WI residents have to pay for WI trail pass now!!!

[cannondale27]

I am so tired of you clowns telling people to join a club (if you don't like the fee)!!!!!!!! I have been a member of many clubs (note multiple)...I have brushed trails, marked lakes, helped out during fund raisers and poker runs over the last 25 years...I have done more than my fair share!!!! .This state trail pass CHAPS MY #*$&@!!! Because these crooked politicians misappropriate sled registration funds or use that on things other than snowmobile trail maintenance....I should pay more??? AND ON A YEARLY BASIS?? I CALL BULLSHIT!!!! This is what our state registration fee was supposed to be used for!! Why don't they start making those bicycle people register their bikes?? If you want to charge me 25 dollars more for every two years on my registration...fine...do it...but don't tell me I need to pay an extra $35 dollars a year for a trail pass!!! (or that I have to join a club to get the discount)...I know the local politician that pushed this through, and trust me...I'd like to kick her squarely in the #*$&@!!!...This is wrong on so many levels....think about....they spend our registration money on everything BUT funding snowmobile trails....AND THEN MAKE US PAY MORE....Does that make sense to you??

This is not true. Not one penny of the snowmobile funds in WI have gone for anything other than snowmobiles. That includes registration and gas tax. I too was very concerned about that. I belong and am involved in ATV clubs and saw the funding robbed every year. I directly asked more than one person and all confirmed that Snowmobile funds are not touched. That is how the AWSC gained my support. I felt they were the ones stopping the robbers and still feel that way since when asked they take alot of pride in that fact. The truth is as a club we always publicize the need for help sometimes a non member does come help. Usually they end up joining. This is few and far in between. The only time I can think of a good turnout of nonmembers was when we couldnt open our trails because of a bad windstorm. We had two people show up. It was on TV,Radio,Paper and Internet along with the Phone trail report. Would think that with the limited time our trails are open during winter every day would matter to most snowmobilers. Those of you who help already THANK YOU! Try to understand this is a desperate attempt to get more people to help. Is really no need to join a club to do that. Those of us in clubs will take any help even if only a hour a year. Heritage Thanks for helping. This is turning into a Political discussion and is reason we arent supposed to talk about stuff like that. So I have said my peace. Lets all keep it civil.

 

[allyammies]

The whole fact of the matter is trying to get more volunteers instead I the same five or six every year. Try going out to a landowner and explain to them why someone just tore up their winter wheat and did not stay on the trail. Go and see a landowner who has sleds with loud pipes going across their land it is not fun. Remember we are at the mercy of the landowner. Sorry if I made this out to be something different.

 

[thor452]

Cannondale Thank you for your response That is what I was looking for when I posted my questions about the awsc as I had no knowledge of who they are what they do nor how corupt they may be and from you input it sounds like they are a stand up people doing good for our sport and based on what you say I will join not for the discount (although i will use it) but because I love this sport and want it to thrive. as far as joining a club about 4 years ago I got the bug to try and get involved. I called the area club by me left messages talked to the guys wife and told her I not only wanted to help out with trail maintenance I wanted club joining info so when we were out and about on the sleds I could recruit new members even if it was just a membership and I would love to drive the groomer a few times as well if it would help. I never got a call back. so I just stopped tring as it felt like it must be an exclusive group that didnt want me to be a part of it.now with this all going on It has reignited my passion to help and have gotten responses from 3 area trail clubs and I would like to join where they need the most help so that is the decision I am facing at this point.

 

[Heritage]

If that's the case (not one penny has gone for anything but snowmobiling).....why not increase the two year registration fee by $20 dollars?? Instead of an extra sticker, and an extra fee....I don't think anybody would bat an eye at that.
I'm telling you guys this is going to be a mess....anybody who has volunteered anytime with a club.. knows what I'm talking about....With this fee...if the trails are even the slightest bit bumpy...the message boards are gonna light up, and the clubs are gonna get bashed full force...people are going to think that by paying this fee..they are "entitled" to pristine trails....Can't you hear it now?? "I paid for these trails and they suck".......We all know many of these clubs are small, and groomers break down...it happens every winter....I'm telling you this is going to be UGLY.

 

[whitedust1]

If that's the case (not one penny has gone for anything but snowmobiling).....why not increase the two year registration fee by $20 dollars?? Instead of an extra sticker, and an extra fee....I don't think anybody would bat an eye at that.
I'm telling you guys this is going to be a mess....anybody who has volunteered anytime with a club.. knows what I'm talking about....With this fee...if the trails are even the slightest bit bumpy...the message boards are gonna light up, and the clubs are gonna get bashed full force...people are going to think that by paying this fee..they are "entitled" to pristine trails....Can't you hear it now?? "I paid for these trails and they suck".......We all know many of these clubs are small, and groomers break down...it happens every winter....I'm telling you this is going to be UGLY.

Yeah I know what you mean see it on other boards all the time regarding UPMI. Increased fees will not help much at all this year ....maybe next year if addtional groomers or new groomers can be purchased. Many town groomer breakdowns last season left Vilas trails in certain towns bombed out hardly could do 15mph thru the junk for endless miles. In one Vilas town every groomer was down for about a week what a mess! Many riders complained about trail conditions & it would have been unreal with everyone buying a trail pass.... lol.... IMO if Vilas gets a heavy snow late in the week the weekend trails will not hold up to the heavy traffic & they complain now.... with the purchase of a trail pass the noise about quality grooming will be unreal. On a positive note Three Lakes purchased a new groomer & the Brule Trail System groom quality was super good all season so new equipment is better & does improve groom quality. Maybe 2016-2017 trail groom will be better just have to see.

 

[BigDogrx1]

Well guys here is one more thing to think of!
I would love to be involved in a club and even made a post for one last week, but here's the problem, I live in Standish Mi.
So being that all my ridding is done at least 75 miles north most times 100-140 miles.
Well to join a club that far from where you live could cost a guy like me $100. Every time I did anything with club.
Even going to 6 monthly meetings and 6 maintenance days would coste $1200. And 3000. miles on Yukon.
Iam not wealthy so I don't have many choices that are affordable, so it's just not as easy as it seems.
P.S. WISH I LIVED IN U.P.

 

[superfan75]

I would gladly pay that---come to VT. I actually never complain about the trail pass cost. The price has gone up but the grooming here in VT has improved by leaps and bounds.

Its over $100 in Vt and I heard its goin' up again this year, but with the way they maintain the trails now its worth every penny. I only ran into a few rough trails last winter and we had a good long winter to ride. The trails were so good that you don't need the best suspension for the ride cause the bumps aint that bad anyways.

 

[wavemaster]

NH has had a "forced" club join for each year and it has been very successful. It does NOT require another sticker on your sled though (that seems redundant).

I say "forced" because if you don't join a club (before registering), you pay an automatic additional 30.00 at the time of registration and the state "equally distributes" 25 of it back to the clubs.

By joining a club in advance you can choose the club that gets your money and they get 100% of it. You show them your club card when you register and that is it.

It is really what made our trail system what it is. In our state it is the clubs and private land owners the make the trail system so every penny they get directly benefits the trails.

The state provides for large purchases (equipment, bridges etc) and groomer hours reimbursement. A lot of that money comes from GIA (Grant In Aid) back to the state from the fed for gas tax collected.

It works well for the clubs and keeps the trails nice.