We all ride sleds for those heavenly moments of deep pow turns and sick lines through the trees. And maybe a little bit for that feeling of drinking a beer at the end of a long day that was filled with challenge, adventure and beauty.
Nobody gets involved in snowmobiling to be political or to add stress to their life. And yet, here we are in a world where access is being restricted and snowmobilers are often viewed as the enemy. As someone who has participated in other outdoor activities facing similar challenges, I have some advice for all of us: Don’t be the victim. Be the solution.
Here are seven ways you can make individual decisions that will add up to support the industry, the sport and your own backyard access.
1. Buy Your ORV Stickers
I don’t care if you ride in all 50 states. Buy your damn ORV stickers. These stickers pay for the management of areas, parking lots and so many other important resources for riding. And the more the land managers are worried people cheating the system, the more money they put into patrolling instead of actual management. And they cost like .2 percent of your snowmobile. You can afford it.
2. Join Your Local Snowmobile Club
Local snowmobile clubs are dying. People have so much information at their fingertips that they no longer depend on actual human groups to gain riding partners and talk about conditions. However (and this is a REALLY BIG however), snowmobile clubs are the first point of leverage when an access issue comes up. Sure, we can all show up with pitch forks to the town hall meeting, but the snowmobile club is the place that real conversation and progress can happen. Pay the $20 a year to join and get involved if you want to protect the access you have.
3. Buy Avalanche Gear (And Know How To Use It)
This isn’t about the sport, this is about not killing yourself or your friends. Buy a beacon. Buy a probe. Put your shovel in your backpack. And practice every year. Having an avy bag is a good idea, too but it won’t guarantee you won’t get buried. And if your friends don’t have an avy bag you need a beacon to find them. Stop being ignorant and claiming you don’t ride in avalanche terrain. And stop being too cheap to spend $250 to save your best friend’s life.