By Don Fitzpatrick
In the Jan. 13 edition of the Methow Valley News, a letter to the editor discussed “Snowmobile trail challenges.” Bob Wagner is certainly appreciated for assuming the role of leader of the Mountain Trails Grooming Association. He will do the same fine job he does as manager of the Twisp Airport. The grooming work has seen hard times lately due to low snowmobile registrations, and other funding and management issues. I appreciate his apologies and explanation of what is causing it, but it isn’t his fault.
As a member of the Methow Valley Snowmobile Association (MVSA) since 1984, I have some first-hand knowledge of what the grooming situation is. Bob is right that the Grooming Association is a separate entity, but actually the Grooming Association is affiliated with other organizations in the Methow Valley, and does receive additional financial and other support.
The Mountain Trails Grooming Association was established by the Methow Valley Snowmobile Association and the understanding was that it had to be separate. But all the organizers, like Jerry and Bev Shultz, Bill Imes, Bob Adams, Bill Ford and others, were the key to getting it started, and they were all from the MVSA.
In addition, as secretary of the Snowmobile Association, I applied for a grant from the Washington State Winter Recreation Department and received $15,000 about four years ago. We applied for the money to provide grooming on Highway 20 and up to Harts Pass, which had been difficult to get enough grooming money for in the past. We got the grant, as well as a $12,000 grant for the Silver Star Sno-Park. We spent the entire $15,000 on grooming done by the Mountain Trails Grooming Association. In addition, the hat is passed around each year for donations from snowmobile members to do the initial clearing at Harts Pass.
Bob Wagner, and people like Bob Adams, Craig Stahl, Dan Stanley, Betty Wagoner, Julie Johnson, Rich and Dolly Stahl and many others, do a tremendous amount of volunteer work in the community. We clean up Highway 20 twice a year for a couple of miles just west of Twisp. We cut boughs for the Winthrop winter decorations. We operate the burn barrels for the Christmas season opening. We furnish a Christmas dinner to all who want to come, at no charge to attendees, and receive so many donations that we pay for the rent at the Winthrop Barn and donate other money to local charities. Our snowmobiling events generate many visitors and tourist income to the valley.
Strong connections
Every year people like Dan Stanley, Bob Wagner and many others ride the trails that will be groomed prior to the groomer going out, cut out downed trees, and make sure the area is clear for grooming. There is definitely a strong connection between all the players in both associations and other groups in the valley.
MVSA also has a strong relationship with the Methow Valley Trails Collaborative, which encourages all trail users to work together to enjoy our winter (and summer) activities. We are excited to have the new Silver Star Sno-Park open this year. It has been very popular with many groups. The Snowmobile Association is saddened that the U.S. Forest Service decided to close many good areas to snowmobiling, using the weak excuse of safety. Hopefully this error will be changed soon. The Snowmobile Association and the North Cascades Back Country Ski Guides (most of whom belong to the Snowmobile Association) have worked for a long time to establish unwritten rules for mutual use of this area. Methow Trails and the snowmobile community have even discussed the chance of working together should we experience a low snow year causing the cross country skiers to need access to snowmobile areas, on groomed snowmobile trails, that would be shared with snowmobilers.
I hope that people were not misled by the omission of some facts in Bob Wagner’s explanation of the lack of grooming, which is certainly no fault of the Grooming Association. Snowmobile registrations are up this year by over five times and more funding should be available next year.
Don Fitzpatrick Jr. lives near Mazama.
