Getaway Guide - American Snowmobiler Magazine

Other sites to see include the
frozen draperies in the ice cave west of
Deerfield, frozen Roughlock Falls, the
trails around Spearfish Canyon (which
is recognized as one of the premiere
natural landscapes in America), plus
the Mickelson and Needle trails in the
Beartooth area.
Helpful Sites
South Dakota Snowmobile Association:
www.itctel.com/sdsa
Snowmobiling in S.D.:
www.sdgfp.info/parks/Recreation/Snowmobiling
S.D. Department of Motor Vehicles:
www.state.sd.us/drr2/motorvehicle/title/register.
htm#Snowmobiles
S.D. Tourism: www.travelsd.com
Getaway Guide
WEST
Colorado • Wyoming • Montana
Utah • Idaho • California • Oregon
Washington • Alaska
Colorado:
Have you ever wondered
what it would be like to
feel 10-feet of thick snow
under your feet while getting a sun
tan on your snowmobile? You can find
out in Colorado, where the snow lasts
longer than in most places in North
America!
For the mountain rider in you,
check out the “Snowmobile Capital
of Colorado,” Grand Lake, where
snowmobiles are even allowed on city
streets. There are more than 300 miles
of trails, 150 of which are groomed.
The city is known as the gateway to
Rocky Mountain National Park as it
is located on the park’s western end.
Trail Ridge Road covers 48 miles
between Grand Lake and Estes Park,
climbs 4,000 feet and gives you pristine mountain views. Check marked
trails regarding snowmobile usage in
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests near the city. You can easily access
trails in the area by the South Supply
Trail. Grand County has more than
1,000 miles of snowmobile trails that
connect its four towns.
You also won’t want to miss Colorado’s Grand Mesa, one of the largest
flat-top mountains in the world. You’ll
find plenty of snow and some great
sites to take in, including the 355foot high Bridal Veil Falls, the Alpine
Tunnel, Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry
and more than 300 lakes. Other areas
of interest here include the Sunlight
to Powderhorn Trail (the longest
area trail), Indian Point Trail (good
for a single-day journey), Crag Crest
National Recreation Trail, the Grand
Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway and
Grand Mesa National Forest. A good
access point is the Hwy. 65 corridor.
Another great destination, known
by the locals as a snowmobiler’s paradise, is Gore Pass where you can traverse through thick snow that’s almost
continuously accumulating.
If you’re looking for an old-fashioned adventure head to Clark and
Steamboat Springs where you can
find a main street general store and
Steamboat Lake, an ideal spot for
snowmobiling.
Beginners may want to start with
an escorted tour above the timberline
to enjoy views from the Continental
Divide. The rolling ranchlands around
Kremmling are great to play in too.
Helpful Sites
Colo. Snowmobile Association:
www.coloradosledcity.com
Colo. Department of Natural Resources:
parks.state.co.us
Colo. Tourism: www.colorado.com
Lodging
Glen Eden Resort 5437 County Road 129
Steamboat Springs 970-879-3907
www.glenedenresort.com
Wyoming:
Park, the Gros Ventre region, or the
Granite Hot Springs.
The Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail extends 270 miles from
Lander to Flagg Ranch at the south
entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
From there, sledders can visit Targhee
and Caribou National Forests in Idaho,
or travel into Yellowstone.
The Bighorn Mountains/North Central Wyoming Trail System is said to be
among the top 10 snowmobile trails in
North America, and we agree. Springtime in the Bighorn Mountains brings
warm sunny days with powdery, fluffy
snow. Peaks here reach 9,000 ft., but
the range itself is not as rough as other
Wyoming ranges. You won’t run out of
trails in the North Bighorns, and you
can play all day until you wear yourself
out in thousands of acres of unbroken
powdery meadows.
For even more snow and adventure, Albany County proves a worthy
destination. Western Wyoming’s dry
climate west of Laramie provides massive amounts of powder in the Snowy
Range Mountains, which can extend
the season into May! Check out the
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
and the Snowy Range National Forest Scenic Byway, also known as the
Great Skyroad. It crosses the Snowy
Range Pass at 10,487 ft., which makes
for spectacular photos. The season
runs mid-December through April 1.
Permits are required for both residents
and non-residents. Permits cost $25.
If you like scenic, mountain riding there is no better place than Wyoming.
Picturesque, snowy cliffs await you in
this destination favored by the ambitious at heart.
For a good all-around experience,
you may want to stay at the Togwotee Mountain Lodge, a full service
resort. From here, you can ride 500
miles in 2½ million acres. You can
tour on the Continental Divide Trail
system, through the meadows, or do
some challenging backcountry riding.
Togwotee Pass receives more than 600
inches of snow annually, so you’re sure
to have plenty of powder to carve.
Jackson Hole, home to the World
Championship Hillclimb every spring,
is a good central location as well. You
also can hit up Yellowstone National
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Helpful Sites
Wyo. Snowmobile Association:
www.snowmobilewyoming.org
Snowmobile Wyo.: wyotrails.state.wy.us/snow
Wyo. Tourism: www.wyomingtourism.org
Lodging
Togwotee Mountain Lodge Hwy 26/287 PO
Box 91 Moran 866-278-4245
www.togwoteelodge.com
Tour Operators
Togwotee Mountain Lodge Hwy 26/287 PO
Box 91 Moran 866-278-4245
www.togwoteelodge.com
Other
Albany County Tourism Board 210 Custer
Laramie 800-445-5303 www.visitlaramie.org
Montana:
Montana is known as
“the Big Sky state” but
realistically it could be known as the
“the big snow state” as it’s home to the
World Snowmobile Expo and massive
amounts of snow each winter.
Starting with Seeley Lake, between
the Mission Mountains and the Swan
Range, you’ll find a variety of riding
conditions. Popular areas include the
Double Arrow Lookout Trail, Seeley
Lake-Ovando, Marshall Lake and
Monture Snowmobile Trail, which is
a low difficulty trail that is great for
families and runs 18 miles, one way.
You’ll discover some of the best
snowmobiling in the world in West
Yellowstone. Adjacent to and outside
of Yellowstone National Park, there
is an extensive trail system too. West
Yellowstone is where you’ll find the
World Snowmobile Expo every March
too. We’ve found that some of the
best times for riding are at the end of
December and through January. Trails
to visit include Two Top, Big Sky and
Lionshead. Guided tours of the national park are available.
Make sure to check out updated
snowmobile regulations in the park at
the Web site that follows.
Like to travel in the upper altitudes? Then head to Flathead Valley
where there is an abundant amount of
mountain riding areas. For the little
less adventurous rider there are over
200 miles of scenic alpine forest trails
and 2,000 miles of national forests to
travel through.
Trails in the Lolo/Missoula area are
extensive and interconnecting with
3,700 miles to ride on. You can crisscross over the Montana-Idaho border,
through two national forests (be sure
you have trail passes for both states).
East Fork, Lost Park, Elk Meadows,
Moose Ridge, Cooper Creek and
Wagon Mountain are just a few of the
trails that will take you through meadows and exciting play areas to the
Bitterroot Range, south of Missoula.
Other great places to visit include the
Skalkaho Pass Trail, Lolo Hot Springs,
the Clark National Historic Trail and
Clearwater National Forest.
There are many more areas in Montana to discover, find them at the Web
pages below.
Helpful Sites
Mont. State Travel: www.wintermt.com
Yellowstone National Park:
www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/
snowmobiling.htm
Regulations in Yellowstone National
Park: www.yellowstonewinterguide.com/
snowmobiling/snowmobiling_regulations.php
Lodging
Days Inn West Yellowstone 301 Madison
Ave West Yellowstone 800-548-9551 www.allyellowstone.com
Lolo Hot Springs 38500 W. Highway 12 Lolo
406-273-2290 www.lolohotsprings.com
Dining
Lolo Hot Springs 38500 W. Highway 12 Lolo
406-273-2290 www.lolohotsprings.com
Mont. Snowmobile Association:
www.snowtana.com
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Dealer/Rentals
Lolo Hot Springs 38500 W. Highway 12 Lolo
406-273-2290 www.lolohotsprings.com
Yellowstone Adventures 1131 Dunraven
St. West Yellowstone 406-646-7765
www.yellowstoneadventures.com
All Yellowstone Sports 302 Madison Ave.
West Yellowstone 406-646-9332
www.allyellowstone.com
Tour Operators
Yellowstone Adventures 1131 Dunraven
St. West Yellowstone 406-646-7765
www.yellowstoneadventures.com
All Yellowstone Sports 302 Madison Ave.
West Yellowstone 406-646-9332
www.allyellowstone.com
other
Flathead Convention & Visitors Bureau
4170 US HWY 2 East #14, Kalispell 406-7569091 www.fcvb.com
Utah:
Utah riding can be a fun,
challenging, and rewarding experience .
The Cedar Mountain
area is known as the “Gateway to the
National Parks,” with snow-clad peaks
to the east and the Escalante Desert to
the west. Check out the Cedar Mountain/East Fork Snowmobile Complex,
east of Cedar City and about 4 hours
from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City.
Access to this complex is possible at
Brian Head, Duck Creek, Strawberry,
Navajo, Midway and Ruby’s Inn trailheads. The complex of high mountain
trails will lead you to Cedar Breaks
National Monument.
If you’re looking for exceptional
beauty, Heber Valley is a prime spot.
Tucked in the Wasatch Mountains, it
offers scenic mountain views and vast
plateaus to romp on. You can access
trailheads at Lake Creek, Wolf Creek,
Strawberry Valley, Wasatch Mountain
State Park and at Mirror Lake Hwy.
150. Daniels Summit is a primo place
to stay in the Uinta National Forest.
Helpful Sites
Utah Snowmobile Association:
www.snowut.com
Snowmobile Utah:
www.utah.com/snowmobile/laws.htm
Utah Tourism: www.utah.travel
Idaho:
Snowmobile year-round?
Almost! Not just potatoes,
but frosted peaks, rolling hills
and wide-open spaces await
you in Idaho. The state has more than
7,200 miles of groomed trails to dash
along. Idaho’s tourism board claims
to have more groomed trails than any
other western state. Having a season
that lasts from November to April,
there’s plenty of playtime here! Home
to AmSnow’s Western Editor, we know
that snow can stick around until June
– we have the pictures to prove it!
Some great areas to tour include
Cascade, Mountain Home, Pioneer
County, the Stanley Sawtooth area, the
Boise National Forest, Island Park and
Priest Lake. In the Yellowstone-Teton
Territory you can climb 10,000 feet
on your mountain snowmobile in the
surrounding mountains. You also may
want to check out the thousands of
miles of trails around Silver Valley, race
around Bonner County and Sandpoint,
and if you are looking for a remote
mountain challenge, try the 12-mile
Freezeout Mountain Snowmobile Trail.
Areas to ride in the southeast
include Bear Lake (Fish Haven/St.
Charles trails), Pocatello, Preston,
Soda Springs, Portneuf Range (Inkom/
Lava trails), Blackfoot (Bone & Wolverine trails), Malad and Cottonwood
(Downey/Swan Lake).
Accommodations are welcoming
and usually just around the bend.
Helpful Sites
Idaho State Snowmobile Association:
www.idahosnowbiz.com
Snowmobile Idaho: www.idahowinter.org/sled
Sled the Rockies: www.sledtherockies.com/idaho
Idaho Tourism: www.visitidaho.org
Lodging
The Pines at Island Park 3907 Phillips Loop
Rd Island Park 208-558-0192
www.pinesislandpark.com
Dining
Lodgepole Grill 3907 Phillips Loop Rd Island
Park 208-558-0192 www.pinesislandpark.com
Dealer/Rentals
The Pines at Island Park 3907 Phillips Loop
Rd Island Park 208-558-0192
www.pinesislandpark.com
Other
Idaho Division of Tourism Development
700 W. State St. PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 208334-2470 www.sledtherockies.com
California:
There are 2,500 miles of
snow-covered pristine trails
in the California mountains.
The San Joaquin Valley
area located in central California has
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around 500 miles of trails to pounce
on too. The huge flat basin is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada to the
east, the Coast Ranges to the west, the
Tehachapi Mountains to the south and
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to
the north.
You will find Mt. Whitney here, the
highest point in the continental U.S,
and great backcountry riding. There’s
also a lot of snowmobiling going on
around the Lake Tahoe area. It has the
most snowmobile services in the state
and a great network of trails that will
lead you to remote high elevations.
Other spots to check out include
the Sierra Nevada Forest, Stanislaus
National Forest, Kaiser Pass, Mono
Hot Springs, the Spicer Reservoir area
and the Mammoth Mountain area.
Helpful Sites
Calif. Nevada Snowmobile Association:
www.cnsa.net
Calif. Snowmobiling:
www.totalescape.com/active/snow/snowmo.html
Calif. Tourism: www.gocalif.ca.gov
Washington:
With 3,000+ miles of
snowmobiling trails,
Washington provides
riders with deep snow and mountain
peaks to lure you to the Northwest.
A favorite place to go snowmobiling is Lake Chelan (See AmSnow, Feb.
2006, p.66) with its stellar mountain
views and 200 miles of well-groomed
trails. Take advantage of the area’s
Sno-Parks, which are quite accommodating for travelers.
The Winter Recreation Program in
Washington provides Sno-Parks, or
cleared parking areas for vehicles in
close proximity to groomed and backcountry trails. Antilon Lake Sno-Park
will have you traveling 97 miles worth
of trail where you may view Lake
Chelan, Golf Peak, Hungry Mountain
and Fox Peak. The area also connects
with trails into the Twisp River Valley.
All snowmobiles must be registered in
the state. The fee is $30 and includes a
Sno-Park vehicle parking permit.
Helpful Sites
Wash. State Snowmobile Association:
www.wssa.us
Wash. State Parks: www.parks.wa.gov/
winter/snowmobile.asp
Wash. Tourism: www.experiencewashington.com
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Oregon:
You should make Oregon a priority sled destination because this state
has mountains galore and
plenty of natural beauty.
There are 6,410 miles of groomed
trails to wander and excellent views
too. Folks here like to keep their favorite riding spots a secret, but there’s
plenty of great all-around riding.
One spot you can’t miss for a day’s
ride is Mt. Hood, the highest point in
the state at 11,239 feet, which can be
seen from many vantage points. Other
areas to consider include the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in
central Oregon, Grant County, which
has great groomed trails, (see AmSnow,
Dec. 2004), the Ochoco Mountains, the
Strawberry Range, the Wallowa Mountains and the Blue Mountains.
Helpful Sites
Oregon State Snowmobile Association:
www.oregonsnow.org
Oregon DMV: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/
vehicle/tpsnow.shtml
Travel Oregon: www.traveloregon.com
USDA Forest Services:
www.fs.fed.us/r6/uma/snomobl.htm
Alaska:
If you want to ride in May
then you need to visit
Alaska. Only you won’t be
riding a “snowmobile” because as Sarah Palin taught the world,
only “snow machines” are ridden here.
In the Anchorage region, explore
the base of the Chugach Mountains,
ride on the Eagle River or view the
canyons, waterfalls and Eklutna Glacier in the Eklutna Lake Valley. Other
routes include the Bird Creek Trail,
Ptarmigan Valley Trail and Peters
Creek Valley Trail.
Located an hour north of Anchorage is the Mat-Su Valley, a popular
spot with splendid multi-use trails.
Options here include Hatcher’s Pass,
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area/
Willow and Big Lake.
Helpful Sites
Alaska State Snowmobile Association:
www.aksnow.org
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles: www.
state.ak.us/dmv/reg/snow.htm
Alaska Tourism: travelalaska.com
AMERICAN SNOWMOBILER • www.AmSnow.com
Getaway Guide
CANADA
Quebec • Ontario
Saskatchewan • British Columbia
Quebec:
You’ll be tempted to
never leave Quebec, once
you’ve sampled Quebec’s
20,000 spectacular miles
of trails. The birthplace and headquarters of Ski-Doo, Quebec is a Ski-Dooer’s paradise!
Where to begin? Try Lanaudière,
close to Montreal and to the U.S.’s
northeastern states and bordered to
the north by the Laurentian Mountains. 1,400 miles of trail invite you to
take a jaunt through the region, and
with an average of six feet of snow
there will be plenty to blast through
these trails. You will likely be able to
ride here from mid-November through
March because of the cold temperatures and heavy snowfall. Lanaudière
includes part of Mont-Tremblant Park,
the largest national park in Quebec,
which can be seen via snowmobile.
Popular spots to visit include St.
Come, Auberge le Cabanon and St.
Michel des Saintes.
We suggest you take a trip to SkiDoo’s Valcourt headquarters as well
to learn how the “ski dog” became
the “Ski-Doo.” The Valcourt Museum
features the inventive history of SkiDoo from Joseph-Armand Bombardier, known to some as the father of
snowmobiling. Valcourt also is great
for vintage sled lovers, as you’ll find
museums, exhibitions, and if you
ride the trails, you might just catch a
glimpse of a number of functioning
antique Ski-Doos in the area.
Read about our ride in the beautiful Saguenay-Lac Saint Jean region.
(See AmSnow’s Feb. 2008 issue, p. 52.)
On the western edge of Quebec,
there are 2,186 miles of snowmobile
highways waiting for you in AbitibiTémiscamingue. Snowfall can reach
up to 24 feet there. This French-influenced area has plenty of lodging and
restaurants. You may even be lucky