 percent of the profits to Wounded Warrior Project we were able to purchase much needed equipment for our maintenance facility. Bennington Police Department Chief Paul Doucette representing the Southern Vermont Snowmobile Task Force attended our monthly meeting on Jan. 9. He reminded us that the Task Force which is made up of Bennington PD Wilmington PD Winhall PD Vermont Fish and Wildlife and the Vermont State Police will be patrolling the snowmobile trails again this year. Their primary objective is to ensure 46 Snowmobile VERMONT Buckaroos Willis Page Fran Pare Gary Lamberton Buzzy Eastman and Dean Edson build a bridge on the new Sprocket Trail. CALEDONIA COUNTY that snowmobiles are being operated in a safe and legal manner. Please be sure you are maintaining safe speeds riding on the correct side of the trail and that your snowmobile is properly registered insured and carries the required TMAs. If you were born after July 1 1983 and are 12 years of age or older you are required to take and pass a certified snowmobile safety course to ride on the Statewide Snowmobile Trail System. Remember to Ride Right The Woodford SnoBusters are very excited about our upcoming Very Special People Ride hosted by the McKenna family in Woodford on Feb. 13 noon to 3 p.m. Adults and children with special needs are treated to lunch and a day of snowmobile rides. Our Annual Hot Dog Roast is at Airport Road in Somerset at noon on Feb. 20. An 8 donation buys you two hotdogs baked beans chips cookies and beverage alongside a nice bonfire with friendly fellow snowmobilers Profits are donated to local charities. East Coast Snocross is bringing snocross racing to Willow Park in Bennington on Feb. 27-28. We hope to see you at these events Think Snow Stacey Bleile Hospitality Director www.snobusters.com Like us on Facebook Buckaroos of 302 There is an old saying that if its a green Christmas we will have a white Easter. Were hoping that will be the case this year as its been a slow start to the season for the Buckaroos of 302. Opening Day came and went without a trace of snow in the air. It wasnt until New Years weekend before Gary and Taylor could get out and open up gates. We rode 55 miles that Saturday and Tristan was able to get out with the Tucker before rain hit the next weekend. As of Jan. 15 our trail system is not rideable due to the fact that its all ice with only a few inches of snow on top. There is snow in the forecast for the next few weeks so were hoping there will be enough for all of us to get out. Keep checking the website and Facebook page for regular trail updates. Hopefully by the time this report has been published the trail system will be open and we will have plenty of snow. The lack of snow has not dampened our spirits though We are happy to report that we sold a record amount of Early-Bird TMAs. Thank you to everyone who purchased one and to the Upper Valley Grill for letting us set up a table and sell TMAs on Dec. 12. The 39th Annual Dick Page Ride-In is scheduled for Saturday Feb. 13 starting at 11 a.m. and continues until we run out of food. We will be raing off some prizes and have clothing for sale. We just received a new order of clothing that includes some new selections. Im sure youll see Milt our president modeling the new winter hat. If anyone would like to attend a meeting feel free to stop in. We post our meeting times in advance on our website and on the Facebook page. Lastly wed like to thank everyone who volunteered to help us with trail work this fall. It was a big help and we wouldnt have been able to get everything done without people coming to help us out. As always be safe respect the landowners property and please dont litter our beautiful trails. Kevin McDonnell Vice President www.buckaroosof302.com Like us on Facebook Kevin McDonnell Brian Fazzino Tristan Vaughan Skyler Vaughan and Echo the dog clear some brush on the Buckaroos of 302 trail system. Club News Winter 2016 47 Lyndon Sno-Cruisers In our last Club News submission the two shiny blue sleds had been getting acquainted. The sleds have since helped in demonstrations at the Dec. 12 safety class sponsored by the Lyndon Sno-Cruisers and the Dec. 19 class sponsored by the Orleans Snow Stormers and Glover Trailwinders. Lunch was provided by Merle Young Sr. Now the shiny sleds are waiting for everyone to do snow dances. Trail work has occupied much of the fall. For that we are glad that the weather stayed mild. Two bridges were completed on trail 522 by contractor Mike Bickford. A landowner who has for many years in the past provided access needed to use his farmland this winter so the club did an emergency reroute. This was completed with many volunteer hours. John E. Gould assisted with his excavator. This kept the link of trail 52 from Sheffield to trail 522 into Lyndonville. We thank everyone for all of their effort. With that team focused on the reroute another team stepped up and completed marking the rest of the 60 miles of trails. This team included the Lyndon State College Snowmobile Club. If that wasnt enough John E. and John D. Gould also worked on getting the BR180 and Tucker groomers and drags ready for the grooming season. They had help from Dave Kaufman and Francis Pillsbury. As mentioned in the last issue our Annual Poker Run Fundraiser will be held on Feb. 13. VAST director Cindy Locke is going to participate in the event with us. With all of the work mentioned that the club has done at 5 per hand played this is an important fundraiser. We will greatly appreciate everyones support who will participate to win over 1200 worth of prizes that have been donated. 400 cash is the first prize. Check our website for more details. Now it is time to go put the trickle chargers on the snowmobiles to have them ready to ride. Oil grease and tracks were checked back during warm weather for preseason maintenance. Larry Dwyer Secretary www.lyndonsnocruisers.com Like us on Facebook John. E Gould and his excavator were vital in rerouting the Lyndon Sno-Cruisers link from Trail 52 to Trail 522. Newark EZ Riders Hopefully the snowmobile season has begun. As you know it got off to a slow start around New England. Here it is mid-January after a warm fall and we have very little snow on the ground now. The Newark EZ Riders had a busy fall completing some major brush work throughout our trail system. We completed some much needed stump and rock removal to improve our trail base. Signing was done early with all the warm weather and we were ready for the upcoming season. Early bird TMA sales were almost even with last years sales as of Dec. 15. This was due to the use of our website and the outstanding effort of our membership chairperson Rena. She did a great job as always. The club now has our new website up and running. TMA forms club news and events are available. Check it out at www.newarkezriders.com. Thank you to all the landowners in Newark that allow the club to use their land during the riding season and to maintain it throughout the year. As you know without these landowners we would have nowhere to ride. If you see someone out on the trail walking snowshoeing skiing or just enjoying the experience this could be the landowner who is allowing us to ride. Please be respectful slow down and give them room to enjoy the winter season. Lastly we would like to thank all the volunteers that make this club what it has been for years. We saw a nice group of new volunteers this year including young and old and we hope to see this continue in the future. Ride right and enjoy the sport. Steve Leedy President www.newarkezriders.com Club News 48 Snowmobile VERMONT one of our major corridors through Greensboro it has become evident that you all deserve even more thanks. As much as we would like to not everything can be done in just one season. We are hoping to plan for Sno-Flake Ridge Runners Were back and ready for snow After working all fall on bridge work signing and a potential reroute that was avoided for this year everyone is anxious to be riding. Our groomer first went out on Jan. 7 in hopes to lay a base before any change in weather. A big thank you goes out to Sue Rivard and Scott Menard of Winning Image Graphix in Rutland for teaming together and coming up with our great new logo. Scott has produced stickers and a great graphic for the groomer with hopefully many other products to come. We also want to issue a thank you to all landowners that have cooperated and donated their land over the years. We wouldnt have a fraction of the trails we do it if wasnt for all of them. After recently struggling with a potential reroute of Club News several fundraisers and events in the upcoming years. We treated this season as one to get adjusted and ready for success. Randi Hall Secretary Like us on Facebook Sno-Flake Ridge Runners have a new logo. Winter 2016 49 ESSEX COUNTY Brighton Snowmobile Club Although the year may be off to a slow start for snowmobiling I am hopeful for a good season because there are three things in Vermont that are usually pretty certain death taxes and snow in the winter. We are fortunate that our season up here in the Northeast Kingdom usually lasts a little longer than others. Our volunteers have been working very hard this fall and early winter. We have an excellent staff of volunteers that have been working at the Welcome Center in Island Pond selling TMAs registrations and maps. They are also pretty knowledgeable about the trails and conditions. There are seven great ladies that are able to keep our sales going for TMAs during Early Bird sales and in the regular season on weekday mornings and all day Friday at the Welcome Center. We also have a great group of volunteers who build bridges brush trails put in culverts mark pack and groom the more than 100 miles of trails. Its all about volunteering in our club. The Brighton Snowmobile Club and the Chamber of Commerce of Island Pond also have activities during the winter. The club holds a dinner dance and rae each year on the Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Everyone receives a prize and the grand winner gets a brand new Ski-Doo. This year it came from Brighton Snowmobile Club received delivery of a new drag in December thanks to a VAST Grant-in-Aid. Walts Sales and Service in Derby. Well let you know who the winner was in the next edition. The Chamber holds a Winter Carnival the weekend of Feb. 13 with the Blessing of the Snowmobiles bonfires a night time snowmobile parade as well as other events. Our seemingly little sleepy town comes alive in the winter The Lakefront Inn and Motel in Island Pond sponsors our trail line report at 802-723-4316. Sharon and Bob Dexter do a great job with the report and make changes as the conditions change. This is yet another example of our volunteers working to make our club a success. Be sure to check us out on Facebook or www. brightonsnowmobile.org for the latest news and conditions. Until next time Think Snow and a lot of it Happy Trails to you until we Connecticut Valley Sno-Riders As of this writing we still dont have enough snow to groom but hopefully with another small snowfall we will. Our groomers are ready to pack and groom and get the trails into shape. Dont forget our Cookout at the Roost event on Saturday Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Trail 1 between EX401 and EX523. Follow us on Facebook for updates and see the VAST event calendar for more information. We have a need for motivated interested individuals to attend regular meetings and become active. We need help on ongoing trail work help in the club meetings etc. Please contact us if you are interested. John Orlowski President www.ctvsr.com Like us on Facebook meet again as Dale Evans and Roy Rogers would have said many years ago. But we mean snowmobile trails Homer Selby Club News Reporter www.brightonsnowmobile.org Like us on Facebook Janet Selby Annie Budrewicz Peg Muraca and Sue Pederson volunteer many hours at the Welcome Center in Island Pond selling TMAs. Missing from the photo are Marilyn Maxwell Phyllis Clough and Dolores Robbin. Club News 50 Snowmobile VERMONT High Technology Garments Accessories NO SWEAT BREATHABLE WATERPROOF WINDPROOF Complete Line of Snowmobile and ATV Clothing and Accessories For the Whole Family Lunenburg Polar Bears We are hopeful that by the time you read this club update the jet stream cooperates and winter returns to Vermont. Early-Bird TMA sales reflect confidence that our 75 miles of NEK trails will be blanketed with snow soon. The epic warmth has also led to the epic completion of projects. Most important is the agreement between a landowner and the LPB to reopen the VAST 2 Pipeline trail. This achievement restores a four-mile section of trail that feeds the Lancaster New Hampshire snowmobile bridge and commerce zone. Additional projects include bridge installations and redecking reroutes due to logging excavating areas impacted by erosion map updates and installing new signs at our intersections. Of immediate concern is the lack of a winter freeze. Crews have been anchoring down vulnerable surfaces with hay and mulch. Thanks to everyone that helped The clubs Christmas party was enjoyed by all. The potluck dinner was a welcome feast followed by a fun Yankee Swap gift exchange. Thanks to lifetime member Lynda Silsby for her festive preparation for this event. Our Landowner Appreciation Potluck was Saturday Feb. 6 at the Lunenburg Elementary school. The membership accepted the rebranding of the club with a new logo. Chores in progress include designing decals clothing and accessories. Our pride will be evident both on and off the trail. Remember to check out our Facebook page for the latest club and snowmobiling news. Welcome to Polar Bear Country Mike Mutascio Secretary sites.google.comsite lunenburgpolarbears Alandownerrequested an extention of this bridge in the Lunenburg Polar Bears trail network. Mr. North American Beaver was pleased with the work completed on his property. Club News Winter 2016 51 Northeast Kingdom Snow Blasters As I write this article we continue to wait for Mother Nature to give us a huge dumping of white gold We had one good week of riding in the upper elevations then came the rains and warm temps to set us back. Hopefully by the time you read this article we will be on a full grooming schedule with an awesome base to work with. Its amazing how much our conditions vary on our 63 miles of trails. On the same Saturday we had limited riding in town but awesome riding over the power line as seen in this picture. We will continue to update you daily on the weather and trail conditions. Please like us on Facebook We will have our Annual Ride-In on Saturday Feb. 13 at the Norton Store and will be serving hot chili and steamed hotdogs. Please come say hello Be safe out there David Diminico Trailmaster northeastkingdomsnowblasters.com Like us on Facebook Northeast Kingdom Snow Blasters reported good riding conditions in early January near their power lines. FRANKLIN COUNTY Fletcher Rough Riders We are happy to report we have re- opened and extended nine miles of Trail 36 north of FN81 intersection where 36 and 36A meet to a new junction with the LVRT. This provides access to the LVRT in Fairfield just west of Ryan Road. A crew of over a dozen officers directors and volunteers cut trees opened fences repaired bridges and signed this nine miles in one day. The Northwest Riders have opened the LVRT from Sheldon Jct. to East Fairfield with gas and food available at Stones Shell station and deli. There are about 10 miles of new LVRT trail now in use. This connects an area in the center of Club News 52 Snowmobile VERMONT 800 639-6290 802 878-5052 Tuesday-Friday 9 am to 6 pm Saturday 9 am to 4 pm Sunday MondayGone RidingL A N D A I R V T . C O ML A N D A I R V T . C O M our county system that was largely unreachable and gives more direct connections between Sheldon Jct. south to Fletcher Cambridge and Fairfax. The Smugglers Notch Club is attempting to open from Cambridge Jct. north to connect with us in East Fairfield but that may not happen this winter. We are not able to access Bakersfield Village again this year but are considering alternatives for next winter. The Inn at Buck Hollow Farm trail is again open and will be maintained with our Alpine providing lodging and access to the VAST trail system. Early Bird TMA sales totaled over 100 members at this time with about 20 percent of them sold online via our website. All of us in Fletcher are quite pleased with the efforts and coordination Franklin county clubs collaborated to extend nine miles of Trail 36 north of FN81 intersection to a new junction with the LVRT. that many of our county clubs have exhibited this fall. Its amazing what can be done in a short time with communication and teamwork All of the Fletcher Rough Riders directors and local volunteers have put in some real effort and hours this year. Thanks to all of you Just waiting for cold and snow Fletcher Rough Riders www.etcherroughriders.com Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 53 Northwest Riders Happy New Year and greetings from us all at Northwest Riders With the unfortunate lack of snow so far we have teamed up with the other clubs in the county to open a new trail utilizing a section of the LVRT from Sheldon to Jeffersonville. Members from Northwest Riders Fletcher Rough Riders and Smugglers Notch Snowmobile club have been instrumental in making this huge trail happen. There have been many obstacles in the form of washouts bridge decking and debrushing. It has been amazing to witness all the clubs pulling together to accomplish this and truly inspiring Currently we have completed the 10 mile section from Sheldon to East Fairfield Trail 36 that has been opened up to connect with the LVRT. We are still working on connecting the south end of the LVRT with LE34. The Smugglers Notch Club is working hard to make this connection. This trail will be a major asset in connecting Franklin and Lamoille counties. I would like to personally thank all that have been involved in this project Without the help of volunteers and the generosity of our landowners none of this would be possible. Everything else here in our neck of the woods is good and all of our trails are ready for a deep coating of the coveted White Stuff. If any of you have thoughts or ideas on how we can connect the LVRT at the Lost Nation road with LE34 easily please feel free to contact one of us. We are looking forward to seeing everyone on the trails Please join us for a club meeting on the second Tuesday of every month at the Abbey Restaurant in Sheldon at 7 p.m. Follow us on Facebook for updates and trail conditions. We also offer TMAs for sale on our website. Bruce King President www. Northwestriders.org Like us on Facebook Mark Bushey Steven King Hunter Hebert Steve and Dan Favreau stand proudly on one of four rail bridges that Franklin county clubs converted for snowmobile use. This bridge in Fairfield is 96 feet long. Club News Franklin County Snow Raiders The monthly meeting of the Franklin County Snow Raiders was held on Jan. 5th. In comparison to many meetings in the past this month we had a great turnout of 20 or more members. Up to this point we were lucky to get eight or so people to attend. It is hoped that many new people will come to meetings and take an active interest in the club as many of those currently holding office are thinking of moving on to other things. Without new people stepping up to take the reins there is a possibility that the club could dissolve. With all the work that has transpired over the years to make this club what it is this is the last thing that needs to happen. It is nearly the middle of January and today temperatures are in the lower 50s. There was a small covering of snow but with the warm weather and rain that snow is nearly gone. Needless to say the trail system still remains closed due to the lack of sufficient snow cover. No appreciable amount of snow is in the immediate forecast. If there is good snowfall later in January unless some cold weather comes along the trail system will still be hard to ride as parts of the trail system that that go through wet areas will not be frozen. Our trail system is ready. However there is still a curfew on a small section of the trail in North Fairfax. It is on the same spot there was a curfew as last year. The landowner has again requested that snowmobilers honor a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Our groomer is ready to go. The new drag is waiting to cut its first path in the fresh snow and hopefully that will be soon. Safe riding Ken Stockwell Treasurer Like us on Facebook GRAND ISLE COUNTY Alburg Sno Springers Getting the trails ready for this season provided some interesting adventures and stories that are funny to look back at at least while under the influence of Ibuprophen. Six 2500 lb. concrete blocks that are used to keep trucks off the Alburg Recreational Rail Trail have to be removed and replaced at trail opening and closing. We planned on a backhoe but with time bearing down on us and no contact from the operator Trailmaster Dave McFadden suggested we do it by hand with a 2-ton come-along hi-lifter jack and assorted pry bars straps and cables. My visions of being crushed under 54 Snowmobile VERMONT LAMOILLE COUNTY Smugglers Notch Snowmobile Club Winter is here and hopefully by the time you are reading this article snow has arrived too. 2015 was a busy year for the Smugglers Notch Snowmobile Club. We ended the 20142015 winter season on a good note after being blessed with lots of snow and cold temps for most of the winter. Our 2015 Tucker 2000 ran well all season and logged lots of miles of grooming. As most of you know snowmobile clubs dont take a vacation once spring arrives and through the summer. Once the snow is all melted there is plenty of work that happens throughout the summer months and into the fall in preparation for next seasons riding. This past summer was no exception. We tackled a few different construction projects on different sections of our trail system. Some of these projects were planned and some were not compliments of Mother Nature. One of the projects we completed during the summer and fall of 2015 was a reroute for the 15 West Corridor trail that goes from Jeffersonville down to Westford and Essex. A new reroute was established after numerous hours of volunteered time scoping out potential trail locations talking to landowners and organizing all the work to get done. This new reroute is hopefully going to be temporary for around a five year period as we are hoping to relocate the trail on the south side of VT RT 15 for a ways and then drop down into Westford which would eliminate road riding and road crossings. But for now we have a reroute that will allow riders to travel between Chittenden and Lamoille county which is huge part of the trail system. We also tackled some erosion Bridge repair was completed on Smugglers Notch Snowmobile Clubs Trail 108 at the bottom of the south side of Kings Hill Mtn. Seasonal Menus 12 Beers on Tap 6 Burger Mondays Industry Tuesdays Trivia Wednesdays Taqueria Thursdays Fish Fry Fridays Prime Rib Saturdays Located on Corridor 15 Snowmobile Parking Available Morrisville Vermont 10RailroadStreet.com 802-888-2277 Club News a block were replaced with euphoria when Dave offered to buy breakfast. Blocks one through four were moved with a good deal of huffing and puffing but no major disasters. We didnt even break a sweat although that may have been due to the 14 degree temperature and stiff north wind. Then came block five on a narrow section of trail with steep drops on each side. We had to go to the side where we had an anchor for the come-along. At the bottom of the 10-foot drop was over three feet of water. We muscled the block around and just needed to turn it on its side. We jacked it up to the balance point and watched it slowly descend to the earth. Our brief moment of victory quickly changed to horror as it kept going down the bank. KERSPLASH High School Physics An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an alien starship. Well be calling in the dive team in the spring. Meanwhile lets ride Dave Ladd Club President Winter 2016 55 LIVE THE GRAND PRIX EXPERIENCE FEBRUARY 12-13-14 2016 OVAL RACES SNOCROSS MOTOS AND QUAD ON ICE DRAG GRAND PRIX SKI-DOO DE VALCOURT 34th EDITION PRESENTED BY RESERVATION 1 866 532.7543 GRANDPRIXVALCOURT.COM MOST IMPORTANT SNOWMOBILE RACING EVENT IN NORTH AMERICA BUY YOUR TICKET ONLINE NOW AND SAVE problems on our 108 trail adding some culverts and water bars to help get the water off the trail. Also on the 108 trail we had to repair a bridge on the bottom of the south side of Kings Hill Mtn. This was no easy task due to the bridge being located approximately three miles from any road access. Thanks to a gracious landowner who allowed us to use his property to get to the bridge we only had about a 1.5 mile trek up to our bridge. With the help of a Kubota tractor mini-excavator and a newly club volunteered fabricated telephone pole dolly we were able to get four 30- foot telephone poles and the needed decking up to the bridge. Our club is always looking for volunteers to help with trail work as well as numerous other duties within the club. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at the Cambridge Fire Station. Email us at smugglersnotchsnowmobileclub yahoo.com Jason Luneau President Like us on Facebook Club News The Corinth Sno-Scramblers Commerce Directory Billboard located on Trail 91 was just erected with the help of Larry Russ and Mark Benway. It will soon display local businesses that support the Sno-Scramblers. ORANGE COUNTY Corinth Sno-Scramblers Greetings from the Corinth Sno- Scramblers While this has not been the most exciting winter so far as we have not been able to do much riding locally we have been able to accomplish many of the trail maintenance items that we had set out to complete in the early fall months. All the trail work is done and now we are just waiting for the snow. Over the past couple of months the outpouring of support from our landowners and club members has been phenomenal. Not only do these families donate time to help get the trails ready for the season but they also have donated money towards our club. Building bridges erecting signs and maintaining the trails takes not only time and effort from our club members but also money. We are extremely grateful for those who have donated as they allowed us to accomplish the projects that we had wanted to complete for this year. The cooperation and help that we receive from the landowners of Orange county are the glue that make VAST a success and make being a volunteer a fun experience. 56 Snowmobile VERMONT packed winter. Once there is enough snow riders will observe the new signs displayed welcoming all to our trails. There are also new trail signs to help guide all along the way. Happy trails and safe riding to all. See you out there. Mike Mann Like us on Facebook Club News Before and after trail clearing photos of the Drift Skippers Trail 132. Topsham Ridgerunners Greetings from the hills of Topsham. Hopefully by the time you read this we are riding or snow is at least on its way. Like everyone else we have been busy getting our trails ready. With no major projects this year we were provided the opportunity to redo all of our junction signage. We now have the big green signs that have become so popular and for good reason. This project was paid for mostly by the donations of dedicated riders and loved ones of riders who have passed on. Several local businesses purchased advertising too. We have held a couple of raes that have been received really well. This is to benefit future trail work and our scholarship fund. In an effort to boost membership we have pursued other avenues in addition to our regular vendors. This included reaching out to old members as well as perspectives and approaching new businesses to sell our TMAs. Even for a poor snow year so far the results were surprising. A special thanks to all who have helped with memberships. Our website has been revamped and we have hats and shirts with our logo available. We also plan to have a safety inspection check at one of our junctions conducted by the Orange County Sheriffs. Keep an eye on Facebook for a date. Once again our trails will be groomed by Jesse Lambert. Keep up the fantastic grooming job Jesse Hats and helmets off to all of the outstanding volunteers who help make our great little trail system happen. Thank you Ricky Johnny Lyndsey Steve Dylan Bob Butch Bunnie Wayne Edna Brad Andrew Bob Paul Ernie Will Sid Paul Terry Tim. If I have left anyone out your efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Its a privilege to work with such a great group of volunteers landowners. Thank you all Until next time remember the rules of the road dont litter thank a landowner and think snow Matthew Powers President www.topshamridgerunnersvt.org Like us on Facebook The Tri-Town Trail Travelers We had our first meeting of the 2015- 16 season on Sept. 2. Since that time our club members have been hard at work clearing our over 30 miles of Justin Morrill Drift Skippers It was a very busy fall. We now have a new section of our RT 132 trail. This extension of 132 eliminated the use of driving two miles on Colby Road South Pero Mtn. Road and Sawnee Bean Road. Our goal is to continuing 132 next summer to eliminate riding on Whippoorwill Road. Our other projects included redecking bridges cleaning up trails and resetting culverts. Justing Morril Drift Skippers is currently planning a landowner appreciation dinner to thank all landowners personally for their use of land. We all could not do the thing we love most without them. Our hopes are still high for a snow In other club news we have constructed our first Sno-Scramblers Commerce Directory Center on Trail 91. This project was a collaborative effort of club members landowners and local businesses attempting to get the word out that we are here and ready to assist in the pleasure of your snowmobiling experience. Soon the panel will be covered with signs from our local business partners that support snowmobiling. A special thanks to Adam Osgood Ron Garvin Glenn McKinley Larry Russ and Mark Benway for helping with this project. Two of our newest club supporters Bliss Village Store and Deli in Bradford and Wings Market in Fairlee have TMAs available for you to purchase in case you have been holding out for snow. With temperatures finally beginning to drop and true winter weather on the horizon we can only hope that the Sno-Scramblers Tucker Sno-Cat will be grooming as you read this. Be sure to stay tuned to our Facebook page and our website Kim Thody-Davis Webmaster www.snoscramblers.org Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 57 Woodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersWoodford SnobustersOver 100 Miles of the Best Groomed Trails in Vermont Located at the heart of the Green Mountain National Forest in nearby Southern Vermont along Route 9 Just a short drive from Massachussetts Connecticut and New York Purchase your 2016 Woodford Snobusters Club Memberships and TMAs online or by mail. For mail only contact Caitlin Tilley 6080 VT Route 9 Woodford VT 05201 802 681-8609 cetilleygmail.com Woodford Mnt. General Store 5053 VT Rte 9 Woodford VT 05201 802 442-5222 South Side Sales 546 Currant Highway NorthAdamsMA01247 413 664-7111 Flamingo Motor Sports 2 Wilbraham St. P.O. Box 509 Palmer MA 01969 413 284-1673 Cofiells Sport Power 46 Kreiger Lane Glastonbury CT 06033 860 659-0553 A-Z Snowmobiles 8393 Vt. Rt. 9 Woodford VT 05201 802 442-2146 Pittsfield Lawn Tractor 1548 W. Housatonic St. Pittsfield MA 01201 413 443-2623 The Snobusters Mission Statement Never Ending Trail Improvement Seymours Motorized Sports 1350 New Loudon Rd. Cohoes NY 12047 518 783-9866 Edelmanns Sales Inc. 172 Edelmann Lane Troy NY 12180 518 663-9100 Troy City Motors 810 Hoosick Rd. Troy NY 12180 518 279-1781 Adams Suzuki 838 Main St. Oakville CT 06779 860 274-6753 WSB and VAST Memberships available at these business locationsWSB and VAST Memberships available at these business locations Troy City Motors WSB and VAST Memberships available at these business locationsWSB and VAST Memberships available at these business locations Vi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o mVi s i t w w w. s n o b u s t e r s . c o m Club News Class 1 trails 14 miles of Class 4 trails and opening gates in anticipation of the start of the season. We have completed several work projects including installing and replacing culverts replanking two bridges with pressure-treated wood and trail signing. There were also two small trail changes creating straighter routes opening into scenic fields. At the Dec. 2 meeting we held our annual potluck dinner and Yankee Peter Button Larry Trottier Tom Trottier and Hawk Dobrich work on a bridge on Trail 141. Swap. The club meets monthly on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Tunbridge Town Hall. All current members as well as anyone who might be interested in joining our club are encouraged to attend. Oh the weather outside is frightful but our Tucker grooms so delightful now since weve no place to go.let it snow let it snow let it snow Chris Trottier Secretary Like us on Facebook Washington Snow Flyers Hope everyone received lots of great snowmobiling gifts for Christmas. It is Jan. 15 and we only have two to four inches of snow in central Vermont which means Washington Snow Flyers trails are still closed. Volunteers have cut the brush back Washington Snow Flyers held their first annual Vintage Snowmobile Rally on Jan. 9. 58 Snowmobile VERMONT NEW CHEF OWNED STEAKHOUSE AND SPORTS BAR Corridor 4 Trail 7F4 at the end of Rootville Road Vermont-chef-of-the-year awarded by the ACF 16 state-of-the-art WINE taps VT brews Fresh salad bar included with dinner entrees Signature cocktails award-winning wine list A large Den with 4 BIG screen t.v.s Stone fireplace with a cozy casual atmosphere Late night menu on Friday and Saturday past 1000 Plenty of hotels reachable by sled for overnights OPEN 7 DAYSWEEK for lunch dinner www.ravensdensteakhouse.com for a complete menu events 802-768-8779 1844 Depot st. manchester vt 05255 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K RavensVASTb.pdf 1 10215 927 AM Club News done ditch work and completed bridge work for the season. We just need another 8-10 of white gold to be able to enjoy the results of the hours of hard work put in to get the trails ready. Work on the bridge at intersection of OE95 was done in November. Flooding from the spring had scoured the abutment on one side and caused the end of the bridge to drop some. More stone was placed under it. Concrete blocks were placed on that new fill and the end of the bridge was jacked and shored up. The deck had new 4x4 beams secured to the top to help distribute the load better as the groomer goes over it. The overhangs are rusting away so we are hoping to get funding from VAST to replace it next year. The club also replaced the bridge on trail 25 just after Hart Hollow Road between intersections of OE89 and OE92 earlier this fall and did a great job. It is a big improvement over the previous one. The club held its first annual Vintage ORLEANS COUNTY Country Riders Snowmobile Club After have a very productive pre- season this year we are excited to announce the rebuilding of 10 bridges and three reroutes. With the hard work of our enthusiastic club members we were able to complete our work in record time each project Country Riders barbecued during their Rickford Mountain bridge rebuild. Snowmobile Rally on Jan. 9. We had a great turnout with around 58 vintage trail and race sleds. We estimate there were over 150 people who visited and enjoyed the rally. Food beverages and merchandise was also sold during the day. We are planning to make this an annual event so keep that weekend open on your calendar for next year. Our annual rae was held on Jan. 23 this year at the Elks club in Barre. We want to thank all those who purchased rae tickets. Without you it would make it much more of a financial challenge to operate the club and provide the level of great trail conditions that riders want. We also want to say Thank You to over 60 landowners who so graciously let us put trails across their land. Without you there would not be the great sport of snowmobiling that we love enjoy. Do your snow dances and hopefully in a couple weeks we will be enjoying all the great trails. Jim Wild Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 59 Club News White River Valley Ramblers recently replaced the belts on their Tucker 2000. Clockwise are Tim Aldrighetti Sr. Gary Southworth Tim Aldrighetti Jr. David Aldrighetti Heather Mugford Howard Southworth Darren Slack Adam Stearns and Derek Aldrighetti. Tim Mills photo was followed by a wonderful barbecue. A fun time was had by all. We are excited to announce that when the snow starts to fly this year our trail system should be in great shape. Our season has had a slow start but soon we will be riding in full force with over 120 miles of trails for your enjoyment. We hope you will join us for some great upcoming winter events. Please mark your calendar for Sunday Feb. 7 for the with the blessing of the sleds at Sacred Heart Church in Troy at 1130. Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. until noon. Our Poker Run is on Feb. 20 from noon to 5 p.m. We are also having a bon fire at Tetraults with a hot dog roast from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. on OS29. Watch our Facebook page and website for more information. Kathleen DiCarlo Activities Coordinator www.countryridersvt.com Like us on Facebook Drift Dusters Snowmobile Club I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. Early winter has been a constant battle against Mother Nature for the weather we need. Lets hope by the time you read this we have statewide riding. On Jan. 7 we held our election of officers. The current board of directors now consists of the following people President Scott Jenness Vice President Roger Gosselin Secretary Emily Micknak Treasurer Gary Lebaron Directors Dave Berube Brian Dubois Nick Flynn Hugh Flynn Dan Gosselin Timothy Hinman Ed Jenness Tim Jenness Michael Koehler Chris Micknak Justin Shattuck Cory Spaulding Groomer Operators Dan Gosselin - Coordinator Mike Judd Johnny Jacobs Roger Gosselin Devan Byron A big welcome goes out to Michael Koehler. He is more than ready to serve our members and will be a great addition to the club. Also we would like to thank Phil Cargill for his 14 years of volunteer service to our club. We will be working on the bridge project on Trail 105 A in the Bill Sladyk Wildlife Management Area in Holland this season. It has to take place during the season because the trail is not accessible during the summer. Please watch for signs and as always ride with caution. Our new Sno-Cat is finally in service and doing an excellent job creating your trail system. I would like to remind you that in an effort to make our trails as smooth as possible we might need to send the groomer out during the last part of the daylight hours. Please keep this in mind and be prepared to yield to the groomer any place at any time. Our winter bash will be on February 20 2016 and we will be raing off a 2016 Ski-Doo MXZ 550. We will also be having an after party at the Derby Cow Palace which is sure to be a great time More information can be found on our website and the VAST Events section. For tickets please call 802 766-5583. Dont forget to check out our website www.driftdusters.com Facebook and Twitter account for the latest club news and trail reports. We also have a YouTube channel now with some great videos That can be found at www. youtube.comuserDriftDustersSC. I wish everyone a safe and happy snowmobile season. See you on the trails. Roger Gosselin Vice President www.driftdusters.com Like us on Facebook Glover Trail Winders Its been a weird winter. But with some snow finally on the ground its that time of year again for the clubs Annual Poker Ride. This year it will be held on Feb. 20. For more details keep on the lookout for the flyers around the Northeast Kingdom. The groomer has been out keeping the trails in the best shape possible. We hope everyone is getting out and enjoying the trails as much as possible. Have fun and safe travels. Charles Pinette www.glovertrailwinders.com 60 Snowmobile VERMONT Orleans Snowstormers Greetings from the Northeast Kingdom. Well I guess this is going to be a slow start for the season. The warm December and rain left trails wet and snowless. We sent the groomer out the first weekend of January after receiving six to eight inches of snow in an effort to start a base. At this time we are waiting for more snow. I hope by the time you read this we will be up to our necks in snow and out enjoying the trail network that we all work so hard to maintain. We have done a lot of work on our trails this season including some major reroutes so please be mindful of all trail signs and make sure to stay on the marked trail. In other news we would like to thank a couple of our members who volunteered to install insulation in our groomer building. Recently John and Ryan Gage spent most of a weekend putting up this insulation as we continue to finish this project. These young gentlemen are experienced in the building industry and did a fantastic job. Thanks guys At a recent Orleans County Snowmobile Association meeting club president Raymond Rodrigue was awarded the VAST Trailblazer award. It is always humbling to be recognized by the fellow volunteers who work just as hard as you do to keep our sport alive. When the snow comes and we all rush out to ride the trails keep in mind to slow down stay on your side of the trail and help keep our sport safe for everyone and respect the landowners who make our trail system possible. Make sure not to litter and if riding at night keep noise levels as low as possible in residential areas. Gloria Rodrigue Secretary www.orleanssnowstormers.com Like us on Facebook Shrewsbury Sno-Birds I hope that everyone had a great holiday season. It was not good for snowmobiling but I hope you got together with friends and family for some holiday cheer. RUTLAND COUNTY Club News Mount Holly Snow Flyers The Snow Flyers have been very busy this year. We have had to rebuild several bridges and reroute trails. We also built a new groomer barn. The Tucker now has a nice cozy place to rest while it waits for the snow. The club has pulled together and made it all happen before the snow flew. The New Years Fireworks at Star Lake went off without a hitch. Belmont rang in the year with a bang. The first annual Ride-In will be held on Feb. 7. Check Facebok and our website for time and location. The trail system is in great shape thanks to Steve H. for keeping us on track. By the time you are all reading this we hope that there have been many miles ridden and plenty of white gold on the ground. A huge thank you goes out to all of our members that make this club operate like a well oiled machined. Steve Forrest President mounthollysnowyers.org Like us on Facebook Mount Holy Snow Flyers have a new groomer barn. Chittenden Dammers Well folks it hasnt exactly been the winter we have been waiting for so far. As of Jan. 15 we have a small base in place and consistently cold temps have arrived. We just have to get that next decent snowfall and well be in business. Were seasoned snowmobilers and we have seen this type of winter before. Keep those sleds ready to rip at a moments notice I already busted on my winter forecast so Ill leave that up to the weather pros at this point. It is the best job around where you can be wrong most of the time and still keep your job. Im still planning on the season getting going just later than we had planned on. We will see what is happening when this magazine gets mailed out. The Chittenden Dammers January meeting was well attended and all things considered our club continues to thrive with lots of active members and reasonable sales of early bird TMAs. We appreciate continued support from longtime club members in-state and out. We meet the first Tuesday of the month September through May at 7 p.m. in the Mountain Top Inn Tavern. A big thank you goes out to Rob Kulig and AJ Auto in Rutland for once again donating groomer maintenance supplies. See AJ for all your automotive parts and accessories needs. They are located on the left just past the Rutland Post Office. At this point there is not much news to report but please keep in touch via the website www.chittendendammers. org or our new Facebook page. Things are going in the right direction and when it opens up please ride safely and as always Ride Smooth. Charlie Robbins Treasurer www.chittendendammers.org Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 61 Club News Our club had several new snowmobilers pass the safety course which was headed by Dave Bleciah. It was a very successful day for everyone. We have had a couple of meetings with the State Forest Parks and Recreation about our trails. We are working on how to balance the way they want the trails set up for erosion purposes and how we need them for snowmobiling especially when we have low snow conditions like this year. I think we are coming to a compromise as long as we keep up with the yearly maintenance as we have been trying to do. We put all of our trails back together after tropical storm Irene with equipment from Dave Fucci and a lot of volunteer labor from Sno-Birds members and not a dime from the State VAST fit the bill. We got our Tucker back from Get- Sno after they did all the scheduled maintenance that was recommended plus two tracks and four sprockets. We cant wait to get out and start using it but Mother Nature is not cooperating at this time. Thank you Dave for getting it up there and back and saving us the transportation cost. We sent our blade out to Jr Bove at Jrs Auto Body to be repaired. Tommy Rollins welded in some new steel to last longer and Jrs team refinished the blade and painted it. It looks as good as new and is stronger than before. We have been checking and rechecking the trails for storm damage. Just last week we had high winds causing some larger trees to come down on our trails. WASHINGTON COUNTY Mad River Ridge Runners Throughout the year our club conducts various fundraisers the biggest being our Annual Rae Dinner where 100 prizes are given out. This years dinner saw over 150 attendees with the First place prize of a 2016 Artic Cat Lynx 2000. It was won by Rory and Kristy Partlow of Northfield Vermont. Congratulations to the Parlows and to everyone who attended. We look forward to seeing all of you at next years rae dinner. The next time youre looking for some great snowmobiling think of Waitsfield and the Mad River Ridge Worcester Rangers Worcester Rangers just completed a very successful Early Bird membership drive. During recent months major improvements have been made to portions of club trails. Under direction of Trailmaster Brian Richardson and with the cooperation of landowners trails have been enhanced with upgraded drainage and stump removal. Teams of club volunteers have been working weekends to complete brush removal and trail widening projects. VAST has officially designated trail intersection formerly known as WN-26A in Worcester Village as WN-60. WN-60 is across from the Doty Memorial School and adjacent to trailer parking and ride-up gas. Club members are excited about their upcoming trailside coffee and refreshment event on Saturday Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This annual event has become a snowmobile family destination with free marshmallow toasting for riders of all ages. Bob Stewart Communications worcesterrangersgmail.com Rory and Kristy Partlow of Northfield won this 2016 Artic Cat Lynx 2000 at the Mad River Ridge Climbersrae dinner. Worcester Rangers President Chris Temple renames the Worcester Village trail intersection to WN-60. Runners. Our trails will lead you to food gas and a great ride. Easy access to our trail system can be done at Kenyons Variety Store which is one mile north of Waitsfield. Rich Butler - Asst. Trailmaster Like us on Facebook I wish that we would get some good snow so all the hard work that all our members do could be enjoyed. Lets hope that the rest of the season turns out to have lots of snow One of our newer members got a surprise this year. Mark Quesnel received a Volunteer TMA for all his help last winter and this summer and fall debrushing season. He also rode in the groomer last season. The club wanted to thank you for being a new member willing to dedicate countless hours to the sport. Thank you again Roy Arthur - Trailmaster 62 Snowmobile VERMONT Guilford Pitstoppers The Pitstoppers have had a busy summer and fall. As snowmobilers we always want the snow but have been somewhat thankful we have had a few more weeks to prepare. We have had a lot of projects this summer and the last details are just coming together. Our first annual super rae was a success. We gave away one 3000 and two 1000 cash prizes and still managed to put some in our account as well. The 3000 Grand Prize went to James VanVackenburgh Jr. from Greenfield Mass. who donated some back to the club. Chris Wocell from Newfane Vermont and Joe Miragolia from Ashfield Mass. were the two 1000 winners. We have had many trail work days and produced four beautiful new bridges. One bridge was 45 feet and the remaining three were 25 feet in length. All bridges were built at 8 feet wide in hopes of upgrading grooming classes someday. Special thanks to Perkins Home Center Renaud Brothers Construction Valley Crane Service and MT3 unlimited who are businesses who supported those projects. The 45-foot bridge utilized a retired flatbed truck trailer for substructure and made quick work This is one of four bridges installed by the the Guiford Pitstoppers this year. Jacksonville E-Z Riders The summer and fall were very busy for us and many needed projects were completed. We have a new reroute on the 8A loop that takes us off from riding on a town road and extends the trail on the power lines in that area. Our club rae is underway and the Club News Derry Sled Dogs Boy are we ready We have a great new trail waiting the new drag is gleaming and the groomers are anxious to get out Thirty days into the official start of the season and we are still waiting on that evasive snowstorm. The Derry Sled Dogs are thrilled to have one of our longest tenured members and Club Groom Master Jon Foster featured in this issue of Snowmobile Vermont. Check out the article Who is in the Groomer A large number of our members are from out-of-state. In speaking with a few we are finding many folks want to get to know our trails better find new trails or just ride with a group. Keep an eye on our Facebook page. We hope to post a couple of dates for when we will guide a ride from our trails to a selected destination. The club has sweatshirts long and short sleeve tees ballcaps and knit hats for sale. Show your support and order a few for the family. Items can be found on Facebook. As always we wish to thank the local landowners Remember that when you are riding on someone elses property they are to be treated with respect and gratitude Without them we would be riding in circles Rusty Rosenthal Treasurer TMA Coord. Like us on Facebook Jacksonville E-Z Riders are adding new directional signs throughout their trail system. of that project. Our new trail map is complete with all 22 miles of club trails and 24 miles of VAST trails that were GPS mapped late last riding season. All 18 intersections are nearing completion with new signs. We have almost completed installation of an above ground gas tank at our store. That project should be wrapped up during the first week of February. With improving trails a new map new signs a store with great food and gas we hope to make Guilford a destination ride this year. Special thanks to Washburn Vault Beardsley Fuels Pete Noble PlumbingHeating and Brett Barnes for support with the gas project. Please call the store at 802- 490-2233 to be sure the gas project has been completed before coming over to gas up. Pete Noble SecretaryTreasurer Pitstopperscomcast.net Like us on Facebook. WINDHAM COUNTY Winter 2016 63 WINDSOR COUNTY Andover Mountaineer Snow Riders Im writing this during a thunder and lightning storm and its pouring out. It is not very conducive to thoughts of snow flying over the windshield of the groomer as we lay down carpet dreaming of the ride to follow. The lack of snow has not stopped the A.M.S.R. club from having fun and doing good things. We started off the season with our annual Pancake Breakfast and Blessing of the Season. This is our yearly support drive for the local food shelf. With the incredible support of our community we raised almost 1000 and over 155 food items plus several pallets of items from Deep River Snacks and their vendors. A big shout out and thank you to all that attended to help out the Chester- Club News Chester Snowmobile Club Im sad to report that as I write this on Jan. 8 we are still waiting for enough snow to ride in the Chester area. While Santa let us down were hoping Mother Nature will soon deliver lots of white stuff for us to go out and play on. Even with the lack of early snow we sold a healthy number of Early Bird TMAs proving that we all want to go out and ride We held our annual business meeting on Saturday Dec. 19. During the meeting we voted to make our annual contribution to Davids House. Thirty folks attended this meeting which was followed by our Christmas pot luck dinner. Everyone brought one of their favorites to share including carrot cake made by Dolly Bigwood Trailmaster Dicks wife. Yummm A great time was had by all and it was a fun way to kick of the season. As usual our Trailmasters are still hard at work unfortunately not grooming but inspecting trails. They have identified that we have four bridges that will need work before next season. Its nice to know Andover Family Center We had our annual Christmas party in December where over a dozen kids got to sit on Santas lap tell him their wish list and get presents. The adults got to overindulge in cookies and punch. Our trails are looking in great shape we are in the works of remodeling Corridor 12 but its a long process that entails many landowners. Hopefully by 2016-2017 we will have all bridges to 12 and trails to minimum of 8. Grooming equipment was updated over the summer with a new-to-us mountain grooming drag for the Bearcat GS to pull around and a 08 Skandic replaced our aging VK pulling the other 4 hydraulic drag. The ASV Track Truck with its 6 drag will be used in parts of the trail system as bridges and trail width allow. The annual A.M.S.R. Pasta Dinner and Auction fundraiser was a great success and lots of fun. The dinner that the Event Committee put on was top notch with many thanks going to Melissa Hale for her hours in the kitchen and to Steffanie Baker for her time and effort getting auction items from local businesses and having everything so well organized and presented. The Executive Director of V.A.S.T. Cindy Locke was our guest speaker. It was great getting to know her better and being able to have a Q and A session with her was very enlightening. We send a big thank you to her for making the long trip down for our little club. Like our Facebook page for upcoming events such as our annual ride-in monthly meetings community events and perhaps a retro sled show. The big news in the Andover snowmobiling community is that Horseshoe Acres Campground will be open year-round keeping their store and bathrooms opened to snowmobilers. Youll find hot food hot drinks and the friendliest of folks there also TMAs for sale on-the- trail parking and some of the best camping for your RV tow behind or tent. We are busy doing our snow dances a couple of inches this week and Andover Mountaineer Snow Riders Trailmaster Sean Snyder worked on a bridge on Corridor 12 off Newton Rd in Andover this fall. maybe more over the upcoming weekend its a start Safe and happy trails to you all. Steffanie Baker Secretary Like us on Facebook drawing will be at our Snow Fest event on Feb. 20. A complete list of the days activities and rae prizes can be found at www.ezriders.org along with plenty of helpful club information. Also new for this season is our Picture of the Week contest. We welcome submissions of pictures taken along our trails. A prize will be awarded monthly to the winner. Photos can be emailed to info ezriders.org. Our signing project is well underway and we added four new directional signs at Hogback Deer Park Road The Dam and The State Line. We hope to add more next year and are also in the process of adding new directional signs throughout our trail system. Our clubs meetings through the winter will be held the first Saturday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Jacksonville Community Church on VT Route 112. Come join us An E-Z Rider www.ezriders.org Like us on Facebook 64 Snowmobile VERMONT Club News Joe Kruszewski of the Deerfield Valley Stump Jumpers snapped this photo of Brian Harty while they were out clearing some brush. Cavendish Green Mountain Snow Fleas We replaced an old bridge our trails have all been cut back cleared and Deereld Valley Stump Jumpers We keep waiting for the dump and wish that the high winds would stop knocking down trees. A few volunteers have been going out in these lousy conditions to clean up the fallen trees. A groomer has been serviced and both are prepped and ready to go as soon as Mother Nature cooperates. We have rescheduled our Pig Roast from February vacation week to March in order to not conflict with what work we need to plan for. The good immediate news is that we have several members that want to help Dick Jewett and Dick Bigwood with the job of grooming our trails. They will be spending time with our groomers to get to know how to operate the Tucker and do ride-alongs. They have big shoes to fill and we are happy to be able to provide Dick and Dick some relief. Our Valentine bonfire ride in is on Feb. 13. The Annual Poker Run is on Feb. 21 and sponsored by the Stone Hearth Inn. Our pig roast on Feb. 27. Joan Choiniere Club Secretary www.chestersnowmobileclub.com debrushed and we have new signs in place on our trails. Like everyone else we are waiting for snow. We want to remind everyone that Corridor 106 between S 14 and WR 68 is closed this year. Signs with maps have been installed at both intersections and at our Cook Shack. We will be meeting with landowners this spring to investigate rerouting this section of 106. Please stay on the trail and follow the signs in this area. We had a great turnout for this years Christmas party The group included folks who joined the club a week before the party to three of the original group of friends who helped form the club back in the 1970s. We were able to acknowledge and thank Jennifer Stowell and Roxie and Al Davis and to hear their stories of the early days of snowmobiling in Cavendish. The Yankee Swap under the direction of Clay Sides was an entertaining event As Im writing this the snow is finally falling in Cavendish and the forecast is for it to continue for two days. Lets hope the weather experts are right for Snowmobiling is a fun and exciting family activity enjoyed by over four million people across the United States and Canada. The sport is a safe and an enjoyable form of recreation if done properly and with respect. . 1. Never consume alcohol or drugs before or during snowmobiling. 2. Become familiar with the snowmobile you ride. 3. Operate at safe and reasonable speeds. 4. Stay on trails and areas where snowmobiling is permitted. 5. Avoid travel on frozen bodies of water. No ice is safe ice. 6. Use extra caution at night. 7. Keep your snowmobile properly maintained. 8. Become familiar with the terrain you will travel on. 9. Listen to the weather forecast before you leave. 10. Always wear a helmet and proper clothing. 11. Never ride alone. Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. 12. Carry emergency supplies and learn survival skills. SAFE SNOWMOBILING MEANSSAFE SNOWMOBILING MEANSSAFE SNOWMOBILING MEANS once and that we get enough snow so we can snowmobile in February and maybe even into March If Mother Nature cooperates the next club rides will be the Weathersfield Poker Run on Feb. 14 and then the Chester Poker Run on Feb. 21. Information on both rides will be on our website Facebook page and our February newsletter. Thank you to the Chester Club for including compliments on our Pig Roast in their Club news in the last issue of Snowmobile Vermont. We appreciate their friendship and support Karen Marini SecretaryMembership www.Cavendishsnoweas.com Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 65 Hartland Hill Hoppers It is snowing outside as I write this in mid-January. I hope this is a sign of true winter on the way. Like everyone else our trails have been off to a Hartland Hill Hoppers recently installed new road crossing signs with the road name and town listed to help riders know their location. Club News Worlds Largest in Used Snow Parts All Models 1964-2014 Parts shipped worldwide Clothing Helmets Repairs Snowmobile Tours NEW USED P A R T S Rebuilt Cranks Bored Replated Cylinders in Stock 802-487-1000 AlsSnowmobile.com Located in Newport Vermont Ludlow Side Hill Cronchers Hello winter are you out there Were all ready to get out on the trails. Just missing one thing snow As of early January it looks like we need to do some heavy snow dancing. Our club had a busy day on December 5. It started out with the safety course. We had 15 or so students who all earned their safety certificates. The class was held at the Church of Annunciation in Ludlow. They even had a snowmobile there to go over and check out. Pizza and snacks were provided by the club. Volunteers pitched in to teach do registrations food etc. Ludlow Village Pizza helped us too. Good job everyone Michelle and Tim Doyle once again hosted our annual Christmas party. The Christmas party is the one event not to miss. It definitely was well attended super fun festive and a great success. Thanks to Tim and Michelle for being such great hosts Trails are in good shape with a major debrushing done over in the Okemo area. The trails there will be wider and easier to get through. Volunteers also went through the other trails and put up the signage and did general cleanup. We really appreciate all of your hard work If you still need your TMA forms can be downloaded from our website www.sidehillcronchers.com and slow start with limited snow in the Windsor county area. Our groomer and its operators are ready to go. We had positive showing for our Early Bird sales weekend in December and now our riders are ready to hit the trails. Wed like to thank the Hartland Volunteer Fire Dept for use of their warm space to sell our Early Bird TMAs and Mikes Mobile in Hartland and Robbins Powersports for their continued support and TMA sales. We have new signs out at every road crossing to let riders know where they are. Weve had some concerns of early riders and thin cover. Please respect our landowners and use good judgment. Our club meets the 3rd Sunday of the month from October to April 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hartland Recreation Center. Please join us The clubs website is www. hartlandhillhoppers.org. However emails are the best means of communication from the club. We are still struggling with technical skills in keeping our website updated and accurate. If youd like to receive emails please contact our president Yvonne at rryaricegmail.com. She will be sure to get you on our list and youll be up to date on HHH happenings. Wishing you safe and happy trails Lisa Brown Secretary www.hartlandhillhoppers.org Like us on Facebook Woodfords Hot Dog Ride-In. Riders of both clubs will appreciate being able to attend both events this year. Please be respectful of the landowners who graciously give permission for riders to use their trails. There is a concern that some riders are using four wheelers. This is absolutely forbidden. Please remind your guests to respect our trails so we will not lose trail access due to a few inconsiderates. Also please remember that the National Forest has closed the Ridge Trail to snowmobilers. The gas stations along our trails only accept credit cards and are self service. Dont forget to visit our website and Facebook page to see announcements about other upcoming events Gail Kotowski Media Director www.dvsj.com Like us on Facebook 66 Snowmobile VERMONT Weatherseld Pathnders Hello everyone I wish I was writing to you with better news. This winter has been a big flop so far this year. The little accumulation we received early was quickly pushed out by warm temps and lots of heavy rain and has really put a damper on our riding. As I write there is the possibility of a large storm for this Ridge Climbers Ross Hudson Pete Segal and Dave Small remove a large pine from across the trail. Royalton Ridge Climbers The Royalton Ridge Climbers took full advantage of the late Autumn conditions working on trails even on Christmas Day. When you visit our area you will find some of the most improved trails in Vermont. We have cut trees mended bridges increased our trail markings with high posts and reflectors as well as negotiated with neighboring clubs for enhanced grooming of our trails. In early December we certified 18 youngsters as new snowmobile drivers. We look forward to seeing them and you on our trails this winter. We had a fun night on Jan. 9 at our First Annual Cabin Fever Dance We also hope to see you at our Poker Run on Feb. 14. Meet at the Royalton Academy building. Like us on Facebook and tell us what you think of our trail improvements Alison Ricker Correspondent vtridgeclimbers.wix.comroyalton Like us on Facebook Ludlow Sidehill Croncher safety course students learn about pre-ride snowmobile safety inspection. Club News mailed to us. You can also purchase TMAs at these businesses in Ludlow who graciously volunteered to help us out Ludlow Country Store Bensons Chevrolet and Ludlow Insurance and Turcos in Rutland. Please thank these businesses by shopping there or using their services when you are in the area. They have done a lot to support us. Dont forget to go to the website www.sidehillcronchers.com for trail conditions and for our webcam. If you come by and visit the Warming Hut on North Hill our webcam may capture your picture on our website. The Warming Hut is at the intersection of VAST Corridor Trails 127A and 127B WR-82. Throw a log on the fire and enjoy some free hot cocoa. Our website will let you know if any events are being planned there. It is very impressive how all of this work is done not only in Ludlow but across the state by volunteers to make the VAST trails available to you. Its very different from the ski and snowboard industry. A lot of volunteer work goes on behind the scenes to make each season happen. Thank you to our volunteers landowners members and businesses for making it happen All you do is truly appreciated. Now lets get together and haul some snow in from Minnesota. Tina Berge Public Information Ofcer www.sidehillcronchers.com Like us on Facebook Winter 2016 67 Marketplace HAWK ROCK CABINS www.hawkrockcabins.com hawkrockcabinsgmail.com 802 745 8944 Five fully furnished cabins in the heain the heart of the Northeast Kingdom Enjoy snowmobiling mountain biking and hiking right from the front door. Just nine miles from Burke Mountain. DiDirect access to the VAST trail network. Email call or visit our website to reserve a cabin VRBO 719877 Search airbnb.com for cottage with great views Info mollydavies120gmail.com Charming NEK Cottage Rental 200night 1000week Beautiful views from Chandler Pond Farm Ride out the door 1 mile to connect to VAST trails Woodford Vermont For Sale or Rent with easy VAST trail access Restored Post Beam Farmhouse 2500 sq. ft. furnished 239000 Antique Log Cabin 2500 sq. ft. furnished 159000 Contact Scott 860 510-2480 vtmountainretreats.com 1000 sq. ft. home one full bath two bedroom four twin beds and one full size bed view of Island Pond close to VAST feeder trailhiking trails fishing boating and biking. Contact John or Susan at 802 525-4737 FOR RENT Woodchuck Retreat 296 Lake Street Island Pond VT sleeps 10 full kitchen 101 acres near VAST trails A Snowmobilers paradise www.thebunkhousevermont.com 5325 W. Corinth Road bunkhousevermontgmail.com 802.589.4770 sleeps 10 full kitchen VAST Trail LE 20 in Morrisville sunsetmotorinn.com 802 888-4956 coming Saturday so hopefully that will bring the much needed snow we need to get theTucker out to give everyone the same great trail conditions we had last year The lack of snow has allowed crews of volunteers to remove the three bridges on our section of the 5 trail and replace them with new ones. It took a few weeks to complete but the project is done. These bridges served their purpose but were in much need of replacement. The first bridge was replaced by WPF volunteers in conjunction with members of Green Mountain Horse Association who use a section of this trail during the summer horse riding months. The second of the three bridges is the largest span and proved to be a challenge for volunteers to set the poles. With the help of a mini excavator our volunteers made quick work of setting the poles and planking the new bridge. The following week the third bridge was completed. Our Annual Poker Run is set to take place this year on Feb. 14. Our fundraising committee has been making preparations for a Valentines Day themed ride this year. Prizes will be awarded for the top three hands. Sign up will be from 830 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Trailmaster Kevin Heidens workshop off of 106N. There is no parking so we ask that those who wish to trailer in to please park at the park and ride in North Springfield and follow the signs to the venue. The cost is going to be 10 per hand with a breakfast of fried bread dough and coffee. A barbeque lunch will follow at the conclusion of the ride. All food is by donation only. We will have a 5050 rae with a bunch of prizes from local area businesses. Even though the weather didnt cooperate last year we still had a great time and a good turn out Please mark your calendars and plan to join us. Seth Kimball Vice President weatherseldpathnders.webs.com Like us on Facebook Club News DRAG FOR SALE 8 x 16 Mogul Master New Hoses Paint Excellent Cond. 2900 Call Ross Page 802-592-3382 DO YOU HAVE... Something to sell A small business A vacation rental Contact us for an ad 802-229-0005 ext. 16 advertisingvtvast.org 68 Snowmobile VERMONT All good things in life start somewhere. In Southern Vermont the Jacksonville E-Z Riders Snowmobile Club Trail System is where the VAST trails begin. Our trails start on the border of Mass. and Vermont and even reciprocate with Massachusetts SAM trails for several miles between WM-6 WM-8. With 65 miles of trails along with 66 bridges and 50 road crossings keeping up with all of it is a year-round job. Thankfully our core group of longtime volunteers along with several new club members make the task of trail work something we enjoy with like-minded members whom we also call our friends. HISTORY Back in 1971 seven local couples who were the adventurous type were all proud owners of new snowmobiles. Brands such as Ski-Doo Evinrude Moto Ski Scorpion and Eskimo to name just a few brands that were available back then. Stuart Garland had opened his snowmobile and chain saw shop in 1969. Forming a local club seemed like a good idea to the seven couples who had started riding in the area on private property with the owners blessings. Back then VAST had not organized yet but efforts statewide to connect local trails were underway. This effort was the start of what we now know as the Statewide Snowmobile Trail System. It is interesting to point out that in 1971 when VAST organized the TMA rate was only 25. Club patches were the choice branding of most clubs in that era and ours has a rich history. When the newly founded club needed ideas for the club patch design they opened it up to the public to submit their ideas. Even local third graders submitted their designs but when all were reviewed it was Dana Dixs design that won the votes. As the many years passed the patch faded away in usage. Now 45 years later the slogan of Bring the Patch Back has succeeded and the original club patch has been reborn for the logo of our new website. It is also being used for our club apparel and club stickers. OUR TRAILS If you have never had the pleasure of riding our trails here is a guided tour. Our trails are part of the well-known Woodford Loop which is a 90-mile loop that runs through three clubs trail sections and borders Deerfield Valley Stump Jumpers trails on the northeast. The trail at Route Where The Trails Begin On the Southern End Jacksonville E-Z Riders With 65 miles of trails and 66 bridges along with 50 road crossings Ray Combs at 75 years young always finds the time to volunteer countless hours. Ray is checking trails on the power lines known as the Deerfield Loop which runs from the state line into Readsboro and also the Green Mountain National Forest. volunteers along with several new club members their designs but when all were reviewed it was Dana Dixs design that won the votes. As the many years passed the patch faded away By An E-Z Rider Winter 2016 69 9 on top of Hogback Mountain provides a large parking lot with fantastic panoramic mountain views. When heading south crossing busy Route 9 from the parking lot remember that childhood lesson and look twice before crossing the road. Route 9 is the main road running east and west between Brattleboro and Bennington. As you pass through the old Hogback Mountain Ski area the remnants of the once popular ski area are still standing. Once you hit the large open field at Grant Road you have entered the start of our trail system. Heading south through the woods your first intersection is WM-3. You will be heading towards Guilford Vernon and Colrain Mass. This section of trail to Deer Park Road has several elevation changes and reminds you of being on a very long roller-coaster ride. 9E is the trail less traveled and worth the trip. If you head east at WM-3 you are now heading towards JacksonvilleHalifax at WM-22. Halifax is left and Jacksonville is to the right. If you need anything when heading into town Historic Cherry Creek Sales is on the way. They offer a full repair shop along with sales of various items such as chainsaws lawn mowers snowmobiles oil or extra spark plugs. You can get your TMAs there too The founder of Cherry Creek Stuart Garland is also a founding member of our club and has been serving snowmobilers in his shop since 1969. His son Rusty also operates the shop. Downtown businesses in Jacksonville have opened their doors to snowmobilers for years. It is now possible to get gas drinks and a sandwich at First Stop Gas Store. The historic Jacksonville General Store is a welcomed stop offering a place to sit rest eat and warm your body up. There is free Wi-Fi and they are happy to lend you the phone or offer use of their restroom. A 20 second walk next door takes you to the Spoonwood Cabin Creamery where the handcrafted cheese and baguettes wine and other creations will be sure to put a smile on your face. Heading southwest at WM-22 will lead you into the heart of Halifax a beautiful town with friendly people and gracious landowners who allow us the use of their amazing land and views. E-Z Riders Trail System is made up of 85 percent private land and we are very thankful for each mile they award us year after year. Trail 112 also known as the Halifax Trail is where you will find our new park and ride lot on Route 112. This is another greatly appreciated landowner gift. During the summer it doubles as a cow pasture and when winter rolls around Farmer John moves the cows and opens the 50-acre fields for club use. Yes his name really is Farmer John. This parking lot allows for an easy day trip of riding from other states. Many riders have commented Why drive further North when I can just unload and ride without the long drive. Heading out of the parking lot Trail 112 will be to your left the 8A Loop will be to your right. The 8A Loop connects Featured Club Our trails start at Grant Road at Hogback Mountain. When you hit the big field you know you have entered the Jacksonville E-Z Riders Trails. FOUNDING MEMBERS A very special thanks to the founding members who had the vision to start our club 45 years ago. Their vision and efforts are being carried on with our current members dedication to the sport we all love. Stuart Rita Garland Ray Suzie Putnam Al Lori Bartlett Doug Mary Ann Howes Bill Carol Roy Frank Ginky Dix Rusty and Stuart Garland of Cherry Creek Sales in Jacksonville have been active members of our club from the start in 1971. Stuart and his wife Rita are founding members of the Jacksonville E-Z Riders. 70 Snowmobile VERMONT several trails together through our trail system. Being the first to break trail after a good storm has always been worth the bragging rights and the thrill and fun of the ride. The 8A Loop will take you to the state line of Massachusettes where our trails run parallel to the power lines and the Deerfield River into Readsboro and eventually the Green Mountain National Forest. We thank the power company for the shared land use. It is a fun hidden gem to ride. For those who have ridden power line trails you understand how much fun they can be. Unlike anywhere else in the state our trails for several miles reciprocate with SAM Trails in Mass between VAST WM-8 WM-6 allowing riders from both states to share in this section of trails. Heading north on Route 8 runs a long straight ridge line at about 2100 feet you will pass the 8A Loop about midway and also the cut off trail that by passes Lake Sadawga. Continuing north on 8 leads you to the Twin Valley Middle and High School. Not only can we ride through the school property but the kids can ride their sleds to school too Crossing Route 100 in Whitingham at the school during late winter you can stop and relax and take a deep breath of Vermont fresh air by the hanging sugar buckets. The farms you have passed through and will continue to pass through give you the feeling youre in a special place...and you are. It can only be seen by sled. Approaching WM-1 you have two choices. You can turn right and head back into town or head left. Heading left will open up many new trail options. There is the Ryder Pond Loop or if you are in the mood for a long ride along the water then take the Wards Cove 9F Trail. It is not heavily traveled and has great views of Lake Whitingham at about 2500 feet. This trail ends at Wards Cove. It is so enjoyable that you might just turn around and do it again If you took the fork in the road back at the bypass trail for Lake Sadawga you would find yourself on 9 heading towards the Green Mountain National Forest and our Readsboro trails. At WM-4 you can head over the mountain at Readsboro back towards the state line. Or you could run the Deerfield Loop which has been recently logged and has left us an even better section of trail it will lead you to WM- 5. Running 9 to WM-5 heading up past Big Rock will also lead you to WM-5 and nearing the end of our trail system. All 65 miles 66 bridges and 50 road crossings can be seen via your snowmobile awarding unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime. VOLUNTEERS Like many smaller clubs around the state too few people are doing the work that really requires so many more. Our core group of volunteers has been maintaining our trails for most of their adult lives and some started very young. Mike started doing trail work at the age of 12. Now he is in his 30s. Jackie our new club president and her husband Randy have spent countless hours year-in and year-out taking care of whatever needed to be handled. Carl our trail boss spends as much time doing club work as he does at his full-time job. Sheldon our lead groomer is known to run 12 hour plus shifts in the groomer. Marylee has successfully managed the books and handles processing TMAs. Her brother-in-law Tim who is on call 247 for fire and rescue has been in the Vice President role for many years. Rusty our prior club president has given countless hours to the club ranging from grooming to work parties and much more. As with most small clubs the enormous task of trail work before and during the season falls on a Trail boss Carl Havreluk and lead groomer Sheldon Tobey know how toGet It Done year after year. They always find the extra time to do so no matter what. ThisWelcome To Vermontsign has been welcoming riders to our trails for years. It is located at WM-8 where our trails reciprocate with Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts trails between WM-8 and WM-6. With the addition of our four new intersection signs our re-signing project is well underway. We would like to thank Dave Landers and Frank at Southern VT Signworks and others for this. Winter 2016 71 small handful of folks like the ones mentioned above. This can be very taxing on the group and is why new volunteers can make a huge difference in the workload. In the last few years that core group has now received some needed help. On one beautiful fall day back in 2013 the stars aligned and several more helping hands showed up for the days work. That chance meeting of several helpful continuous volunteers has allowed our club to handle many new and ongoing tasks. With the combined efforts of existing and new members we have been able to handle the workload with less individual effort. Many volunteers travel long distances to make it to meetings and work parties. The work that new local club members do is needed year-round. One key ingredient to this combined club success is that we also take time to ride together laugh together and enjoy the camaraderie and pride of what we accomplish. There is great satisfaction when our riders complement our wonderful trails. A special thanks to Ray Craig Helena Jacqueline George Roger Trevor Troy Will. WHATS NEW The 2016 season brings many new changes to our club and trail system. With two major reroutes behind us and on- going bridge maintenance to be done on our 66 bridges we found time with the additional help to embark on several needed new projects. The new club website will keep you up-to-date with not only our club but helpful snowmobile information and events. Our re-signing project is well underway with the addition of our four new intersection signs and needed direction signs added as well. Our Picture of the Week contest allows anyone to submit pictures while riding our trails and once a month a winner will be picked and a nice prize awarded from one of our local businesses. Our new park and ride lot on Route 112 was added along with a complete overhaul of our two drag sleds. And lastly our very big announcement of adding our new annual club event The E-Z Riders Snow Fest and Rae on Feb. 20 to earn money for the club and this year the local food bank. SNOW FEST E-Z Riders snowmobile club will have our first annual Snow Fest event on Feb. 20 in Whitingham at the historic Amos Brown house and barns on 30 beautiful sprawling acres. It is a winter fun fest and charity ride-in with delicious food sponsored events and products that will promote the club. We will also be collecting donations for our local food bank.You can ride in drive in or trailer in to the event. Our wonderful local and out-of-town sponsors have helped make this event possible. Several activities will be available. Take a demo ride on 2016 Polaris snowmobiles enter to win great prizes at our snow games enter a huge club rae including prizes like Yankee vs Redsox tickets ski and stay packages at Mount Snow flat screen TV and a host of other great rae prizes To keep you entertained live local music and great food will also be offered. The rae can be entered online. Check out our advertisment in this issue of Snowmobile Vermont magazine for more information about the festival or visit our website at www.ezriders.org. We would also like to thank all our sponsors for helping us make this possible and a special thanks to Landmarktrust USA for all their help and Southside Sales for helping provide part of the fun factor. MOVING FORWARD As our club moves into the future it is not without great appreciation of past and present members and volunteers that have made it all possible. Without the gracious gift of the use of our landowners property the magical sport of snowmobiling adventures memories and friends made would not be possible. We want to continue the wonderful relationship we have with them and continue to improve our trail system. About The Author This article may have been typed by one person but the collaboration of the article was a group club effort. Featured Club Jackie Bemis President and Marylee Putnam Treasurer always find time to manage our club needs between work and family and have for years. With a core group of volunteers keeping up with 66 bridges is possible. Ray Carl Mike Rodger and Sheldon always seem to find the time. Many thanks to all our volunteers that spend countless hours on club trail work. 72 Snowmobile VERMONT72 Snowmobile VERMONT Winter 2016 73 5043 Rte 5 Derby Road Derby VT Near OS 9 234 VT Rte 114 East Burke VT Near CA 85 800.273.5371 TF 802.334.1200 Derby 802.626.4222 Burke Island Pond Open living gas fireplace 3BR 2BA efficient to heat. Shared private beach frontage. Well built never lived in. Direct access to Trails 114 114C. 279000. Emma Gunn. 4463080 Derby 10.1A wooded lot frontage on 2 roads power roadside sunset exposure multiple potential building sites brook Trail 105 runs through. 55000. Barry Sykes. 4464818 Irasburg Private end of road home 31.6A access to Trails 14 122C. Home has 2BR cathedral ceiling in livingdining. Attached garage outbuildings. Mostly meadow brook. 189000. Dan Maclure 4463099 5043 Rte 5 Derby Road Derby VT Near OS 9 234 VT Rte 114 East Burke VT Near CA 85 5043 Rte 5 Derby Road Derby VT Near OS 9 Leading the way in the Northeast Kingdom www.FarmAndForest.com infoFarmAndForest.com Visit our site to see our entire inventory online. Contact the Professionals HAPPY SLEDDING Real Estate 183 Route 100 West Dover VT 05356 Office 802-464-3055 Fax 802-464-2069 InfoHermitageDVRE.com Local Camps Under 100K Marlboro-29900 Remote and primitive hunters camp set on 1 acre. Great hunting spot. Close to the Hogback Wilderness area a short hike in from the north end of Lake Raponda. Priced to sell readsboro - 74000 Hunters Cabin in a remote location high on hill. Build your own sugar house on this maple rich lot. Plentiful with wildlife apple trees and mature beech trees. Nice south east views. Wardsboro - 70000 Great starter home located between Mount Snow and Stratton. Open living with vaulted ceiling woodstove insert metal roof gas hot air heating system with open yard. readsboro - 89000 Amish Log Cabin. 1 room cabin is fully finished with a generator covered front porch and local mountain views. 10X10 shed. Vermont Waste water permit so this property is ready to be cleared. The Hermitage Deerfield Valley Real Estate Jay Winter Fun at Jay Peak Stay here and bring a crowd. 4 BR2BA spacious home. Deck and patio on a 1.6 acre lot and just minutes from Jay Peak and VAST trails. 182500 MLS 4445582 Victory On the edge of the State forest sits this immaculate ranch with its own 10.40 acres. Spacious floor plan two car garage and heated storage area. Generator included. Direct access to the VAST trails and back roads are open to 4 wheelers. 159900 MLS 4450507 Holland - Modern cabin on 10 acres with spring. Large two sided deck faces south and begs for a grill and hot tub. Simple open floor plan home or a classic getaway. Mixed woods with hiking. VAST trail close by. 129900 MLS 4444885 Lyndonville 802 626-4343 NORTHEAST KINGDOM REAL ESTATE EXPERTS Jay Winter Fun at Jay Peak Stay here andJay Winter Fun at Jay Peak Stay here and NORTHEAST KINGDOM REAL ESTATE EXPERTS NEK Snowmobile Country by REMAX WWW.ALLSEASONSRE.COMWWW.ALLSEASONSRE.COMWWW.ALLSEASONSRE.COM Irasburg 4 bedroom 2 bath efficient country home on the VAST Trail 122 enjoy ATV trails in the summer. Very nice local views and the location is great. 2 bay garage to store all the gear and toys. 155900 MLS 4459484 Newport 802 334-7277 Check out our Poker-Run on February 20 Look for details at vtvast.org on the Events Calendar 74 Snowmobile VERMONT Real Estate Lodgings Looking for the perfect location with Burke Mountain Ski Area bike paths and an abundance of hunting opportunities Unsworthproperties.com 802-879-4504 GLENWOOD Mobile Home Community Looking for the perfect location with Burke Mountain Ski Area bike paths Easy Access to VAST Snowmobile Trails GLENWOOD BRIGHTONVT-Classic Cape-style log home overlooks Island Pond Rights to Blueberry Beach. Enjoy swimming boating sailing snowmobiling more. Burke Mtn. just minutes away. Hardwood floors cathedral ceiling 3 BR 2 BA. Potential for 3-level living space. Garage for 4 vehicles snowmobiles boats etc. MLS 4453360 279000 NEWPORT CENTER VT - Contemporarychalet in the woods on 10 acres. Lake Memphremagog deeded access via shared right of way views of the lake from decks privacy. 2700 sq ft finished living space in-ground pool patio area. Close to town amenities 20 min. to skiing access to snowmobiling more. MLS 4431698 293000 Two Office Locations 802 334-3400 601 E. Main St. Newport VT 05855 802 988-4000 1100 VT Rte. 242 Jay VT 05859 We also have perfect Snowmobile Rentals with direct access to VAST trails. Comfortable homes fully furnished including internet and cable. www.jimcampbellrealestate.com CANAAN VT Your dream home well built on 10 acres and with deeded access to Lake Wallace. Log siding radiant floor heat 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths. Cathedral tongue and groove ceilings that shine. Attached heated and insulated garage. Well equipped with all appliances. 159000 NORTONVT 2 buildings on one lot. Garage with living quarters on the second floor and cottage that sleeps 6 that is rented out on a seasonal basis. Year round access on VT Rt. 114. VAST access. The garage has many tools electric overhead doors is insulated heated and has water. 90000 www.thibeaultrealestate.com 802 266-8602 59 christian hill canaan vt 05903 Fairbanks Inn was designed with classic Vermont charm and bed and breakfast style amenities for fun romantic or relaxing retreats. Stay in one of our 45 charming guestrooms mini-suites very romantic honeymoon suite or dog- friendly designated rooms. www.stjay.com Fairbanks Inn was designed with classic Vermont VAST rate starts at only 89 45 charming guestrooms mini-suites very romantic honeymoon suite or dog- friendly designated rooms. FAIRBANKS INN 401 Western Avenue Saint Johnsbury VT 05819 866 485-0639 Fairbanks Inn was designed with classic Vermont charm and bed and breakfast style amenities for fun romantic or relaxing retreats. Stay in one of our Winter 2016 75 Lodgings 20 Off Daily Rates for VAST Members November 2015 - March 2016 Discounted room rates starting from 67 800.594.9102 WilloughVale.com non-holiday periods based on availability certain restrictions apply WilloughVale Inn on Lake Willoughby The WilloughVale Inn located on the Orleans Snow Stormers section of the VAST Trail in the Northeast Kingdom offers lakeside accommodations with mountain views. Bar open from 500 - 800pm Fridays Saturdays Pub fare available Microbrews on tap Your stay with us includes one king bed or two queen beds with a living area pull-out sofa bed in-room microwave and refrigerator complimentary hot break- fast buffet indoor heated salt- water pool hot tub sauna fitness center arcade room guest laundry and free Wi-Fi. www.choicehotels.comvt031 Direct trail access behind the hotel Your stay with us includes one king bed or two queen Rates starting at only 129 COMFORT INN SUITES 703 US Route 5 South Saint Johnsbury VT 05819 866 464-2408 Rooms rates 89 and up. 22 rooms with cable wifi Grille open 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Full bar fresh seafood steak pizza wings burgers and more Dine in or carry out www.maplewoodlodge.net 802-626-5832 4992 Memorial Drive Lyndon VTwww.maplewoodlodge.net 802-626-5832 4992 Memorial Drive Lyndon VTwww.maplewoodlodge.net 802-626-5832 4992 Memorial Drive Lyndon VT Trail 52F JCT CA48 Welcome to the Courtyard by Marriott Middlebury and Bistro Direct Trail Access to VAST Trail 800-388-7775 US Route 7 South Middlebury VT Special VAST Rate 115night Indoor heated pool and whirlpool. Suites available withfireplacesandjacuzzitubs. Breakfast and dinner open to the public. Starbucks available daily. Rate Valid 1212015 - 3312016 subject to availability. Meals not included www.middleburycourtyard.com 76 Snowmobile VERMONT Lasting Image Jake Gosselin a member of the Drift Dusters took this aerial photo with his Phantom Drone. He resides in Littleton Colorado and was a director for the club before he moved west. RIDE GUARANTEE HURRY IN NOW FOR A GREAT DEAL ON A NEW POLARIS SLED. PLUS2-YEARWARRANTYORREBATESUPTO 2000 FOR 60 MONTHS FINANCING NOPURCHASENECESSARYTOENTERORWIN.Apurchasewillnotincreaseyourchancesofwinning.InternetaccessrequiredtoenterGrandPrizedrawing.Openonlyto legalresidentsofAKCACOCTIAIDILINMAMEMIMNMTNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHORPASDUTVTWAWIorWY18orolder.Starts1816.Ends13016. To enter visit a participating Polaris dealership to receive a card to reveal if you are an Instant Winner. Use the code found on the card to enter the random-draw portionofthesweepstakes.Limitof1cardperpersonperday.Gotowww.polaris.comscratchandwinforcompleteofficialrules.Voidwhereprohibited.Sweepstakes subject to all applicable laws and regulations. Monthly payments required. Valid on amount financed of 5000 or more on select new untitled 20132016 Polaris snowmobile models made betweenJanuary 1 2016 and February 29 2016 on your PolarisSynchrony installment loan account. Model year exclusions apply. Rate of03.99or5.99willbeassigned.Examplesofmonthlypaymentsrequiredovera60-monthtermata0rate16.67per1000financedandata5.99rate 19.33 per 1000 financed. Program minimum amount financed is 5000 and 010 down payment required. Rate and down payment based on credit approval criteria.OfferissubjecttocreditapprovalbySynchronyBank.The2-YearExtendedLimitedFactoryWarrantyofferconsistsofastandard1-YearFactoryWarrantyplus 1 year of additional factory warranty coverage.After the first year the additional factory warranty offer is subject to a 50.00 deductible per visit.All rebates during the JanuaryFebruary Event program are paid to the dealer. JanuaryFebruary Event offers are effective on select 20132016 Polaris snowmobiles purchased from a participating Polaris dealer between 1116 and 22916. Polaris 2016 snowmobiles that were ordered under the SnowCheck program do not qualify. See your local dealer for details. Professional rider on a closed course. Polaris recommends that all snowmobile riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. 2016 Polaris Inzdustries Inc. RIDE GUARANTEE HURRY IN NOW FOR A GREAT DEAL ON A NEW POLARIS SLED. TerrainDominaTion.com PLUS2-YEARWARRANTYORREBATESUPTO 2000 FOR 60 MONTHS FINANCING AVAILABLE AT THESE VERMONT DEALERSHIPS Absolute Powersports Wells River www.absolutepowersportsvt.com All Around Power Equipment St. Johnsbury www.allaroundpower.com Laquerres East Montpelier www.laquerres.com Robbins Powersports Windsor www.polaris.com Champlain Valley Equipment East Randolph www.champlainvalleyequipment.com Paymentsaslowas75monthwithapprovedcredit PolarisRideGuarantee-Additional12monthswarrantyonmachineswithlessthan300milesasof33116 ACCLAIM FOR THE 2016 AXYS AVastArmyofGroomers 4700GroomedMilesDedicatedVolunteers GenerousLandowners ThebestTrailstheEasthastooffer. Wewillbeready.Willyou C O M M I T M E N T BuyYourTMANow. SaveMoneyEnjoytheBestTrailstheEasthastooffer. Black Silver Early Bird TMA AvailableonlythruDec.15 prices do not include club or county dues Silver Black Regular Season TMA Standardseasonpricing prices do not include club or county dues Registered In Vermont Family Snowmobile Regular Snowmobile Thru Dec. 15 Thru Dec. 15 Dec. 15Dec. 15 100EACH 84EACH Thru Dec. 15 Registered Out-of-State Family Snowmobile Regular Snowmobile Thru Dec. 15 Thru Dec. 15 Dec. 15Dec. 15 130EACH 107Thru Dec. 15 EACH ClassicTMAs are no longer available Family Snowmobile Regular Snowmobile Avail. After Dec. 15 Avail. After Dec. 15 135EACH 84EACH Family Snowmobile Regular Snowmobile Avail. After Dec. 15 Avail. 175EACH 107EACH 3-Day Pass Available After Dec. 15 55EACH Antique Snowmobile One-Time 135 Fee Any snowmobile that is 25-years old that is registered as an antique snowmobile by Vermont or any other state or province. It must be used exclusively in exhibitions parades and public functions. Antique TMAs sold only through the VAST office. Vermont Association of Snow Travelers Inc. 26 Vast Lane Barre VT 05641 vtvast.org Snowmobile must be registered in Vermont. Family Snowmobile TMA requires the purchase of two full priced TMAs. All TMAs purchased must bear the same physical address to qualify for Family TMA pricing. The first and second TMAs will be priced at the full cost of an Early Bird Registered IN VT or Early Bird Registered OUT-OF-STATE. this offer applies to Early Bird TMAs only option available until 121515 All additional TMAs purchased and bearing the same physical address will be charged at the advertised Family Rate. See vtvast.org for more details. 848484EACHEACH 848484 Family Snowmobile Family Snowmobile FamilyFamily Snowmobile Family Snowmobile Family 848484 Not Available After Dec. 15 Snowmobile registered in any state other than Vermont. 107107107107107EACHEACH 107107107107107 Family Snowmobile Family Snowmobile FamilyFamily Snowmobile Family Snowmobile Family 107107107107107 Not Available After Dec. 15 Registered In Vermont Registered Out-of-State Snowmobile must be registered in Vermont. Snowmobile registered in any state other than Vermont. Early Bird TMAEarly Bird TMA Regular Season TMARegular Season TMA