Utah Snow Scoop - Winter 2015

WINTER 2015 VOLUME 23, ISSUE 4

IN THIS ISSUE:

USA and SnoWest Partnership - Page 5 Knowledge is Powder - Page 11 Hall of Fame - Page 17

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Jeff Eddings

H

opefully everyone had a Merry Christmas and an enjoyable holiday season. As I write this President’s message I am able to look out my window and finally see some white stuff on the ground. Albeit not very much, we will take what we can get at this point. Although there is some good snowmobiling out there in certain places, this season has started off very dry. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the jet stream changes and these storms start rolling across Utah.

USA held a board meeting and a small pot-luck Christmas party in December. Craig Gordan was there and he presented the new Avalanche Awareness video that has been in the works for some time. Craig gave a brief background on the making off the video and thanked USA for all their support and funding for the video. Please remember that we are always looking for stories and picThe video can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/113677686 tures to include in our Snow Scoop. Therefore, if there is a good story of a ride or some great snapshots that you would like to see The USA members ride is scheduled to be held on January 31st published, please send them in to utahsnowscoop@yahoo.com. at the Soapstone trailhead. We will have two different rides available. One ride for the more experienced and one trail ride. After Please join me next time where I will bring you an update from the ride, a dinner will be served at the recreation center in Kamas. the “Take a Friend” snowmobiling event and the USA members Raffle prizes will also be given away. Additionally, Congressman ride. Until then, pray for snow and keep the rubber side down and Jason Chaffetz is tentatively scheduled to ride with us and talk to us the shiny side up! after the ride. Please see article in this issue for more information.

FIND THE SNOWFLAKE INSIDE THIS ISSUE AND YOU COULD WIN! Congratulations to Russ Mangone from Salt Lake City, UT. Russ correctly identified that the snowflake was located on page 15 embedded into ski loop in the ACSA advertisement. Russ will receive a Snowmobile Rental Gift Certificate from Big Pine Sports in Fairview, Utah.

Rental valued at $199.

Find the snowflake in this issue and e-mail the location to utahsnowscoop@yahoo.com and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate from Jorgensen’s in Richfield, UT Winner will be notified by e-mail and drawing to be held on February 23rd.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jeffery Eddings, President 2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405 801-510-7791 president@snowut.com

Cal Taylor, Vice President 1236 South 1800 West Syracuse, UT 84075 801-882-8659 calandgena@gmail.com

Russ Mangone, Secretary 2260 West 4805 South Taylorsville, UT 84118 801-969-7335 slvsnow@gmail.com

Lisa Kowalewski, Treasurer 1794 North 6250 East Eden, UT 84310 801-745-6138 treasurer@snowut.org

Curt Kennedy, Director - Public Lands 302 South Maryfield Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84108 801-582-3882 ccklpk@gmail.com

Stacey Eddings, Snow Scoop Coordinator and Awards/Charity

Golden Spike Snowmobile Association Jeffery Eddings, President 2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405 801-510-7791 president@snowut.com

Chalk Creek Riders

2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405 801-510-7796 utahsnowscoop@yahoo.com

Wes Blonquist, President P.O. Box 385 Coalville, UT 84017 435-336-4496 wesntrac@allwest.net

Chris Haller, State Parks Representative

Salt Lake Valley Snowmobile Club

P.O. Box 146001 Salt Lake City, UT 84114 801-349-0487 chrishaller@utah.gov

Les Thompson, President 2760 N 1650 E Layton, UT 84040 801-771-8748 slvsnow@outlook.com

Davis County Snowflakes

Jay Ombach, Executive Director

Shane Egan 686 N 275 E Kaysville, UT 84037 801-589-6401 eganauto.1@gmail.com

2159 North 550 West Layton, UT 84041 801-825-1164 jayo@beacon-metals.com

USA BUSINESS MEMBERS Vernal Sports Center 2029 W Highway 40 Vernal, UT 84078

Tri-City Performance 461 South Frontage Road Centerville, UT 84014

Utah State Parks 1594 W North Temple STE 116 Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Cutlers, Inc. 271 N State Street Orem, UT 84057

www.beersharley.com

CLUB DIRECTORY

www.tricityperformance.com

www.shopcutlers.com

www.stateparks.utah.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS USA AND SNOWEST PARTNERSHIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SLVC NEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 GSSA NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 TAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING EVENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 “KNOWLEDGE IS POWDER” AVAILABLE ONLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 USA PROVIDES COMMENTS ON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 MOUNTAIN ACCORD PROJECT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 TELL US WHAT YOU THINK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 USA SCHOLARSHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 JANUARY 2015 AVY CENTER NEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 LET’S CELEBRATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SURVEY FOR THE UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 CLUB REC RENTALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 HALL OF FAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

DISCLAIMER USA is Utah’s advocate for snowmobiling!

As the voice of over 26,000 registered sled owners in Utah, the Snow Scoop is USA’s official publication.

All contents of the Utah Snow Scoop are copyrighted and may not be reprinted without permission.

Submitted articles and advertising do not necessarily represent the opinion of USA or the Utah Snow Scoop.

The Utah Snow Scoop is not liable for any claims by those not of the same opinion.

The Utah Snow Scoop welcomes articles, letters, pictures and advertisements.

Please submit all material in electronic format by the respective issue due dates to the Snow Scoop Coordinator.

Articles should be .doc files and advertisements should be .jpg, .tiff, .psd, .ai, or .pdf files.

ISSUE DEADLINE RELEASE DATE

October September 30 October 14 November October 28 November 11 December November 25 December 9 Winter January 13 January 27 March February 24 March 10 The Utah Snow Scoop is owned and published by the Utah Snowmobile Association.

The Snow Scoop coordinator is Stacey Eddings. She may be reached at: Utah Snow Scoop 2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405 801-510-7796

utahsnowscoop@yahoo.com For current Snow Scoop advertising rates, please click here or visit http://www.snowut.com/

USA AND SNOWEST PARTNERSHIP

by Ken Rossum

T

he Intermountain Snowmobile Show has not always been the name associated with the annual fall snowmobile show. For five years prior to 2002 the show was the Utah Snowmobile Association & Winter Sports Show.

In 2000 and 2001 a committee was formed to explore to how better improve the show and have it more focused on snowmobile related vendors. At that point we had been contracted with a firm that was responsible for securing vendors to the show. Many vendors had no relationship to snowmobiling.

The committee recommended that USA may either, totally promote and handle the show without any outside help, or to find a new show promoter that was more in focus with the direction that we wanted to go. We did not want to give up rights to the show. It was felt that do the show totally within USA might not be the best path to take. Contact was made with several event promoters and requested bids for the 2002 show.

This was about the same time that we attended the International Snowmobile Congress. While visiting with Robin Black and Lane Lindstrom from SnowWest Magazine, we mentioned that we were considering changing our snow show promoter and making other show changes. They mentioned that they may be interested in forming a partnership with USA to promote and become a part of the show. They agreed to meet with us and to discuss what we were looking for and what they could provide.

The show has successfully attracted vendors displaying all the latest and greatest equipment, clothing and sleds from the manufactures and aftermarket suppliers. While attending the show there is an unlimited supply of merchandise, sleds and products to buy.

Knowledge is shared thru seminars that cover all the way from basic maintenance, back country riding skills to completely building a project sled. Over the years, many events have been added to the show including a Swap Meet, Vintage Sled display, sled give away, door prizes and auctions.

Our partnership with SnoWest has been a truly meaningful undertaking for USA. SnoWest has continued to keep our objectives in mind and to provide a great show that people enjoy coming to.

The Utah Snowmobile Association would like to congratulate SnoWest on its 40th Year Celebration and look forward for our partnership to continue for many years.

USA received several bids, including SnoWest, all which showed a real interest in promoting the snow and USA. The USA Board of Directors made the decision to accept the proposal by SnoWest for the 2002 show.

The show was named the Intermountain Snowmobile Show. The show grew from a little over 5,000 attendees the first year to over 10,000 attendees for the last several years. Show goers have attended from many of the Western States and Canada. The show has always tried to keep everything at the show snowmobile related.

5 Utah State Parks

SLVC NEWS

by Les Thompson

a different area, bad decision number 2, this area took him about a mile from the main groomed trail. While riding in this area he had a common thing happen while in the back country, he got stuck while in most cases with a bit of time and effort you can get yourself out, keep in mind my friend is not a young man though he is in good health and condition for his age. To compound the problem of being stuck his snowmobile developed a mechanical problem which rendered it unusable. Lets evaluate the situation, he is a mile from the main trail in an area which no one knows where he is, his sled is inoperable, since he is in the back country there is no cell phone service, he makes the decision to walk out, upon doing so he leaves all of his survival gear on the snowmobile this is mistake number 3. The good news is he was able to make it back to the main trail without any further incidents and hitch a ride back to the parking lot.

T

he snow is finally here, though we had our doubts at the beginning of our first club ride on January 3rd at Chalk Creek. We left the parking lot and headed down the road and we wondered if there would be enough snow to get off the road, we continued to wonder until we got down the trail another 5 miles and increased in altitude to above 8500 feet where we found an abundance of fluffy snow. The day did not go without its perils of stucks and mishaps , lurking just under the surface of this beautiful white gold are the unseen enemies of every snowmobiler that reach out and grab you where it hurts the most, your wallet. As a whole, the day was a success everyone made it home safely.

This year our club is focusing on safety, our goal is to insure each member has the minimum safety equipment i.e. a shovel, probe and an avalanche beacon. All of these safety equipment is worthless without the knowledge of how to use it, which is another area we will work on throughout the year, but having all the right equipment and knowledge on how to use it is useless if we don’t incorporate good decision making into each and every time we go out.

This story had a happy ending but at any point through the day it could have taken a turn for the worse and could have seen the demise of my friend. I do wish to ride with him for years to come.

The moral of this story is to use good judgment when going into the back country… your life depends on it.

I would like to share a short story of some poor decisions that were made and could have turned out tragically. A good friend of mine wanted to go out for a day ride but could not get anyone to go so he made the first of several bad decisions which was to go alone; he did tell someone where he was planning on riding which was a good thing except somewhere along the way he decided to ride in

Les Thompson Pres. Salt Lake Valley Snowmobile Club We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. - George Bernard Shaw

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CAREYS CYCLE CENTER, INC. 4450 S 700 W RIVERDALE, UT CAREYSCYCLE.COM

ESCAPE MOTORSPORTS 1480 N STATE ST PROVO, UT ESCAPEMOTORSPORTS.COM

PLAZA CYCLE 1379 W 3300 S SALT LAKE CITY, UT PLAZACYCLE.COM

RENEGADE SPORTS OF CENTERVILLE LLC 240 N FRONTAGE RD CENTERVILLE, UT RENEGADESPORTS.US

BIG PINE SPORTS, INC. 340 N MILBURN RD FAIRVIEW, UT BIGPINESPORTS.COM

DICK’S BOAT SHOP LLC 601 E 700 S CLEARFIELD, UT DICKSBOATANDYAMAHA.COM

JORGENSEN’S, INC. 980 S COVE VIEW RD RICHFIELD, UT JHSPORT.COM

PLAZA POWERSPORTS 345 N MAIN ST HEBER CITY, UT PLAZAPOWERSPORTS.COM

SOUTH VALLEY MOTORSPORTS 11553 S. STATE STREET DRAPER, UT SVMOTORSPORTS.COM

CACHE HONDA YAMAHA 3765 N HIGHWAY 91 HYDE PARK, UT CACHEHY.COM

Deep Snow Days Event valid January 1, 2015, through January 31, 2015. Offer valid for any new 2010-2015 Yamaha Snowmobile (except SRX120, RS Viking Professional, and ‘15 Spring Power Surge models). Customer cash will vary by model, see dealer for complete details. © 2015 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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WELLER RECREATION, INC. 2972 N 900 E KAMAS, UT WELLERREC.COM

GSSA NEWS

by Jeff Eddings

The Golden Spike Snowmobile Association had an impromptu ride at Monte Cristo on January 3rd. Eleven of us showed up to battle the cold and enjoy a day of snowmobiling. For some, this was their first time out for the year. We rode about 50 miles that day and enjoyed a fire where we cooked hot dogs. Along the ways some of us got stuck, some of us didn’t, startled a badger rummaging for food and one of us unintentional left his parking brake on for quite a distance.

However, we all made it back to the parking lot at the end of the day safe and sound without badger claw marks and no mechanical failures.

Our next ride was at Cub River, Idaho on January 11th. Six of use left the parking at 9:00 am and we didn’t return until about 5:00 pm. We made our way over to the Paris Ice Cave and spent some time exploring that. We then rode over to the Horseshoe Basin Warming Hut for lunch.

He warming hut has been remolded and it is very nice! We then decided to venture up to the South Fork trailhead as none of us has been there before. From there we doubled back and took a side trip over to Bloomington Lake.

The snow was good and the company was even better. A great ride and over 80 miles traveled when it was all said and done.

GSSA’s next scheduled event will be to attend the USA Members Ride on January 31st at Soapstone..

Our next club meeting will be held during our annual ride. This year’s annual ride will be in Pine, Idaho from February 12th – 16th.

We will be staying at the Hayhurst Bed and Breakfast in Pine.

As always, the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association is looking for new members to join the club. Joining an organized club is an excellent way to support the sport you love and a great way to meet new and exciting people. There are many organizations that would love to see snowmobiling banished from the mountains and the areas we ride. These organizations are well funded and have countless members. Let’s not give these organizations the upper hand; join a snowmobile club today!

If you would like more information on the Golden Spike Snowmobile Association and/or how to become a member, please call me at 801-510-7791 or visit: www.ridegssa.org

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TAKE A FRIEND SNOWMOBILING EVENT

T

he Take a Friend Snowmobiling event, sponsored by the Utah Snowmobile Association, is Saturday, January 24 at the Monte Cristo Trailhead. Utah State Parks and local snowmobile clubs will have snowmobiles and helmets available.

Bring your friends who are new to the sport and introduce them to the snowmobiling community. Hopefully after they experience the thrill of riding, they will want to continue the excitement for years to come.

The television show At Your Leisure is sponsoring a chili cook off and serving hot chocolate. Stay warm by helping decide who has the best chili!

The Utah Avalanche will also present Know Before You Go Avalanche Awareness Program Presentation at 12 noon.

Snowmobiling is a great family activity creating memories and stories that can last a lifetime.

Do you like fast snowmobiles, free food, drinks and a nice place to retire for the day?

the Utah Snowmobile Association’s four day snowmobile getaway to the 40th Annual Jackson Hole Snow Devils World Championship Hill Climb, March 26th-29th Lucky winner will receive 4 VIP tickets to the Hill Climb for all 4 days. VIP status includes special seating, food and drinks at the event for all four days. Lodging will be provided by the Flying Saddle Resort in Alpine, WY which includes two private cabin rentals and two $150 food vouchers to be used in the steakhouse.

Tickets just $5.00!

Drawing to be held on March 1st, 2015 All proceeds go to help fund USA and member clubs!

See your club president for tickets or visit www.snowut.com to purchase tickets online.

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“KNOWLEDGE IS POWDER” AVAILABLE ONLINE Just before Christmas the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) released a high-energy and compelling video production about avalanche safety. It is aptly titled “Knowledge is Powder.” This is a first-of-its-kind education tool developed specifically for snowmobilers and is designed to motivate riders to gain a full understanding about avalanche safety. Seed money for the funding was provided by the Utah Snowmobile Association and numerous partners jumped on board to fully fund the production. The UAC is in the process of communicating with anyone and everyone in the snowmobiling world about the availability of this important awareness tool. The 7-minute video does not try to prevent riders from venturing into the winter backcountry. Instead, it rallies around the theme of five common-sense guidelines that will keep people safe while enjoying winter on a snowmobile.

Those simplistic guidelines are: •• GET THE GEAR: Ensure everyone has an avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe on their person and knows how to use them.

•• GET THE TRAINING: Take an avalanche course.

•• GET THE FORECAST: Make a riding plan based on the current avalanche and weather forecast.

•• GET THE PICTURE: If you see recent avalanche activity unstable snow exists. Riding on or underneath steep slopes can be dangerous.

•• GET OUT OF HARMS WAY: One at a time on all avalanche slopes. Don’t go to help your stuck friend. Don’t group up in runout zones.

You can view this eye-catching video online at http://vimeo.com/113677686.

It may very well be the thing that keeps you alive to enjoy many wonderful snowmobile trips into the spectacular winter backcountry!

USA PROVIDES COMMENTS ON MOUNTAIN ACCORD PROJECT The Mountain Accord Project was initiated to make recommendations for a long-term plan for managing and sustaining use of the Wasatch Front and Back. It focuses on a finite footprint that encompasses the high use areas of the canyons, mountains and traffic corridors within the Wasatch Mountain range. Although it deals largely with issues associated with the growing ski industry there is a possibility that recommendations from the Project could impact what little snowmobiling exists within the Project boundaries.

Therefore, USA submitted written comments to the Project team to make sure the snowmobiler interest is reflected in the review.

Specifically, historical snowmobile usage includes the Wasatch Mountain Snowmobile Complex and the Guardsman Pass area. There are 10 primary access trails aggregating approximately 60 miles within the Wasatch Mountain Complex generally identified as: Midway Reservoir; Snake Creek; Cummings Parkway; Mill Flat-Tibble Fork; Cascade Springs; Mutual Dell; Little Deer Creek; Mill Canyon; Sundance and Silver Lake. These are in addition to the Guardsman Pass route. We explained these areas provide a unique snowmobile opportunity for locals seeking a place to ride that does not involve a long commute to a trailhead. Additionally, snowmobile rentals are in place catering to the skier community for those who want a more diversified experience included in their ski vacation. Furthermore, retaining these snowmobile opportunities fits very well within “Utah’s Vision for Outdoor Recreation, released by the Governor’s office in January 2013. We hope our comments will be effective in keeping these areas open to snowmobiling.

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USA SCHOLARSHIP

by Stacey Eddings, Awards & Charities, USA The Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) will be offering a scholarship to either a graduating high school senior or an individual currently enrolled in college. This will be a $1,000 grant and will be given to the winner regardless of other grants or scholarships that the student may also receive. Requirements are as follows: 1. Applicant must be a member of the Utah Snowmobile Association.

2. Applicant must submit the completed application form.

3. Applicant must submit a résumé detailing his or her involvement in snowmobiling as well as extra-curricular activities.

4. Applicant must include an essay on: “You have been asked by your state snowmobile association to meet with your state representative at the state capital to talk about snowmobiling. You have a fifteen minute appointment to emphasize snowmobiling and its related issues.

What three points or issues would you emphasize with them and why did you pick these three points?”

5. The application must be received by USA by April 1st, 2015.

Application and requirements are to be mailed or e-mailed to: Utah Snowmobile Association c/o Stacey Eddings 2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405 Utahsnowscoop@yahoo.com The winner of the USA scholarship will be announced at USA’s Annual Convention in April 2015.

Additionally, the winner of the USA Scholarship will have their application submitted to the American Council of Snowmobile Associations Western Chapter Scholarship contest. The winner of this scholarship will be announced at the International Snowmobile Congress in June 2015 in Niagara Falls, New York and will receive an additional cash prize. Funding for the USA Scholarship comes from fundraising projects at the Intermountain Snowmobile Show. Funding for the Western Chapter Scholarship comes from financial support of member organizations and donations received throughout the year. The scholarship application can also be found on www.snowut.com.

JANUARY 2015 AVY CENTER NEWS Dense, heavy snow, and strong winds lead to High avalanche danger right before Christmas. Here, Utah Avalanche Center Forecasters investigate a sled triggered avalanche on Tower Mountain, in the western Uinta Mountains. Wanna learn how to avoid avalanches rather than roll the dice and hope for the best? Check out Knowledge is Powder, the new sled specific avalanche video the UAC produced in partnership with the USA- http://vimeo. com/113677686

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LET’S CELEBRATE

UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION

Celebrate your members, youth, and dealers!! The Utah Snowmobile Association recognizes six different individual/groups 3rd Annual Members Ride each year for their efforts during the year. These efforts are not necWHEN: JAN. 31, 2015 essarily tied to just snowmobiling. The categories are: WHERE: SOAPSTONE TRAILHEAD •• Snowmobiler of the Year TIME: 9:30 A.M. •• Snowmobile Family of the Year WHO: ALL USA MEMBERS •• Youth Snowmobiler of the Year There will be two riding groups. One extreme adventure riders and •• Snowmobile Club of the Year one less extreme family ride. Depending on how many riders will •• Snowmobile Dealer of the Year depend on how many groups there will be.

•• Groomer of the Year Anyone can make a nomination, however the nominees for snowmobiler, youth snowmobiler, family of the year and club of the year must be members of the Utah Snowmobile Association. Visit http://snowut.com/awards/ for more information. Mail the completed form to the address listed below by April 1, 2015.

DINNER AND RAFFLE: 3:30 PM.

Utah Snowmobile Association c/o Stacey Eddings 2645 East 7800 South South Weber, UT 84405

SEE YOU ALL THERE!

There will be a light dinner and raffle after the ride at the Kamas Rec building at 400 South Main Street in Kamas. Each rider will get 1 ticket, other tickets can be purchased at $1.00 each.

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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

by Cal Taylor

Since playing in the snow is my favorite thing to do all year, all I do is play in it, work in it, and dream about it when I’m not actually in it. So why am I telling you this? Because I want to know what you think of the winter months and what gets you going in the mornings. As an Association, we want to know what you think of USA and maybe some insight of how we can do things better, or maybe focus on a specific area that will help promote snowmobiling to the general public in a similar view that we see it. Over the next few months we would like to get your opinions either through our totally awesome survey or an email or social media works too. A USA board member will be visiting all the clubs in the area to share the ideals of the Utah Snowmobile Association and to present the survey.

Cal Taylor Vice President Utah Snowmobile Association

A great partnership for the snowmobiling community

Working hard to support the snowmobiling community • Keeping trails open and developing new trails • Supporting trail grooming • Initiating and supporting lawsuits that threaten access • Encouraging snowmobiler participation in clubs and associations • Promoting snowmobiling as a family activity • Providing safety awareness and education through the Safe Riders! program

CLUB REC RENTALS

by Levi Melehes

C

lubRec Rentals is a company that offers snowmobile rentals and tours. They are located on site at the Monte Cristo Trailhead.

They offer a wide range of snowmobiles; including 550cc trail machines, and 600cc and 800cc mountain style snowmobiles.

No matter what your skill level or experience, they have a snowmobile for you. Not only does ClubRec offer hourly and daily rentals, but they also offer guided tours with experienced guides. They offer Wildlife tours, which are a calm ride to Hardware Ranch Elk Reservation. In addition to this, they offer a Top of the World Tour which is a beautiful ride with scenic views and a three to four thousand foot gain in elevation. If you are a snowmobiler with experience and looking for a great adventure, the Extreme tour they also offer may be right for you. This 6 hour tour goes deep into the backcountry, well off of the beaten path. ClubRec is a company that is run by outdoor recreation enthusiasts with many years of experience. In addition to snowmobile rentals and tours in the winter, they offer personal watercraft, boat, ATV, motorcycle, side by side, and other non-motorized recreational vehicle rentals during the rest of the year at many locations. They are on site at Pineview Reservoir, Willard Bay, East Canyon Reservoir, and Starvation Reservoir. Their main office location is located in Eden next to Wolf Creek Resort Golf Course. Next time you are ready for an adventure, stop at Club Rec! www.ClubRecUtah.com (801)745-3038

HALL OF FAME HERB HOWE There had to be a first-ever champion of the first-ever 1966 Winnipeg-to-St. Paul International 500 cross-country race, and the future of sport could not have done better than the gregarious winner Herb Howe. Howe would pair his epic accomplishment and other racing victories with his penchant for great story telling to enjoy decades of notoriety while helping to grow the legend of the classic St. Paul Winter Carnival event.

A tall and robust racer as well as VP of Sales for Polaris distributor Larsen Olson, Howe captained a team of 21 racers who competed throughout the Midwest in ASA and USSA oval and cross-country. Howe won events in racing hotbeds like Munising, Antigo, Rhinelander, Houghton, Grand Rapids, Fergus Falls, Brainerd and at the World Series in Booneville, NY. He competed in the Winnipeg I-500 for 10 consecutive years, finishing seven of them to underscore his skill and tenacity in an era when fewer than 25 percent of the entrants would finish each event. He amassed 247 career podium finishes before retired from racing in 1976.

DATE OF INDUCTION: February 7, 2015 CAREER SPAN: 1965 – 1994 BRANDS REPRESENTED: Polaris, Husky AGE AT INDUCTION: 84

After hanging up his race bib he became Race Director for the I-500 and was responsible for routes, permits, timing, tech, fueling and surveillance until the Winter Carnival event ended in 1980. He reprised many of the same responsibilities again beginning in 1987 with the Jeep I-500 cross-country between Thunder Bay, Ontario, and White Bear Lake, Minn., producing what is widely considered the most challenging of all I-500 XC courses. When the final Thunder Bay I-500 ran in 1994, Howe ended his direct involvement with snowmobile competition. He currently lives in Siren, Wis.

BOB ENNS Beginning in 1969 and continuing for more than a decade, Bob Enns of Oak Bluff, Manitoba, poured his passion for snowmobile racing into a career that shined with victories in oval and cross-country competition. He was a four-time ICCSF cross-country race winner with multiple top-10 overall season high-point finishes.

His career began on the oval tracks of Manitoba, racing Polaris and Rollo-Flex machines to dozens of victories including a win at the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships in Beausejour. In 1972 Enns competed in and won his first ever cross-country race aboard a John Deere. Racing for John Deere the following year, Enns would ride the wave of popularity in cross-country for the rest of the decade. He was named to the legendary Enduro Team Deere program in for 1976 and responded by winning the prestigious ICCSF Eagles Heartland Grand Prix in Park Rapids, Minn. Enns started the 1977 with another ICCSF win, this time at the Peace Garden Classic in Bottineau, ND. He followed it up mid-season with consecutive wins in Willmar and Sauk Centre, Minn., the first driver to win three events in a season on the ultra-competitive ICCSF circuit.

Enns raced for Ski-Doo and Deere in subsequent seasons before retiring from full-time competition after 1980.

After retiring from full-time competition in 1980, Enns helped grow his family’s business into one of the largest John Deere and Ski-Doo dealerships in Canada. His was highly regarded among his teammates and fellow racers as a kind, good-natured rider who truly enjoyed the spirit of snowmobiling competition.

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DATE OF INDUCTION: February 7, 2015 CAREER SPAN: 1969-1995 BRANDS REPRESENTED: John Deere, Polaris, Ski-Doo AGE AT INDUCTION: 63

HALL OF FAME PAT MACH A cross-country racing fan, then racer and eventually one of its saviors, Pat Mach of Minto, ND, experienced the full breadth of what it meant to love and support all aspects snowmobile competition. He founded the United States Cross-Country Circuit (USCC) in 2002, growing it into the premier terrain racing organization until his passing a decade later.

DATE OF INDUCTION: February 7, 2015 CAREER SPAN: 1990 – 2001 BRANDS REPRESENTED: Arctic Cat, All AGE AT INDUCTION: Posthumously

Like many of his Midwestern counterparts, Mach grew up idolizing cross-country snowmobile racers. After graduating from college in 1990, Mach began a professional cross-country racing career that would last more than 10 years as a member of Team Arctic. After the sport suffered a long period of reduced interest, with various racing organizations ending after the 2001 season, Mach took it upon himself to form USCC and re-launch the sport itself. With an affable personality and a tireless work ethic, Mach and his family recruited similar-minded people to staff USCC whose combined grassroots approach would grow the sport of cross-country as well as the prestige of USCC. Through the USCC, Mach reprised the International 500 cross-country race while also expanding events and partnerships in Michigan and on the East coast that further grew the sport. Mach was thoroughly respected and appreciated by racers, crew members and families thanks to his dedication to racers and his prioritization of safety at all USCC events. He remained the driving force for premier cross-country competition until he passed away at the age of 42 in a snowmobile trail riding accident on February 5, 2011.

MARK ZELICH Likely the first television personality to dedicate regular attention on snowmobile competition, Mark Zelich of Wausau, Wis., brought the captivating race images and stories of the Wisconsin North woods into the living rooms and imaginations of viewers. His weekly coverage of snowmobile racing helped grow the fledgling sport of snowmobile racing from local community contests in the mid-1960s to nationally televised sports events like the Eagle River World Championships. It was Zelich himself who originated the idea of naming the Eagle River Derby the “World Championship.”

As sports director of WSAU television in Wausau, Zelich began covering cross-country competitions like the Rhinelander Hodag, using a single 16mm film camera with no sound to singlehandedly film and narrate 90-second segments as part of his nightly sports segment. As the sport progressed – in part due to the regional and national coverage that Zelich was responsible for – he incorporated greater resources and production techniques that would culminate with 30-minute specials that were broadcast regionally, as well as syndicated segments that were distributed throughout North America.

While Zelich was impressed with the drama of snowmobile competition, he was most captivated by the racers themselves, whom he regarded as truly remarkable athletes coupling their competitive zeal with determination and courage in making the World Championship the preeminent event in snowmobiling. The world loves a champion, and Zelich gave them one in each of his regular sportscasts, helping to make household names of the first generation of racing heroes. Zelich objectively focused on racers who were most newsworthy, regardless of their home state or country, treating them the same as he would all professional sports athletes. He maintained his regular focus on snowmobile competition through the 1980s, before retiring as News Director in 1994.

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DATE OF INDUCTION: February 7, 2015 CAREER SPAN: 1964 – 1987 BRANDS REPRESENTED: None AGE AT INDUCTION: 86

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