Busted Storm

The following article appeared recently in the Burlington Free Press and was picked up by the Associated Press. It is important that all those who enjoy our trail system purchase their TMA's soon and show their support for the sport.

Busted storm another bad omen for snowmobile industry

By Wilson Ring
The Associated Press

MONTPELIER — Today's snowstorm that fizzled into a mess of sleet and freezing rain pushed Vermont’s snowmobile industry one step closer to turning the season into a complete washout.

Almost a month after the state’s 4,600-mile snowmobile system usually opens for the season, only one 30 mile stretch of trail — between Jay and Richford — was open, said Bryan Watson, the executive director of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers.

“I have been a snowmobiler since 1965. This is by far the worst season I can remember,” said Watts. “To have this be the way that it is throughout the entire state is pretty much unseen.”

Watson said snowmobile trails needed a compacted base of about six inches of snow before they could be opened. The best case is for there to be a series of six-inch to eight-inch snowstorms that drop at least 18 to 24 inches.

To break even for the year VAST needs to sell about 30,000 trail passes. As of last week the organization had sold 4,855, Watson said.

There’s a similar story in New Hampshire.

“The first quarter of the snowmobile season was a huge loss,” said Craig Mayo, president of the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association.

On an average year, snowmobiling pumps about $550 million into the Vermont economy. Tens of thousands of snowmobilers spend money at convenience stores along the trails, restaurants, hotels and motels and for the equipment itself.

This winter is lining up to be the third consecutive tough season for the snowmobile industry. Watson has said it could push about half the state’s snowmobile dealers out of business.

While the weather forecast for the rest of the week calls for colder weather, there are no significant storms predicted through the end of the month. “It doesn’t look like there is anything in the cards,” Watson said.

The colder weather will help, though, if snow follows. Watson said that in much of the state the ground has been so wet that it would take several feet of snow before it could be compacted enough to open the trails. Once the ground freezes, it would be ready for the snow.

But even if abundant snow falls during the second half of the winter it might be too late.

“There comes a point when snowmobilers will just say ’to hell with it,’” Watson said. “We’re coming very close to that point right now.”

Vermont’s alpine ski areas are able to salvage the season with their extensive — and expensive — snowmaking operations. There is no snowmaking on snowmobile trails.

Vermont’s snowmobile trail system usually closes for the season some time in April.