Calling all snowmobilers!!

[euphoric1]

JOIN A CLUB! I know this has been covered before and I'm not sure how other club memberships are fairing, and remember comments made as to why people have gotten out of clubs. I am bringing this up again because our club membership is down and I mean down from 70 members in 2022 to an appalling 21 members in 2025. I have seen on other sites as well where club membership is struggling along with lack of involvement, I'm not sure if some of the attitude is " now that I have to pay for a trail pass I don't need to join a club" or "what do I get by belonging a club?" "rising membership costs don't make it worth while for discounted trail passes" "no body ever listens to me at club meetings" "life is too busy" whatever the reasoning might be, what would we have without clubs and the select few that make things happen? take out a trail map and X out all the club sponsored and maintained trails and look at what's left? Come on guys and gals, this sport cannot largely exist without clubs and active members. I think many take it for granted for what we have and how it got there. Clubs also do a lot for charitable organizations through donations and are important in education about the sport. Stop and think or try to imagine what we would have without clubs and the members who get it done. I am asking everyone, if you don't belong to a club... JOIN... and give even a little bit of your time.

 

[jakester23]

Well said. I have been in a club here in Northern IL. for 40yrs this year! Great club and I have made close friends over the years. I have to admit with the weak snow years that we have had many that stayed with it. I have had the opportunity to serve on different things to make things work, to many to list but very rewarding.The sport has gotten expensive and I believe some people have the attitude of let someone else do it. Sometimes I catch myself saying why do I still do this.Then you get out there and give it a rip and you understand. You can only hope people start stepping up. I love the seasons. I hope the sport doesn't kill itself. Has great guy who left us way to early would say often "THINK SNOW!! Don't be afraid to join a club.

 

[wisco-mb]

The next 5-10 years will be very interesting. The current snowmobiler age is 60!
Our club is barely surviving right now. We maintain around 60 miles of trail in central WI. 60! There are 5 of us club members that do everything. I'm 40, and the other guys are in their 60s. 2 of the guys maintain 10 miles, and us 3 take care of the 50 miles. One guy can no longer pound stakes, so their is really only 2 of us take care of that. I took 5 days of PTO to mark and brush trails. Luckily I had extra PTO this year, but that will not be the case next year. That is not sustainable. We still have 3 more days of marking, and the snow is a challenge.

Our club membership is about the same, but most are of out towners that have cabins. They provide no help. The guys that ran it in the past are very hard workers. However, they are not great managers. As a manager myself, I see many flaws in their processes, and they probably scared some people away....
It is a struggle every year to just keep the trails. Everyone by us is buying the old family farms, and buying for hunting only! The new owners want nothing to do with us, and our community. It's very sad. A lot are turning into road routes now.
And we are not alone. This same issue is happening everywhere.
We really need these winters to start turning around. Opening marginal trails for maybe one weekend is not worth it. That's how it's been the last 12 years. Maybe one good winter.
It's the attitude of our local trails. People don't want to put the work into the trails, because trails are not open for long periods. I do not look at it like that. I ride a lot of trails up north, which those trails are maintained by other volunteers. Putting in my local trails is my contribution to the sport and keeping it going!!