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Whether you have snowmobiled since a 200-piece Craftsman tool set was considered standard equipment, or you have never pulled a starter cord, a guided snowmobile tour can be the most satisfying winter vacation you will ever take.

Imagine: warm, dry boots and outerwear; a machine that's warmed up, tuned up and ready to go each morning; and a guide who's planned the day's journey so there's time to play, stop for pictures and get back in time for a soak in the hot tub, a leisurely drink and a great dinner- all enjoyed in the company of snowmobile enthusiasts.

Like sea cruises, snowmobile tours are often put together as all-inclusive packages, with snowmobiles, guides, lodging, meals and gear included with just one call.

Before calling a tour operator, get an idea of the type of riding you and your spouse or group would prefer. Have you ever ridden before? (It isn't required on many trips, as a guide can get most up to speed in an afternoon.) Are you mostly average riders, looking for a good, steady ride with a few rest stops for pictures and scenic overlooks? Or, are you aggressive riders out to rack up big miles? A tour operator will be able to recommend a good fit, or may offer customized trips.

People begin to book snowmobile tours as early as March, often as they return home from their last tour. But don't give up hope: early-season or holiday tours in December or "spring break" trips in late March or even April often don't fill as early.

All Aboard
A Snow Train tour is great for snowmobilers looking for a new place to ride, or new friends to ride with. Tourers meet in Sault St. Marie, Michigan, board the Algoma Central train (machines ride below) and share a nine-hour ride to Hearst, Ontario. Senior World Tours also offers an excursion to Wawa, Ontario, with a five-hour train ride. Snow Train tourers often begin as strangers, but get to know each other as they enjoy the icy winterscape passing by.

Big Sky, Bigger Snow
No one can control the weather, but the western U.S. can claim the closest thing to a snow guarantee. Togwotee Pass, in northwestern Wyoming near Jackson Hole, averages about 500 inches a season. There are literally millions of acres, and as many places to ride here, but for those with limited vacation time, a guide will whisk guests to the best riding spots. Besides the superior snow cover, the western riding experience includes unparalleled scenery and abundant winter wildlife, such as bald eagles and buffalo (guides keep their eyes open for such photo ops).

Senior Class
A few seasons back, 65-year-old tour operator Rog Matthews made the connection between seniors and snowmobiling. Since so many seniors head south for the winter, Matthews thought that a winter trip to Yellowstone National Park would appeal, if it were safe and warm. With toasty gear available for rent, as well as thumb and handwarmers, the warm part is covered. As for safety, each rider is given thorough instruction about the operation of their sled, including how to start, stop, turn, and a warning to watch out for wildlife (animals, too).

Once everyone is up to speed, tour groups may be split into smaller groups, or "fast" and "slow" groups, so everyone is comfortable with the pace.

Exotic Tours
With machines becoming more reliable and comfortable each season, snowmobiling has become a full-fledged winter vacation, with riders traveling as far as 200 miles in a day.

Some tourers travel thousands of miles- by plane- to experience an exotic snowmobile adventure. This winter, snowmobilers can join Rog Matthews of Senior World Tours in Anchorage, Alaska, for the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Or join Dick and Audrey Decker of Decker's Sno-Venture Tours for their Iceland Adventure or Sights of Sweden tours.

All this is not to say that you can't find a great tour near home. Midwestern snowmobilers, especially those in Minnesota and Wisconsin, will find new places to explore within just a few hundred miles.

Name Your Adventure
Many people join tour groups to share the sport they love; others already have a group of snowmobilers ready to ride, but they either don't fit into an operator's schedule, or they don't want to hassle with reservation details. Depending on the time and size of your group, a custom tour can be booked anywhere from a couple of weeks to a year in advance. Mid-week tours, says Audrey Decker, can be booked on quite short notice, but weekend rentals become scarce early.

Tour companies are usually flexible with their itineraries and, upon request, will modify or add special side trips, such as dog sledding, shopping or cross-country skiing, (a great alternative for novice snowmobilers or families). And, requests come from all over the world: currently, the Deckers are putting together a tour for folks from North Africa, and last season, they had a New Zealand couple book a week-long adventure.

No Worries
A good guide will free guests from maps, break downs and reservation worries, so that they can enjoy the scenery, good food and great riding to maximize their winter vacation.

A snowmobile tour is a great way to introduce or reintroduce people to the sport: they get instruction, warm clothes, a late-model, reliable machine and tours of the best "secret" spots to ride. And if, in their excitement or lack of experience, they bury their sleds- well, that's what guides are for, too.

Tour Operators
Decker's Sno-Venture Tours
PO Box 1447
Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521
715/479-2764

Consistently rated as the best in the snowmobile tour operator biz, Dick and Audrey Decker will take you on the adventure of a lifetime, from Northwoods Wisconsin, to Scandinavia. They thoroughly research trips before advertising them, so you can be assured of a smooth trip and top-notch accommodations. The Decker's are constantly working on new trips: this year, the Tahoe Junket will include plenty of riding, with sideline trips to area casinos.

International Snowmobile Tours, Inc.
427 Sycamore
Chesterfield, IN 46017
800378-8687; 317/378-5074

Running tours since 1980, owners Dick and Cindy Squiers have pioneered such trips as the Snow Train tour and the popular POL-CAT Tour with trips to the Polaris and Arctic Cat factories in northern Minnesota. This year will mark IST's first foray into the West Yellowstone, Montana area, with trips to Two Top Mountain and Yellowstone National Park.

Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Tours
9918-71 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 0W7
403/448-5860

Organizes custom tours for dealers, clubs and other large groups. Popular destinations include West Yellowstone, Montana, and Revelstoke, B.C. Tourers' sleds are transported aboard the World's Largest Snowmobile Trailer, while snowmobilers ride aboard a coach bus. Rental machines may also be arranged.

Sno-World Snow Tours
3701 Buttrick Rd. S.E.
Ada, MI 49301-9221
800/676-5808

An active snowmobiler for more than 30 years, Senior World Tours owner/guide Rog Matthews, hosts all of his tours, so tourers can be assured of first-class service. He began organizing tours for clubs in his home state of Michigan. His signature tour is in the Togwotee area near Wyoming's Grand Tetons.