State of Wisconsin New Trail Pass $30 Fee + Usual Registration Fee...

[xsledder]

IL resident belonging to AWSC and having a WI registration the trail pass is $10. IL resident with just a WI registration the trail pass is $30. IL resident without AWSC member and without a WI registration the trail pass is $50. You have to be on AWSC's list before June '15 in order to get the $10 trail pass. If you didn't belong to AWSC this year, you have to wait until next year for the discount. (source IASC)

 

[67rs]

in central wi a family membership is $20 and single is $15 why is it $30 in southern wi.?? per kevinj

 

[kevinj]

Its always been $30 for a family as far as I can remember. I thought it was $30 since a portion of that pays your dues to AWSC. I joined a different club this year in N WI and its $30 there for family, $25 for single. I have no problem with $30.

 

[jr37]

in central wi a family membership is $20 and single is $15 why is it $30 in southern wi.?? per kevinj

Each club sets their own membership price. They can charge $2 or $200 if they want. Our club dues are $20 for family and $15 for a single.

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Most trails in WI are not funded by the state trail fund. The state trail fund only funds the state corridor trails. Most trails you ride, at least in the northwoods, are club only trails. These are funded by the club and the members not from the state funds. Please remember this when you decide to just buy a trail pass at full price.....


Dana

Please be sure you know your facts before posting things like this. This is the type of wrong info that does not need to be distributed.

 

[jr37]

jr37 - IMO the trail pass will not prevent clubs from folding. If there is no interest in helping out, then no amount of money will keep a club running. I've talked to so many riders that have no plans to join a club...they are just going to pay for the sticker and be done with it. Sad but true.

That may be true, but membership is already up almost 4000 members this year. There are also new clubs that have formed, and there is also a club that folded years ago that was resurrected this year. I, for one, hope this is a good sign for the future.

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I think joining the local club shouldn't be about a couple measly dollars. And you don't have to volunteer to work every weekend, even if you can only do a little light work. Being involved and knowing what is going on in your area is good. That way when things change you have some info on why, and if you did or, did not try to support or deny the change. Instead of just bashing the good intentions of the people who are involved. They try to do the best they can for everyone, but they do need your input to have the information to make the best decisions they can. The inventive should be to make the sport better for all.

Very well said, we need more people like you.


"Do you have to be a WI resident to get the $30 pass or just have a WI registration on sled?"

You only need to have a WI registration.

 

[groomerdriver]

That may be true, but membership is already up almost 4000 members this year. There are also new clubs that have formed, and there is also a club that folded years ago that was resurrected this year. I, for one, hope this is a good sign for the future.

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Very well said, we need more people like you.

No reason to debate what you said in your original post. Bottom line is that we both hope it works!

 

[ezra]

IMHO all non club members should pay $100 bucks per season per state .

 

[doofan1]

https://www.awsc.org/AWSC/media/Images/Legislative/act142-ab407.pdf This is what I found on the AWSC page about the Cap/Step Wisconsin ACT142

I agree that all snowmobilers should belong to a snowmobile club. I'm always stunned at how many "snowmobilers" think that the WI DNR maintains the trails. Anyone that belongs to a club understands that it take many hours of volunteers to make the trail system what it is.

I know our club this year has seen an increase of new members and if you ask any of them why they decided to join it is because of the new fee's and they are looking for the discount trail pass. Most of the new faces show up to one meeting pay their dues and we never see them again. Our club charges 20 for a single membership and 25 for a family membership of that 10 dollars goes to the AWCS. So while we have seen an increase in our treasury we have not seen an increase in help maintaining the trails.

 

[JimAndros]

Most trails in WI are not funded by the state trail fund. The state trail fund only funds the state corridor trails. Most trails you ride, at least in the northwoods, are club only trails. These are funded by the club and the members not from the state funds. Please remember this when you decide to just buy a trail pass at full price.....
Dana

WI does not fund trails or give trails "corridor" status if they have water crossings. However, funding is not limited to corridor trails. If you look at a map with that understanding, it becomes clear why a corridor route will suddenly take a scenic route that otherwise makes no sense, while a club trail or county trail will take the more direct route that logic would dictate should be the corridor.

When grooming is done we must record the amount of time on both funded & non funded trails in order to be reimbursed. This sometimes explains why a heavily traveled route may not be groomed on every trip of the groomer.

The way I see the new trail pass system, it should put more money into the hands of the clubs in popular areas and hopefully cause an increase of volunteers. Maybe it won't really work that way but there is only one way to find out; Time will tell.

 

[xsledder]

What is the rate of compensation from the DNR for grooming their trail?

 

[snowshoe]

You have to be on AWSC's list before June '15 in order to get the $10 trail pass. If you didn't belong to AWSC this year, you have to wait until next year for the discount. (source IASC)

I'm our club membership chair and I have not heard a thing about a June '15 deadline. Quite the opposite actually. Many clubs are linking PayPal to their websites to make it easier to pay club dues and the AWSC has an online membership system for clubs to add/renew members online. Not that long ago I mailed in a form along with a check once a month. So technology has definitely been upgraded.

Starting July 1st to order a trail pass you will need your AWSC member #, snowmobile registration number and do one of 4 options; Order on the AWSC website, call the AWSC office, mail in a form, or stop in the office in person. DNR stations, local clubs, etc. will NOT be selling the trail passes so you need to plan ahead.

https://www.awsc.org/About-Us/WI-Trail-Pass-Info/How-Will-I-Purchase-My-Trail-Pass.aspx

in central wi a family membership is $20 and single is $15 why is it $30 in southern wi.?? per kevinj

Membership rates vary greatly. Our membership is $30. http://kellnerknights.org/join-our-club/

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Here are a couple links explaining how the current system works.

https://www.awsc.org/Clubs/Trail-Funding-Maintenance/EquipandLaborRates-2014-15.aspx

http://dnr.wi.gov/Aid/SnowmobileTrails.html

 

[rocky367]

jr37 - IMO the trail pass will not prevent clubs from folding. If there is no interest in helping out, then no amount of money will keep a club running. I've talked to so many riders that have no plans to join a club...they are just going to pay for the sticker and be done with it. Sad but true.

Hearing the same thing, and I can't believe the extra little bit from even 5 new members is going to help keep clubs going. The real change needed to happen in the way funding is handled, putting signs in, brushing are nothing compared to the cost of grooming and that is what is needed to be discussed not bringing more people in who don't want to help. The gas refund needed to be addressed and at the same time the way we disperse the money across the state.

 

[snowshoe]

What good is increased funding without increased manpower? If riders don't volunteer in some way or another to support the sport I see 2 options. Increase revenue to cover the costs of contracting trail work that is currently done by volunteers or see a steady decline in the amount and quality of trails.

Our club has just about doubled in size over the last 6 years and many of the newbies are active signing, brushing and working fundraisers.

There is no doubt that this trail pass will benefit well run, organized and prepared clubs. If your club does nothing to prepare they will likely not see the increased membership and manpower.

 

[whitedust]

What good is increased funding without increased manpower? If riders don't volunteer in some way or another to support the sport I see 2 options. Increase revenue to cover the costs of contracting trail work that is currently done by volunteers or see a steady decline in the amount and quality of trails.

Our club has just about doubled in size over the last 6 years and many of the newbies are active signing, brushing and working fundraisers.

There is no doubt that this trail pass will benefit well run, organized and prepared clubs. If your club does nothing to prepare they will likely not see the increased membership and manpower.

Let's get real some Clubs don't really care if they get new members or not want to do the same old same old they have been doing for 30 years.....been a part of 2 of those done with them. Other Clubs welcome help & new members will put people to work no problem. Some new members are there for 1 Club meeting & gone just a dues payer really don't want to help or know how to help. CapStep may be the answer but have to see.... Madison thinks same way thus setting sun on CapStep.
.

 

[groomerdriver]

What good is increased funding without increased manpower? If riders don't volunteer in some way or another to support the sport I see 2 options. Increase revenue to cover the costs of contracting trail work that is currently done by volunteers or see a steady decline in the amount and quality of trails.

There is no doubt that this trail pass will benefit well run, organized and prepared clubs. If your club does nothing to prepare they will likely not see the increased membership and manpower.

"What good is increased funding without increased manpower?" -- it will help in the costs of owning and maintaining equipment

"If riders don't volunteer in some way or another to support the sport I see 2 options. Increase revenue to cover the costs of contracting trail work (kinda like Ontario and Quebec?) that is currently done by volunteers or see a steady decline in the amount and quality of trails." -- YEP, it's happening already and has for the past 5'ish years.

"If your club does nothing to prepare they will likely not see the increased membership and manpower." -- and what percentage of clubs do you think fall into this category? I'd bet it's 30-40%. 2 of the 5 WI clubs I belong to fall into the category of "it's too late, we pretty much don't care anymore...whatever happens, happens". This ex-city boy is not one of the "locals" so my opinions and comments are summarily dismissed.

I just hope that I'm wrong.....

 

[rocky367]

Find myself agreeing with groomerdriver, I have belonged to two clubs and the first one was set in its ways and would not change and drove off new members. Second one is thriving and has younger members. Our county grooming group is the one that needs the money to run the groomers every year, not the two clubs, I do think a merger and reduction in clubs could be used. Around here they are in every town pretty much some only separated by a few miles with little trails beyond bike trails.

Maybe that needs to happen with the trails to get riders back to the importance of clubs?

 

[groomerdriver]

Tonight's club meeting was cancelled. Too many board members on "vacation". Anybody read my post about some clubs saying "we don't care, it's to late"?.....this club obviously doesn't care to hold any type of a meeting. Wonder what the few folks who walked up to the building expecting to have a beer or two and have a meeting thought when they were greeted with darkness......

 

[G]

If Wisc is like MN and it sounds like it is one key is new blood. We still have our original group from the 80's running the show in our county. They have been burnt out for years and would love to pass the torch but nobody is willing to step up. There are simply not enough younger riders that are interested or have the time. As far as Wisconsin fees it does not matter to me how much they are - I will always pay my out of state fee. However I am just one guy and I just do one sled. I can see families with multiple sleds getting turned off by higher fees. There is not an easy answer here. Not to mention the labor involved in brushing and signing. We don't even have many trees here in our county and it still takes time to get things ready in the fall. I can't imagine the time involved to brush the trails in Wisc and Mich. More hands is the answer but it is like finding hen's teeth.