MARCH 2015VOLUME 23 ISSUE 5

IN THIS ISSUEUtah Public Lands Initiative - Page 5

Weller Recreation - Page 13USA Mission - Page 16

PRESIDENTrsquoS MESSAGEBy Jeff Eddings

Well it is hard to believe that this is the last issue of the Snow Scoop for the year It seems very weird to me that this is the last issue and winter hasnrsquot even gotten

started this year and who know if it ever will A very strange winter for sure very upsetting to us snowmobilers However I did get the sleds out the other day to wash the mud from out underneath the track from a recent ride and it started snowing pretty heavy With that reasoning if we all get out and wash our sleds maybe it will snow hard enough for it to amount to anything Wellhellipwishful thinking anyway

On February 24th we held the ldquoTake a Friend Snowmobilingrdquo event at Monte Cristo The weather cooperated and we had a very good turnout for the event We had over 80 adults and countless kids that come at to try snowmobiling for the first time At Your Leisure was on-site documenting the entire event and provided hot chocolate and chili from a chili cook off Dealers were on site for individuals to test ride all the new model snowmobiles Buttarrsquos Tractor from Tremonton made the trip up as well and provided a Sno-Pro 120 for the little kids to ride around This was a huge suc-cess with the kids and a nice touch by Buttarrsquos A special thanks to the following for making the event another huge success Utah State Parks Golden Spike Snowmobile Association members and Russ Mangone (Russ came up to the event to volunteer immedi-ately after work Russ works the night shift Thatrsquos dedication) Check out the video of the event here httpayltvcomimagesepisodes____13episodes13-22php

Unfortunately we had to cancel our USA members ride scheduled for January 31st at Soapstone due to poor snow conditions and a lack of interest from USA members Seems like the last couple years of this event we just canrsquot win last year we had to much snow and this year not enough We will give it another try next year and hopefully we can have a happy medium

Please ensure to read the articles in this issue involving Land Access Issues Curt Kennedy is USArsquos Director of Public lands and puts countless hours into staying on top of Land Access Issues as they

relate to snowmobiling Curt always does a great job of putting the issues down on paper and bringing you the details

Please remember that we are always looking for stories and pic-tures to include in our Snow Scoop Therefore if there is a good story of a ride or some great snapshots that you would like to see published please send them in to utahsnowscoopyahoocom

Lastly I would like to thank Drew Bingham for putting the Snow Scoop together every month Drew always does a great job and puts out a professional product every month I also want to thank my wife Stacey for coordinating all the content of the Snow Scoop and ensuring it gets to Drew for production Stacey also handles all the advertising in the Snow Scoop She secures the advertising and coordinates all the financials that go along with it She has done a stellar job this year and has gone above and beyond what you would expect from a volunteer If you ever get a chance ensure to say ldquoThank yourdquo to these two individual Well I guess that wraps it up for another year Throughout the remainder of this year and over the summer months I will ensure to send out e-mails or a ldquoUSA E-Newsrdquo with any important announcements or upcoming events Thanks to all of you ldquoUSA Membersrdquo for supporting a being a part of organized snowmobiling After all it is the voices of many that are heard versus the voice of just one or two Until next year keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up

FIND THE SNOWFLAKE INSIDE THIS ISSUE AND YOU COULD WINUnfortunately no one was able to identify the location of the snowflake in the last issue The snowflake was located in the bottom right hand picture that was included with the SLVC News article

Find the snowflake in this issue and e-mail the location to utahsnowscoopyahoocom and yoursquoll be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate from Jorgensenrsquos in Richfield UT

Winner will be notified by e-mail and drawing to be held on March 28th

PRESIDENTrsquoS MESSAGEBy Jeff Eddings

Well it is hard to believe that this is the last issue of the Snow Scoop for the year It seems very weird to me that this is the last issue and winter hasnrsquot even gotten

started this year and who know if it ever will A very strange winter for sure very upsetting to us snowmobilers However I did get the sleds out the other day to wash the mud from out underneath the track from a recent ride and it started snowing pretty heavy With that reasoning if we all get out and wash our sleds maybe it will snow hard enough for it to amount to anything Wellhellipwishful thinking anyway

On February 24th we held the ldquoTake a Friend Snowmobilingrdquo event at Monte Cristo The weather cooperated and we had a very good turnout for the event We had over 80 adults and countless kids that come at to try snowmobiling for the first time At Your Leisure was on-site documenting the entire event and provided hot chocolate and chili from a chili cook off Dealers were on site for individuals to test ride all the new model snowmobiles Buttarrsquos Tractor from Tremonton made the trip up as well and provided a Sno-Pro 120 for the little kids to ride around This was a huge suc-cess with the kids and a nice touch by Buttarrsquos A special thanks to the following for making the event another huge success Utah State Parks Golden Spike Snowmobile Association members and Russ Mangone (Russ came up to the event to volunteer immedi-ately after work Russ works the night shift Thatrsquos dedication) Check out the video of the event here httpayltvcomimagesepisodes____13episodes13-22php

Unfortunately we had to cancel our USA members ride scheduled for January 31st at Soapstone due to poor snow conditions and a lack of interest from USA members Seems like the last couple years of this event we just canrsquot win last year we had to much snow and this year not enough We will give it another try next year and hopefully we can have a happy medium

Please ensure to read the articles in this issue involving Land Access Issues Curt Kennedy is USArsquos Director of Public lands and puts countless hours into staying on top of Land Access Issues as they

relate to snowmobiling Curt always does a great job of putting the issues down on paper and bringing you the details

Please remember that we are always looking for stories and pic-tures to include in our Snow Scoop Therefore if there is a good story of a ride or some great snapshots that you would like to see published please send them in to utahsnowscoopyahoocom

Lastly I would like to thank Drew Bingham for putting the Snow Scoop together every month Drew always does a great job and puts out a professional product every month I also want to thank my wife Stacey for coordinating all the content of the Snow Scoop and ensuring it gets to Drew for production Stacey also handles all the advertising in the Snow Scoop She secures the advertising and coordinates all the financials that go along with it She has done a stellar job this year and has gone above and beyond what you would expect from a volunteer If you ever get a chance ensure to say ldquoThank yourdquo to these two individual Well I guess that wraps it up for another year Throughout the remainder of this year and over the summer months I will ensure to send out e-mails or a ldquoUSA E-Newsrdquo with any important announcements or upcoming events Thanks to all of you ldquoUSA Membersrdquo for supporting a being a part of organized snowmobiling After all it is the voices of many that are heard versus the voice of just one or two Until next year keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up

FIND THE SNOWFLAKE INSIDE THIS ISSUE AND YOU COULD WINUnfortunately no one was able to identify the location of the snowflake in the last issue The snowflake was located in the bottom right hand picture that was included with the SLVC News article

Find the snowflake in this issue and e-mail the location to utahsnowscoopyahoocom and yoursquoll be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate from Jorgensenrsquos in Richfield UT

Winner will be notified by e-mail and drawing to be held on March 28th

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJeffery Eddings President2645 East 7800 South South Weber UT 84405 801-510-7791 presidentsnowutcom

Cal Taylor Vice President 1236 South 1800 West Syracuse UT 84075 801-882-8659 calandgenagmailcom

Russ Mangone Secretary2260 West 4805 South Taylorsville UT 84118 801-969-7335 slvsnowgmailcom

Lisa Kowalewski Treasurer1794 North 6250 East Eden UT 84310 801-745-6138 treasurersnowutorg

Jay Ombach Executive Director2159 North 550 West Layton UT 84041 801-825-1164 jayobeacon-metalscom

CLUB DIRECTORYGolden Spike Snowmobile AssociationJeffery Eddings President 2645 East 7800 South South Weber UT 84405 801-510-7791 presidentsnowutcom

Chalk Creek Riders Wes Blonquist President PO Box 385 Coalville UT 84017 435-336-4496 wesntracallwestnet

Salt Lake Valley Snowmobile ClubLes Thompson President 2760 N 1650 E Layton UT 84040 801-771-8748 slvsnowoutlookcom

Davis County SnowflakesShane Egan 686 N 275 E Kaysville UT 84037 801-589-6401 eganauto1gmailcom

Vernal Sports Center2029 W Highway 40Vernal UT 84078wwwbeersharleycom

Utah State Parks1594 W North TempleSTE 116Salt Lake City UT 84116wwwstateparksutahgov

Tri-City Performance461 South Frontage RoadCenterville UT 84014wwwtricityperformancecom

Cutlers Inc271 N State StreetOrem UT 84057wwwshopcutlerscom

USA BUSINESS MEMBERS

Curt Kennedy Director - Public Lands302 South Maryfield Drive Salt Lake City UT 84108 801-582-3882 ccklpkgmailcom

Stacey Eddings Snow Scoop Coordinator and AwardsCharity2645 East 7800 South South Weber UT 84405 801-510-7796 utahsnowscoopyahoocom

Chris Haller State Parks RepresentativePO Box 146001 Salt Lake City UT 84114 801-349-0487 chrishallerutahgov

3

TABLE OF CONTENTSAVALANCHE CENTER NEWS 5UTAH PUBLIC LANDS INITIATIVE 5ASCA 6GSSA NEWS 8ldquoWHAT HAS THE UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION DONE FOR MErdquo 10FINAL SNOWMOBILE ACCESS RULE IS RELEASED BY U S FOREST SERVICE 11WELLER RECREATION ndash A STRONG PARTNER 13USA SCHOLARSHIP 14LETrsquoS CELEBRATE 16USA MISSION 16GO SNOWMOBILINGTAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING CAMPAIGN 17TAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING EVENT 18WASATCH MOUNTAIN STATE PARK 19YOUR BACK OF THE WASATCH 4 SEASON PLAY GROUND 19U S FOREST SERVICE RELEASES FINAL SNOWMOBILE RULE 20

DISCLAIMERUSA is Utahrsquos advocate for snowmobiling

As the voice of over 26000 registered sled owners in Utah the Snow Scoop is USArsquos official publication

All contents of the Utah Snow Scoop are copyrighted and may not be reprinted without permission Submitted articles and advertising do not necessarily represent the opinion of USA or the Utah Snow Scoop

The Utah Snow Scoop is not liable for any claims by those not of the same opinion

The Utah Snow Scoop welcomes articles letters pictures and advertisements Please submit all material in electronic format by the respective issue due dates to the Snow Scoop Coordinator

Articles should be doc files and advertisements should be jpg tiff psd ai or pdf files

ISSUE DEADLINE RELEASE DATE October September 30 October 14 November October 28 November 11 December November 25 December 9 Winter January 13 January 27 March February 24 March 10

The Utah Snow Scoop is owned and published by the Utah Snowmobile Association The Snow Scoop coordinator is Stacey Eddings She may be reached at

Utah Snow Scoop 2645 East 7800 South

South Weber UT 84405 801-510-7796

utahsnowscoopyahoocom

For current Snow Scoop advertising rates please click here or visit httpwwwsnowutcom

5

AVALANCHE CENTER NEWS

Wowhellip hard to believe itrsquos late February Across much of the state it hardly seems like winter ever came to visit While the trailheads took a hard hit from all the

unusually warm weather the snowpack was happy in its own skin and we never developed the weak sugary layers we often have to deal with throughout the season As a matter of fact upper eleva-tion shady terrain has harbored surprisingly good snow The good newshellip it looks like wersquore gonna get some spring storms as we transition into March and the long days a promise of spring pow should help improve spirits Yep Irsquom stoked

It hasnrsquot been an epic snow or avalanche year by any means but wersquove been busy at the Avalanche Center teaching classes revamp-ing trailhead signs and ramping up our outreach programs statewide

In additon wersquove devloped some great new partnerships through-out the community Sam T Evans Trucktops and Trailers in partnership with Look Trailers was an enormous help to our pro-gram and came to the plate generously donating a loaner trailer for the 2014-15 season This is a huge upgrade for us particularly in the trailer department and we look forward to continuing this relationship next season

UTAH PUBLIC LANDS INITIATIVE Congressman Rob Bishop is heading up an effort with Congressmen Jason Chaffetz and Chris Stewart to pass a law that would attempt to bring resolution to some of the most challenging public lands disputes in the state of Utah The initiative (which has been in the works for several years) is rooted in the belief that conservation and economic development can coexist and make Utah a better place to live work and visit The process for developing a law hinges on col-laboration compromise and creativity Structurally the discussion process has largely centered on the county level but all interested parties continue to be encouraged to participate

From an outsider looking in it is readily apparent that significant concessions would be necessary to make an overall master plan work for bringing to a conclusion the allowable use for public lands that have been debated for decades As a snowmobiler the primary concern likely focuses on what happens within Uintah County and any extension of the High Uinta Wilderness

To date most of the material available for review largely deals with the process itself and very little insight is provided on what a draft bill would look like in the form specific land use designa-tions Conceptually we know there is a designation called an ldquoSMArdquo (Special Management Area) that could have differing definitions depending on the specific characteristics expected to be achieved

for a specific area In discussion with Congressman Bishoprsquos staff we understand a draft Public Lands Initiative bill should be forth-coming by the end of March followed by a short comment period

We encourage all snowmobilers to get on the website for their specific county and determine if there are any riding areas that could be impacted by this broad initiative You should then pro-vide comments to both the county and to Congressman Bishoprsquos office It would also be helpful to share your perspective with our public lands volunteer Curt Kennedy at ccklpkgmailcom so that USA can add further support

6

ASCAA Message from the President

The Holidays are behind us credit card bills are arriving we all begin to focus on taxes and how to get out of pay-ing more than we feel we should snowmobile trails are

signed and in some areas groomed and are being ridden and for those of us who snowmobile we are in the middle of our favorite season I hope you are all enjoying it and have been blessed with adequate snow

I happen to live in an area that hasnrsquot been so lucky yet but Irsquom certainly not giving up hope Depending on where you live many are used to having to trailer to find good snow conditions on an annual basis Others have the luxury of getting early snow plenty of new snow and have riding conditions all winter long many of us can only dream about I envy those people

Snowmobiling is truly an addiction in my opinion It is a sport that consumes us year round For the thousands of volunteers that assist at all different levels it is a year round commitment Many belong to and serve at the local club level Others get involved at the State National and even International level To all those vol-unteers everywhere Irsquod like to say THANK YOU Without all of you snowmobiling as we know it today wouldnrsquot exist Itrsquos all of you that make the trails happen the rules and legislation necessary for our protection and safety possible and the constant awareness of threats to our sport become front and center to those who donrsquot get involved

I have the pleasure to serve all of you as the President of the American Council of Snowmobile Association (ACSA) Chances are if yoursquore reading this you are involved at some level in snow-mobiling You most likely belong to your local club and in most cases as a result also belong to your State Association You then in turn again in most cases become affiliated with ACSA

We are the umbrella organization that monitors and watches out for your snowmobiling interests at a variety of levels We serve as watchdogs regarding continuous and ongoing threats to our sport and where we ride ACSA has over the years built and nurtured relationships with decision makers at the National Level in vari-ous areas of Government These relationships have proven to be invaluable when ldquoknowing the right peoplerdquo has been a critical part of favorable outcomes regarding potential closures to some of our favorite areas to ride

ACSA currently has one full time Executive Director and one part time office person The governance of ACSA is the responsibility of volunteers who serve for no other reason except for the fact that they love the sport of snowmobiling

The ACSA Board of Directors is made up of Delegates from each of our member Associations ACSA works closely with each state Association and the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association to stay on top of issues that arise and policies that could have a negative impact on our sport In addition ACSA has a close working relationship with the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations our sister entity in Canada

As many of you know each June snowmobilers get together at the International Snowmobile Congress (ISC) to network and together work on snowmobile related issues Many other snowmo-bile related organizations are also represented at Congress making it one of the most critical annual snowmobile events In June of 2015 we will gather in Niagara NY for the 2015 ISC Chances are your state delegate will attend and participate in this

I feel the most critical function of ACSA is organizing the Annual DC Fly-In Each spring delegates travel to Washington DC to get the latest updates from those in the know regarding snowmobil-ing Each Chapter of ACSA holds meetings we meet as the full ACSA Board and one full day of the trip each delegate visits their Congressional Delegates as a result of pre-arranged time slots by our ACSA staff This puts us face to face with the decision mak-ers or their staff to explain how critical our sport is to their statersquos economy and provide them with valuable up to date snowmobile information

Another critical function of ACSA is to provide financial support to defend ongoing and continuous legal challenges by various anti-snowmobile groups The ACSA Legal Defense Fund (LDF) was created many years ago to help with this financial support The LDF was revitalized a couple years ago as a result of a lawsuit filed against the United States Forest Service in Idaho Since that time snowmobilers everywhere have realized how critical this financial support is and have contributed to our ongoing legal financial needs I want to extend a sincere thank you to all the individuals clubs businesses and organizations who have contributed As a result of your support I strongly believe we continue to make a difference in the outcome of the legal challenges we face

Enjoy the rest of our favorite time of year be safe on the trails and continue to be Ambassadors for our sport Itrsquos because of you that our sport is strong and growing Letrsquos all help ensure that our chil-dren grandchildren and beyond are able to enjoy the beauty of winter missed by those who donrsquot snowmobile For further infor-mation visit wwwsnowmobilersorg

Duane Sutton President

American Council of Snowmobile Associations

Visit your nearest Yamaha dealer or Pro Yamaha dealer (in red) today For more Yamaha dealers visit yamaha-snowmobilescom

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daggerWhile installation of MPI Turbo Kit will not lsquovoidrsquo your snowmobilersquos warranty specific failures determined by Yamaha to have resulted from installation of kit components or other modification may not be covered by the Yamaha limited warranty or extended service coverage Dealer installation costs not included The warranty is a three year factory limited warranty See dealer for detailsOn approved credit See dealer for details $500 customer deposit required which will be applied to down payment Some conditions apply See your participating Yamaha dealer for complete details or visit Yamaha-motorcom Professional rider shown in controlled conditions

BACKCOUNTRY POWERSPORTS LLC735 EAST MOVIE RANCH ROAD

DUCK CREEK VILLAGE UTBACKCOUNTRYPOWERSPORTSLLCCOM

BIG PINE SPORTS INC340 N MILBURN RD

FAIRVIEW UTBIGPINESPORTSCOM

CACHE HONDA YAMAHA3765 N HIGHWAY 91

HYDE PARK UTCACHEHYCOM

CAREYS CYCLE CENTER INC4450 S 700 WRIVERDALE UT

CAREYSCYCLECOM

DICKrsquoS BOAT SHOP LLC601 E 700 S

CLEARFIELD UTDICKSBOATANDYAMAHACOM

ESCAPE MOTORSPORTS1480 N STATE ST

PROVO UTESCAPEMOTORSPORTSCOM

JORGENSENrsquoS INC980 S COVE VIEW RD

RICHFIELD UTJHSPORTCOM

PLAZA CYCLE1379 W 3300 S

SALT LAKE CITY UTPLAZACYCLECOM

PLAZA POWERSPORTS345 N MAIN STHEBER CITY UT

PLAZAPOWERSPORTSCOM

RENEGADE SPORTS OF CENTERVILLE LLC240 N FRONTAGE RD

CENTERVILLE UTRENEGADESPORTSUS

SOUTH VALLEY MOTORSPORTS11553 S STATE STREET

DRAPER UTSVMOTORSPORTSCOM

WELLER RECREATION INC2972 N 900 E

KAMAS UTWELLERRECCOM

8

GSSA NEWSby Jeff Eddings

Five Golden Spike Snowmobile Association members pitched in and rented Suttonrsquos Red Roof Cabin in Liberty Idaho over Martin Luther King weekend The snow and weather was

remarkably good and we were able to ride right from the cabin to the trailhead We explored the Copenhagen area on Saturday and the area north of Highway 36 on Sunday We were able to enjoy a nice breakfast before the ride and it was nice to come back to a warm comfortable cabin after a hard day of riding This area is one of my favorite areas to ride and if you get the opportunity you should plan on a stay at Suttonrsquos cabin Check there website out at httpwwwsuttonscabincom

Our next ride was our annual ride Eleven us made the trek up to Pine Idaho over Presidentrsquos Day weekend in the search of snow Unfortunately the snow in Pine wasnrsquot as good as we would have hoped Once we made our way up to the top of the Trinity Mountains there was some nice snow to be had just getting up to it could have been a lot better However the accommodations and hospitality of the people of Pine made up for the lack of snow We stayed at the Hayhurst Bed and Breakfast where Gary and Denise treated us just like family All I can say about thus place is Wow On Saturday we participated in the Idaho Snow Riders clubrsquos annual Poker Run that was a lot of fun to say the least We left from Featherville and made a trip over to Atlanta traversing some very beautiful scenery along the way When we reached Atlanta a Prime Rib dinner was awaiting us One of our members said he could smell it 5 miles down the trail If the riding and good com-pany wasnrsquot good enough one of our members one $200 in the Poker Run and another one a Keurig Coffee maker in the raffle On Sunday one of the Idaho Snow Riders guided us up a trail to an area

that is a considered a ldquoSnoWest Undisclosed Locationrdquo in one of their recent magazine articles When we got to the spot we were able to make out some very large wolf tracks that we have been hearing about all weekend long Although very cool they were eerie at the same time Something about seeing a 300 pound wolf approaching you sets wrong with me Overall we had a great weekend and this will be on the list of places to visit again Check out these websites if you get a chance httpwwwhayhurstbnbcom and httpwwwidahosnowriderscom

Our next club meeting will be on March 20th at 600 pm at the Dennyrsquos 1250 Washington Ave Ogden

As always the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association is looking for new members to join the club Joining an organized club is an excellent way to support the sport you love and a great way to meet new and exciting people There are many organizations that would love to see snowmobiling banished from the mountains and the areas we ride These organizations are well funded and have countless members Letrsquos not give these organizations the upper hand join a snowmobile club today

If you would like more information on the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association andor how to become a member please call me at 801-510-7791 or visit wwwridegssaorg

8

GSSA NEWSby Jeff Eddings

Five Golden Spike Snowmobile Association members pitched in and rented Suttonrsquos Red Roof Cabin in Liberty Idaho over Martin Luther King weekend The snow and weather was

remarkably good and we were able to ride right from the cabin to the trailhead We explored the Copenhagen area on Saturday and the area north of Highway 36 on Sunday We were able to enjoy a nice breakfast before the ride and it was nice to come back to a warm comfortable cabin after a hard day of riding This area is one of my favorite areas to ride and if you get the opportunity you should plan on a stay at Suttonrsquos cabin Check there website out at httpwwwsuttonscabincom

Our next ride was our annual ride Eleven us made the trek up to Pine Idaho over Presidentrsquos Day weekend in the search of snow Unfortunately the snow in Pine wasnrsquot as good as we would have hoped Once we made our way up to the top of the Trinity Mountains there was some nice snow to be had just getting up to it could have been a lot better However the accommodations and hospitality of the people of Pine made up for the lack of snow We stayed at the Hayhurst Bed and Breakfast where Gary and Denise treated us just like family All I can say about thus place is Wow On Saturday we participated in the Idaho Snow Riders clubrsquos annual Poker Run that was a lot of fun to say the least We left from Featherville and made a trip over to Atlanta traversing some very beautiful scenery along the way When we reached Atlanta a Prime Rib dinner was awaiting us One of our members said he could smell it 5 miles down the trail If the riding and good com-pany wasnrsquot good enough one of our members one $200 in the Poker Run and another one a Keurig Coffee maker in the raffle On Sunday one of the Idaho Snow Riders guided us up a trail to an area

that is a considered a ldquoSnoWest Undisclosed Locationrdquo in one of their recent magazine articles When we got to the spot we were able to make out some very large wolf tracks that we have been hearing about all weekend long Although very cool they were eerie at the same time Something about seeing a 300 pound wolf approaching you sets wrong with me Overall we had a great weekend and this will be on the list of places to visit again Check out these websites if you get a chance httpwwwhayhurstbnbcom and httpwwwidahosnowriderscom

Our next club meeting will be on March 20th at 600 pm at the Dennyrsquos 1250 Washington Ave Ogden

As always the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association is looking for new members to join the club Joining an organized club is an excellent way to support the sport you love and a great way to meet new and exciting people There are many organizations that would love to see snowmobiling banished from the mountains and the areas we ride These organizations are well funded and have countless members Letrsquos not give these organizations the upper hand join a snowmobile club today

If you would like more information on the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association andor how to become a member please call me at 801-510-7791 or visit wwwridegssaorg

SEE THE NEW 2016SNOWMOBILES LIVEMake plans now to attend a 2016 Manufacturersrsquo Sneak Peek near you and see next yearrsquos sleds now before anyone else Featuring new 2016 snowmobiles from Polaris Ski-Doo and Yamaha most shows are free and also feature new snowmobile accessorieslocal club and trail information and factory expertswith details on next yearrsquos sledsFOR MORE DATES LOCATIONS AND DETAILSVISIT SNOWSNEAKPEEKCOM

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ldquoWHAT HAS THE UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION DONE FOR MErdquo

The Utah Snowmobile Association (ldquoUSArdquo) is an all-vol-unteer organization for snowmobilers and others who are concerned about the future of our sport Snowmobiling

has been a part of Utahrsquos winter backcountry culture ever since the ldquosnow machinerdquo was first introduced It has lured many generations to the magical beauty of Utahrsquos extensive public lands but our form of recreation is under constant attack by the ill-informed and bias of those unwilling to share the public domain USA is all about connections and activism Here is a list of our accomplishments and ongoing activities

bull USA partners with the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ldquoACSArdquo) to combine the strength of 22 state associa-tions in defending public land access monitoring applicable Federal regulations supporting local challenges promoting snowmobile safety and generally championing snowmobiling as a family sport

bull We are actively involved in national and local issues affecting snowmobiling Examples include (1) hundreds of pages of written comments on Forest Plan Revisions (specifically Wasatch-Cache Uinta and Caribou National Forests) assisting in sustaining thou-sands of acres of snowmobiling that adversaries wanted closed (2) assisted in preserving substantial portions of the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin areas for snowmobiling that non-motorized users wanted closed (3) worked extensively on Travel Planning on the Manti-LaSal National Forest that could have ended in substantial closures in the FairviewGooseberry area (4) provided written comments on national regulations and issues such as the Roadless Area Rule Wilderness designations Yellowstone access Endangered Species Act reform RS2477 Rights-of-Ways EPA regulations Group permit regulations Winter

bull Travel Planning Rule Forest Service budgeting problems funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and HIPAA insurance regulations ndash to name a few (5) participated extensively in the win-ter trailhead plowing issues for the Strawberry area (6) actively commented to and met with UDOT regarding potential winter plowing of key snowmobile routes (Wolf Creek Pass Mirror Lake Highway Monte Cristo etc)

bull USA will actively participate in Winter Travel Planning that will be undertaken once the new rule is implemented by the Forest Service It will entail a time-consuming process of making sure we retain our snowmobiling opportunities on Forest Service public lands everywhere that has snow Adversaries will be working hard to elimi-nate snowmobiling or at a minimum reduce it to a designated-route experience

bull USA remains connected politically through participation in ACSArsquos annual ldquoWashington DC Fly-Inrdquo State snowmobile asso-ciations storm the hill in a lobbying effort to make sure our elected officials are aware of snowmobiler issues

bull USA keeps snowmobiling in a positive light by obtaining grant money for television features on the ldquoAt Your Leisurerdquo program Only state associations can apply for an annual ISMA (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association) Grant for critical projects pertinent to snowmobiling

bull USA is front-and-center on interface with other organizations such as BlueRibbon Coalition USA-ALL Utah Division of Parks amp Recreation Utah Avalanche Center and numerous county state and Federal agencies and offices regarding snowmobile issues

bull We send volunteer representatives to the annual International Snowmobile Congress which is the largest gathering of snowmo-bile interests of its kind Participants from 22 US state snowmobile associations 12 Canadian provincial and territorial associations Sweden and Russia meet to discuss problems and solutions to issues affecting snowmobiling In fact USA hosted this event in Salt Lake City for the June 2005 ISC

bull USA works closely with the Colorado Idaho and Wyoming associ-ations on common snowmobile issues since these states have similar problems and opportunities for effective solutions

bull USA was instrumental in support of the Utah Avalanche Centerrsquos effort to develop an avalanche awareness video specific for snowmo-bilers Titled ldquoKnowledge is Powderrdquo the 9-minute production is available for viewing online at httpvimeocom113677686 We believe it will entice riders to get more educated on avalanches in an effort to save lives We had previously helped to fund the develop-ment of the ldquoKnow Before You Gordquo program that was and continues to be a tremendous success in avalanche education

bull By partnering with SnoWest Magazine USA hosts the annual Snow Show in Salt Lake City which brings together literally every-thing imaginable in providing products and services to snowmobilers Attendance normally peaks over 5000 people and over 100 booths

bull USA builds critical financial reserves for legal funds that may be necessary from time to time in defending access or legislation import-ant to snowmobilers

bull USA maintains the wwwsnowutcom website that helps commu-nicate everything from grooming to club activities to avalanche forecasts to riding areas and to current issues Incorporated into this website is the electronic publication of the ldquoSnow Scooprdquo that brings items of interest to riders during the current winter season

10

ldquoWHAT HAS THE UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION DONE FOR MErdquo

The Utah Snowmobile Association (ldquoUSArdquo) is an all-vol-unteer organization for snowmobilers and others who are concerned about the future of our sport Snowmobiling

has been a part of Utahrsquos winter backcountry culture ever since the ldquosnow machinerdquo was first introduced It has lured many generations to the magical beauty of Utahrsquos extensive public lands but our form of recreation is under constant attack by the ill-informed and bias of those unwilling to share the public domain USA is all about connections and activism Here is a list of our accomplishments and ongoing activities

bull USA partners with the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ldquoACSArdquo) to combine the strength of 22 state associa-tions in defending public land access monitoring applicable Federal regulations supporting local challenges promoting snowmobile safety and generally championing snowmobiling as a family sport

bull We are actively involved in national and local issues affecting snowmobiling Examples include (1) hundreds of pages of written comments on Forest Plan Revisions (specifically Wasatch-Cache Uinta and Caribou National Forests) assisting in sustaining thou-sands of acres of snowmobiling that adversaries wanted closed (2) assisted in preserving substantial portions of the Tony Grove and Franklin Basin areas for snowmobiling that non-motorized users wanted closed (3) worked extensively on Travel Planning on the Manti-LaSal National Forest that could have ended in substantial closures in the FairviewGooseberry area (4) provided written comments on national regulations and issues such as the Roadless Area Rule Wilderness designations Yellowstone access Endangered Species Act reform RS2477 Rights-of-Ways EPA regulations Group permit regulations Winter

bull Travel Planning Rule Forest Service budgeting problems funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and HIPAA insurance regulations ndash to name a few (5) participated extensively in the win-ter trailhead plowing issues for the Strawberry area (6) actively commented to and met with UDOT regarding potential winter plowing of key snowmobile routes (Wolf Creek Pass Mirror Lake Highway Monte Cristo etc)

bull USA will actively participate in Winter Travel Planning that will be undertaken once the new rule is implemented by the Forest Service It will entail a time-consuming process of making sure we retain our snowmobiling opportunities on Forest Service public lands everywhere that has snow Adversaries will be working hard to elimi-nate snowmobiling or at a minimum reduce it to a designated-route experience

bull USA remains connected politically through participation in ACSArsquos annual ldquoWashington DC Fly-Inrdquo State snowmobile asso-ciations storm the hill in a lobbying effort to make sure our elected officials are aware of snowmobiler issues

bull USA keeps snowmobiling in a positive light by obtaining grant money for television features on the ldquoAt Your Leisurerdquo program Only state associations can apply for an annual ISMA (International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association) Grant for critical projects pertinent to snowmobiling

bull USA is front-and-center on interface with other organizations such as BlueRibbon Coalition USA-ALL Utah Division of Parks amp Recreation Utah Avalanche Center and numerous county state and Federal agencies and offices regarding snowmobile issues

bull We send volunteer representatives to the annual International Snowmobile Congress which is the largest gathering of snowmo-bile interests of its kind Participants from 22 US state snowmobile associations 12 Canadian provincial and territorial associations Sweden and Russia meet to discuss problems and solutions to issues affecting snowmobiling In fact USA hosted this event in Salt Lake City for the June 2005 ISC

bull USA works closely with the Colorado Idaho and Wyoming associ-ations on common snowmobile issues since these states have similar problems and opportunities for effective solutions

bull USA was instrumental in support of the Utah Avalanche Centerrsquos effort to develop an avalanche awareness video specific for snowmo-bilers Titled ldquoKnowledge is Powderrdquo the 9-minute production is available for viewing online at httpvimeocom113677686 We believe it will entice riders to get more educated on avalanches in an effort to save lives We had previously helped to fund the develop-ment of the ldquoKnow Before You Gordquo program that was and continues to be a tremendous success in avalanche education

bull By partnering with SnoWest Magazine USA hosts the annual Snow Show in Salt Lake City which brings together literally every-thing imaginable in providing products and services to snowmobilers Attendance normally peaks over 5000 people and over 100 booths

bull USA builds critical financial reserves for legal funds that may be necessary from time to time in defending access or legislation import-ant to snowmobilers

bull USA maintains the wwwsnowutcom website that helps commu-nicate everything from grooming to club activities to avalanche forecasts to riding areas and to current issues Incorporated into this website is the electronic publication of the ldquoSnow Scooprdquo that brings items of interest to riders during the current winter season

10

FINAL SNOWMOBILE ACCESS RULE IS RELEASED BY US FOREST SERVICE

On January 28 2015 the US Forest Service (FS) released its final rule establishing a process that will determine where snowmobilers are allowed to ride on national for-

est public lands The new regulation is a direct result of a decision by an Idaho federal judge in March 2013 ruling the 2005 Travel Management Rule violated certain Executive Orders by not mandating that land managers determine where and when over-the-snow-vehicle (ie snowmobile) use can occur on national forest lands Essentially the Judge ruled in favor of Winter Wildlands Alliance (WWA) in their 2011 lawsuit against the FS wherein WWA believed that snowmobiles should not be exempt from the 2005 Travel Management Rule which dictated a designated route process for summer motorized rubber-tired recreation

Fortunately particularly for the western rider the FS does recognize the inherent differences between summer and winter motorized recreation and is not eliminating the opportunity for cross coun-try snowmobile travel However it will take a major participation effort on the part of the snowmobile community to work through the new regulatory process to sustain our riding privileges on FS public lands Here is a thumbnail sketch of the key requirements of the new Winter Travel Planning Rule

The Rule is effective February 27 2015

FS units or Districts that have completed snowmobile use desig-nations under other authorities and including public involvement do not have to revisit those decisions but they do have to develop a snowmobile use map

Other FS units or Districts do not have a predetermined deadline to fulfill implementation of the final Rule but must act expeditiously

The Rule recognizes it may be appropriate to designate areas for cross-country snowmobile use so the new rule exempts snowmo-biles from the statement that in most cases an area will be much smaller than a Ranger District

The key framework of the Rule mandates that Responsible Officials must determine (where snowfall is adequate) by class of vehi-cle and time of year where snowmobile use is allowed This step must involve widespread public participation Then a map must be developed showing the trails routes and areas where such use can occur (and if applicable the class of vehicle and time of year)

Until the snowmobile designation process is complete existing snowmobile travel management policies restrictions and orders remain in effect

Once the snowmobile designation process is complete (inclusive of map development) it will be unlawful to possess or operate a snowmobile outside of those designations Certain administrative exemptions do apply

The Rule indicates the FS will develop standards for a snowmobile use map and make changes to its handbook on guidance for con-sistency in content and use of standard symbols for signs

You can view the entire Rule at httpwwwgpogovfdsyspkgFR-2015-01-28pdf2015-01573pdf

The Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) plans to actively par-ticipate in the implementation of the new Winter Travel Planning Rule where it is determined by the FS units that such Rule has not already previously been met However it will take the grass-roots participation of all riders to get involved in the areas they know best and that are important to their snowmobile experience

At this point USA is not certain which National Forests (or spe-cific Ranger Districts) within Utah will be required to undergo the lengthy planning process Our radar screen will be watching over Ashley Dixie Fishlake Manti-LaSal Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Caribou-Targhee National Forests to see where the cards fall We will do our very best to keep Utah riders informed of the process but we need your help to make sure we do not miss an opportu-nity Our public lands volunteer Curt Kennedy would welcome any input and can be reached at ccklpkgmailcom

11

Utah State Parks

YOUR SNOWMOBILE BASE CAMPALPINE WYOMING

877-772-4422

Hotel amp Cabins - Indoor Pool amp Hot TubSteak and Seafood RestaurantWestern Sports BarSnowmobile Rental Available7 Quiet Acres on the Snake River 35 miles south of Jackson HoleThe Flying Saddle Resort Wyomingrsquos only full-service year round resort located on the banks of the Snake River Our peaceful setting surrounded by spectacular mountains allows direct access to 337+ miles of groomed snowmobile trails - making us the perfect choice for your next vacation Call today to schedule your reservation

FLYINGSADDLERESORTCOMhighways 89 amp 26 | 307-654-4422

Top 4 Snowmobile Destination SnoWest

13

WELLER RECREATION ndash A STRONG PARTNERRetaining the opportunity to enjoy snowmobiling is really all about strong partnerships In Utah we are very fortunate to have good support from a very important pool ranging from dealers to after-market suppliers to lodging providers to local government and every-where in between Without question Weller Recreation is one of those critical partners that help USA help the snowmobile community

On November 28th and 29th Weller Recreation had their grand opening for a new state-of-the-art facility that has been many years in the making It was a very successful and a great kick-off to the winter season Located at 936 West 200 South SR 248 just on the edge of Kamas the Weller team can provide everything imaginable for the snowmobiler and ATV enthusiast

It is important to note that over the years Weller Recreation has provided auction items loaner sleds and other in-kind support that helps USA and other organizations sustain quality and safe snowmobiling throughout Utah This winter season alone Weller Recreation (in partnership with Bombardier Recreational Products) has donated loaner sleds to various organizations that include Wasatch County Search amp Rescue Summit County Search amp Rescue Duchesne County Search amp Rescue the Utah Avalanche Center and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources These were not run-of-the-mill snowmobiles and included Ski-Doo Summit 800 SPrsquos and one Expedition 1200 LE

USA contacted Weller Recreation for their help in providing two loaner sleds for the upcoming USA Members Ride scheduled for January 31 We needed sleds for a special guest Congressman Jason Chaffetz who accepted our invitation to participate on the ride Weller Recreation was more than willing to step up to the plate

All of these examples of support go a long way toward keeping snowmobiling alive In turn we as snowmobilers need to support Weller Recreation and all other businesses and organizations that go out of their way to help the snowmobile community Tell them that you and USA truly appreciates their effort

14

USA SCHOLARSHIPby Stacey Eddings Awards amp Charities USAThe Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) will be offering a schol-arship to either a graduating high school senior or an individual currently enrolled in college This will be a $1000 grant and will be given to the winner regardless of other grants or scholarships that the student may also receive Requirements are as follows

1 Applicant must be a member of the Utah Snowmobile Association

2 Applicant must submit the completed application form

3 Applicant must submit a reacutesumeacute detailing his or her involvement in snowmobiling as well as extra-curricular activities

4 Applicant must include an essay on ldquoYou have been asked by your state snowmobile association to meet with your state rep-resentative at the state capital to talk about snowmobiling You have a fifteen minute appointment to emphasize snowmobiling and its related issues What three points or issues would you emphasize with them and why did you pick these three pointsrdquo

5 The application must be received by USA by April 1st 2015

Application and requirements are to be mailed or e-mailed to

Utah Snowmobile AssociationCo Stacey Eddings2645 East 7800 SouthSouth Weber UT 84405Utahsnowscoopyahoocom

The winner of the USA scholarship will be announced at USArsquos Annual Convention in April 2015

Additionally the winner of the USA Scholarship will have their application submitted to the American Council of Snowmobile Associations Western Chapter Scholarship contest The winner of this scholarship will be announced at the International Snowmobile Congress in June 2015 in Niagara Falls New York and will receive an additional cash prize Funding for the USA Scholarship comes from fundraising projects at the Intermountain Snowmobile Show Funding for the Western Chapter Scholarship comes from financial support of member organizations and donations received through-out the year The scholarship application can also be found on wwwsnowutcom

13

WELLER RECREATION ndash A STRONG PARTNERRetaining the opportunity to enjoy snowmobiling is really all about strong partnerships In Utah we are very fortunate to have good support from a very important pool ranging from dealers to after-market suppliers to lodging providers to local government and every-where in between Without question Weller Recreation is one of those critical partners that help USA help the snowmobile community

On November 28th and 29th Weller Recreation had their grand opening for a new state-of-the-art facility that has been many years in the making It was a very successful and a great kick-off to the winter season Located at 936 West 200 South SR 248 just on the edge of Kamas the Weller team can provide everything imaginable for the snowmobiler and ATV enthusiast

It is important to note that over the years Weller Recreation has provided auction items loaner sleds and other in-kind support that helps USA and other organizations sustain quality and safe snowmobiling throughout Utah This winter season alone Weller Recreation (in partnership with Bombardier Recreational Products) has donated loaner sleds to various organizations that include Wasatch County Search amp Rescue Summit County Search amp Rescue Duchesne County Search amp Rescue the Utah Avalanche Center and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources These were not run-of-the-mill snowmobiles and included Ski-Doo Summit 800 SPrsquos and one Expedition 1200 LE

USA contacted Weller Recreation for their help in providing two loaner sleds for the upcoming USA Members Ride scheduled for January 31 We needed sleds for a special guest Congressman Jason Chaffetz who accepted our invitation to participate on the ride Weller Recreation was more than willing to step up to the plate

All of these examples of support go a long way toward keeping snowmobiling alive In turn we as snowmobilers need to support Weller Recreation and all other businesses and organizations that go out of their way to help the snowmobile community Tell them that you and USA truly appreciates their effort

14

USA SCHOLARSHIPby Stacey Eddings Awards amp Charities USAThe Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) will be offering a schol-arship to either a graduating high school senior or an individual currently enrolled in college This will be a $1000 grant and will be given to the winner regardless of other grants or scholarships that the student may also receive Requirements are as follows

1 Applicant must be a member of the Utah Snowmobile Association

2 Applicant must submit the completed application form

3 Applicant must submit a reacutesumeacute detailing his or her involvement in snowmobiling as well as extra-curricular activities

4 Applicant must include an essay on ldquoYou have been asked by your state snowmobile association to meet with your state rep-resentative at the state capital to talk about snowmobiling You have a fifteen minute appointment to emphasize snowmobiling and its related issues What three points or issues would you emphasize with them and why did you pick these three pointsrdquo

5 The application must be received by USA by April 1st 2015

Application and requirements are to be mailed or e-mailed to

Utah Snowmobile AssociationCo Stacey Eddings2645 East 7800 SouthSouth Weber UT 84405Utahsnowscoopyahoocom

The winner of the USA scholarship will be announced at USArsquos Annual Convention in April 2015

Additionally the winner of the USA Scholarship will have their application submitted to the American Council of Snowmobile Associations Western Chapter Scholarship contest The winner of this scholarship will be announced at the International Snowmobile Congress in June 2015 in Niagara Falls New York and will receive an additional cash prize Funding for the USA Scholarship comes from fundraising projects at the Intermountain Snowmobile Show Funding for the Western Chapter Scholarship comes from financial support of member organizations and donations received through-out the year The scholarship application can also be found on wwwsnowutcom

14

USA SCHOLARSHIPby Stacey Eddings Awards amp Charities USAThe Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) will be offering a schol-arship to either a graduating high school senior or an individual currently enrolled in college This will be a $1000 grant and will be given to the winner regardless of other grants or scholarships that the student may also receive Requirements are as follows

1 Applicant must be a member of the Utah Snowmobile Association

2 Applicant must submit the completed application form

3 Applicant must submit a reacutesumeacute detailing his or her involvement in snowmobiling as well as extra-curricular activities

4 Applicant must include an essay on ldquoYou have been asked by your state snowmobile association to meet with your state rep-resentative at the state capital to talk about snowmobiling You have a fifteen minute appointment to emphasize snowmobiling and its related issues What three points or issues would you emphasize with them and why did you pick these three pointsrdquo

5 The application must be received by USA by April 1st 2015

Application and requirements are to be mailed or e-mailed to

Utah Snowmobile AssociationCo Stacey Eddings2645 East 7800 SouthSouth Weber UT 84405Utahsnowscoopyahoocom

The winner of the USA scholarship will be announced at USArsquos Annual Convention in April 2015

Additionally the winner of the USA Scholarship will have their application submitted to the American Council of Snowmobile Associations Western Chapter Scholarship contest The winner of this scholarship will be announced at the International Snowmobile Congress in June 2015 in Niagara Falls New York and will receive an additional cash prize Funding for the USA Scholarship comes from fundraising projects at the Intermountain Snowmobile Show Funding for the Western Chapter Scholarship comes from financial support of member organizations and donations received through-out the year The scholarship application can also be found on wwwsnowutcom

Working hard to support the snowmobiling communitybull Keepingtrailsopenanddevelopingnewtrailsbull Supportingtrailgroomingbull Initiatingandsupportinglawsuitsthatthreatenaccessbull Encouragingsnowmobilerparticipationinclubsandassociationsbull Promotingsnowmobilingasafamilyactivitybull ProvidingsafetyawarenessandeducationthroughtheSafeRidersprogram

Agreatpartnershipforthesnowmobilingcommunity

ldquoGSSA RIDERS AT AN UNDISCLOSED GSSA RIDING AREArdquo

LETrsquoS CELEBRATECelebrate your members youth and dealers The Utah Snowmobile Association recognizes six different individualgroups each year for their efforts during the year These efforts are not nec-essarily tied to just snowmobiling The categories are

Snowmobiler of the Year

Snowmobile Family of the Year

Youth Snowmobiler of the Year

Snowmobile Club of the Year

Snowmobile Dealer of the Year

Groomer of the Year

Anyone can make a nomination however the nominees for snow-mobiler youth snowmobiler family of the year and club of the year must be members of the Utah Snowmobile Association Visit httpsnowutcomawards for more information Mail the com-pleted form to the address listed below by April 1 2015

Utah Snowmobile Associationco Stacey Eddings2645 East 7800 SouthSouth Weber UT 84405

USA MISSIONldquoTo promote protect and defend safe and responsible snowmobile use now and for future generations We are the Utah Snowmobile Associationrdquo

Our Core Values and Beliefs

A template for what snowmobiling is really all about in Utah

ldquoOur core values and beliefs are very simple We support multi-ple uses of public lands sharing of this privilege environmental stewardship education safety in the backcountry and overall accountability that contributes toward our goal for fun mental physical and social benefitsrdquo

ACCESS + SAFETY + EDUCATION+ ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

+ SHARING

RESULTS IN FUN MENTAL PHYSICALAND SOCIAL BENEFITS

ACCOUNTABILITY

LETrsquoS CELEBRATECelebrate your members youth and dealers The Utah Snowmobile Association recognizes six different individualgroups each year for their efforts during the year These efforts are not nec-essarily tied to just snowmobiling The categories are

Snowmobiler of the Year

Snowmobile Family of the Year

Youth Snowmobiler of the Year

Snowmobile Club of the Year

Snowmobile Dealer of the Year

Groomer of the Year

Anyone can make a nomination however the nominees for snow-mobiler youth snowmobiler family of the year and club of the year must be members of the Utah Snowmobile Association Visit httpsnowutcomawards for more information Mail the com-pleted form to the address listed below by April 1 2015

Utah Snowmobile Associationco Stacey Eddings2645 East 7800 SouthSouth Weber UT 84405

USA MISSIONldquoTo promote protect and defend safe and responsible snowmobile use now and for future generations We are the Utah Snowmobile Associationrdquo

Our Core Values and Beliefs

A template for what snowmobiling is really all about in Utah

ldquoOur core values and beliefs are very simple We support multi-ple uses of public lands sharing of this privilege environmental stewardship education safety in the backcountry and overall accountability that contributes toward our goal for fun mental physical and social benefitsrdquo

ACCESS + SAFETY + EDUCATION+ ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

+ SHARING

RESULTS IN FUN MENTAL PHYSICALAND SOCIAL BENEFITS

ACCOUNTABILITY

Press Release

GO SNOWMOBILINGTAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING CAMPAIGN EXPANDS ON FACEBOOK AND ON THE WEB

HASLETT MI February 19 2015 The Take a Friend Snowmobiling Week proved to be a great success Clubs groups and Associations across North America held fun

rides military rides Political rides and just had fun snowmobiling with friends Following the designated week many individuals are planning additional rides with new and old friends alike There is still a good bit of winter ahead of us and the trails and riding areas in many areas are in phenomenal shape Remember too that this time of year the daylight is getting little longer and provides slightly warmer temperatures for our riding comfort

The Take a Friend ride that I participated in highlighted again for me the WOW factor and the pure enjoyment that people have on a snowmobile I rode with a number of first time snowmobilers and they couldnrsquot quit talking about how much fun it was and how they couldnrsquot wait to do it again Thankfully I was well prepared for the ride and made sure that my guests were well dressed and comfortable I have been fortunate to have snowmobiled with the Intrepid Snowmobiler ndash Craig Nicholson Craig recently wrote an article on ldquohow to shape your friendsrsquo experience to help determine if snowmobiling wins over another convertrdquo Craigrsquos article hit the nail on the head when he stated that the first thing to remember is ldquoYour friend is not experienced Keep the ride slow short and simple Chances are that your normal ride would seem like a mar-athon to an uninitiated friendrdquo A few well put words from Craig go a long way when introducing your friends to snowmobiling As

Craig highlights to me ldquoDonrsquot show off or push the envelope or challenge your friend beyond their capabilities or comfort zone Remember yoursquore the one that snowmobiles and understands hisher machine Let your friend enjoy the day Go slow make it short make it simple and by the wayhellipit always helps to feed them wellrdquo

The Go SnowmobilingTake a Friend Snowmobiling campaign continues to expand with new additions to the Go Snowmobiling Web site The Safe Riders 22 minute safety video is now available on YouTube and can be accessed through the Go Snowmobiling Web site at httpwwwgosnowmobilingorgsnowmobiling-re-sourceshtmlInstructionalVideo or the ISMA Web site at httpwwwsnowmobileorgsnowmobilesafetyasp This is a great tool when introducing a friend to snowmobiling to help make your ride more enjoyable

If you ldquoLIKErdquo our Facebook page wwwfacebookcomGoSnowmobiling you may notice that more snowmobilers are posting their pictures and their experiences to our page We have over 7500 friends who visit our page regularly and it is common for our fun and informative posts to be forwarded to thousands of snowmobile enthusiasts A new addition to the Facebook page (wwwfacebookcomGoSnowmobilingapp_190322544333196) and Go Snowmobiling web site (wwwgosnowmobilingorgsnow-mobiler-surveyhtml) is a short general survey through Survey Monkey We ask that everyone visiting our Facebook page take this short 10 question survey (and if you havenrsquot done so yet ldquoLIKErdquo our page wwwfacebookcomGoSnowmobiling) This survey helps us to better understand the needs of snowmobilers enabling us to develop programs that will benefit all of us and help us expand the trail systems and riding areas

Remember that the Take a Friend Snowmobiling contest runs until March 31 2015 Applications to win the contest are available on the web site Contest applications are due by April 30 2015

We look forward to many more late winter rides this year as it appears the ground hog was correct and winter will be with us for a while longer

17

TAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING EVENT

18

WASATCH MOUNTAIN STATE PARKYOUR BACK OF THE WASATCH 4 SEASON PLAY GROUNDby Drew Patterson (Park Ranger)

Wasatch Mountain State Park is a short 30-40 minutes from the Wasatch Front making it a great year round weekday or weekend destination attraction for many Wasatch Mtn has about any type of outdoor recreation opportunity to appeal to most everyone other than boating but thatrsquos ok even that is within a 10 minute drive of the park at Deer Creek or

Jordanelle State Parks

In the winter months Wasatch Mtn grooms approximately 70 miles of snowmobile trails throughout the park and on the Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Three trailheads are found on the park with an additional 4 trailheads providing access to these trails along the Wasatch Front

Wasatch also has x-country skiing and snow shoeing opportunities on groomed trails located at Wasatch Mtn golf course and Soldier Hollow home of the 2002 Winter Olympics X-country venue There are also plenty of other trails not groomed throughout the park to enjoy as well

In the warmer months the opportunities are endless With over 90 miles of Off-highway Vehicle (OHV) trails between the park and surrounding Forest Service and an additional 40 single track motorcycle trails this is a very popular place to ride some of the most beautiful roads and trails just minutes from the bulk of Utahrsquos population Access to these trails are from the Cascade Springs trail-head at Soldier Hollow or the Mill Flat Trailhead in Snake Creek Canyon Ride maps are available on the State Park website or at the Wasatch Mtn Visitor Center

Wasatch Mtn has two campgrounds providing over 140 campsites Pine Creek Campground our biggest site is located near the park headquarters Little Deer Creek campground is located 8 miles from Soldier Hollow and is a small campground with limited amenities and is more secluded Both are beautiful places to stay Little Deer Creek allows for ATV use inout of the campground Pine Creek up until now hasnrsquot allowed that but is in the process of creating a trail for riders to come and go from

If you need more space for larger groups we have several group use areas to choose from The most popular is the Chalet which comes with a country style indoor cooking dining facility and a large grass area outside The Soldier Hollow group area and Miners Retreat areas have trailer hook ups tent areas and pavilions available The Harvest group site is a secluded area along Snake Creek that has trailer hookups and tent area Reservations are made online at stateparksutahgov The pine creek campground also has two cabins which each sleep 6 available for rental If you donrsquot want to haul your trailer up and down the canyon the park now offers an RVTrailer storage yard

Other Spring Summer and Fall opportunities at Wasatch Mtn State Park include our famous golf courses Wasatch Mtn and Soldier Hollow golf courses both offer 72 holes of golf These courses have received numerous awards over the years and are some of the most popular courses in the State Yoursquoll want to book your T-times quick as they fill up fast

Our Dutch Canyon area is a non-motorized area which has miles and miles of mtn biking trails and more being built throughout the park as we speak These trails are also open to hiking and equestrian use A trailhead provides parking and a restroom Access to our new WOW (Wasatch over Wasatch) trail which is in the process of being built now is available from Dutch Canyon trailhead or from several trailheads which will be located in Pine Canyon These trails will eventually connect with trails in Summit County (check with the park for updates on this as it is being built now)

At the Visitor Center families can spend a sunny day with a picnic and letting the kidrsquos fish in our community pond which is stocked with trout on a regular basis throughout the summer months The park naturalist hosts programs throughout the park all summer long You can call the park for information on programs and availability In the fall the historic Huber Grove is filled with 100 year old apple trees We hold an annual apple picking harvest every year where people can pay for a bushel and equipment is provided to harvest these apples This is a fun family outing

Come to Wasatch Mtn State Park and play hard relax or both There is something for everyone

Wasatch Mtn Visitor Center 435-654-1791 Open 7 days a week 8-5PM

19

WASATCH MOUNTAIN STATE PARKYOUR BACK OF THE WASATCH 4 SEASON PLAY GROUNDby Drew Patterson (Park Ranger)

Wasatch Mountain State Park is a short 30-40 minutes from the Wasatch Front making it a great year round weekday or weekend destination attraction for many Wasatch Mtn has about any type of outdoor recreation opportunity to appeal to most everyone other than boating but thatrsquos ok even that is within a 10 minute drive of the park at Deer Creek or

Jordanelle State Parks

In the winter months Wasatch Mtn grooms approximately 70 miles of snowmobile trails throughout the park and on the Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Three trailheads are found on the park with an additional 4 trailheads providing access to these trails along the Wasatch Front

Wasatch also has x-country skiing and snow shoeing opportunities on groomed trails located at Wasatch Mtn golf course and Soldier Hollow home of the 2002 Winter Olympics X-country venue There are also plenty of other trails not groomed throughout the park to enjoy as well

In the warmer months the opportunities are endless With over 90 miles of Off-highway Vehicle (OHV) trails between the park and surrounding Forest Service and an additional 40 single track motorcycle trails this is a very popular place to ride some of the most beautiful roads and trails just minutes from the bulk of Utahrsquos population Access to these trails are from the Cascade Springs trail-head at Soldier Hollow or the Mill Flat Trailhead in Snake Creek Canyon Ride maps are available on the State Park website or at the Wasatch Mtn Visitor Center

Wasatch Mtn has two campgrounds providing over 140 campsites Pine Creek Campground our biggest site is located near the park headquarters Little Deer Creek campground is located 8 miles from Soldier Hollow and is a small campground with limited amenities and is more secluded Both are beautiful places to stay Little Deer Creek allows for ATV use inout of the campground Pine Creek up until now hasnrsquot allowed that but is in the process of creating a trail for riders to come and go from

If you need more space for larger groups we have several group use areas to choose from The most popular is the Chalet which comes with a country style indoor cooking dining facility and a large grass area outside The Soldier Hollow group area and Miners Retreat areas have trailer hook ups tent areas and pavilions available The Harvest group site is a secluded area along Snake Creek that has trailer hookups and tent area Reservations are made online at stateparksutahgov The pine creek campground also has two cabins which each sleep 6 available for rental If you donrsquot want to haul your trailer up and down the canyon the park now offers an RVTrailer storage yard

Other Spring Summer and Fall opportunities at Wasatch Mtn State Park include our famous golf courses Wasatch Mtn and Soldier Hollow golf courses both offer 72 holes of golf These courses have received numerous awards over the years and are some of the most popular courses in the State Yoursquoll want to book your T-times quick as they fill up fast

Our Dutch Canyon area is a non-motorized area which has miles and miles of mtn biking trails and more being built throughout the park as we speak These trails are also open to hiking and equestrian use A trailhead provides parking and a restroom Access to our new WOW (Wasatch over Wasatch) trail which is in the process of being built now is available from Dutch Canyon trailhead or from several trailheads which will be located in Pine Canyon These trails will eventually connect with trails in Summit County (check with the park for updates on this as it is being built now)

At the Visitor Center families can spend a sunny day with a picnic and letting the kidrsquos fish in our community pond which is stocked with trout on a regular basis throughout the summer months The park naturalist hosts programs throughout the park all summer long You can call the park for information on programs and availability In the fall the historic Huber Grove is filled with 100 year old apple trees We hold an annual apple picking harvest every year where people can pay for a bushel and equipment is provided to harvest these apples This is a fun family outing

Come to Wasatch Mtn State Park and play hard relax or both There is something for everyone

Wasatch Mtn Visitor Center 435-654-1791 Open 7 days a week 8-5PM

19

US FOREST SERVICE RELEASES FINAL SNOWMOBILE RULEJanuary 28 2015The US Forest Service today published a final rule that will regulate when and where over-snow vehicles (snowmobiles) can be used on national forest lands

The final rule which will take effect in about a month will ldquoprovide a wide range of motorized and non-motorized recreational opportu-nitiesrdquo said US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell ldquoThis policy maintains community input and local decision-making so that those with knowledge of local areas can decide how to best balance natural resource issues with legitimate recreational uses of national forest landrdquo

The Travel Management Rule established in 2005 adopted a system in which local forest managers designated trails routes and areas in which off-highway vehicle use was allowed or prohibited Because snowmobile tracks melt with the snow whether to use this spe-cific regulatory system to manage over-snow vehicles was at the discretion of the land manager In March 2013 an Idaho federal judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by the Winter Wildlands Alliance filed in November 2011 requiring the Forest Service to conduct more analysis

The American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) and the Idaho State Snowmobile Association with substantial support from the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) appealed the decision against the Forest Service This appeal is currently ongoing Blue Ribbon Coalition is also listed as a participant in the appeal

The proposed rule was published on June 18 2014 and the Forest Service received and analyzed thousands of comments that were received during the comment period Along with ACSA ISMA and the other participants in the appeal filed detailed public com-ments Based on its findings the Forest Service issued the final rule The final rule will now require that each Forest Service unit andor ranger district which has adequate snowfall to support OSV use develop an OSV Plan that decides which routes trails and areas should be open to snowmobiling unless the unit already has such a Plan in place

This Rule will provide consistency in how over-snow vehicle use is allowed by requiring the publication of maps designating trails routes and areas where snowmobiles are allowed Those forests that have already made decisions on OSV use with public involve-ment will not be required to go through that process again and current use may continue unless the unit chooses to reopen its prior decision Thus a substantial number of Forests will not be required to go through this process again

For those Forests that must conduct proceedings to designate trails routes and areas as open or closed to snowmobile use current use is protected on an interim basis while the unit conducts the proceeding The Final Rule explains

ldquoUntil designation for a unit or District are complete and an OSV use map indentifying those designations is published existing OSV travel management policies restrictions and orders remain in effect Use of NFS roads NFS trails and areas on NFS lands consistent with current OSV travel management decisions and management objectives may continuerdquo

The Rule provides for the creation of over-snow vehicle use maps It also modifies the definition for an ldquoareardquo to encompass over-snow vehicle use over a broader landscape The Forest Service explains that this recognizes that cross-country snowmobile use may be appro-priate in areas in which cross-country use by wheeled off-highway vehicles would not be appropriate

ldquoSnowmobilers have participated in Forest Service planning for decades Unfortunately it seems every time a Forest Service Plan is updated snowmobilers lose trails and accessrdquo said ACSA President Duane Sutton ldquoWith this new rule snowmobilers must maintain their diligence in attending these meetings and participating in the planning process Our participation is more important now than everrdquo

The American Council of Snowmobile Association is very appreciative of the input and financial support from individual snowmo-bilers snowmobile clubs state associations and businesses throughout this process ACSA looks forward to working with all of those individuals and organizations in the implementation of this Rule

To view the entire Final Rule see httpwwwgpogovfdsyspkgFR-2015-01-28pdf2015-01573pdf

If you have any questions please contact the ACSA office

American Council of Snowmobile Associations271 Woodland Pass East Lansing MI 488235173514362 wwwsnowmobilersorg 20

ANNOUNCEMENTSLook to this section for future announcements

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WHY ADVERTISE IN THE SNOW SCOOP

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BECAUSE ITrsquoS PROFITABLE

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JOIN THE UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Utah Snowmobile Association Represents ALL Snowmobilers in Utah by

bull Maintaining amp expanding trailheads bull Working to protect land access

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bull Maintaining website wwwsnowutcomMembership Includes

bull Free ADampD Life Insurance bull Six Issues of the ldquoSnow Scooprdquo E-Newsletter

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bull Updates on critical Issues bull Club InformationContacts

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