I encountered this in Idaho and Montana this last week. They had tracks on but we're way to wide to ride the trail IMO. The ones I seen setting on the trail did not display a trail pass.
Side by sides riding groomed trails
- Thread starter revrider07
- Start date
a little thing from the Idaho Snowmobile program..
All recreation vehicles operating over snow in the winter are required to purchase a snowmobile sticker(A summer OHV sticker is not valid for this activity in the winter). The sticker pays for grooming, plowing of the parking lots and all snowmobile related activities.
The allowed use of tracked and wheeled ATV's and UTVs over 1000 lbs on groomed snowmobile trails varies from county to county. Please check with the local sheriff in the county you wish to operate.
Without your contribution to the county grooming programs, grooming and parking lot plowing will cease to exist.
I am OK with them using the trails ect but they should have to pay to help maintain them TOO!!
All recreation vehicles operating over snow in the winter are required to purchase a snowmobile sticker(A summer OHV sticker is not valid for this activity in the winter). The sticker pays for grooming, plowing of the parking lots and all snowmobile related activities.
The allowed use of tracked and wheeled ATV's and UTVs over 1000 lbs on groomed snowmobile trails varies from county to county. Please check with the local sheriff in the county you wish to operate.
Without your contribution to the county grooming programs, grooming and parking lot plowing will cease to exist.
I am OK with them using the trails ect but they should have to pay to help maintain them TOO!!
It's all good till you come around a blind corner with nowhere to go. If I interpret the law correctly they cannot be more than 48 inches wide in Montana I did not look up Idaho law.
We came down the western road from Thorn Creek Butte a few weeks ago and someone had left deep ruts on about 8 of the 10 miles. Got to the bottom and 4 wheelers and side by sides everywhere. I'll just avoid that road if they're going to track it up like that again.
48"?
What kind of "trail" are you speaking of?
If it's actually a snow covered road then there isn't a 48" rule.
We don't really have "ATV" trails in Montana where things must be narrower than a specific width that I know of. I've never encountered them if we do. We have single track stuff and two-track stuff where jeeps and all "wide" vehicles are legal.
Tracked UTVs and ATVs are not too far away from being a tracked dirt bike. I don't know what the legal rules are in Montana right now with this, since it's so new.
Let me check with my buddy who is a Montana FWP officer who patrols Lolo Pass.
S
sthelenssldnx
Active member
I had a new polaris 900 turbo'd 4 seater with camoplast tracks on it for two years. #1 those clutches just are not meant to drive tracks and was very hard on the machine. Engine blew a week after I sold it. That being said, I am a sledder through and through and I can tell you without question those things should not be anywhere where snowmobiles ride. I created giant ruts every where I went, nothing I could do about it. Especially uphills. "Roads" are not roads in the winter as we all know, due to the snow the width of a road in the summer can be half of that size in the winter. So I was squeezing everyone out, cant tell you how many times sleds had to back up. Made me feel like a jerk so I sold it. Plus they just dont go anywhere fast, speedometer would say 70mph and I would actually be maxing out at 25mph. Had to drive at top rpm everywhere I went which made me really LOUD all the time. And annoying. would go up hills but the tracks would have to spin triple time. going down hills was scary cause you cant lean. Did get it 3/4 of the way up Mt St Helens though. By the way, dont ever put tracks on anything with a short wheelbase like a 4wheeler or single seat rzr because the front tracks just bury the back tracks, they dont work. Until they come out with a RZR with a revised clutch specifically designed for use with snowtracks I see no point in buying one. But moreover, these things need their own designated trails if people are going to use them and they do need to pay the same fees all the rest of us do. For sure. I hate seeing them here in Island Park, ID. The only 2000lb+ machine thats should be on a sled trail is a groomer, and yes, with tracks they weight that much. That being said, trails suck...ride the mountains boys!!!!!
The trails I encountered the side by side on were barely wide enough for them let alone meet someone. They were also leaving small ruts on trail not a huge deal but I don't think it wouldn't take many atvs to destroy the trail just too much weight.
Why would anyone with a snowmobile be riding on a trail to begin with?
well i have a family and my 9 year old daughter is not quite the boondocker yet Mold but we are slowly trying to get her there..
Last year I went out on a weekend where there was a local "get together" a few miles out the trail, that encouraged side by sides with tracks. They f-ed the trail up so bad. On the way back out, breaking in my new sled, I hit a ball of snow that they carved out that sent me into the bars at speed, I rode bars with my feet over my head for a good while. (I am not a dumbarse, it was hidden under the silly berms that they carved in the groomed trail.)
That would have been fine, on me, but there were MULTIPLE idiots driving these abortions parked/stuck in the middle of the trail sideways, with no respect for the trail or other users. THAT is the problem with tracked summer toys on the trails in the winter.
That would have been fine, on me, but there were MULTIPLE idiots driving these abortions parked/stuck in the middle of the trail sideways, with no respect for the trail or other users. THAT is the problem with tracked summer toys on the trails in the winter.
B
BeckyJ
Well-known member
Idaho Statute
67-7112. GROOMED SNOWMOBILE TRAILS. Counties shall have the option to allow all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles over one thousand (1,000) pounds unladen gross weight, if numbered as a snowmobile, to use snowmobile trails in the county. No other vehicles shall operate on groomed snowmobile trails unless specifically allowed by the county. Any all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile over one thousand (1,000) pounds unladen gross weight operating on groomed snowmobile trails during the winter snowmobiling season when the trails are groomed shall be numbered as a snowmobile under the provisions of section 67-7103, Idaho Code. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be an infraction.
Valley County will issue permits but limits the times and places they can ride. They mainly allow riding into cabins.
67-7112. GROOMED SNOWMOBILE TRAILS. Counties shall have the option to allow all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles over one thousand (1,000) pounds unladen gross weight, if numbered as a snowmobile, to use snowmobile trails in the county. No other vehicles shall operate on groomed snowmobile trails unless specifically allowed by the county. Any all-terrain vehicle and snowmobile over one thousand (1,000) pounds unladen gross weight operating on groomed snowmobile trails during the winter snowmobiling season when the trails are groomed shall be numbered as a snowmobile under the provisions of section 67-7103, Idaho Code. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be an infraction.
Valley County will issue permits but limits the times and places they can ride. They mainly allow riding into cabins.
The following was the SD law a couple years ago. As far as I know it still is:
In SD vehicle must be track driven & ski steered.
Snowbikes legal with trail sticker.
I would love to be able to put tracks on the UTV to use on the trails, but I know firsthand how much work goes into the trails and we should not allow ANY vehicle on there that screws it up.
This includes you dumbtards that always leave a pile when you take off!
In SD vehicle must be track driven & ski steered.
Snowbikes legal with trail sticker.
I would love to be able to put tracks on the UTV to use on the trails, but I know firsthand how much work goes into the trails and we should not allow ANY vehicle on there that screws it up.
This includes you dumbtards that always leave a pile when you take off!
My opinion is if you want to drive on a groomed sled trail buy a sled. We already share with skiers in certain areas that don't pay to play. I ride very little trails unless family is with that can't drive straight up the mtn. This is going to be ongoing topic but on most trails are not wide enough for safe travel.
This happened last weekend. We were stopped at an intersection on groomed trail, a tracked SxS came by. Then another, the second said that there were 4 more coming. They were spaced out and having to wait for the next so they would know which trail to take, I told them that I would direct them the right way. All fine, waves, etc., until the last arsehole comes up the trail in a Polaris 4 seater turbo thing with Carl's Cycle stickers. This POS decides to floor it and roost me going around the corner after I was nice enough to point him the right direction.
We then had to ride down the trail in grooves that he left, 6" deep from running the trail in 2 wheel drive floored.
LAST time I help a sxs on groomed snowmobile trails.
We then had to ride down the trail in grooves that he left, 6" deep from running the trail in 2 wheel drive floored.
LAST time I help a sxs on groomed snowmobile trails.
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