Trail permit thoughts

POLARISDAN

New member
i was thinking about ways to support all the clubs in all the counties i ride.
Here's a thought, not sure if it'd go over or not.
If there were donation boxes in each club area i would be inclined to give a buck or two for each club area i ride in. Now that doesn't sound like much, but if every rider did it, it may make a big difference in club suport. Not sure on security of donation boxes on trail, so maybe at a location on trail. Gas station, bar, restaurants. With signs on trails, st intersections indicating donation spots where donation boxes located. If it was widespread i think people's would get used to it and be willing to help fund, even having paid trail pass.

Maybe with all the same consistent headline banner if you like our trails please donate so we can keep up the good work.

any thoughts on this idea? Good, bad, not feasible?

all the bars have them as far as i know for each local club..depending on where i am i toss between 10 and 50 a trip per area..usually hit mosquito a 20 for example each time we stop
 

ggsled

New member
Permits

2 cents.. I guess I am ok with paying, however do they have to be so dang big and ugly??? We all pay big money to ride what we ride and drive to our favorite spots, and then we have to put on these big gaudy stickers. They got our money. If they are going to stop you they will check everything anyway. All they need is a certain type of "dot" or something. ...
 

EXCESSIVE FORCE

New member
Just ordered my MI permits (2)online and didn't bat an eye on the $92.00. Ordered 2 WI permits too @ $10.00 each............Can't wait to use them now..
 
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RVR RNR

Member
No one should gripe about trail pass costs. I bought 8 WI trail passes this year for my trail and vintage sleds and am happy to do it knowing it's going to eventually improve our system. If you can afford the toys, you should be happy that landowners and volunteers are providing you with a place to use them. $100/yr. per sled would still be a bargain!
 
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Cirrus_Driver

Guest
These clowns at WI DNR, $30 for 3 year registration, the average guy that doesn't pay attention until the last minute thinks it's a savings, until he reads further and finds out $30 annual for a TRAIL PERMIT in addition to registration! Walker the sneaky bastoid, $30 tricks people into thinking it's one fee but in fact 2 x $30, now costs $40 to ride per year, whereas before was $15. Club is $25 per year dues, so big deal permit is $10 if you're in a club, still costs more money. So does this mean I won't have ski hill moguls to ride anymore on saturday afternoon? I think not. Total joke

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No one should gripe about trail pass costs. I bought 8 WI trail passes this year for my trail and vintage sleds and am happy to do it knowing it's going to eventually improve our system. If you can afford the toys, you should be happy that landowners and volunteers are providing you with a place to use them. $100/yr. per sled would still be a bargain!
Uh-huh - drink the kool-aid. Tastes great and only 3 times the previous cost.
 

jr37

Well-known member
These clowns at WI DNR, $30 for 3 year registration, the average guy that doesn't pay attention until the last minute thinks it's a savings, until he reads further and finds out $30 annual for a TRAIL PERMIT in addition to registration! Walker the sneaky bastoid, $30 tricks people into thinking it's one fee but in fact 2 x $30, now costs $40 to ride per year, whereas before was $15. Club is $25 per year dues, so big deal permit is $10 if you're in a club, still costs more money. So does this mean I won't have ski hill moguls to ride anymore on saturday afternoon? I think not. Total joke

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Uh-huh - drink the kool-aid. Tastes great and only 3 times the previous cost.



You talk as someone who is totally uninformed about the snowmobile program as a whole. The snowmobile program as been very short of money for many years. Something like this, to get more money in the program, had to happen. Clubs have been getting paid about 70 cents on the dollar for all the work and grooming they put in. Would you like to work all day and then only get 70 percent of what you have coming. There are 1000s of miles of trail in the state that are unfunded because there is not enough money to fund these trail. That means those trails are entirely supported by the clubs. Every gallon of fuel used to groom those trails comes right out of the clubs pocket, no reimbursement. There are bridges that need to be built or replaced, still no money to do that, unless it is a true safety factor. One thing the trail pass is hopefully doing is getting people to join a club. Maybe they will come to meetings and get informed on all it takes to get trails open and ready. Club members get the Wisconsin Snowmobile News, so they can stay informed on all things sled and trail related in the state.

I'm sorry that $40 a year is going to hurt you so bad. The clubs and volunteers will still continue to do their best to provide you with the best trails they can.

While you were here complaining about having to spend a few extra dollars, I was out getting trails ready to open. My vehicle, my ATV, my chainsaw, my gas, my time. ALL VOLUNTEER, ALL FREE, ALL OUT OF MY POCKET. No complaining, just doing my part. And there are hundreds just like me all over the state. Next time how about a Thank You to all the volunteers and keep the whining to yourself.
 

sweeperguy

Active member
These clowns at WI DNR, $30 for 3 year registration, the average guy that doesn't pay attention until the last minute thinks it's a savings, until he reads further and finds out $30 annual for a TRAIL PERMIT in addition to registration! Walker the sneaky bastoid, $30 tricks people into thinking it's one fee but in fact 2 x $30, now costs $40 to ride per year, whereas before was $15. Club is $25 per year dues, so big deal permit is $10 if you're in a club, still costs more money. So does this mean I won't have ski hill moguls to ride anymore on saturday afternoon? I think not. Total joke

- - - Updated - - -

Uh-huh - drink the kool-aid. Tastes great and only 3 times the previous cost.

You talk as someone who is totally uninformed about the snowmobile program as a whole. The snowmobile program as been very short of money for many years. Something like this, to get more money in the program, had to happen. Clubs have been getting paid about 70 cents on the dollar for all the work and grooming they put in. Would you like to work all day and then only get 70 percent of what you have coming. There are 1000s of miles of trail in the state that are unfunded because there is not enough money to fund these trail. That means those trails are entirely supported by the clubs. Every gallon of fuel used to groom those trails comes right out of the clubs pocket, no reimbursement. There are bridges that need to be built or replaced, still no money to do that, unless it is a true safety factor. One thing the trail pass is hopefully doing is getting people to join a club. Maybe they will come to meetings and get informed on all it takes to get trails open and ready. Club members get the Wisconsin Snowmobile News, so they can stay informed on all things sled and trail related in the state.

I'm sorry that $40 a year is going to hurt you so bad. The clubs and volunteers will still continue to do their best to provide you with the best trails they can.

While you were here complaining about having to spend a few extra dollars, I was out getting trails ready to open. My vehicle, my ATV, my chainsaw, my gas, my time. ALL VOLUNTEER, ALL FREE, ALL OUT OF MY POCKET. No complaining, just doing my part. And there are hundreds just like me all over the state. Next time how about a Thank You to all the volunteers and keep the whining to yourself.

Its not like the cost in Wi. is any higher than neighboring states. In Mich they charge everyone $45 a year for a trail pass plus registration if you live there. Not sure exactly what that cost is. In Mn. granted no trail pass anymore but the cost is rolled into registration, 78.50 for 3 year plus like $13 for title or transfer. Think there was another fee also.
I belong to several clubs in 3 states because I ride so many areas. When I went to Mi. to do trail work for Superior Snowmobile Club, I had the expenses and equipment use jr37 mentioned. But also a 10 hour round trip, lodging, and meals for 2 days. Plus took 2 days off work (that would've been overtime) in the busy fall season to do it. Not complaining, wouldn't bring it up except for your whining about paying fair share. CAN'T PAY DON'T PLAY. A very small portion of the cost of an expensive sport.
 
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45 bucks will buy a HALF day lift ticket at my local ski hill. $45 for a FULL SEASON of trail riding has to be the best deal going IMO. I'm happy to pay it, and thanks to all the volunteers who make it possible.
 
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Cirrus_Driver

Guest
Yeah, I've been in clubs, they spend more time drinking at club meetings, eating pot luck lunches, and hanging in the bars on club rides, than they do prepping trails. You lecture yours truly complaining about fee's, then you follow with complaining about all the work you do! The fact is, this fee increase was done VERY disceptively and arguably, dishonestly, by creating the registration fee at $30 and ANNUAL trail pass at $30 to intentionally create confusion. I skimmed the letter in July when I got the renewal and all my mind wanted to focus on was the 3 years, $30 - nice work to reduce expense for the smallest special interest group in the state! They could have just as easily simply raised the registration to $60 and accomplished the same thing, but they mistakenly think the average, mentally challenged schmoe will think it's a great deal to join a club for $25/yr., (minimum) then pay $10 for a trail pass. It was all about increasing club membership and I suppose it was mission accomplished, but for how long, until "Joe schmoe" figures out he got no great deal, unless he owns 3 or more sleds? This was a typical Doyle tactic of raising taxes in the form of FEE's, and they did it to the smallest special interest group in the state, simply because the DNR HATES snowmobiles, and eventually wants to eliminate them! Mark my words, this sport is going down - just a matter of time. When you combine the price of sleds, EPA regs, the cost to operate and fee increases, it will be done in 15-20 years max. I can almost guarantee you, these fee increases will do nothing to improve a weekend trail condition in WI. I sent my letter to Walker, and I WAS a supporter that gave money to election campaigns. Fool looking in the mirror.
 

shelby369

New member
I look at it this way....... I have 5 sleds from 2010-2016, a 4 place enclosed trailer, gear, maintenance, in total lets say $$35k invested...... now my kids love sledding, I love sledding, my friends love sledding... we do it all together and create awesome memories....... with all that money invested in what we love and all the beautiful memories we've made over the past 25 years, a few bucks for trail passes/registration is peanuts compared to the enjoyment we get from this sport....... cracks me up that a guy will go blow $13k on a new sled.... then will squawk about $10, $30,or $45 bucks or what ever the number is......
 

scoot

Member
Just as one example.... Last year I got a text at 8:30 on a Saturday night. People were raising a huge stink because a local bar ran out of trail maps. I got dressed, (trying to sleep because I had to run the groomer later that night because another guy bailed) picked up a stack of maps at the club house, then ran them over. As I was dropping off the maps, I got several ear fulls from guys out riding.... About how this trail had signs knocked over so it was poorly marked, this trail had bare corners, that trail had a huge snowbank from a snowplow, and all the trails were bumpy due to heavy traffic. When I asked if they were local club members, they said they pay their dues to a local club, so they had the God given right to complain. However they also proudly proclaimed that they only volunteer marking trails up north where they usually ride. Marking trails is important, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Its a year round job. Looking a property owner in the eye, asking him for permission to run a trail though his field one last season, that somehow, magically this year, there will be less problems then last year. Last year our trails only opened for a few days, but we spent several weekends repairing stuff that people tore up. Man, I wish I could breakaway in the fall, head up to the beautiful northwoods for a weekend, work a few days, eat and drink at the awesome northwoods restaurants, pay for a trail permit and say I did my part. ;)
 

whitedust

Well-known member
Just wait for this year to get rolling in the WI northwoods & JD will light up with posts on how bad trails are & riders have the right to complain about conditions now they have to by a trail pass. Yep I can see that coming. lol
 

hudson056

Member
It had crossed my mind for a couple seconds to gripe about the $$ increase this year, but then I remembered that it doesnt bother me to eat a 27oz porterhouse at Timbers instead of have a cheap burger and fries.. 1st world problems hahaha, geeze!
 

durphee

Well-known member
XXX007 is just trolling, no need to respond to his nonsense. One thing he and others have stated (so I guess i am responding :)) "The fact is, this fee increase was done VERY disceptively and arguably, dishonestly, by creating the registration fee at $30 and ANNUAL trail pass at $30 to intentionally create confusion." I guess someone wasn't paying attention, I wasn't fooled or tricked by it and I know many others weren't either. This has been discussed on JD for quite sometime. No confusion here. Guess reading and paying attention is out the window. If you chose to not keep up with what's going on , that's your fault. Take some personal responsibility, something that is much needed.
 

whitedust

Well-known member
XXX007 is just trolling, no need to respond to his nonsense. One thing he and others have stated (so I guess i am responding :)) "The fact is, this fee increase was done VERY disceptively and arguably, dishonestly, by creating the registration fee at $30 and ANNUAL trail pass at $30 to intentionally create confusion." I guess someone wasn't paying attention, I wasn't fooled or tricked by it and I know many others weren't either. This has been discussed on JD for quite sometime. No confusion here. Guess reading and paying attention is out the window. If you chose to not keep up with what's going on , that's your fault. Take some personal responsibility, something that is much needed.

Exactly Cap Step was discussed here for years all you needed to do was read or ask for info. I'm always surprised at how many members ask to be spoonfed on all subjects. The info is out there research then come back in & ask for opinions rather than be spoonfed from get go.
 

jr37

Well-known member
I just gets my blood boiling when someone like XXX007 gets on here and has no idea what they are talking about. Get educated, ignorance is no excuse.

The DNR and Walker had nothing to do with this. The clubs need more money to maintain trails. If you read a little carefully, there is nothing deceptive. I don't complain about signing, brushing, or anything work related to snowmobiling. Those are facts.

If you come on here to spew your hate, fine, more power to you. I'm sorry that this is so rough for. I for one love the sport and will continue to do my part to help the sport continue being one of the best winter sports we have.

Now I hope it gets cold, and snows pretty soon, so the whiners don't have time to be keyboard heros.
 
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