polarisrider1
New member
sleeping on solid ground is 2.
Trail permit sales down 35%
- Thread starter polarisrider1
- Start date
I see your point but I will pose this question: Have the prices of the recreational activities you mention more than doubled in the last 10 years?
I don't know the answer I'm just asking the question.
OK, let's take a look at the facts of the situation
Michigan snow sucked, credible source (above) has stated so
Permit sales are down
You need snow to go snowmobiling
I am not in charge of snow
The rest of you are not in charge of snow
We all know John is in charge of snow
Therefore...It's John's fault!
This is a pic I took of John and the snow button last year...it's on his desk.
Yep I won't be too disappointed when snow falls south now. Too many sleds cramed in 1 area last season burned trails down quickly. Need to spread the snow to all areas in to have balance & good trail conditions everywhere.
Crawford Sledder
New member
Another issue I didn't read was all the sleds running around my area with no permit at all. A cop or co could have had a field day at the gas stations some weekends writing tickets for no trail permit! Some of the locals here in the lower said they wouldn't be buying one with the price increase. With that mentality I think the ticket should be more than 65 bucks!
polarisrider1
New member
Make the ticket for no permit a thousand bucks and it all should go to the trail fund. This would help offset the deficit for next year. (What the heck, I am sitting here in the dark, power went out) what are the thoughts on this?
Last edited:
700classic
New member
That you should pay your power bill or get a generator!
1,000 dollars, my sled is not worth that much!!I like it. I don't have a problem with folks who don't want to buy a permit for whatever reason, but I have a huge problem with those who don't buy it and still use the trail system.
Jonger1150
New member
There are a lot of riders who will not go from SE Michigan to the UP, it was the snow, bottom line. Personally, I will go to the U.P and have been, but there were probably 2 decent weekends this winter to ride this winter in Gaylord.
Crawford Sledder
New member
I too hate free loaders and this bothers me a lot more than those just not buying a permit. I'd think the ticket for no permit should be at least a couple hundred bucks!
I remember from a few years ago when our group would go to Silver Lake SP sand dunes that each 4 wheeler would have to buy an ORV sticker that was good for the season and you had the choice of purchasing a seasonal or a day pass for the state park, so a day use trail pass can be done. If enough of us sent the DNR an email with the request, they might try it. You would loose some revenue from seasonal trail passes but I think that the day pass sales would offset that. We all know that you have to pay to play and our sport is not a cheap one.
A combo of poor snow, tough economy, higher trail fees. From a personal perspective, I always ride around my cabin in Hayward but this year I was forced to ride in the UP due to snow conditions. I had a great experience and will be headin back to the UP for at least one trip each year. So due to poor snow at other locations the UP gained and now will continue to get my trail fee money from now on.
Maybe I'm the reason why permits are down 35%. I normally buy 3 permits through MSA, this last year I only bought 2 because we have an extra sled and it may or not be used.
Turned out it was never used and my use in general was down about 50%. Also, there was some sort of glitch with my MSA menbership renewal and the form that comes with it on buying permits.
I normally get them in the early fall, this last year it was almost in November. They sent some sort of explanation about a problem with the computer. I wonder if they lost memberships renewals or I was an isolated case.
Turned out it was never used and my use in general was down about 50%. Also, there was some sort of glitch with my MSA menbership renewal and the form that comes with it on buying permits.
I normally get them in the early fall, this last year it was almost in November. They sent some sort of explanation about a problem with the computer. I wonder if they lost memberships renewals or I was an isolated case.
booondocker
New member
As any good science project requires, you need controls and then the variable to determine WHAT causes the drop in stickers. Gas prices, lack of snow, lack of spare money, lack of wife support of taking time off....the variables are numerous.
Personally I think that you CAN price the stickers too high, such as what Ontario does. Only those who don't care what the cost...who will do it anyway, will find that the cost does not enter into the mix.
I also think that since snowmobiling is an industry, not enough support is extended by the makers of sleds and those who will benefit from folks traveling all over a state. That means that the State should be kicking in to assit when the tickets fall, with the returns paid 25 fold to the state in taxes generated and income production.
Yes, all the folks who take in snowmobiler dollars need to take a good long look in the mirror...
The old ways of doin business is over. You either adapt, or you go away and start knitting socks.
A good comprehensive review of the whole process needs to be completed and some deep rooted changes need to be implimented to get things shook up ....
Most States are afraid to look outside the box.....but sometimes that is exactly what they need to do.
Free sticker weekends would be a start.....go sledding once and suddenly you have a desire to go again.
Modified sticker pricing based upon the duration of the permit.
Sticker free areas???
Cheaper stickers for areas that need a boost in trail use?
How about rebates from a pool of money for those who use the trails all season long when you can document spending $xx for the season?
These ideas are mostly lame but they are exactly what needs to be done to boost sled sales, tourist activity, and promoting winter time sport.
If there is one fault the folks who are in charge of making all these decision has, is that they keep on doing the same stuff they have done forever and can't come up with some good thought to plug the business of snowmobiling. It is a business for all the folks who depend upon the activity it brings. Local areas should be tossin in some bread to pool up resources and bringing on folks that need a nudge to get into the game.
Sometimes we need to get a great kick in the kiester to wake up and smell the coffee.....and in this case the coffee is boilin over and nobody is around to keep the grounds from gettn all over the place.
Yep waiting for the other boot to fall is NOT the way to handle this decrease in trail permit sales as it hurts too much & drives Ma & Pa out of business if the riders don't show up. The WUPMI had ideal snow conditions compared to the rest of the midwest which had very little rideable snow. Will this ever happen again I don't know?....but the WUP was very busy & did well last season. A low cost weekend permit is necessary to attract the casual rider with multiple sleds & people have said it over & over on JD. MI either does not care or wants to wait until next year. I'll be on the trails no matter what but wide spread midwest snow will keep other sledders close to home & could increase the 35% decrease to a 45% decrease without proactive permit modification to a short term permit. Nothing ventured nothing gained & the $45 MI trail permit debate goes on & on.