18 | Snowmobile VERMONT DanaNoyes-BarnardMountainViewers Vice President Rob Tracy and Trailmaster Dana Noyes (Rachel Noyes photo) By Patty Companik Dana Noyes has been riding since he was six years old. His uncle would take him rabbit hunting on an old Evinrude snowmobile. Years later, he went on to purchase his own sled, a 1970 Arctic Cat 440 Puma. Dana says that after that, “there was no looking back.” He began grooming the trails (or goat paths back then) in the 1970s. He taught himself, but today encourages and mentors others who want to groom. In regard to how the grooming equipment has changed over the years, Dana will tell you a lot! He started with pulling a wooden pallet. From there, he moved to a Bombardier groomer and converted a four-foot Frenchie groomer to six feet to tow behind it. Today he uses a Tucker with an 18-foot-by-nine- foot drag. It is a major difference from what he started with. The club is responsible for grooming 51 miles. Dana grooms two days a week. He says that the best part of grooming is “hearing all the people comment on how awesome the trails are and being out grooming at night. It is beautiful.” Through the years, he has seen some interesting things. He has pulled a couple of sleds off of bridges that went into the brook, had the wonderful experience of meeting up with an irate cross-country skier who was upset with him for the groomer being in his way, and then there is the unexpected breakdown. What frustrates this grooming operator? Having to drag the winch cable up to a tree to make a hill is pretty tough, but there is nothing worse than having spent nine hours grooming and you’re at the last stretch and a group of sleds go by digging trenches into the beautiful carpet you just laid out. As much as Dana enjoys riding his snowmobile, grooming gets him out on the trails, but with a heater and a stereo. “There is nothing better than hearing how smooth the trails are from other riders and members from other clubs. It is very satisfying.” Dana shared that being a part of a club and a groomer operator broadens your circle of friends and really adds to the recreational value of the community.