NYSSA Online Magazinenysnowmobiler.com/.../02/nyssa_magazine_1214_ezine.pdf · Contact NYSSA: PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040 * EMAIL - [email protected] December

SNOWMOBILER Online

New York December 2014

The Official Publication of the New York State Snowmobile Association

WESTERN NEW YORK

SLEDDERS EXCEL IN

Special

SNOWVEMBER supplement

HERE!

Photo by Gary Broderick

NYSSA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS..P. 22

https://nysnowmobiler.com/https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkStateSnowmobileAssociationhttps://membership.nysnowmobiler.com/http://www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.com/https://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdf

NYSSA Online Magazine

Contact NYSSA: PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040 * EMAIL - [email protected] December 2014 - Page 2 TOLL FREE: (888) 624-3849 * FAX: (888) 317-2441 * www.nysnowmobiler.com

Bruce J. Papa

Bruce J. Papa passed away on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at Glen Hill

Nursing Home surrounded by his loving family. He was 61.

He was the son of the late Bruno A. and Avril E. Smith and Papa, born on

Jan. 8, 1953 in White Plains, NY.

Bruce was a graduate of Mamaroneck High School he later moved to Clary-

ville at the age of 19. He as the past chief of Claryville Fire Department; he

had a passion for bass fishing and the many tournaments he entered. He

would initiate many tournaments for fishing and snowmobiling. He was a

member of the New York State Snowmobile Association and long-time

leader of the Sullivan County Trail Association. He was a loving brother, un-

cle and friend to all that knew and loved him; he will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his brother, Barry Papa and his wife, Eve; his nieces and

nephews Shannon, Brendon, Christopher, Rachel, Stephanie and Zachary and

a host of friends.

Donations in Bruce’s name can be made to the Claryville Fire Department,

1500 Denning Road, Claryville, NY 12725 or Claryville Reformed Church,

946 Claryville Road, Claryville, NY 12725.

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.com



SNOWMOBILER Online

New York

Publisher: The New York State

Snowmobile Association

P. O. Box 1040,

Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040

Editor: Anne O’Dell

[email protected]

888-624-3849 x101

2014-15 Officers

President Jim Elmore, 585-813-4610 [email protected]

Vice

President

Randy Phillips, 585-265-1753

[email protected]

Secretary Rosanne Warner, 315-697-8130 [email protected]

Treasurer John Occhino, 845-225-3140 [email protected]

Staff

Executive

Director

Dominic Jacangelo, 888-624-3849 x104

[email protected]

Trail

Coordinator

Jim Rolf, 888-624-3849 x102

[email protected]

General

Manager

Anne O’Dell, 888-624-3849 x101

[email protected]

Membership

Helpline

888-624-3849 x103

[email protected]

Join or Renew Membership Online:

Our Website: www.nysnowmobiler.com

New York State Office of Parks,

Recreation & Historic Preservation’s

Website

www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles

DMV, Register a Sled: NY Resident

DMV, Register a Sled: Out of State

CONTENTS

December Features:

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: Snowvember!

President’s Message...Jim Elmore P. 5

From the Desk of the Executive Director ...D. Jacangelo P. 8

Share the Adventure! Take a Friend Snowmobiling! P. 9

What’s been happening at NYSSA ...Rosanne Warner P. 15

TRAILS: Trail Coordinator Report ...Jim Rolf P. 18

Spotlight on Grooming! P. 20

NYSSA Scholarship Application! P. 22

AD RATES

Another New Business Member!

Are you a business owner? Business member-ships include one free ad in this magazine!

Click here to join as a business member.

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobileshttps://transact.dmv.ny.gov/registrationrenew/?stype=shttp://www.dmv.ny.gov/OOSNO/default.htmlhttps://membership.nysnowmobiler.com/https://nysnowmobiler.com/http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobileshttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/pdf/NYSSA-NY-Snowmobiler-Online-Magazine-Rates-2014-15.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/pdf/2015/2014-15_Business_Member_Brochure.pdfmailto:[email protected]?subject=Snowmobile%20Insurance



mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.allstate.com/



President’s Message by Jim Elmore, NYSSA President 585-813-4610 [email protected]

The Holidays are fast approaching and I hope many of our members have their Christmas Shopping completed. This is the time of year where many are planning on visiting family or friends over the next couple of weeks. We just finished the 2nd edition of the New York Snowmobiler magazine that

Supertrax prints and distributes to our members. Keep your eye on your mailbox for the last edition for this season. It should arrive near the end of December or beginning of January. There are some great articles in the magazine on places to ride in our State and different places to stop along the trail.

Snow Owls!

While it is too late for the NY Snowmobiler print magazine, we have some visitors returning to Genesee County that we wanted to tell you

about. Last year due to the extreme cold weather moving down from the Arctic, a very rare sightings across the State was the Snow Owl. These beautiful birds are not often seen in this part of North America due to our warmer climate. With the Arctic region being blasted with extreme cold weather, many made it this far south for some warmer weather. If sustained temperatures of 0-10 degrees are their warmer habitat, then I welcome them every year. Last January, many started to make their arrival at the Genesee County Airport in Batavia, New York. Strange how they knew the airport is a place to fly into, or are they smarter than we think?

Former NYSSA President Mike Fischer, posted pictures of Snow Owls resting on top of the trail stakes in Madison County last season. I

have ridden my snowmobile in Madison County and their terrain is al-most identical with Genesee and Wyoming Counties in the Western part of the State. I don`t know if this is a good sign for our upcoming winter but, last week the Snow Owls have returned to the Airport for the second year and about a month early. If you are looking to see the Owls you are in luck. The Genesee Sno-Packers and the Sleds of Stafford both stake and groom trail C-4C around the Genesee County Airport. If you are thinking of riding Genesee County, there are a cou-ple of locations where you can unload and ride from. The Sno-Packers

buildings and the Oakfield Hotel in the Village of Oakfield, our County building number 2 in Town of Batavia and the Genesee County Park in Bethany, New York. These four places can accommodate trucks and trailers with no hassle finding or getting on the trails. If you do ride on these trails, please don’t forget to bring your camera to get a great picture of the Snow Owls.

“Snowvember”

“Snovember” is what everyone in Buffalo area is calling the wallop of lake effect snow that dumped 7 feet of the white stuff on Western New York last month. The NYS Thruway closed for several days from Rochester to the Pennsylvania state line. The stormed stranded thousands of motorists and truckers as well. Of those thousands who were trapped in their homes or at work due to this Lake Effect hitting the area, fourteen of our neighbors died as a result of the storm. Almost all the emergency service organizations in Genesee and Erie Counties were called in to help our citizens and try to clear the roads. Governor Andrew Cuomo arrived in Buffalo to offer assistance at the State level to help get through this early season snowstorm. With the Chief Executive here, he was able to mobilize hundreds of State employees across the State to help rescue citizens and clean up the area’s highways. This was just not the average snowstorm, commerce also was affected. Stores in many Western New York communities were running out of supplies due to the truck traffic stranded throughout the region. Trucks could not make deliveries of food and milk for a few days to many

(Continued on page 6)

Photo courtesy Jim Burns, Batavia Photo Club

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stores. I have not seen something like this since I was a kid with the WNY Blizzard of 1977. Back then we were cut off from the outside world for several days. I hope it will be a long time before we see another storm like this one again. However, as we all know, Mother Nature and the Great Lakes will always decide on how much snow we might receive in a single event.

Many local Snowmobile clubs’ members from Niagara, Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties volunteered to assist lo-cal fire departments. Several WNY clubs donated their grooming equipment to help our local communities out in their time of need. Hundreds of WNY snowmobilers on their own snowmobiles were out in this storm helping their local fire departments or taking utility workers to sites to help prevent additional damage. Snowmobilers were picking up medical personnel at their homes and then taking them to their jobs at the many local hospitals or nursing homes in the area. Many of our public service employees were working around the clock for several days helping people through this event. Here’s a big “Thank You!” from NYSSA to everyone that participated in the rescue or clean up after this winter storm.

2014 is coming to an end and we are looking forward to 2015 in the Association. We kick off our Take A Friend

Snowmobile program in January in Oakfield, New York. Our brand new Arctic Cat / Allstate snowmobile is ready for the first-time snowmobiler to take a ride. Please check our website, this issue, and the print New York Snowmobiler magazine for more information on our Take A Friend promotion. This event is open to everyone and we hope to be able find some new lifelong friends to join the sport of snowmobiling.

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Joyous Chanukah and a Happy New Year! Please be safe and we will see you on the trails.

James Elmore, President

(Continued from page 5)

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.farmsersagent.com/sevans2

Adirondack Powersports

Appolson’s

Bibben’s Sales

Bob Weaver’s Motorsports

Buck’s Motorsports

Caprara’s Outdoor World

Cycle Motion

Cycle Shack

Della Motorsports

Don’s Polaris

Edelmann Sales, Inc

Excell Motorsports

Fun Unlimited

Gamble Distributors

Griffin Motorsports

Hermans Performance

Ingles Performance

Ithaca Recreation

Jan-cen Automotive

K&H Kawasaki

Kubecka’s Polaris

Leisure Time

Maddie’s

Matt’s Cycle Center

Menneto Powersports

Moody Polaris

O’Neil Sales

Pioneer Motorsports

Polaris of Riverhead

Powerhouse Motorsports

Precision Power

Preferred Powersports

Schoff Polaris

Sled Shop Racing

Sportline Power

Sports Unlimited

T. Nelson Sales

TC Sports

Teixeira’s Polaris

Waite Motorsports

Zahm & Matson, Inc.

Zambri Motorsports

http://www.polaris.com/http://www.polaris.com/http://www.polaris.com/



From the Desk of the Executive Director By Dominic Jacangelo, Executive Director [email protected] 888-624-3849 x104

First, a big thank you to all those first responders and snowmobilers who went out of their way to help out our west-ern NY friends who were hit in late November with those incredibly vicious lake effect snows. The band was narrow, very long and produced very deep snow; over seven feet in a few locations. Take a few minutes to read Gary Broderick’s story. While it mentions a few snowmobilers and clubs who helped out, we all recognize and thank the hundreds of individuals and dozens of clubs who did their best to help their neighbors. Many thanks to the local first responders who put in dozens of non stop hours to help out those in need.

Second a big thank you to Mother Nature. I am writing this as the big Nor’easter (Dec 9, 10, & 11) winds down in my area, having left the second significant snow around Albany. These early snows are a good indication of what this winter is going to be like. (Yes, I am sticking my neck out on that prediction but I am an eternal optimist.) The trails

up on the Rensselaer Plateau will be open any day now and I can’t wait to get on my sled and ride.

I hope that you are one of those 33,000 members who have already joined and registered their sled. Please don’t delay; join your club and get that sled registered. Don’t forget you also need to get that sled insured. State law re-quires liability insurance on any sled you operate off your own property. Check out our insurance partners who are in this magazine and you just might save a few dollars. (You should be aware that we have been having some problems on the NYSSA membership website with down time. If you can’t get on the system, wait a few hours and we should have been able to kick start the system by then. Another reason to not wait to the last minute to join and register! )

I am very excited about this winter. We have a host of “Take a Friend Snowmobiling” events coming up and we have new legislative initiatives to promote snowmobiling in NYS State. More people snowmobiling, translates into more reg-istrations, and more money for the trail fund to make trails even better. Check out the list of Take a Friend Snowmo-biling events that appears on the next page.

With the Holliday Season upon us I want to say a special “Thank You” to the leadership of the 235 NY snowmobile clubs and to the cadre of volunteers who put our approximately 10,000-mile trail system together each year. I hope every rider takes a moment and thanks those many volunteers who brush out trails, build bridges and sign the trails as well as those who put in countless hours grooming the trail so that we can have a safe and enjoyable ride. Maybe they should be on your Christmas list this year?

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a very happy and safe New Year.

Dom

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Introducing snowmobiling to new riders or bringing back to the sport those who have not ridden in a while is NYYSSA’s campaign for the winter of 2015. Why should we have all the fun? As a group we all know that snowmobiling is a great way to enjoy the winter in upstate New York, socialize with friends and stay active. It is time to share the adventure and show others what great fun snowmobiling can be. We all have those friends that we always wanted to take for a snowmobile ride and show them what we do with our spare time.

Local clubs and Associations in partnership with the New York State Snowmobile Association will be hosting several Take a Friend Snowmobiling events around the state this January. All snowmobilers are invited to participate. Here is the ten-tative schedule subject to changes because of snow conditions (please check at www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.com for the latest information):

January 11th January 24th Genesee Sno-Packers Snowmobile Club Grafton Lakes State Park, Winterfest 102 South Pearl St. Route 2, Grafton NY Oakfield, NY 14125 Grafton Snow Blazers, January 31st February 8th

Sevey’s Point Delta Lake State Park Rt 3 between Cranberry Lake and Childwold. Rome, NY Deb Christy, St. Lawrence Trail Coordinator Trail Busters of Lee Center, Bob Spindler February 15th February 21st Lawson Lake County Park Feegan’s Witch KItch Albany County Executive and Sheriff 68 Jamestown St. Sinclairville, NY 14782

Chautauqua County Snowmobile Association

“Share the Adventure”

and

“Take a Friend Snowmobiling”

in 2015!

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.comhttp://www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.com/http://www.nysnowmobilewebmap.com/



HELP SPREAD THE WORD!

Got a friend that might like to try snowmobiling?

Hand them the form below, and we’ll arrange for a ride!

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.takeafriendsnowmobilingny.com/



Does your child need to take a Snowmobile Safety Course?

They are listed at:

http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx

..new courses are added throughout the season, if you don’t see one offered in

your area. Also check with your local club.

Registration is open at

www.isc2015.com

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://appguide.woodystraction.com/http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspxhttps://membership.nysnowmobiler.com/clubshttp://www.isc2015.com/http://www.isc2015.com/



Working with

Gramercy

Communications, we

have developed a new

poster to remind

everyone to join their

club and register their

sled. We need to

remind everyone who

rides that “joining” and

“registering” is what

pays for the trails that

we ride.

These posters will be

printed and distributed

to the clubs in early

January when you

should start seeing

them appear in local

shops and popular

locations.

Something new on the

poster is the QR code

that will take the user

directly to the NYSSA

website,

nysnowmobiler.com.

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com



mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.yamahamotorsports.com/content/83/snowmobile_home.aspx



Sponsored by Identification # 31-215-850-08920 Raffle License # 15327

ONONDAGA COUNTY SNOWMOBILE ASSOC. INC. In support of N.Y.S. SNOWMOBILE TRAILS

The 1st Prize Winner will select one of the four prizes above; 2nd will choose next;

3rd will choose next; and the 4th prize winner gets the remaining prize.

NYS Arctic Cat Dealers

2015 ARCTIC CAT

ZR 4000 LXR SLED

NYS Polaris Dealers

2015 Polaris

Indy Voyager 550 SLED

NYS Ski-Doo Dealers

2015 Skidoo

MXZ Sport 600 SLED

9 1 night stay for 2, honeymoon suite plus breakfast - Inn at The Beeches, Rome

10 $400 Cash - Onondaga County Snowmobile Association

11 SMH10 Dual Pack Communicators for Snowmobiles - Sena Technologies Inc

12 Gift Certificate - 2 night stay in a jacuzzi suite - The Edge Hotel, Lyons Falls

13 $300 Gift Certificate - Fun Unlimited, Gouverneur

14 $300 Cash - Seven Valley Snow Goers Inc

15 2 pack Ride Lite System w/Mounts - Quad County Snowmobile Club

16 GC for Overnight Golf Package for Two - Byrncliff Resort & Conf Ctr, Varysburg

17 1 nite stay Sun-Thur Oct 15-Apr15 - 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, Clayton

18 $250 Cash - Delaware Valley Ridge Riders

19 $250 Cash - Northern Erie Sno Seekers

20 $250 Cash - Shawangunk Snowmobile & Rescue Club

21 $250 Cash - Snow Rats Snowmobile Club

22 $250 Cash - Wayne County Snowmobile Federation

23 $200 Gift Certificate - Bibbens Sales & Service, Weedsport

24 2 night stay at Charlie's Inn & Dinner for 2 - Charlie's Inn, Lake Clear

25 1 Night stay, best available room type - Country Inn & Suites, Mt. Morris

26 $200 Gift Card - DDS Motorsports, Utica

27 $200 Gift Certificate toward Stay - West Wind Motel & Townhouses, Turin

28 $200 Cash - Caledonia Trailblazers Snowmobile Club

29 $200 Cash - Cattaragus County Director George Couell

30 $200 Cash - Cattaraugus County Snowmobile Federation

31 $200 Cash - Chenango County Snowmobile Federation

32 $200 Cash - Cranberry Lake Mountaineers

33 $200 Cash - Erie County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs

34 $200 Cash - Ful-Mont Snow Travelers Snowmobile Club

35 $200 Cash - Genesee Sno Packers

36 $200 Cash - Niagara County Snowmobile Federation

37 $200 Cash - Oneida County Area Snowmobile Association

38 $200 Cash - Penn Mountain Snow Riders

39 $200 Cash - Salmon Creek Snowmobile Club

40 $200 Cash - Shawnee Sno-Chiefs Snowmobile Club

41 $200 Cash - Tioga Ridge Runners

42 $200 Cash - Wyoming County Snowmobile Federation

43 1 night luxury overnight stay - Tailwater Lodge, Altmar

44 $150 Cash - Cayuga County Snowmobile Association

45 $100 Cash - Childwold Sno Packers

46 $100 Cash - O-T-GO Snowgoers

47 $100 Cash - Pulaski Boylston Snowmobile Club

48 $100 Cash - NYSSA Staff



5th Prize: $1,400 2014 Triton XT10-101 Open Snowmobile Trailer - Fisk Distributing, Lyndonville, NY

6th Prize: $1,000 Cash donated by the Snowmobile Clubs of Chautauqua County NY

7th Prize: $1,000 Cash donated by the Tawaeri Taqui Trailblazers, Ulster County NY

8th Prize: $615 Woody’s Complete Traction Package, Gear Bag & Golf Balls - WoodysTraction.com

WINNER’S CHOICE!

$5,000 Cash courtesy of NYSSA - www.nysnowmobiler.com




Did You Know?? What’s Been Happening at NYSSA. by Rosanne Warner, NYSSA Secretary, [email protected]

The New York State Snowmobile Association is working to keep its members better informed of the issues that NYSSA faces on a daily basis. Hot off the presses, here is a re-cap of what happened at the December 2014 NYSSA Board of Directors meeting.

Montgomery/Schenectady has a new County Director, Karl Gustafson. Welcome to Karl and thank you for

stepping up in an area that has not had a director since 2012.

Tim Sheridan from Capitol Group, NYSSA’s lobby firm, attended the December meeting and gave a full report

to the board about the legislative initiatives that the firm has been and will be concentrating on in 2015.

There are about 50 clubs who still have to provide information for the Direct Deposit system for online mem-

bership transactions. Direct Deposit becomes mandatory for all clubs January 1, 2015.

Vice president Randy Philips provided a report on the activities of New York State Snowmobile Political Action

Committee (NYSSPAC) activities over the past year. For more information on the NYSSPAC, contact Randy Phillips at [email protected].

NYSSA will be releasing an RFP for a new website design for nysnowmobiler.com and is actively looking for

someone to develop the new and improved site. Please contact [email protected] if you or know of a company who may be interested in receiving a copy of the RFP.

NYSSA has been experiencing some technical problems with the membership site, please be patient as the

developer works on fixing the problems.

In an effort to cut down on some of the expenses, NYSSA is reviewing the idea of eliminating some of the sum-

mer Board of Director meetings. More information to come.

Take a Friend Snowmobiling Events are being planned throughout the state. They are intended to intro-

duce new snowmobilers into the sport. (see page 9 for details).

Matt Cannon has returned to Gramercy Communications, NYSSA’s PR firm and will be back working with

NYSSA on Public Relations. Welcome back Matt !!

Gramercy Communications has built some PR templates for the clubs to use in the pre-season kick off as

well as during the season and post season. For clubs who would like press release templates to use in their lo-cal papers, please contact me and I will be happy to forward them on to you.

NYSSA will be working with the Sheriff’s Association as well as the Magistrates Association to educate

both organizations on the snowmobile laws in New York State. With the help of law enforcement we hope to see fewer instances of unregistered/uninsured snowmobiles on the trail system.

Phase I completions are going out to sponsors and Phase II’s are out, meaning the much needed fund

money will begin to trickle into clubs. Funding will stay at the same rates as last season. Please help your club out by renewing your membership early and registering your sleds.


mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.commailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]



Communication between the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and NYSSA has improved

over the last few months and NYSSA is anxiously awaiting the appointment of the new Director of the snow-mobile unit for State Parks. We sincerely hope that we can work together to continue to improve the relation-ship that has been lacking between the state and the clubs in the last few years.

Phase III documentation has still not been released but NYSSA Trail Coordinator, Jim Rolf is checking for its

release on a daily basis. As soon as it is released, clubs will be notified.

There are several Unit Management Plans open for public comment at this time. Two new reviews were

recently released and include the Northern Franklin County State Forest UMP and Moose River Plains plan to improve mountain bike trails.

NYSSA membership was 29,564 members as of December 6, 2014 which is well ahead of last year’s Decem-

ber totals. By December 6, 2013, membership numbers stood at 17,393.

Anne O’Dell received a phone call from a lady who won two - 2013 Yamaha Phazer 500’s. The winner is an

older lady who is interested in selling the sleds for $6,500 each or $12,000 for both. Both sleds are brand new. Anyone interested in more information in purchasing the snowmobiles, please contact Maureen, at Phone: 570-472-9026 Email: [email protected]

Another NYsnowmobiler print magazine will be heading toward club members soon. Keep your eye out

for the free edition of SuperTrax magazine which includes the NYsnowmobiler magazine.

NYSSA’s Budget & Finance Committee are currently working on developing the 2015-2016 budget. The

process is in the beginning stages and will be presented to the membership for a vote at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, April 12, 2015. The meeting this year will be held again in Rochester, NY at the Rochester River-side Convention Center.

The Events & Promotions Committee is developing new classes for the 2015 Forum. After reviewing the sur-

vey results that were returned after the 2014 Forum, the committee saw a trend in requests for newer more in depth sessions. We will keep you posted as time draws closer.

NYSSA’s ISC 2015 Planning Committee continues to plan the International event that will be held in Niag-

ara Falls, NY in June 2015. Registration for the event is open now and can be completed online at www.ISC2015.com. We hope to see a lot of New York Clubs attend the event and showcase why the New York State Snowmobile Association is the largest snowmobile association in the country.

NYSSA President, Jim Elmore appointed NYSSA Directors and Officers to the Nominating Committee as well as

the By Law Committee. For information on how to run for a position as an officer of the association or to sub-mit a By Law change for vote at the Annual Meeting, please log onto the members portion of the NYSSA web-site at www.NYsnowmobiler.com


Special


HERE!

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.commailto:[email protected]://www.ISC2015.comhttp://www.NYsnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdf



DEC Forest Rangers

help in Snowvember

During the heavy snows of western New York in November, Forest Rangers from Regions 8 and 9 were assigned to perform status checks with Division of Forest Protection snowmobiles being the only access. These status checks were conducted to check on health and welfare, medicine and food needs, heating and ventilation systems to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in

houses. In many cases snowbanks were over six feet high and Rangers needed to crawl or climb to make their way to accessible doors to speak with the residents. Some required vent pipes to be shoveled out.

Rangers were also utilized to check fire alarms that were inaccessible to normal vehicle travel including one first aid call and an industrial build-ing roof collapse investigation. Additional assign-ments included vehicle checks of motor vehicles stranded along Route 400 Expressway in the East Aurora area with at least 2 people being rescued.

Photo Credit: Stephen Scherry, NYS DEC

South Warren Snowmobile Club

While early snow can drive snowmobile registrations up, it can also mean extra trail work when it is heavy and wet! A photo from the South Warren Snowmobile Club after the December 10th heavy wet snow. Sent in by Mark McLain.

Photo by

Mark McLain

Special


HERE!

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/Custom_NYSSA/magazines/Snovember.pdf



Trail Coordinator Report by Jim Rolf, NYSSA Trail Coordinator 888-624-3849 x 102 [email protected]

2 Nor’easter storms and some serious lake effect snow events already! It looks to be a great beginning to the 2014-15 winter/snowmobile season…a good ole’ fashioned winter might just be a reality!

The Old Forge SNODEO, the kick-off to the snowmobile season each year, was this past weekend. I have heard reports from riders, as well as irate landowners, and even an accident already (see below). Some trails aren’t even open yet (just because hunting season is over, there are still other factors!), so please hold off until the clubs can get out there to take care of their landowner agreements (hunting season, crops in the fields, livestock still out, gates needing to be opened, etc…) and to finish-up any signage that they didn’t get to yet. Respect the landowners and stay on the marked trails!

Accidents and Reports and THE LAW

One of my job duties each winter that can be a real downer is receiving and reading accident reports as well soliciting them from the clubs when I receive notification of accidents before club officials do. Some are very tragic! NYS Law states that each accident that results in over $1,000.00 in damage OR any personal injury MUST BE re-ported within 7 days of the accident to the NYS Parks snowmobile unit. The 2-sided form is available here: http://nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/OPS209CivilianAccidentReport.pdf

Also, NYSSA requires each club to notify the association of any snowmobile inci-dent on or directly near the trail system via a separate accident report. That accident re-port form is to help protect the club and association in case any frivolous lawsuit claims

should be initiated by an accident victim against a club, a landowner, or the association. The form includes weather conditions, snow conditions, time of day, and other pertinent information that is filled-out by the club reps so as to be available for reference at a later date, if needed. This valuable information has been helpful in the past to better define what happened at an accident scene and sometimes has effectively countered what the claim-ant tried to wrongfully state happened. It is extremely important to have these reports filed timely, to further protect the future of our sport from false negligence claims. The most important legal protection for landowners is the General Obligations Law. Snowmobiling is a listed recreational activity within the law, which states clearly that landowners “owe no duty to keep the premises safe for entry or use by others”. It also protects the clubs who gain permission to maintain the trails on lands of another as an “occupant” of said lands, affording the clubs that same protection.

But one of the single most compelling parts of the NYS Snowmobile Law dealing with operator liability that puts the responsibility back on the snowmobiler, as it should be, states “It is recognized that snowmobiling is a volun-tary activity that may be hazardous”. When I discuss snowmobile accidents and how important it is to have riders take responsibility for themselves, I use this description…”One’s own brain tells one’s own thumb how far to squeeze one’s own snowmobile throttle and remain safe. Just as one’s own brain tells one’s own hand when it’s time to apply one’s own snowmobile brake too!”. Take responsibility for your own actions... we all share the trails, and no one wants to get hit by an irresponsible rider! THINK…and ride safely!

Grooming

EVERYONE loves seeing freshly groomed trails. But did you realize that groomed trails need to “set-up” in or-der to stand up to the snowmobile traffic? Up to 6 hours is required for fresh-groomed trail snow to re-freeze and withstand the amount of riding that most trails receive. Temperature and the type of snow are also factors in the ac-tual “set-up” time. When you come across a freshly manicured trail, please respect the groomer driver by 1) yielding to


TRAILS

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.commailto:[email protected]://nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/OPS209CivilianAccidentReport.pdfhttp://nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/OPS209CivilianAccidentReport.pdfhttp://nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/documents/OPS209CivilianAccidentReport.pdf



the machines…IT’S THE LAW! 2) dim your headlights, whether you are approaching a groomer from the front or the rear. Your bright lights are unsafe to the groomer drivers! 3) don’t tear-up the fresh snow, and ride on the right side at all times. Yes, it may look more enjoyable to ride on the smoothed-out snow, but all you will be doing is negatively affecting the trail and cutting down on the lon-gevity of the trail. Many groomer drivers spend hours and hours in the machines…traveling only 6 to 9 miles per hour. Respect the effort that these volunteers are giving for everyone’s enjoyment!

High-beam Headlights

Above I mentioned to dim your headlights when approach-

ing a groomer. Actually, snowmobile operators should always switch to their low-beams whenever approaching oncoming snow-mobilers on the trails OR when riding on vehicle roadways. Just like in a car or truck, high-beams could blind a driver and cause an accident. Its common sense and respect to dim your lights when high-beams could affect oncoming traffic.

Stay on The Marked Trails!

Snowmobile club volunteers take extreme care to find the safest trail for snowmobile traffic to ride, especially in open fields. The club reps mark the outer boundary (delineate, by State Law) with stakes, and those stakes then represent the safe path of travel, AND where NOT to go outside of. Inside the stakes, clubs mark objects that one may encounter as well as noting warnings for fences, bridges, culverts, narrowing of trails, etc. Outside of those stakes, no club volunteer can assure riders what may be out there that could damage your sled or in-jure you. Please understand that when you see signs that state “Stay on Trail”, “Stay on Trail, OR STAY HOME”, or “Respect Landowners”…most of the time that means the generous owners of the property are concerned that riders may or are riding off the section of trail that was given permission to be ridden. Quite possible there may be crops in the fields, or the club is on the last leg with the landowner and may lose the permission if riders keep disrespecting the owner of the land. It’s all about RESPECTING THE LANDOWNERS AND THE CLUBS!

No matter how well a trail is marked, remember that you need to be aware of the possibility of changing trail and weather conditions along with the possibility of an unsuspected hazard on/near the trail. Be in control of your snowmobile at all times, being responsible and driving defensibly.

Here’s to a safe, fun, and long snowmobile season. I would like to wish each snowmobiler a Happy Holiday Season as well. Pray for more snow and cold temperatures throughout the entire winter.

STAY RIGHT, …And BETWEEN the Stakes!

THINK! You are an ambassador of this sport.


mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.northernoutdoors.com/



Want to drive a groomer? First, you need to take the Groomer Operator Safety Course. 45 people attended this one, hosted by the TC

Riders and Taberg Trailblazers club in Florence on 12-14-14, and taught by NYSSA Trail Coordinator Jim Rolf. Photo by Jim Rolf

PRINOTH Launches the Cleanest Snow Groomer Engine Technology – new Emission

PRINOTH announces the unveiling of the all new CLEAN MOTION engine technology, available on its new

Snow Groomer platforms, currently demoing across North America.

In 2015, PRINOTH will present new innovative models that are the first snow groomers in the world to be

equipped with the latest engine technology that meets the stringent emissions standards of Euromot Stage IV /

EPA Tier 4final for off-road diesel equipment. For Ski resorts and their business partners, this modern and

eco-friendly technology represents the reference in performance and sustainability.

The focus of PRINOTH’s philosophy is the CLEAN MOTION strategy, synonym with engines that combine

maximum power and optimal values of emissions as well as services compatible with sustainable use of the

vehicles internationally. Comprised of the new Tier 4 final engine technology, required by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, it will be the only snow groomer engine meeting the strict emission levels and will offer to ski resorts

the cleanest engine for their snow grooming operations.

“One of the challenges when integrating a low-emissions engine on a snow groomer is to maintain the highperformance expected by our

customers. PRINOTH’s CLEAN MOTION philosophy in combination with the new engine technology will not only maintain actual

performance levels but will deliver even more power and dozing capability, all of this while reducing fuel consumption and emissions”

said Jean-Claude Perreault, Vice-President Sales North America for PRINOTH.

This new engine technology will be available for the North American market

beginning in 2015 following an extensive demo program this season.

Performance, Sustainability, Environmental Grooming, CLEAN MOTION by

PRINOTH. More information about PRINOTH and its new snow grooming vehicles is

available at www.prinoth.com/COMINGSOON

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.prinoth.com/COMINGSOON



Groomer Operator Training course in Chautauqua County submitted by Paul Weatherlow, Secretary, Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club and Webb's Captains Table Restaurant hosted a 4-hour Groomer Operator Training Course in their big banquet room.

Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Clubs' Safety Coordinator, Scott Shapert had contacted Jim MacFarland of OPRHP's Snowmobile Unit to arrange for a course to be held in Chautauqua County before

the 2014-2015 season could begin. Scott along with Club President Chris Jaynes contacted the other clubs in the area and invited them to send people who might want: a refresher course; to become new groomer operator; to become the assistant operator and ride shot-gun; to just learn and understand how it all works.

Webb's Captain's Table Restaurant provided the podium, projector screen, plus coffee and danish for all in attendance. The course had 72 people register for the course ahead of time. After losing a couple registered people and gaining

some last minute attendees, the total remained at 72 present for the course. Attendees came from: Alleghany State Park, Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, Ellery Sno-Cruisers, and Lake Effect Trailbreakers.

Some of the extra interest is due to two of the clubs expecting (hoping) to take delivery of brand new groomers via the RTP grant sometime during the 2014-2015 season. There are currently 24 large tracked groomers operated by the 100% all-volunteer clubs in Chautauqua County. The two new groomers will bring the total up to 26 large tracked groomers, primarily Tucker Sno-Cats, Bombardiers, and Prinoth brand machines. Most of our groomers go out after 10:00 pm and return from their routes after 2:00 am (and sometimes 4:00 am or longer).

Very few of us ever really get to see what goes on back in the drag that the groomer pulls. Somehow it just magically makes the trail smooth again.

Both the groomers and the drags that do their magic on the trails are becoming more sophisticated. Almost all are drags are 8 feet wide or wider with most employing as many as 11 cutting blades before the pan in back smoothes eve-

rything out. The science behind the groomer and the drag pulled along the snowmobile trails needs some explanation.

OPRHP's Jim MacFarland taught those present about mogul formation, mogul removal, types of snow, times for trails to setup after grooming, best temperatures, best grooming speeds, things to watch out for on the trail, fallen branches and trees, narrow bridges, safety out on the trail, etc.

Jim left training materials plus DVD visual aides to distribute among the different organizations after the course.

In addition to the Groomer Operator Training Course that is held every couple of years, there are the annual Snowmo-bile Operator Safety Training classes for new or younger riders, there are the annual Trail Signing classes too, and plans are in the works to include First Aid classes too.

Groomer Operators tend to be the first to find somebody who has had troubles out on the trail late at night. All the par-ticipants would like to thank Webb's Captains Table Restaurant for helping host the course.

Photo by Steve Smith




2015 Scholarship Applications

* Northeast Chapter ISC * Norris Brusoe NYSSA Scholarship *

Joan & Digger Vriessen NYSSA Scholarship *

Application Deadline for Scholarships is February 27, 2015!

Each year, NYSSA awards two (2) $500 scholarships:

*Norris Brusoe NYSSA Scholarship

*Joan & Digger Vriessen NYSSA Scholarship

Only members of NYS Snowmobile Clubs will be eligible for the scholarships.

Northeast Chapter ACSA:

The top 2 NYSSA applications will be sent to the NEC Scholarship Committee where they will compete against applications from Northeastern United States and Canadian Provinces for two, $1,000 scholarships.

Guidelines:

(the guidelines below print with the application packet above)

ACSA Scholarships: The top two New York applications will also be sent to the Northeast Chapter of the International Snowmobile Council (NEC) Scholarship Committee, where they will compete against applications from other Northeast States

for two (2) $1,000 scholarships.

Criterion: The NYSSA Scholarship Committee will review all applications and make its awards based upon academic achieve-

ment, extracurricular involvement, community service and the quality of the original essay submitted with each application.

Financial need is a secondary criterion used in the selection of the winner. Completion of the financial need portion of the application is optional, however students who have provided a complete financial background will be given priority over those

whose applications are incomplete when all other considerations are the same. Please make sure you include attachments 1 through 6 on the application. The 2015 essay should be about what snowmobiling means to you, or about snowmobiling in

your state (economy, trails, environment) in five hundred (500) words or less.

Applicants must be graduating high school seniors who have been accepted at a College, Junior College, or

Vocational School, or must be College Students who are already enrolled.

The student’s Parent(s) or Guardian(s) must be a member in good standing of NYSSA as of January 1, 2015.

To obtain a NYSSA Club membership, go to: https://membership.nysnowmobiler.com

• Application, letter of acceptance at your college you will be attending, transcript of grades at high school or grade record of

the college you are already attending, essay and recommendations must be received by NYSSA by February 27, 2015 as one package. All applications must be complete to be considered.

• Applications must be received at the NYSSA Office on or before February 27, 2015. Late applications will not be consid-

ered.

• The applications submitted to NYSSA will be answered by mail after judging.

The two top New York applications will be notified by the NYSSA Executive Director and will be forwarded to the North-

east Chapter of ACSA.

All application materials are considered Confidential, and will be limited to examination for their intended purpose only

and become property of the NYSSA and the Northeast Chapter of ACSA.

Mail your application package to: NYSSA – Attention Scholarships, PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566

-- must be received on or before February 27, 20145 to be considered.

Download Application:

MS Word Version (.DOC)

Adobe Acrobat Version (PDF)

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://membership.nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/pdf/2015/2015-nyssa-scholarship-app.dochttps://nysnowmobiler.com/pdf/2015/2015-nyssa-scholarship-app.pdf



mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://agency.nationwide.com/agent/grant-l-getzoni-310028859-31002885900000



NYSSA CHARITIES PAGE

Pink Ribbon Riders www.pinkribbonriders.com The Pink Ribbon Riders mission is to promote awareness of breast cancer in the motor sports industry for both men and women while raising funds for those in need.

Easter Seals www.easterseals.com Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives for over 85 years.

NYSSA encourages its individual members and its Clubs to support

the following charitable organizations:

The USO www.uso.org/howtohelp The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform.

Safety Question:

Q: Where are you NOT allowed to operate a snowmobile?

A) On the tracks of a working railroad

B) On the outside banks of highways other than limited-access highways

C) On another club’s trails

An

swer: A

Note: we don’t make these questions up - they’re right out of the Safety Program workbook!

Safety Courses are listed at http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx

-- beginning in September each year.

Photo Courtesy Huffington Post

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttp://www.pinkribbonriders.comhttp://www.pinkribbonriders.com/http://www.easterseals.comhttp://www.easterseals.com/http://www.uso.org/howtohelphttp://www.uso.org/howtohelphttp://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx



Available all year long at:

http://www.nysnowmobiler.com/memberdiscounts

Byrncliff

Charlie’s Inn

Country Inn & Suites

Junction Campground

Old Forge Camping Resort

Rocky Acres Inn

Tumble Inn

Water’s Edge Inn

Check out the local lodging available too, and many more discounts!

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/memberdiscountshttp://link.hertz.com/link.html?id=22548&LinkType=HZLK&TargetType=Reservationshttp://www.redroof.com/partners/nyssa/http://www.funjet.com/default.aspx?plcode=nyssa&gsPromotionCode=nyssa&gsVendor=TPVhttp://www.choicehotels.com/http://www.countryinns.com/nyssahttp://www.wyndhamhotelgroup.com/?corporate_id=1000007487http://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/html/bridge/assoc/index.html?R198157https://www.avis.com/car-rental/profile/go.ac?B291057http://www.allstate.com/snowmobile-insurance.aspxhttp://www.cruisesonly.com/?cm_mmc=Affiliate-_-CONLY-Affinity_Marketing-_-49-_-NAhttp://www.cruisesonly.com/?cm_mmc=Affiliate-_-CONLY-Affinity_Marketing-_-49-_-NAhttp://agency.nationwide.com/agent/grant-l-getzoni-310028859-31002885900000



It’s TIME to RENEW

your

CLUB MEMBERSHIP!

How to Renew Online and Print your Voucher

1. Go to www.nysnowmobiler.com and click on the Big Green Button at the upper left.

2. Enter your Member ID and password.

Don’t know your Member ID? Use the “Forgot” link:

Don’t know your Password? Use the button.

3. Once you are logged in, you may renew your membership with your existing Club, or join a different club, or join several clubs. Be sure to select the “Individual” or “Family” member-

ship type as appropriate.

4. Fill in your credit card info and press PAY NOW!

5. Once the transaction is completed, return to the home page. To the right of the Club Name

is the word ‘Voucher’. Click on that to view and print your Voucher.

Still need assistance? Email us at [email protected], or call the Membership Help Desk at 888-624-3849 x 103.

Turn the page to learn how to register your sled(s) online

with the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles! -->

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://membership.nysnowmobiler.com/mailto:[email protected]?subject=Help!https://membership.nysnowmobiler.com/



How to register your sled(s) online with

the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles

1. Let’s get you to the right place:

If you are a New York State Resident, go to this website:

https://transact.dmv.ny.gov/RegistrationRenew/index.cfm

If you are Out of State, go to this website:

https://transact.dmv.ny.gov/SnowmobileOutofState/

2. Follow the on-screen instructions (they are different for NY Residents and Out of State, so we can’t reproduce them here).

3. Remember to enter your 12-digit NYSSA Voucher ID (located above the barcode on your

2014-15 Voucher) with no dashes or spaces.

4. Print your Temporary Registration - your permanent registration and stickers for your

sled will be mailed to you by NYS DMV within ten days.

XX-XXXX-XXXXXX

Helpful tip from one of our members!

Anne,

Thanks for your help, I think this will work so you might want to add this to your bag of short cuts.

Instead of printing the temporary registration, I simply saved it on my computer and sent it to my

email on my I phone. So if i get questioned about it, I was told to always have a phone on me when I

ride, and I'm just trying to save the environment by going paperless!!

Sounds good.

Tom

mailto:[email protected]://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://transact.dmv.ny.gov/RegistrationRenew/index.cfmhttps://transact.dmv.ny.gov/SnowmobileOutofState/

As the unified voice for NY Snowmobiling, NYSSA works year-round to promote

the sport and protect the trails needed for winter enjoyment. NYSSA is recognized

and accepted in Albany, across the state, and nationally as the organization that

represents the rights and needs of New York’s snowmobilers.

PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040

888-624-3849 / Fax 888-317-2441

E-mail: [email protected]

www.nysnowmobiler.com

NEW YORK STAT E

SNOWMOBI LE ASSOCIATI ON

Club Events are listed on our website: www.nysnowmobiler.com Safety Courses are listed at http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspx

NYSSA Calendar of Events January 10, 2015 NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting Clarion Hotel

Batavia, NY

January 11, 2015 “Take a Friend Snowmobiling Event” Genesee Sno Packers Clubhouse 102 S. Pearl St, Oakfield, NY

January 24, 2015 “Take a Friend Snowmobiling Event” Grafton State Park WinterFest Rte 2, Cropseyville, NY

February 7, 2015 NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting The Beeches Inn & Conference Ctr Rome, NY

February 8, 2015 “Take a Friend Snowmobiling Event” Delta Lake State Park Rome, NY

February 21, 2015 “Take a Friend Snowmobiling Event” Chautauqua County Location TBD

March 7, 2015 NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting Tailwater Lodge Altmar, NY

April 4, 2015 NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting Carnegie Conf Ctr - upstairs at Drivers Village, Cicero, NY

April 10 - 13, 2015 SLEDNY Educational Forum & NYSSA Annual Meeting

Rochester Riverside Convention Ctr Rochester, NY

May 2, 2015 June 6, 2015

NYSSA Board of Directors Meeting Carnegie Conf Ctr - upstairs at Drivers Village, Cicero, NY

June 10 - 13, 2015 International Snowmobile Congress Niagara Falls Convention Center Niagara Falls, NY

(11days after each BOD Meeting).

January 21, 2015

February 18, 2015

March 18, 2015

April 16, 2015

May 13, 2015

June 17, 2015

Season 2014-15 NY Snowmobiler Publication Dates:

AD RATES
https://nysnowmobiler.comhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/events-listhttp://www.nysparks.com/recreation/snowmobiles/safety-courses.aspxhttp://www.nyssaforum.comhttp://www.isc2015.com/http://www.facebook.com/#!/NewYorkStateSnowmobileAssociationhttp://www.youtube.com/user/NYSSnowmobilerhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/images/pdf/NYSSA-NY-Snowmobiler-Online-Magazine-Rates-2013-14.pdfhttps://nysnowmobiler.com/pdf/NYSSA-NY-Snowmobiler-Online-Magazine-Rates-2014-15.pdf

Documents

NYSSA Online Magazinenysnowmobiler.com/.../02/nyssa_magazine_1214_ezine.pdf · Contact NYSSA: PO Box 1040, Pine Bush, NY 12566-1040 * EMAIL - [email protected] December