Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 686 | Snowmobile VERMONT VAST News NEWS NEWS A message from VAST President Tim Mills Are you confused yet? Well if you are, then you are in good company. This winter has been the one for the record books all the way around. We started out early or should I say, right on time for the beginning of the season with workable snow almost statewide on the ground. It kind of tapered off for a couple weeks with minimal dustings in the valleys and very workable amounts of measurable snow in the elevations and points east of the Green Mountain spine. Another couple storms hit and we were up and running statewide. Nearly every club was rolling with their groomers packing, panning and making a usable sustainable base. It was just what we wanted. Welcome to Vermont in the winter time with picturesque beauty wherever you looked. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay with us long in the valleys. Clear skies and above freezing temperatures started eating away at our snow pack. When I was writing my last article I clearly remember reminding you that the month of February has been known to give us some serious white gold from the skies. I also reminded you all to have faith that Mother Nature would take care of us. Within a week in mid-February, we received two nice storms with one of them being a Nor’easter. The whole state was covered with enough snow for you to be able to ride anywhere statewide. Euphoria and smiles were all around for everyone involved. This was the winter we deserved. Then it struck us, a mid-winter thaw to rival any I have seen that I could remember. We all cringed with every passing day as the snow pack slowly disappeared before our eyes. Fortunately, the thaw was not felt statewide. Upper elevations and the Northeast Kingdom still retained their base and very groomable snow, which is great news given the winter we have had. At the time of writing this article, we are bracing for another Nor’easter. Predictions are for some pretty substantial amounts to be delivered mid-week. Perfect! I know you don’t need me to do a narrative on how this winter was in Vermont. If you ride a snowmobile at all, you were watching along with all of us. If you think it has been frustrating as a rider or to plan a family ride, can you imagine how this winter has been for the VAST organization and the clubs statewide? Imagine what it must be like for VAST to create a budget for the following year that is funded mostly by TMA sales which is driven by the weather. Imagine what it must be like for your local club to stay financially fluid if they can’t groom? With these erratic weather patterns it is becoming increasingly harder to financially plan. We have to do our best, without being clairvoyant. On another note, we have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for this year. This year marks our 50th as an organization! Tim Mills, VAST President Worlds Largest in Used Snowmobile Parts 802-487-1000 AlsSnowmobile.com ATVparts.com ATVparts.com All Years, Makes & Models, New Parts Tracks, Slides, Clothing, Helmets, Carbides BALD EAGLE RESCUED FROM TRAIL By Keith Gallant, VT Game Warden On Feb. 25, a VAST member was out for a ride in Brownsville when he came across this female bald eagle face down in a puddle in the middle of the trail just north of Route 44. He contacted VINS, who then got the information to us. Game wardens responded and recovered the eagle from the trail. It was delivered to VINS where it was treated for dehydration, hypothermia and an intestinal parasite. It made a rapid recovery and is scheduled for release soon. Joan Garvin, Orange County Director Ron Garvin, Angel Emmons, VAST President Tim Mills, Caledonia County Director Ken Gammel and Joanne Gammel share a table and a great meal at the Justin Morrill Drift Skippers’ Spaghetti Dinner.