Misorva Sept/Oct 2022

BY ACTION

Adventure North

toExplore

Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association 4543 S. Division Ave Wyoming, MI 49548

(616) 361-2285

Fax (616) 363-0661 • www.misorva.org

Office Staff

Executive Director: Karen Middendorp karen@misorva.org • (616) 293-6256

2022 Executive Board

President: John Newman newman029@gmail.com • (586) 596-0389

Immediate Past President: Jim Kelts jkelts49@gmail.com • 989-506-3601

Vice President: Jeramey Valley jvalley@mac.com • (989) 751-6863

Secretary: Stephanie Hubbarth Bergen shb16@sbcglobal.net • (586) 524-5802

Treasurer: Mark Pankner (989) 798-0113 cell mpankner340@gmail.com

MICHIGAN MICHIGAN

Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association News is published six times a year for $10 – September, November, January, March, May and July – by Midwest

Publishing Network (MSPN), 6595 Edenvale Blvd Ste 180, Eden Prairie, MN 55346. Application to mail at periodicals postage prices is pending at Eden Prairie, MN and additional entries.

Send address changes to: Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association, 4543 S Division Ave, Wyoming, MI 49548.

Anniv saryth

PUBLISHER Joel Mellenthin

DIRECTOR Kale Wainer

EDITOR / ADMINISTRATOR

Jones

DIRECTOR Corey Friesen ADVERTISING SALES Diane Voight, Dwain Stadie PHOTO ARCHIVES C. J. Ramstad EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Kevin Beilke, David Fischer, Jim Urquhart

Letters, manuscripts, stories, materials and photographs are welcome but cannot be returned unless sender provides a SASE. Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association News is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and drawings. Submission of articles and letters implies the right to edit and publish in all or part.

ADVERTISING MSPN

Phone: 952-473-7870 or 800-989-MSPN Fax: 952-473-7805 • sales@mspninc.com www.mspnads.com

Send all advertising materials to: MSPN, Ad Department, 6595 Edenvale Blvd Ste 180, Eden Prairie, MN 55346

As MISORVA ramps up for the winter season, there are plenty of opportunities to attend events and club trail prep events this fall. This issue has a variety of options for you. Thank you for being an involved club member. Have a great winter!

Remaining Summer

MISORVA President, John Newman, updates and turns attention toward fall.

Fresh Dirt

Both Yamaha and Can-Am recently released their 2023 models and they are both full of excitement giving off-road lovers plenty of options.

Cleaning Up

Jessica Holley-Roehrs from Michigan DNR talks about the importance of trail clean-ups in Michigan.

Copyright © 2022 by MSPN. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without consent of the publisher.

On the Web

Additional photos from MISORVA events can be viewed at mspninc.com/events/photos.

Digital issues of this magazine can be viewed and downloaded for free at misorva.org or mspninc.com/publications/michigan-snowmobile-news/.

For a full calendar of events in Michigan and beyond, visit mspninc.com/events.

Upcoming MISORVA Events

misorva.org for a list of updated MISORVA events.

Magazine Deadlines

The deadline for Club Flashback, Club News, Calendar of Events, photos and more submitted for the Nov/Dec 2022 issue is 10/14/22. Send all submissions to kale@mspninc.com or Attn: MISORVA, 6595 Edenvale Blvd Ste 180, Eden Prairie, MN 55346

FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed one night, this meme popped up and really struck a chord with me.

Like many reading here, I have interests (hobbies) outside of snowmobiling. Weeks before reading this meme, I had brought my 1951 Henry J to a local (club hosted) car show I had never attended. Two gentlemen, about 30 years my senior, in their club shirts, were looking at my car in admiration of its rarity, but began trading armchair quarterback comments about its “flaws.” The comments didn’t really bother me until the duo said a modified VW Rabbit pickup parked in front of me, “shouldn’t be at the show.”

My blood boiled — what they didn’t know, is the owner was a young man (16yrs old), who I had met earlier, and built that VW by himself from a vehicle gifted to him by his grandpa. Sadly, the VW didn’t fit the show-shine perfection mold for these club members For me, this was an instant turn-off to ever join their club, and I most likely won’t go back to their “show.”

WHAT’S YOUR POINT?

As veteran off-road, snowmobilers and club members, we need to be cognizant of how we come across to newbies or young folks as to not deter them away from joining organized off-roading and snowmobiling. In lesser words as the meme suggested, let’s not be jerks.

Trespassing in the snowmobiling community is a hot topic right now and I see/hear a lot of preaching NOT to ride off-trail. There’s a certain amount of repercussion education in those sermons that’s grossly needed, but I don’t think it should stop there. In fairness, have we taken the time to educate snowmobilers where they CAN ride off-trail? Some visitors to your state, newbies or young people may simply not know or be able to find the info easily, and we can help direct them as veteran riders.

The Michigan.gov website is a decent starting point on defining Where to Snowmobile in Michigan. The DNR states you may operate a snowmobile on thousands of acres of state-managed public land available for off-trail, backcountry snowmobiling. Sounds great to me, but the blanketed statement is pretty fuzzy as a newcomer if they don’t dig deeper.

If you have legal opportunities to ride off-trail in your county, take a second to review your messaging on club websites, social pages and trail maps to make sure those locations are clearly defined. Maybe you’ll attract some new riders to your area because of it, gain a few new club members or continue to deter trespassing on private property? Have a great winter! - Kale

This is an example from the Wisconsin side that I had easy access to in my arsenal. I appreciate the Backcountry Riding Do’s & Don’ts listed on Iron County’s map.

“The quickest way to kill a hobby is for the veterans to be total jerks to the newbies. If you want things to flourish, you have to invite and encourage new folks getting into it.” – Random Facebook Meme

After a day of riding the action on the trails, come to Little River Casino Resort and keep riding the action into the night! We offer the best casino gaming, plus, we are located in the heart of Michigan’s great outdoors, where adventures like riding, fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing, golfing, and much more await you! When it comes to the best excitement in Northern Michigan, we’re right on track!

ENJOY THE REMAINING SUMMER

s it just the police officer in me wanting to write summer a speeding ticket, or do others feel the same way? I’m writing this in early August and cannot believe how fast summer has flown by.

I

Things were tough for the Newman family as my mother, Sylvia, had been ill since the beginning of the year and had been bed ridden. She was put in Hospice Care in mid-June and took a turn for the worst in early July. She was an incredible mother to all of our friends and is a huge loss for our family. She was laid to rest on July 18, with family and friends present. Mary’s extended family also suffered a loss of her aunt and godmother less than a week later. This was another huge loss for us.

I want to thank everyone for the calls, texts, Facebook posts, cards and letters. It made a very difficult time for my family easier. I also want to thank Karen, Jeramey, Mark, Stephanie and Carly for helping me get through things and take on some of my responsibilities. It was a huge help and comfort to know things were taken care of.

So due to everything going on in my last president’s message, I forgot to talk about getting certified to be an ORV instructor at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center (RAM) on beautiful Higgins Lake. A huge thank you to Corporal Mike Hearn, ORV and Snowmobile Specialist for the Michigan DNR, for putting on an incredible crash course to get the 20 of us certified. This was the first ORV Safety Instructor Class the DNR has put on in three years due to COVID.

During the class we received instruction from some great instructors including Lieutenant Tom Wanless, Corporal Hearn, Erika Moore and Conservation Officer McPherson who did a great

presentation on winching that I’m not ashamed to say was very eye opening, especially on things I have done wrong way too many times. Erika Moore did a great presentation on the new event manager program that the DNR is using. The whole class was very informative. We were fortunate to have Lieutenant Wanless there as well. He had recently returned to work after an ORV accident. Welcome back Lieutenenant Wanless!

One more beer with my mom. Thanks to the best man, Jeff Targos.

The August ORV ride done in conjunction with the Ride Allegan County ORV group was a big success. It was very creatively designed — the Amazing Race ORV Edition. There were 66 ORVs including SXS, ATVs and a motorcycle with 148 people competing. Shane Kellum put on an incredible ride, dividing the participants into five teams. Each team competed in four different events with a great lunch at Perfect Pizza. The games were easy and fun and worked as a team building experience. Scott Beltman’s team yellow won the competition but everyone that attended the ride was a winner. I want to thank the Ride Allegan County group, Shane and all the people that made the event a great time.  The Legislative Committee has been busy. House Bill (HB) 4535 is close to moving forward. Senate Bill (SB) 1003 which would allow officers with 40 hours of training to enforce ORV laws, even if they have not been certified by the Michigan Coalition on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). This SB 1003 will move the ORV program in step with the snowmobile and boating laws. The proposed legislation to remove the Sunset Clause on the ORV program is looking good and should be ready to move forward soon.

Enjoy what’s left of the summer.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

READYLIFT SUSPENSIONS ACQUIRES ZBROZ RACING

ZBROZRACING.COM

ReadyLIFT Suspensions recently announced it has acquired Zbroz Racing, an aftermarket performance parts manufacturer focused on UTV and snowmobile suspension components. ReadyLIFT is a division of Wheel Pros, a distributor of proprietary branded aftermarket products for vehicles and powersports. Wheel Pros is backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., a private investment firm.

Zbroz was founded in 1998 by the four Zollinger brothers after their successful snowmobile hill climb racing career. Today, the company provides suspension products for snowmobiles and UTVs and sells primarily through its direct-to-consumer website.

RACE SCENE MIRA RACING UPDATE

BY KARL SCHWARTZ, MIRA PRESIDENT MIRARACING.COM

The MIRA Board of Directors has been working hard to bring the best race season MIRA has ever had this winter. There are several announcements I can share now.

Eagle River, Jan 21-22 will be 130 laps this year with segments of 60 laps, then 70 laps. I’m working on a pit pass plan with the Derby folks to help the Enduro Only teams.

Traverse City, Jan 28-29 Big news here as we have partnered with the Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel for a new race located across

the street from the casino in Acme. The race site is next to the Meijer store and will be a 1/2-mile track to the inside bank. Gaylord Extreme Powersports 250, Feb 11-12 Andy Dubie and Charlie Wiltse are working very hard to bring MIRA to a new race location owned by Joel Fiebig from Countryside Sales and Service Team. This site is close to the north Gaylord exit and the plan is to make this a permanent location.

Lincoln, Feb 18-19 is the standard by which all other races are judged.

“We are excited to join forces with ReadyLIFT, as we bring Zbroz design and innovation together with their best-in-class capabilities, leadership, manufacturing and distribution. Zbroz has always focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience, and believe this combination enables the companies to offer customers more products they want, from sources they trust.” – Nate Zollinger, Zbroz founder

LEGENDARY SNOWMOBILE RACER HERB HOWE DIES AT 91

SNOWMOBILEHALLOFFAME.COM

The snowmobile community lost a legend recently — Herbert “Herb” A. Howe, 91, a resident of Siren, Wisconsin passed away on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at Burnett Medical Center Continuing Care in Grantsburg. Herb made his mark by winning the first-ever I500 crosscountry race, but also succeeded in organized snowmobiling while serving as an AWSC Director. The following is a bio from the Snowmobile Hall of Fame when Howe was inducted for his racing career spanning 1965-1994.

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 the 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, New York. He competed in the Winnipeg-to-St. Paul 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 retiring from racing in 1976.

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, Minnesota producing what is widely considered the most challenging of all I-500 cross country courses. When the final Thunder Bay I-500 ran in 1994, Howe ended his direct involvement with snowmobile competition.

WHATEVER NEEDS DOING,

FOR THE CHALLENGE.

Our lineup is built extra tough with industry-leading utility features to take you beyond the daily grind. Anywhere you need it, the Defender gets the job done right.

right now, there’s never been more options for you to find what you need.

ARCTIC CAT 60TH HOMECOMING COLLECTORS SHOW

The Arctic Cat 60th Homecoming was held in July in Thief River Falls, Minnesota and was part of the 120th Annual Pennington County Fair.

Displayers from as far as Pennsylvania came to show off their outstanding collections representing the past 60 years of the Arctic Cat brand. Displaying snowmobiles, clothing, memorabilia, marketing material, ATVs and other collectables.

The homecoming was sponsored by Arctic Cat and was a reuniontype atmosphere with many appearances from Team Arctic Cat racers, and race legends, who socialized about the amazing race careers they established with Arctic Cat. Among them was Roger Skime, Roger Janssen, Dave Thompson, Jim Dimmerman, Ken Bieto, Donn Eide, Dennis Zulawski, Roger Hible, Duane Lossing, Brian Sturgeon, PJ Wanderschied, Chad Dyrdahl, Greg Spaulding, Brian Espeseth, Ole Tweet, Zach Herfindahl and many more past

Motor Corp.,

model year lineup

from heavy-duty

Proven

and Side-bySide (SxS) vehicles. Designed, tested, and built to maximize capability, comfort

across extreme terrain, only Yamaha meets and exceeds

“Customers know Yamaha will provide high-quality, top performing products to help accomplish their goals and realize their adventure, regardless if they’re working on the farm, exploring technical trails or competing in national racing circuits. The measures we’ve taken to ensure they have the best owner experience – whether its seamless accessory integration, an industryexclusive 10-Year Belt Warranty or our advanced, U.S.-based manufacturing facility – showcases our commitment to building proven, reliable products for our Yamaha family around the world.”

– Steve Nessl, Yamaha Motorsports Marketing Manager

CLEANING UP

Jessica Holley-Roehrs - Motorized Trails Specialist –Michigan DNR, holleyj1@michigan.gov

E

very season brings new adventures on Michigan’s Motorized Trails! Almost 10,000 miles between ORV and snowmobile designated trails alone! So, it follows that every season our trails need some TLC from those who care most about not only the upcoming season – but about the long-term sustainability of Michigan’s trails systems and scramble areas.

Last spring (2022) a large group of volunteers got together in the St. Helen area to do just that – Care by Action! Partnering with ORV and snowmobile trail maintenance groups, Michigan DNR’s Adopt A Forest program, and dedicated Jeep club volunteers, Paul and Melanie Mulder pulled off one of the most successful trail and forest clean up events I’ve seen in my career with the DNR. There were over 100 vehicles, Jeeps and others, from at least seven different groups – all volunteers who participated in pulling a total of 31,000 pounds of trash and 208 tires, and even a couple of old boats from the trails and surrounding forest areas.

The trash filled three, 30-yard dumpsters donated by the DNR’s Adopt-A-Forest program.

Follow up efforts included identifying locations of more abandoned boats and getting them into a tested program for recycling fiberglass boats. From trail clean up to a future partnership with the Michigan Boating Industry – who knew?

These projects and many years of dedicated work on the ORV trails of the northeast and northcentral lower peninsula earned Mr. and Mrs. Mulder the Partners in Conservation Award. This recognition is given by the DNR and the Natural Resources Commission (NRC). They are employee-nominated awards presented to individuals, or organizations for their service. Recipients are recognized for their commitment to conservation, natural resource management, and assisting the DNR in carrying out its mission. I have had the pleasure of working out in the field with these two

WHERE TO NEXT?

and I learned firsthand about the hard work it takes to keep the trails in shape and cleaned up for the thousands of riders that enjoy those trails each season. Nice job and thank you Paul and Melanie!

Beginning this month, many of our 68 snowmobile trail maintenance organizations will hit the ground to clean up the trails and routes that we hope will be covered with snow in December. Why start so early, you ask? There’s a lot to do! Many miles of trail are shared with ORV users and will need to be graded one or more times before the ground freezes to ensure a smooth base for the groomers to pack the snow solidly onto. The majority of snow trails this time of year are overgrown and strewn with downed limbs and oftentimes whole trees that need to be cleared away. And yes, there’s the trash, tires and other waste –I’ve heard stories of mattresses, tents, refrigerators, and even an old bathtub. All need to be removed from the trails, staging areas, parking lots and trailheads.

But that’s not all – the next step is to check each and every sign along the trail, making sure it’s still in place from last season, not too faded or broken, the pole is in good shape, and then replacing if need be. Do you know in some places of the state every sign is put up at the beginning of the season and then taken down at the end of the season?

In addition, when Dec. 1 rolls around, gates on private property will need to be opened, and No Trespassing reminders will need to be posted to ensure property owners will allow us to use that section of trail again in the years to come.

CALL TO ACTION!

How can you help? What skills and talents can you bring to the trails? No matter what season or motorized recreation is your favorite, any season is the right time for you to volunteer a weekend of your time to the local ORV or snowmobile club where you live or where your ride.

Here’s just a couple of examples coming up soon - BUT remember - there are 110 organizations across the state from Keweenaw to Allegan and everywhere in between who could use a hand over the next months or over the next few years.

For more information about how to contact any of them, just ask me at holleyj1@michigan.gov or ask a MISORVA member for the list! I hope to meet you some day, with boots, gloves, chain saws and trash bags, At the Trailhead…

SENEY SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION MAINTENANCE DAYS AND FEED

SEPTEMBER 16-17

Join us at the Seney Snowmobile Association groomer barn for our annual trail maintenance days! We will be having two days of trail maintenance this year, September 16 and 17, 2022. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by the SSA on Saturday, September 17, 2022. Recommended tools to bring are chainsaws, pole saws, loppers and cordless drills. If you can join us and lend a hand for trail maintenance and help out Seney Snowmobile Association. Please RSVP  at seneysnowmobiling@ gmail.com with how many will be attending and what day or days you can attend, this helps us prepare for food and job planning. We hope everyone can come and we look forward to seeing everyone for trail maintenance days.

CURTIS AREA TRAILS INAUGURAL CLEAN UP –SEPTEMBER 24

Curtis Area Trails grooms and maintains 94 miles of snowmobile trails. Come join us for our Inaugural Trail Clean Up Saturday, September 24, 2022. We’ll be meeting at the Curtis Groomer Barn W17367 Davis Street at 8am for breakfast then heading out to start brushing and cleaning up the trails for the upcoming snowmobile season. This is a great time and your chance to help get the trails ready for the season. Lunch and dinner will be provided for trail cleanup day. Recommended tools to bring are chainsaws, pole saws, loppers, and cordless drills. Please RSVP to call/text Ross 616-6381488 or send us a Facebook message at Curtis Area Trails so we can try and get a headcount for food and job planning. We have a ton of resorts in the area as well as two small motels if you need a place to stay. The Curtis Travelers Lodge 906-586-9719, or CJ’s Up North Inn 906-586-2044.

FRESH dirt

CAN-AM’S NEW 2023 MODELS FOR OFF-ROAD LIVIN’

Can-Am’s 2023 Off-Road lineup is here! With new vehicles for young riders, a bold new look on select ATVs, new colorations and new features on side-by-sides, these beasts give you more ways to start Off-Road Livin’. Have a look before they get dirty.

NEW FUEL-INJECTED YOUTH MODELS AND NEW ATV FEATURES

All-new for 2023, Can-Am has added the Renegade 70 EFI, Renegade 110 EFI, and Renegade X xc 110 EFI youth ATVs to the lineup, taking performance and reliability to a whole new level for the entire family. All three new models feature fuel-injected fourstroke engines, push-button electric starting for easy starting, and increased fun for kids, and are complemented by parental safety controls like the ability to govern the top speed of the vehicle.

For 2023, select models of the Outlander and Renegade lineups are now equipped with new premium technology such as industry-first intelligent Engine Braking (iEB) as well as new LED headlights, allowing riders to see the trails farther ahead with a brighter and wider field of view. The Outlander and Renegade lineups also received new, aggressive looks upfront, with all new plastics creating a fierce and exciting appearance.

The intelligent Engine Braking system allows riders to adjust their engine braking at the push of a button. With three pre-configured engine braking settings, riders can choose from minimal, medium, and maximum engine braking to be better tailored to their preferences, which enhances the rider experience and provides a smooth and refined ride.

IMPROVED SSV PERFORMANCE AND POWER

Can-Am has increased the Maverick X3 DS Turbo’s horsepower to 135, up 15 horsepower from the 2022 model. The increased horsepower and handling on the Maverick X3 lineup were achieved through advanced drivetrain parts, such as the addition of a new Turbo assembly, new Turbo Injectors, a new Electronic Control Unit (ECU), and calibration package, along with a new pDrive Primary Clutch for faster acceleration and quieter driving experience.

DEFENDER

The 2023 Defender lineup also receives a suite of changes and updates. The Defender X mr is now available with half-doors. Additionally, arched A-Arms are now standard equipment on the following packages: DPS CAB, Limited, Lone Star, and X mr. These combined updates allow riders to push farther and hard into rougher terrain to get the job done with increased comfort.

There are also three new tire specs across the Defender lineup for increased traction and performance, XPS Swamp Force Tires are now standard equipment on the Defender X mr HD10. XPS Trail King Tires are now standard on all Defender DPS HD10 and Defender XT HD10 packages. XPS Trac Force Tires are now standard equipment for Defender Limited HD10 and Defender Lone Star HD10.

“Our relentless pursuit of maximizing rider enjoyment across our different powersports product offerings has been a driving force of our success. The mission to enhance the rider experience across our product lineups manifests itself in a number of different ways, like making more intuitive and easy-touse vehicles, offering enhanced personalization options and pushing the boundaries of performance - that’s exactly what our 2023 powersports lineup does.” - Sandy Scullion, President, Powersports Group at

WINTER 21-22 AVALANCHE FATALITY REPORT

Mike Duffy presented the U.S. Motorized Avalanche Fatalities Report – Winter 21-22 at the 54th Annual International Snowmobile Congress in Dubuque, IA, on Saturday, June 11, 2022. The conference brought together International Snowmobile Council (ISC) members, manufacturers, suppliers, and representatives from snowmobile organizations worldwide for education, collaboration and networking.

Common accident problems and patterns contributed to the deaths, including lack of on-snow snowmobile safety training, riders triggering slides on persistent weak layers of snow, and lengthy rescue times due to inadequate knowledge and avalanche safety gear.

The good news for the U.S. is we experienced 54 percent fewer U.S. avalanche fatalities (all user groups) between winter 20-21 and winter 21-22. But compared to skiers and snowboarders, motorized users were a more significant percentage of overall fatalities in winter 21-22 compared to the prior season.

Total U.S. avalanche fatalities 21-22 = 17

Motorized users = 6. (35% of total)

Total U.S. avalanche fatalities 20-21 = 37 Motorized users = 9. (24% of total)

Some of the most popular snowmobile destinations in the U.S. do not have an avalanche forecast. These areas include Island Park, ID, Big Horn Mountains, WY, and the Snowy Range, WY. 83 percent of victims were riders from the Midwest. Twenty years ago, Midwest riders were 50 percent of the fatalities.

KEY POINTS TO AVOID COMMON ACCIDENT PROBLEMS AND PATTERNS AMONG MOTORIZED USERS

Recognize avalanche terrain/consequences. Most riders are not using inclinometers.

Understanding Persistent Weak Layers (PWLs) and the correct mindset for managing is avoidance. Teach patience and discipline.

Read into the forecast. The forecast is a starting point, and riders must constantly evaluate conditions. Too many are just reading the avalanche danger rating and not considering the dangers of PWLs. Get the big picture by reading observations, summaries, and avalanche problems, then make observations on snow. Teach riders how to submit observations.

Carry quality rescue gear and get the training to know how to use it—(no $20 shovels, which all too commonly fail).

Keep a visual on riders who are in, or under, avalanche terrain—use the Buddy System.

Avoid multiple riders on a slope. Multiple riders on an avalanche slope can result in a multiple burial situation, which statistically is more likely to end up with a fatality. If someone is stuck, you may want to coach them by radio and direct them on how to get them unstuck. Keep an eye on them from a safe location. Avoid riding out to help, you are increasing the stress on the snowpack and the odds of multiple burial.

Ensure Level I or higher avalanche training is essential for riding in the mountains.

Pick your riding partners carefully. All hope of a live rescue depends on those with you.

Mike Duffy is a BCA sled ambassador and nationwide expert in avalanche education for motorized users. Mike is the owner of Avalanche1 and offers professional avalanche education for mountain riders. He has been the lead educator for the BRP SkiDoo avalanche awareness series offered at over 40 locations in 12 states.

MISORVA Board of Directors and Regions Map

District 1

Ernie Reimann 906/367-1566 • erniereimann@gmail.com

Joe Chavis 906/265-7185 • upchavis@hotmail.com

Dave Karls 906/661-1200 • linda.karls7722@gmail.com

District 2

Don Britton 906/249-9594

Keith Churill 906/202-3568

brittonjd@charter.net

chur1171@charter.net

Rob La Londe 906/280-2218 • rlalonde@charter.net

Sean O’Neill 847-602-0456 • oneillsean@gmail.com

Keith Lynch 906/280-2193 •upsesky@yahoo.com

Chad Leiter chad.leiter@gmail.com

Donna Cody 906/450-9295

snowmobiledonna@gmail.com

District 3

David Satchell 989-743-5612 • catsatch@gmail.com

Roy Hart 989/370-3779 • roylhart@yahoo.com

Rich Rottier 616/550-8201 • richrottier@yahoo.com

John Griffin 906-484-6032 johngriffinrealestate@yahoo.com

Grant Dewitt 906/876-2388 • grantinhulbert@yahoo.com

District 4

Ken McCrum 989-657-4168 • kmccrum@charter.net

John Houk 989-734-7359 • rjhouk@frontier.com

Archie Cole 231-631-8865 brickheadcole3@outlook.com

Ron Schroeder 810/210-0686 • sleddog654@gmail.com

Kaye Houk 989-734-7359 • kjh64@frontier.com

Alan Kava 231-497-9260 • amkava@aol.com

Andrea Eder 989-350-0208 lovemydaisy1019@yahoo.com

District 5

Dave Gentry 989/450-1375 • morki74@hotmail.com

Gary Blazer 989-469-2541 • oharele@aol.com

District 6

Ted Truckey 269-506-1568 • truckeyfamily@gmail.com

Dave Titus 269/845-2401 • dave7649@aol.com

Paul Anderson 586-215-6849 •paul@sledsolutions.com

Pete Finch 231 884 9601 pete@coyotecrossingresort.com

District 7

Todd Maschke 989/551-3913 • tmask2013@hotmail.com

Lyle Curry 586-747-8509 • lylecurry23@yahoo.com

Brian E Hicks 989-871-4767 • bdhicks@tds.net

Emerson Corder 989/329-3981 • emersonscorder@gmail.com

Nick Ferrante 248/756-0695 • npferrante@gmail.com

Dan White 313/520-3828 • drdirt800@msn.com

District 8

Steve Veltman 231 861 2442 • veltmanhardware@aol.com

Dave

Nuechterlien 989-284-9305 • stoc895@gmail.com

Jim Berens 616/328-2521

Randy Belliel 586/764-0973

fsr401@sbcglobal.net

rjbelliel@comcast.net

Brad Beardsley 231/519-3723• sandmanbb1@yahoo.com

Cheryl Ziola 989/280-5453

Mike Keith 231/750-4986

District 9

Lee Palmer 574-286-7457

Jeff Mariucci 517-231-1624

David Low 616-550-2707

Joshua Driscoll 616/218-5759

carlcheryl@hotmail.com

xcrkeith@gmail.com

palmlee@yahoo.com

jeffmariucci@gmail.com

ddlow@att.net

jserepair@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER

10: Marquette, MI. The Hiawathaland Snowmobile Club is hosting the 3rd Annual swap meet, located on Hwy 553 1 mile north of Hwy 480 Marquette MI. Booth space $10, contact Hank Armbrecht, 906-250-8459

10-11: North Branch, MN. Hay Days Grass Drags, haydays.com

13: Support Your Sport Call, 7PM ET, Open meeting to discuss ideas and suggestions for motorized trails in Michigan. All welcome to join round table discussion, see misorva.org calendar for Zoom call information.

15: The Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup meeting, 10AM – 2PM, SAW assists the Michigan Trails Advisory Council with its duties and responsibilities and provides the Department of Natural Resources advice related to the creation, development, operation and maintenance of the state’s designated snowmobile trail system. misorva.org

16-17: Seney, MI. Join us for our annual trail maintenance days. We will be having two days of trail maintenance this year. The plan for this year is Friday September 16, meeting at the groomer barn at 9AM. We will be heading out to start signing and doing some light trail maintenance. **No lunch or dinner will be provided on Friday** Saturday the 17th, we will be meeting at the groomer barn at 8AM for breakfast then we’ll head out to do trail clean up. **Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by the SSA on Saturday September 17, 2022**.  Recommended tools to bring are chainsaws, pole saws, loppers and cordless drills. Please RSVP  seneysnowmobiling@gmail. com with how many will be attending and what day or days you can attend, this helps us prepare for food and job planning.

22: The Michigan Trails Advisory Council meeting, 9AM-NOON CST, advises the Department of Natural Resources and the governor on the creation, development, operation and maintenance of motorized and nonmotorized trails in the state, including  snowmobile, biking, equestrian, hiking, off-road vehicle and skiing trails.

24: Curtis, MI. Curtis Area Trails Inaugural Trail Clean Up. Curtis grooms and maintains 94 miles of snowmobile trails. They branch out in every direction and connect with the myriads of trails that total

2,500 miles in the State of Michigan Trail System. We’ll be meeting at the Curtis Groomer Barn W17367 Davis Street at 8AM for breakfast then heading out to start brushing and cleaning up the trails for the upcoming snowmobile season. This is a great time and your chance to help get the trails ready for the season. Lunch and dinner will be provided. Recommended tools to bring are chainsaws, pole saws, loppers, and cordless drills. Hope everyone can come and join us. Please RSVP to call/text Ross 616-638-1488 or send us a Facebook message at Curtis Area Trails so we can try and get a head count for food and job planning. We have a ton of resorts in the area as well as two small motels if you need a place to stay. The Curtis Travelers Lodge 906-586-9719, or CJ’s Up North Inn 906-586-2044.

27: Support Your Sport Call, 7PM ET, Open meeting to discuss ideas and suggestions for motorized trails in Michigan. All welcome to join round table discussion, see misorva.org calendar for Zoom call information.