December 2014

Transcription

December 2014

NYSSA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS..P. 22
New York
December 2014
SNOWMOBILER
Online
The Official Publication of the New York State Snowmobile Association
WESTERN NEW YORK
SLEDDERS EXCEL IN
Photo by Gary Broderick
Special
SNOWVEMBER supplement
HERE!
NYSSA Online Magazine
Bruce J. Papa
Bruce J. Papa passed away on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at Glen Hill
Nursing Home surrounded by his loving family. He was 61.
He was the son of the late Bruno A. and Avril E. Smith and Papa, born on
Jan. 8, 1953 in White Plains, NY.
Bruce was a graduate of Mamaroneck High School he later moved to Claryville at the age of 19. He as the past chief of Claryville Fire Department; he
had a passion for bass fishing and the many tournaments he entered. He
would initiate many tournaments for fishing and snowmobiling. He was a
member of the New York State Snowmobile Association and long-time
leader of the Sullivan County Trail Association. He was a loving brother, uncle and friend to all that knew and loved him; he will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his brother, Barry Papa and his wife, Eve; his nieces and
nephews Shannon, Brendon, Christopher, Rachel, Stephanie and Zachary and
a host of friends.
Donations in Bruce’s name can be made to the Claryville Fire Department,
1500 Denning Road, Claryville, NY 12725 or Claryville Reformed Church,
946 Claryville Road, Claryville, NY 12725.
Contact NYSSA: PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040 * EMAIL - [email protected]
TOLL FREE: (888) 624-3849 * FAX: (888) 317-2441 *
www.nysnowmobiler.com
December 2014 - Page 2
CONTENTS
New York
SNOWMOBILER
Online
Publisher:
Editor:
The New York State
Snowmobile Association
P. O. Box 1040,
Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040
Anne O’Dell
[email protected]
888-624-3849 x101
December Features:
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: Snowvember!
President’s Message...Jim Elmore
P. 5
From the Desk of the Executive Director ...D. Jacangelo
P. 8
Share the Adventure! Take a Friend Snowmobiling!
P. 9
What’s been happening at NYSSA ...Rosanne Warner
P. 15
TRAILS: Trail Coordinator Report ...Jim Rolf
P. 18
Spotlight on Grooming!
P. 20
NYSSA Scholarship Application!
P. 22
AD RATES
2014-15 Officers
President
Jim Elmore, 585-813-4610
[email protected]
Vice
President
Randy Phillips, 585-265-1753
[email protected]
Secretary
Rosanne Warner, 315-697-8130
[email protected]
Treasurer
John Occhino, 845-225-3140
[email protected]
Staff
Executive
Director
Dominic Jacangelo, 888-624-3849 x104
[email protected]
Jim Rolf, 888-624-3849 x102
Trail
Coordinator [email protected]
General
Manager
Anne O’Dell, 888-624-3849 x101
[email protected]
Membership 888-624-3849 x103
[email protected]
Helpline
Join or Renew Membership Online:
Another New Business Member!
Are you a business owner? Business memberships include one free ad in this magazine!
Click here to join as a business member.
Our Website: www.nysnowmobiler.com
New York State Office of Parks,
Recreation & Historic Preservation’s
Website
www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles
DMV, Register a Sled: NY Resident
DMV, Register a Sled: Out of State
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President’s Message
by Jim Elmore, NYSSA President 585-813-4610 [email protected]
The Holidays are fast approaching and I hope many of our members have their Christmas Shopping
completed. This is the time of year where many are planning on visiting family or friends over the
next couple of weeks. We just finished the 2nd edition of the New York Snowmobiler magazine that
Supertrax prints and distributes to our members. Keep your eye on your mailbox for the last edition for this season. It
should arrive near the end of December or beginning of January. There are some great articles in the magazine on
places to ride in our State and different places to stop along the trail.
Snow Owls!
While it is too late for the NY Snowmobiler print magazine, we have
some visitors returning to Genesee County that we wanted to tell you
about. Last year due to the extreme cold weather moving down from
the Arctic, a very rare sightings across the State was the Snow Owl.
These beautiful birds are not often seen in this part of North America
due to our warmer climate. With the Arctic region being blasted with
extreme cold weather, many made it this far south for some warmer
weather. If sustained temperatures of 0-10 degrees are their warmer
habitat, then I welcome them every year. Last January, many started
to make their arrival at the Genesee County Airport in Batavia, New
York. Strange how they knew the airport is a place to fly into, or are
they smarter than we think?
Former NYSSA President Mike Fischer, posted pictures of Snow Owls
resting on top of the trail stakes in Madison County last season. I
have ridden my snowmobile in Madison County and their terrain is almost identical with Genesee and Wyoming Counties in the Western
part of the State. I don`t know if this is a good sign for our upcoming
winter but, last week the Snow Owls have returned to the Airport for
the second year and about a month early. If you are looking to see
the Owls you are in luck. The Genesee Sno-Packers and the Sleds of
Stafford both stake and groom trail C-4C around the Genesee County
Airport. If you are thinking of riding Genesee County, there are a couPhoto courtesy Jim Burns, Batavia Photo Club
ple of locations where you can unload and ride from. The Sno-Packers
buildings and the Oakfield Hotel in the Village of Oakfield, our County building number 2 in Town of Batavia and the
Genesee County Park in Bethany, New York. These four places can accommodate trucks and trailers with no hassle
finding or getting on the trails. If you do ride on these trails, please don’t forget to bring your camera to get a great
picture of the Snow Owls.
“Snowvember”
“Snovember” is what everyone in Buffalo area is calling the wallop of lake effect snow that dumped 7 feet of the white
stuff on Western New York last month. The NYS Thruway closed for several days from Rochester to the Pennsylvania
state line. The stormed stranded thousands of motorists and truckers as well. Of those thousands who were trapped in
their homes or at work due to this Lake Effect hitting the area, fourteen of our neighbors died as a result of the storm.
Almost all the emergency service organizations in Genesee and Erie Counties were called in to help our citizens and try
to clear the roads. Governor Andrew Cuomo arrived in Buffalo to offer assistance at the State level to help get through
this early season snowstorm. With the Chief Executive here, he was able to mobilize hundreds of State employees
across the State to help rescue citizens and clean up the area’s highways. This was just not the average snowstorm,
commerce also was affected. Stores in many Western New York communities were running out of supplies due to the
truck traffic stranded throughout the region. Trucks could not make deliveries of food and milk for a few days to many
(Continued on page 6)
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(Continued from page 5)
stores. I have not seen something like this since I was a kid with the WNY Blizzard of 1977. Back then we were cut
off from the outside world for several days. I hope it will be a long time before we see another storm like this one
again. However, as we all know, Mother Nature and the Great Lakes will always decide on how much snow we might
receive in a single event.
Many local Snowmobile clubs’ members from Niagara, Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties volunteered to assist local fire departments. Several WNY clubs donated their grooming equipment to help our local communities out in their
time of need. Hundreds of WNY snowmobilers on their own snowmobiles were out in this storm helping their local
fire departments or taking utility workers to sites to help prevent additional damage. Snowmobilers were picking up
medical personnel at their homes and then taking them to their jobs at the many local hospitals or nursing homes in
the area. Many of our public service employees were working around the clock for several days helping people
through this event. Here’s a big “Thank You!” from NYSSA to everyone that participated in the rescue or clean up
after this winter storm.
2014 is coming to an end and we are looking forward to 2015 in the Association. We kick off our Take A Friend
Snowmobile program in January in Oakfield, New York. Our brand new Arctic Cat / Allstate snowmobile is ready for
the first-time snowmobiler to take a ride. Please check our website, this issue, and the print New York Snowmobiler
magazine for more information on our Take A Friend promotion. This event is open to everyone and we hope to be
able find some new lifelong friends to join the sport of snowmobiling.
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Joyous Chanukah and a Happy New Year! Please be safe and we will
see you on the trails.
James Elmore, President
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Adirondack Powersports
Appolson’s
Bibben’s Sales
Bob Weaver’s Motorsports
Buck’s Motorsports
Caprara’s Outdoor World
Cycle Motion
Cycle Shack
Della Motorsports
Don’s Polaris
Edelmann Sales, Inc
Excell Motorsports
Fun Unlimited
Gamble Distributors
Griffin Motorsports
Hermans Performance
Ingles Performance
Ithaca Recreation
Jan-cen Automotive
K&H Kawasaki
Kubecka’s Polaris
Leisure Time
Maddie’s
Matt’s Cycle Center
Menneto Powersports
Moody Polaris
O’Neil Sales
Pioneer Motorsports
Polaris of Riverhead
Powerhouse Motorsports
Precision Power
Preferred Powersports
Schoff Polaris
Sled Shop Racing
Sportline Power
Sports Unlimited
T. Nelson Sales
TC Sports
Teixeira’s Polaris
Waite Motorsports
Zahm & Matson, Inc.
Zambri Motorsports
From the Desk of the Executive Director
By Dominic Jacangelo, Executive Director
[email protected] 888-624-3849 x104
First, a big thank you to all those first responders and snowmobilers who went out of their way to help out our western NY friends who were hit in late November with those incredibly vicious lake effect snows. The band was narrow,
very long and produced very deep snow; over seven feet in a few locations. Take a few minutes to read
Gary Broderick’s story. While it mentions a few snowmobilers and clubs who helped out, we all recognize and thank
the hundreds of individuals and dozens of clubs who did their best to help their neighbors. Many thanks to the local
first responders who put in dozens of non stop hours to help out those in need.
Second a big thank you to Mother Nature. I am writing this as the big Nor’easter (Dec 9, 10, & 11) winds down in my
area, having left the second significant snow around Albany. These early snows are a good indication of what this
winter is going to be like. (Yes, I am sticking my neck out on that prediction but I am an eternal optimist.) The trails
up on the Rensselaer Plateau will be open any day now and I can’t wait to get on my sled and ride.
I hope that you are one of those 33,000 members who have already joined and registered their sled. Please don’t
delay; join your club and get that sled registered. Don’t forget you also need to get that sled insured. State law requires liability insurance on any sled you operate off your own property. Check out our insurance partners who are in
this magazine and you just might save a few dollars. (You should be aware that we have been having some problems
on the NYSSA membership website with down time. If you can’t get on the system, wait a few hours and we should
have been able to kick start the system by then. Another reason to not wait to the last minute to join and register! )
I am very excited about this winter. We have a host of “Take a Friend Snowmobiling” events coming up and we have
new legislative initiatives to promote snowmobiling in NYS State. More people snowmobiling, translates into more registrations, and more money for the trail fund to make trails even better. Check out the list of Take a Friend Snowmobiling events that appears on the next page.
With the Holliday Season upon us I want to say a special “Thank You” to the leadership of the 235 NY snowmobile
clubs and to the cadre of volunteers who put our approximately 10,000-mile trail system together each year. I hope
every rider takes a moment and thanks those many volunteers who brush out trails, build bridges and sign the trails
as well as those who put in countless hours grooming the trail so that we can have a safe and enjoyable ride. Maybe
they should be on your Christmas list this year?
Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a very happy and safe New Year.
Dom
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“Share the Adventure”
and
“Take a Friend Snowmobiling”
in 2015!
Introducing snowmobiling to new riders or bringing back to the sport those who have not ridden in a while is NYYSSA’s
campaign for the winter of 2015. Why should we have all the fun? As a group we all know that snowmobiling is a great
way to enjoy the winter in upstate New York, socialize with friends and stay active. It is time to share the adventure
and show others what great fun snowmobiling can be. We all have those friends that we always wanted to take for a
snowmobile ride and show them what we do with our spare time.
Local clubs and Associations in partnership with the New York State Snowmobile Association will be hosting several Take
a Friend Snowmobiling events around the state this January. All snowmobilers are invited to participate. Here is the tentative schedule subject to changes because of snow conditions (please check at www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.com
for the latest information):
January 11th
Genesee Sno-Packers Snowmobile Club
102 South Pearl St.
Oakfield, NY 14125
January 24th
Grafton Lakes State Park, Winterfest
Route 2, Grafton NY
Grafton Snow Blazers,
January 31st
Sevey’s Point
Rt 3 between Cranberry Lake and Childwold.
Deb Christy, St. Lawrence Trail Coordinator
February 8th
Delta Lake State Park
Rome, NY
Trail Busters of Lee Center, Bob Spindler
February 15th
Lawson Lake County Park
Albany County Executive and Sheriff
February 21st
Feegan’s Witch KItch
68 Jamestown St. Sinclairville, NY 14782
Chautauqua County Snowmobile Association
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HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
Got a friend that might like to try snowmobiling?
Hand them the form below, and we’ll arrange for a ride!
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Does your child need to take a Snowmobile Safety Course?
They are listed at:
http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx
..new courses are added throughout the season, if you don’t see one offered in
your area. Also check with your local club.
Registration is open at
www.isc2015.com
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Working with
Gramercy
Communications, we
have developed a new
poster to remind
everyone to join their
club and register their
sled. We need to
remind everyone who
rides that “joining” and
“registering” is what
pays for the trails that
we ride.
These posters will be
printed and distributed
to the clubs in early
January when you
should start seeing
them appear in local
shops and popular
locations.
Something new on the
poster is the QR code
that will take the user
directly to the NYSSA
website,
nysnowmobiler.com.
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TOLL FREE: (888) 624-3849 * FAX: (888) 317-2441 *
Identification # 31-215-850-08920
Sponsored by
Raffle License # 15327
ONONDAGA COUNTY SNOWMOBILE ASSOC. INC. In support of N.Y.S. SNOWMOBILE TRAILS
NYS Arctic Cat Dealers
NYS Polaris Dealers
NYS Ski-Doo Dealers
2015 ARCTIC CAT
ZR 4000 LXR SLED
2015 Polaris
Indy Voyager 550 SLED
2015 Skidoo
MXZ Sport 600 SLED
$5,000 Cash courtesy of NYSSA - www.nysnowmobiler.com
WINNER’S CHOICE!
5th Prize:
6th Prize:
7th Prize:
8th Prize:
9
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12
13
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15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
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25
26
27
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29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
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46
47
48
49
50
The 1st Prize Winner will select one of the four prizes above; 2nd will choose next;
3rd will choose next; and the 4th prize winner gets the remaining prize.
$1,400 2014 Triton XT10-101 Open Snowmobile Trailer - Fisk Distributing, Lyndonville, NY
$1,000 Cash donated by the Snowmobile Clubs of Chautauqua County NY
$1,000 Cash donated by the Tawaeri Taqui Trailblazers, Ulster County NY
$615 Woody’s Complete Traction Package, Gear Bag & Golf Balls - WoodysTraction.com
1 night stay for 2, honeymoon suite plus breakfast - Inn at The Beeches, Rome
$400 Cash - Onondaga County Snowmobile Association
SMH10 Dual Pack Communicators for Snowmobiles - Sena Technologies Inc
Gift Certificate - 2 night stay in a jacuzzi suite - The Edge Hotel, Lyons Falls
$300 Gift Certificate - Fun Unlimited, Gouverneur
$300 Cash - Seven Valley Snow Goers Inc
2 pack Ride Lite System w/Mounts - Quad County Snowmobile Club
GC for Overnight Golf Package for Two - Byrncliff Resort & Conf Ctr, Varysburg
1 nite stay Sun-Thur Oct 15-Apr15 - 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, Clayton
$250 Cash - Delaware Valley Ridge Riders
$250 Cash - Northern Erie Sno Seekers
$250 Cash - Shawangunk Snowmobile & Rescue Club
$250 Cash - Snow Rats Snowmobile Club
$250 Cash - Wayne County Snowmobile Federation
$200 Gift Certificate - Bibbens Sales & Service, Weedsport
2 night stay at Charlie's Inn & Dinner for 2 - Charlie's Inn, Lake Clear
1 Night stay, best available room type - Country Inn & Suites, Mt. Morris
$200 Gift Card - DDS Motorsports, Utica
$200 Gift Certificate toward Stay - West Wind Motel & Townhouses, Turin
$200 Cash - Caledonia Trailblazers Snowmobile Club
$200 Cash - Cattaragus County Director George Couell
$200 Cash - Cattaraugus County Snowmobile Federation
$200 Cash - Chenango County Snowmobile Federation
$200 Cash - Cranberry Lake Mountaineers
$200 Cash - Erie County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs
$200 Cash - Ful-Mont Snow Travelers Snowmobile Club
$200 Cash - Genesee Sno Packers
$200 Cash - Niagara County Snowmobile Federation
$200 Cash - Oneida County Area Snowmobile Association
$200 Cash - Penn Mountain Snow Riders
$200 Cash - Salmon Creek Snowmobile Club
$200 Cash - Shawnee Sno-Chiefs Snowmobile Club
$200 Cash - Tioga Ridge Runners
$200 Cash - Wyoming County Snowmobile Federation
1 night luxury overnight stay - Tailwater Lodge, Altmar
$150 Cash - Cayuga County Snowmobile Association
$100 Cash - Childwold Sno Packers
$100 Cash - O-T-GO Snowgoers
$100 Cash - Pulaski Boylston Snowmobile Club
$100 Cash - NYSSA Staff
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Did You Know?? What’s Been Happening at NYSSA.
by Rosanne Warner, NYSSA Secretary, [email protected]
The New York State Snowmobile Association is working to keep its members better informed of the
issues that NYSSA faces on a daily basis. Hot off the presses, here is a re-cap of what happened at
the December 2014 NYSSA Board of Directors meeting.

Montgomery/Schenectady has a new County Director, Karl Gustafson. Welcome to Karl and thank you for
stepping up in an area that has not had a director since 2012.

Tim Sheridan from Capitol Group, NYSSA’s lobby firm, attended the December meeting and gave a full report
to the board about the legislative initiatives that the firm has been and will be concentrating on in 2015.

There are about 50 clubs who still have to provide information for the Direct Deposit system for online membership transactions. Direct Deposit becomes mandatory for all clubs January 1, 2015.

Vice president Randy Philips provided a report on the activities of New York State Snowmobile Political Action
Committee (NYSSPAC) activities over the past year. For more information on the NYSSPAC, contact Randy
Phillips at [email protected].

NYSSA will be releasing an RFP for a new website design for nysnowmobiler.com and is actively looking for
someone to develop the new and improved site. Please contact [email protected] if you or
know of a company who may be interested in receiving a copy of the RFP.

NYSSA has been experiencing some technical problems with the membership site, please be patient as the
developer works on fixing the problems.

In an effort to cut down on some of the expenses, NYSSA is reviewing the idea of eliminating some of the summer Board of Director meetings. More information to come.

Take a Friend Snowmobiling Events are being planned throughout the state. They are intended to introduce new snowmobilers into the sport. (see page 9 for details).

Matt Cannon has returned to Gramercy Communications, NYSSA’s PR firm and will be back working with
NYSSA on Public Relations. Welcome back Matt !!

Gramercy Communications has built some PR templates for the clubs to use in the pre-season kick off as
well as during the season and post season. For clubs who would like press release templates to use in their local papers, please contact me and I will be happy to forward them on to you.

NYSSA will be working with the Sheriff’s Association as well as the Magistrates Association to educate
both organizations on the snowmobile laws in New York State. With the help of law enforcement we hope to
see fewer instances of unregistered/uninsured snowmobiles on the trail system.

Phase I completions are going out to sponsors and Phase II’s are out, meaning the much needed fund
money will begin to trickle into clubs. Funding will stay at the same rates as last season. Please help your club
out by renewing your membership early and registering your sleds.
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Special
HERE!

Communication between the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and NYSSA has improved
over the last few months and NYSSA is anxiously awaiting the appointment of the new Director of the snowmobile unit for State Parks. We sincerely hope that we can work together to continue to improve the relationship that has been lacking between the state and the clubs in the last few years.

Phase III documentation has still not been released but NYSSA Trail Coordinator, Jim Rolf is checking for its
release on a daily basis. As soon as it is released, clubs will be notified.

There are several Unit Management Plans open for public comment at this time. Two new reviews were
recently released and include the Northern Franklin County State Forest UMP and Moose River Plains plan to
improve mountain bike trails.

NYSSA membership was 29,564 members as of December 6, 2014 which is well ahead of last year’s December totals. By December 6, 2013, membership numbers stood at 17,393.

Anne O’Dell received a phone call from a lady who won two - 2013 Yamaha Phazer 500’s. The winner is an
older lady who is interested in selling the sleds for $6,500 each or $12,000 for both. Both sleds are brand
new. Anyone interested in more information in purchasing the snowmobiles, please contact Maureen, at
Phone: 570-472-9026 Email: [email protected]

Another NYsnowmobiler print magazine will be heading toward club members soon. Keep your eye out
for the free edition of SuperTrax magazine which includes the NYsnowmobiler magazine.

NYSSA’s Budget & Finance Committee are currently working on developing the 2015-2016 budget. The
process is in the beginning stages and will be presented to the membership for a vote at the Annual Meeting
on Sunday, April 12, 2015. The meeting this year will be held again in Rochester, NY at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

The Events & Promotions Committee is developing new classes for the 2015 Forum. After reviewing the survey results that were returned after the 2014 Forum, the committee saw a trend in requests for newer more in
depth sessions. We will keep you posted as time draws closer.

NYSSA’s ISC 2015 Planning Committee continues to plan the International event that will be held in Niagara Falls, NY in June 2015. Registration for the event is open now and can be completed online at
www.ISC2015.com. We hope to see a lot of New York Clubs attend the event and showcase why the New
York State Snowmobile Association is the largest snowmobile association in the country.

NYSSA President, Jim Elmore appointed NYSSA Directors and Officers to the Nominating Committee as well as
the By Law Committee. For information on how to run for a position as an officer of the association or to submit a By Law change for vote at the Annual Meeting, please log onto the members portion of the NYSSA website at www.NYsnowmobiler.com
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DEC Forest Rangers
help in Snowvember
During the heavy snows of western
New York in November, Forest Rangers
from Regions 8 and 9 were assigned to
perform status checks with Division of
Forest Protection snowmobiles being
the only access. These status checks
were conducted to check on health
and welfare, medicine and food needs,
heating and ventilation systems to
avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in
houses. In many cases snowbanks
were over six feet high and Rangers
needed to crawl or climb to make their
way to accessible doors to speak with
the residents. Some required vent
pipes to be shoveled out.
Photo Credit: Stephen Scherry, NYS DEC
Rangers were also utilized to check fire alarms
that were inaccessible to normal vehicle travel
including one first aid call and an industrial building roof collapse investigation. Additional assignments included vehicle checks of motor vehicles
stranded along Route 400 Expressway in the East
Aurora area with at least 2 people being rescued.
Special
HERE!
South Warren Snowmobile Club
While early snow can drive snowmobile
registrations up, it can also mean extra trail
work when it is heavy and wet! A photo from
the South Warren Snowmobile Club after the
December 10th heavy wet snow.
Sent in by Mark McLain.
Photo by
Mark McLain
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Trail Coordinator Report
by Jim Rolf, NYSSA Trail Coordinator
888-624-3849 x 102
TRAILS
[email protected]
2 Nor’easter storms and some serious lake effect snow events already! It looks to be a great beginning to the
2014-15 winter/snowmobile season…a good ole’ fashioned winter might just be a reality!
The Old Forge SNODEO, the kick-off to the snowmobile season each year, was this past weekend. I have
heard reports from riders, as well as irate landowners, and even an accident already (see below). Some trails aren’t
even open yet (just because hunting season is over, there are still other factors!), so please hold off until the clubs can
get out there to take care of their landowner agreements (hunting season, crops in the fields, livestock still out, gates
needing to be opened, etc…) and to finish-up any signage that they didn’t get to yet. Respect the landowners and stay
on the marked trails!
Accidents and Reports and THE LAW
One of my job duties each winter that can be a real downer is receiving and
reading accident reports as well soliciting them from the clubs when I receive notification
of accidents before club officials do. Some are very tragic! NYS Law states that each
accident that results in over $1,000.00 in damage OR any personal injury MUST BE reported within 7 days of the accident to the NYS Parks snowmobile unit. The 2-sided form
is available here:
http://nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/
OPS209CivilianAccidentReport.pdf
Also, NYSSA requires each club to notify the association of any snowmobile incident on or directly near the trail system via a separate accident report. That accident report form is to help protect the club and association in case any frivolous lawsuit claims
should be initiated by an accident victim against a club, a landowner, or the association.
The form includes weather conditions, snow conditions, time of day, and other pertinent information that is filled-out by
the club reps so as to be available for reference at a later date, if needed. This valuable information has been helpful in
the past to better define what happened at an accident scene and sometimes has effectively countered what the claimant tried to wrongfully state happened. It is extremely important to have these reports filed timely, to further protect
the future of our sport from false negligence claims. The most important legal protection for landowners is the General
Obligations Law. Snowmobiling is a listed recreational activity within the law, which states clearly that landowners
“owe no duty to keep the premises safe for entry or use by others”. It also protects the clubs who gain permission to
maintain the trails on lands of another as an “occupant” of said lands, affording the clubs that same protection.
But one of the single most compelling parts of the NYS Snowmobile Law dealing with operator liability that puts
the responsibility back on the snowmobiler, as it should be, states “It is recognized that snowmobiling is a voluntary activity that may be hazardous”. When I discuss snowmobile accidents and how important it is to have riders
take responsibility for themselves, I use this description…”One’s own brain tells one’s own thumb how far to squeeze
one’s own snowmobile throttle and remain safe. Just as one’s own brain tells one’s own hand when it’s time to apply
one’s own snowmobile brake too!”. Take responsibility for your own actions... we all share the trails, and no one wants
to get hit by an irresponsible rider! THINK…and ride safely!
Grooming
EVERYONE loves seeing freshly groomed trails. But did you realize that groomed trails need to “set-up” in order to stand up to the snowmobile traffic? Up to 6 hours is required for fresh-groomed trail snow to re-freeze and
withstand the amount of riding that most trails receive. Temperature and the type of snow are also factors in the actual “set-up” time. When you come across a freshly manicured trail, please respect the groomer driver by 1) yielding to
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the machines…IT’S THE LAW! 2) dim your headlights, whether you
are approaching a groomer from the front or the rear. Your bright
lights are unsafe to the groomer drivers! 3) don’t tear-up the fresh
snow, and ride on the right side at all times. Yes, it may look more
enjoyable to ride on the smoothed-out snow, but all you will be
doing is negatively affecting the trail and cutting down on the longevity of the trail. Many groomer drivers spend hours and hours in
the machines…traveling only 6 to 9 miles per hour. Respect the
effort that these volunteers are giving for everyone’s enjoyment!
High-beam Headlights
Above I mentioned to dim your headlights when approaching a groomer. Actually, snowmobile operators should always
switch to their low-beams whenever approaching oncoming snowmobilers on the trails OR when riding on vehicle roadways. Just
like in a car or truck, high-beams could blind a driver and cause an
accident. Its common sense and respect to dim your lights when
high-beams could affect oncoming traffic.
Stay on The Marked Trails!
Snowmobile club volunteers take extreme care to find the
safest trail for snowmobile traffic to ride, especially in open fields.
The club reps mark the outer boundary (delineate, by State Law)
with stakes, and those stakes then represent the safe path of
travel, AND where NOT to go outside of. Inside the stakes, clubs
mark objects that one may encounter as well as noting warnings for fences, bridges, culverts, narrowing of trails, etc.
Outside of those stakes, no club volunteer can assure riders what may be out there that could damage your sled or injure you. Please understand that when you see signs that state “Stay on Trail”, “Stay on Trail, OR STAY HOME”, or
“Respect Landowners”…most of the time that means the generous owners of the property are concerned that riders
may or are riding off the section of trail that was given permission to be ridden. Quite possible there may be crops in
the fields, or the club is on the last leg with the landowner and may lose the permission if riders keep disrespecting the
owner of the land. It’s all about RESPECTING THE LANDOWNERS AND THE CLUBS!
No matter how well a trail is marked, remember that you need to be aware of the possibility of changing trail
and weather conditions along with the possibility of an unsuspected hazard on/near the trail. Be in control of your
snowmobile at all times, being responsible and driving defensibly.
Here’s to a safe, fun, and long snowmobile season. I would like to wish each snowmobiler a Happy Holiday
Season as well. Pray for more snow and cold temperatures throughout the entire winter.
STAY RIGHT, …And BETWEEN the Stakes!
THINK!
You are an ambassador of this sport.
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Want to drive a groomer? First, you need to take the Groomer Operator Safety Course. 45 people attended this one, hosted by the TC
Riders and Taberg Trailblazers club in Florence on 12-14-14, and taught by NYSSA Trail Coordinator Jim Rolf. Photo by Jim Rolf
PRINOTH Launches the Cleanest Snow Groomer Engine Technology – new Emission
PRINOTH announces the unveiling of the all new CLEAN MOTION engine technology, available on its new
Snow Groomer platforms, currently demoing across North America.
In 2015, PRINOTH will present new innovative models that are the first snow groomers in the world to be
equipped with the latest engine technology that meets the stringent emissions standards of Euromot Stage IV /
EPA Tier 4final for off-road diesel equipment. For Ski resorts and their business partners, this modern and
eco-friendly technology represents the reference in performance and sustainability.
The focus of PRINOTH’s philosophy is the CLEAN MOTION strategy, synonym with engines that combine
maximum power and optimal values of emissions as well as services compatible with sustainable use of the
vehicles internationally. Comprised of the new Tier 4 final engine technology, required by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, it will be the only snow groomer engine meeting the strict emission levels and will offer to ski resorts
the cleanest engine for their snow grooming operations.
“One of the challenges when integrating a low-emissions engine on a snow groomer is to maintain the highperformance expected by our
customers. PRINOTH’s CLEAN MOTION philosophy in combination with the new engine technology will not only maintain actual
performance levels but will deliver even more power and dozing capability, all of this while reducing fuel consumption and emissions”
said Jean-Claude Perreault, Vice-President Sales North America for PRINOTH.
This new engine technology will be available for the North American market
beginning in 2015 following an extensive demo program this season.
Performance, Sustainability, Environmental Grooming, CLEAN MOTION by
PRINOTH. More information about PRINOTH and its new snow grooming vehicles is
available at www.prinoth.com/COMINGSOON
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Groomer Operator Training course in Chautauqua County
submitted by Paul Weatherlow, Secretary, Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club
On Saturday, December 6, 2014
the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile
Club and Webb's Captains Table
Restaurant hosted a 4-hour
Groomer Operator Training Course
in their big banquet room.
Photo by Steve Smith
Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile
Clubs' Safety Coordinator, Scott
Shapert had contacted Jim
MacFarland of OPRHP's Snowmobile
Unit to arrange for a course to be
held in Chautauqua County before
the 2014-2015 season could begin.
Scott along with Club President
Chris Jaynes contacted the other
clubs in the area and invited them
to send people who might want: a
refresher course; to become new
groomer operator; to become the
assistant operator and ride shotgun; to just learn and understand
how it all works.
Webb's Captain's Table Restaurant provided the podium, projector screen, plus coffee and danish for all in attendance.
The course had 72 people register for the course ahead of time. After losing a couple registered people and gaining
some last minute attendees, the total remained at 72 present for the course. Attendees came from: Alleghany State
Park, Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, Ellery Sno-Cruisers, and Lake Effect Trailbreakers.
Some of the extra interest is due to two of the clubs expecting (hoping) to take delivery of brand new groomers via the
RTP grant sometime during the 2014-2015 season. There are currently 24 large tracked groomers operated by the
100% all-volunteer clubs in Chautauqua County. The two new groomers will bring the total up to 26 large tracked
groomers, primarily Tucker Sno-Cats, Bombardiers, and Prinoth brand machines. Most of our groomers go out after
10:00 pm and return from their routes after 2:00 am (and sometimes 4:00 am or longer).
Very few of us ever really get to see what goes on back in the drag that the groomer pulls. Somehow it just magically
makes the trail smooth again.
Both the groomers and the drags that do their magic on the trails are becoming more sophisticated. Almost all are
drags are 8 feet wide or wider with most employing as many as 11 cutting blades before the pan in back smoothes everything out. The science behind the groomer and the drag pulled along the snowmobile trails needs some explanation.
OPRHP's Jim MacFarland taught those present about mogul formation, mogul removal, types of snow, times for trails to
setup after grooming, best temperatures, best grooming speeds, things to watch out for on the trail, fallen branches and
trees, narrow bridges, safety out on the trail, etc.
Jim left training materials plus DVD visual aides to distribute among the different organizations after the course.
In addition to the Groomer Operator Training Course that is held every couple of years, there are the annual Snowmobile Operator Safety Training classes for new or younger riders, there are the annual Trail Signing classes too, and plans
are in the works to include First Aid classes too.
Groomer Operators tend to be the first to find somebody who has had troubles out on the trail late at night. All the participants would like to thank Webb's Captains Table Restaurant for helping host the course.
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2015 Scholarship Applications
* Northeast Chapter ISC * Norris Brusoe NYSSA Scholarship *
Joan & Digger Vriessen NYSSA Scholarship *
Application Deadline for Scholarships is February 27, 2015!
Each year, NYSSA awards two (2) $500 scholarships:
*Norris Brusoe NYSSA Scholarship
Download Application:
MS Word Version (.DOC)
Adobe Acrobat Version (PDF)
*Joan & Digger Vriessen NYSSA Scholarship
Only members of NYS Snowmobile Clubs will be eligible for the scholarships.
Northeast Chapter ACSA:
The top 2 NYSSA applications will be sent to the NEC Scholarship Committee where they will compete against applications
from Northeastern United States and Canadian Provinces for two, $1,000 scholarships.
Guidelines:
(the guidelines below print with the application packet above)
ACSA Scholarships: The top two New York applications will also be sent to the Northeast Chapter of the International
Snowmobile Council (NEC) Scholarship Committee, where they will compete against applications from other Northeast States
for two (2) $1,000 scholarships.
Criterion: The NYSSA Scholarship Committee will review all applications and make its awards based upon academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, community service and the quality of the original essay submitted with each application.
Financial need is a secondary criterion used in the selection of the winner. Completion of the financial need portion of the
application is optional, however students who have provided a complete financial background will be given priority over those
whose applications are incomplete when all other considerations are the same. Please make sure you include attachments 1
through 6 on the application. The 2015 essay should be about what snowmobiling means to you, or about snowmobiling in
your state (economy, trails, environment) in five hundred (500) words or less.

Applicants must be graduating high school seniors who have been accepted at a College, Junior College, or
Vocational School, or must be College Students who are already enrolled.

The student’s Parent(s) or Guardian(s) must be a member in good standing of NYSSA as of January 1, 2015.
To obtain a NYSSA Club membership, go to: https://membership.nysnowmobiler.com
• Application, letter of acceptance at your college you will be attending, transcript of grades at high school or grade record of
the college you are already attending, essay and recommendations must be received by NYSSA by
February 27, 2015 as one package. All applications must be complete to be considered.
• Applications must be received at the NYSSA Office on or before February 27, 2015. Late applications will not be considered.
• The applications submitted to NYSSA will be answered by mail after judging.

The two top New York applications will be notified by the NYSSA Executive Director and will be forwarded to the Northeast Chapter of ACSA.

All application materials are considered Confidential, and will be limited to examination for their intended purpose only
and become property of the NYSSA and the Northeast Chapter of ACSA.
Mail your application package to: NYSSA – Attention Scholarships, PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566
-- must be received on or before February 27, 20145 to be considered.
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NYSSA CHARITIES PAGE
NYSSA encourages its individual members and its Clubs to support
the following charitable organizations:
Pink Ribbon Riders www.pinkribbonriders.com
The Pink Ribbon Riders mission is to promote awareness of breast
cancer in the motor sports industry for both men and women while
raising funds for those in need.
Easter Seals www.easterseals.com
Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and
special needs, and their families, live better lives for over 85 years.
The USO
www.uso.org/howtohelp
The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to
support the troops by providing morale, welfare and
recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform.
Safety Question:
Answer: A
Q: Where are you NOT
allowed to operate a
snowmobile?
A) On the tracks of a
working railroad
B) On the outside banks of highways other than limited-access highways
C) On another club’s trails
Photo Courtesy Huffington Post
Note: we don’t make these questions up - they’re right out of the Safety Program workbook!
Safety Courses are listed at http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx
-- beginning in September each year.
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Check out the local lodging available too, and many more discounts!

Byrncliff

Old Forge Camping Resort

Charlie’s Inn

Rocky Acres Inn

Country Inn & Suites

Tumble Inn

Junction Campground

Water’s Edge Inn
Available all year long at:
http://www.nysnowmobiler.com/memberdiscounts
TOLL FREE: (888) 624-3849 * FAX: (888) 317-2441 *
It’s TIME to RENEW
your
CLUB MEMBERSHIP!
How to Renew Online and Print your Voucher
1. Go to www.nysnowmobiler.com and click on the Big Green Button at the upper left.
2. Enter your Member ID and password.

Don’t know your Member ID? Use the “Forgot” link:

Don’t know your Password? Use the
button.
3. Once you are logged in, you may renew your membership with your existing Club, or join a
different club, or join several clubs. Be sure to select the “Individual” or “Family” membership type as appropriate.
4. Fill in your credit card info and press PAY NOW!
5. Once the transaction is completed, return to the home page. To the right of the Club Name
is the word ‘Voucher’. Click on that to view and print your Voucher.
Still need assistance? Email us at [email protected], or call the Membership
Help Desk at 888-624-3849 x 103.
Turn the page to learn how to register your sled(s) online
with the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles! -->
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How to register your sled(s) online with
the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
1. Let’s get you to the right place:
If you are a New York State Resident, go to this website:
https://transact.dmv.ny.gov/RegistrationRenew/index.cfm
If you are Out of State, go to this website:
https://transact.dmv.ny.gov/SnowmobileOutofState/
2. Follow the on-screen instructions (they are different for NY Residents and Out of State,
so we can’t reproduce them here).
3. Remember to enter your 12-digit NYSSA Voucher ID (located above the barcode on your
2014-15 Voucher) with no dashes or spaces.
XX-XXXX-XXXXXX
4. Print your Temporary Registration - your permanent registration and stickers for your
sled will be mailed to you by NYS DMV within ten days.
Helpful tip from one of our members!
Anne,
Thanks for your help, I think this will work so you might want to add this to your bag of short cuts.
Instead of printing the temporary registration, I simply saved it on my computer and sent it to my
email on my I phone. So if i get questioned about it, I was told to always have a phone on me when I
ride, and I'm just trying to save the environment by going paperless!!
Sounds good.
Tom
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As the unified voice for NY Snowmobiling, NYSSA works year-round to promote
the sport and protect the trails needed for winter enjoyment. NYSSA is recognized
and accepted in Albany, across the state, and nationally as the organization that
represents the rights and needs of New York’s snowmobilers.
Season 2014-15 NY Snowmobiler Publication Dates:
NEW YORK STATE
S N O W M OB I L E A S S O C I A T I O N
(11days after each BOD Meeting).
May 13, 2015
January 21, 2015
June 17, 2015
February 18, 2015
March 18, 2015
AD RATES
April 16, 2015
PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040
888-624-3849 / Fax 888-317-2441
E-mail: [email protected]
NYSSA Calendar of Events
January 10, 2015
NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting
Clarion Hotel
Batavia, NY
January 11, 2015
“Take a Friend Snowmobiling Event”
Genesee Sno Packers Clubhouse
102 S. Pearl St, Oakfield, NY
January 24, 2015
Grafton State Park WinterFest
Rte 2, Cropseyville, NY
February 7, 2015
The Beeches Inn & Conference Ctr
Rome, NY
February 8, 2015
Delta Lake State Park
Rome, NY
February 21, 2015
Chautauqua County
Location TBD
March 7, 2015
Tailwater Lodge
Altmar, NY
April 4, 2015
Carnegie Conf Ctr - upstairs at
Drivers Village, Cicero, NY
April 10 - 13, 2015
SLEDNY Educational Forum & NYSSA Annual Meeting
Rochester Riverside Convention Ctr
Rochester, NY
May 2, 2015
June 6, 2015
Carnegie Conf Ctr - upstairs at
Drivers Village, Cicero, NY
June 10 - 13, 2015
International Snowmobile Congress
Niagara Falls Convention Center
Niagara Falls, NY
Club Events are listed on our website: www.nysnowmobiler.com
Safety Courses are listed at http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx

December 2014

Transcription

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