Minnesota Snowmobiling-December 2022

Past Presidents

Greg Sorenson, Rod Seibel, Mark Kavanaugh, Gayle Quistgard, Mark Steinmueller, Keith Twombly, Terry Hutchinson, Curt Berg, Harold Brace, Bob Linn, Diane Wallenta, Jeff Mausolf, Bob King, Larry Shepherd, Bill Kullberg, LeRoy Strehlo, Tom Decker, Mary Violett, Allen Eglinton, Al Lalim, Harold Tomkins

Minnesota Snowmobiling (ISSN 1085-1054) is published seven times a year for $14 – September, October, November, December, January, February and March by MidWest Outdoors Limited, 111 Shore Drive, Burr Ridge, IL 60527. Periodicals postage paid through Brooklyn Park, MN, and additional entries.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association, 7040 Lakeland Ave N., Suite 212, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

December 2022 Contents

Minnesota Snowmobiling is the official publication of the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association (MnUSA). The publication is a benefit of membership in MnUSA ($25 annual membership).

MnUSA Executive Board President Scott Wakefield Vice President Timothy Heinen Secretary Janet Widness Treasurer Gordon Heitke Director at Large Greg Sorenson

PUBLISHER Dan Ferris ART DIRECTOR / COPY EDITOR Dena Gervasi ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Chuck Gekas

We are off and running, and some of us more than others. Snowmobile Day celebrations were had, and open houses are around the corner. Make sure to send in what you did with a high-res photo and 250 words of content, and we will get it published.

Clubs are meeting and rosters are being sent in, but you should all know, your membership in MnUSA is not valid until you are paid. Let me repeat that for you, just because a roster has been sent in, it’s not active until the money has been received and cleared. This is important. So, if you’re sending in a roster, make sure the correct money has been collected and it balances. If you’re sending your roster electronically, and the money snail mail, do them the same day. The delay can be confusing for members not getting a magazine or membership cards, etc. Thanks.

We are featuring Region 3 this month—a big region with lots of clubs, lots of trails, and lots of fun! You will learn so much more than what you thought Region 3 was all about from the good folks that are lucky enough to enjoy it every day. Region 8, you’re up next. Thanks for all the positive feedback on the region reports. If you can’t find a destination to ride this year, you’re not trying very hard.

Thanks again to Region 5 for the hospitality at the Fall Workshop. It was nice visiting Spamtown USA in Austin. I asked all the “new” attendees to the Fall Workshop to stand up and introduce themselves, and we had quite a few. The idea with that was for all us to welcome them to the group. Thanks to those members who did, and for those that didn’t, remember that for next time. Please be less cliquey and more inviting. We are in this together.

With the 50/50 raffle, the live auction, and donations, we were able to raise close to $8,000 for the MnUSA Vets Ride. Thanks to all the individuals and businesses that donated items for the auction and door prizes. Thanks to the 17 clubs that donated to help make the event successful. Yours truly was on KAUS Radio earlier in the day on Friday, and we had some fun with Spam talk, and educating the general public on who puts the trails in the ground, and why being a member of MnUSA is so important. Look for Bill Gehn’s excellent Chainsaw Productivity “Creating a Monster” article in this issue, from what was at the Fall Workshop.

The MWO Media sales team continues to make big strides. Look for our newest advertisers: Ash-KaNam Resort, Blue Lake Plastics, Carver Performance, Cobblestone Hotel & Suites, Connexion AO, Floe Trailers, Lakewoods Resort, Stud Boy, and Tracks USA. And that takes me to today’s word: Reciprocate. Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a transitive verb, 1: to give and take mutually. As you page through this month’s issue, look at the advertisers we have in the magazine. They paid good hard money to be in our magazine. It’s incumbent on us, as members, to patronize these business members and advertisers. We are building relationships here folks— you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours, give and take mutually.

I signed the contract for Rendezvous this week. Again, this isn’t a regional thing. This time around it’s an all-region event. We are asking for volunteers from all clubs and all regions across the State of Minnesota to help out, and not just where the event happens to land which is at Grand Casino, Hinckley. See more information in this issue.

Speaking of Rendezvous, it was decided at the Fall Workshop to start up a “new” award for those who travel by sled to the event. Look in this issue to find a new name for it. It’s time to put on those creative thinking caps.

Trails Open Dec. 1st. Let the fun begin!

Scott Wakefield

Tim Heinen

The support and comments I received at the Fall Workshop almost brought tears to my eyes. There is a lot of care and support that members have, and with that I decided to stay on as V.P. for MnUSA. I really want to see what I have purposed has an outcome.

Enough said on that subject. Let’s talk about SNOWMOBILING, ya man! Where I live doesn’t matter, where it snows does matter. I am praying for heavy snowfall this season throughout the State of Minnesota. We all want a good winter of snow, and my bones are telling me that it is going to happen. (It’s tough getting old, right Mark?)

Ooh, random thought here, when someone mentions that the data shows this or states that, so it must be accurate, right? So, let’s think of meteorologists who rely directly on computer data. Well, they are wrong 50-75% of the time. Think about that. Back when Bud Kraehling or Barry ZeVan the weatherman gave the reports (dating myself here), they were

Let’s get back to what really matters—riding, that’s right, riding. The first time I ever rode a snowmobile was at my mom’s cousin’s, dad’s, grandfather’s farm (are you following this?). My uncle had owned two Rupps at the time. I don’t remember the years (late ‘60s) or model, other than it was a fricking blast riding them. I must have been 10 years old at the time. I still remember my jacket being full of sprayback from the carb. Boy, you think Polaris has a problem with burning, just don’t smoke after riding one of these old babies. Back to riding. Riding in a farm field was, in a way, boring, just doing circles. So, you have to thank the clubs who thought to get together and develop a trail system, and with that, MnUSA was formed to combat at state level into protecting our trails. Without MnUSA we wouldn’t have trails the way we do today.

Whoa, Nelly! Stop, Tim, stop. Let’s keep it simple. Join a club today, join MnUSA today, and we can keep fighting to keep our trails going. It’s that simple. (Sounds like a political ad I just saw.)

To all the men, women, children, and clubs out there, thank you for all your support, commitment, and the love for the sport. Hopefully I will see you out there with a big smile on the trail of life.

Executive Board

President Scott Wakefield -XM 12620 Co Rd 30 Waconia 55387 612-483-5638 oliver1650@icloud.com

Vice President

Timothy Heinen 20602 Keystone Ave Lakeville 55044 952-250-6642 timothy@heinenzoo.com

Secretary Janet Widness - XM 43390 220th St Clitherall 56524 218-731-6126 jwstulk@prtel.com

Treasurer Gordon Heitke - XM 2270 300th Ave Mora 55051 763-234-6712 gheitke@gmail.com

Director-At-Large

Greg Sorenson 66033 Big Pine Rd Finlayson 55735 218-393-0413 minnsnoman@aol.com

Committee Chairs

Booth: Dean Thompson · 763-441-8555

By-Laws: Rick Johnson-XM · 612-935-7249

Communications: Scott Wakefield-XM · 612-483-5638

Charity/Awards: Janet Widness-XM· 218-769-4243

Elections/Nominations: Greg Sorenson · 218-393-0413

Finance/Audit: Gordon Heitke-XM · 763-234-6712

Fund Raising: Mark Steinmueller-XM · 320-679-3653

Land Access: OPEN Legislative/DNR/Trails: Terry Hutchinson-XM · 612-581-6627

Membership: Jerry Hanson-XM · 763-536-0472

Merchandise: Ted Breeggemann· 612-919-7811

Safety: OPEN Site Selection: Mark LaBaw-XM· 952-221-2564

Website/Social Media: Mark Kavanaugh-XM· 218-330-7380

Directors

Region 1

Gary Gorden, 10837 Aure Rd NW Puposky, 56667, 218-770-2180 ggordenparks@hotmail.com

Mike Boucher, 27528 230th St SW, Crookston 56716 218-280-3385 mjb86@yahoo.com

Dale Dahlen, 2321 Pebble Beach Rd NW East Grand Forks, 56721, 218-791-6679 dodahlen@hotmail.com

Gail Friborg, 37857 Fairground Rd Bagley, 56621, 218-694-2840 pfgf@gvtel.com

Jeff Lovold, 603 2nd Ave SE, Roseau 56751 218-280-1941

Region 2

Jack White, 11914 Main St, PO Box 514 Northome, 56661, 218-897-5764 jwhite@paulbunyan.net

Cindy Hansmann, 16871 Highway 2 Warba, 55793, 218-301-9496 cindy.hansmann@frontier.com

Troy Johnson, 5140 County Rd 4 Cromwell, 55726, 218-390-0046 tntjohnson547@hotmail.com

Jerry Kujala-XM, 4951 Spirit Lake Rd Mt. Iron, 55768, 218-735-8446 jdkujala@gmail.com

De Lyle Pankratz, 7756 Ely Lake Dr Eveleth, 55734, 218-744-1375 dwpankratz@yahoo.com

Steve Thomopolous, 3152 County Rd 2 S International Falls, 56649, 218-283-4025 greekman1122@yahoo.com

Randy Vannet, 28938 Arbo Rd Grand Rapids 55744, 218-244-6797 randy.vannet@gmail.com

Region 3

Tom Jann, 21668 Peterson Creek Dr Deerwood, 56444, 218-839-1230 lakejann@gmail.com

Allen Beumer, 10234 410th Ave Hillman, 56338, 320-355-2257 abeumer1845@gmail.com

Scott Haley, 14394 105th Ave Milaca, 56353, 612-670-6027 cody30@frontiernet.net

Jason Hendrickx-XM, 18539 93rd St SE Becker, 55308, 320-292-5926 jasonhendrickx@gmail.com

John Olmscheid, PO Box 160 Elrosa, 56325, 320-250-3271 johnolmscheid@frontier.com

Region 4

Sheri Gades-XM, 103 5th St N Danvers, 56231, 320-760-3526 gades@fedteldirect.net

Rodney Boesch, PO Box 337, Amboy 56010 507-340-2820 rod.boesch@boeschcrt.com

Jeff Kack-XM, PO Box 55 Appleton, 56208, 320-289-1069 jkack@mchsi.com

Dick Kuttner, 522 Shady Ridge Rd NW Hutchinson, 55350, 320-587-6536 richardk@hutchtel.net

Region 5

Mike Clevenger-XM, 7302 NW 97th Ave Morristown, 55052, 507-838-5713 cmclevenger3@gmail.com

Coy Borgstrom, 20 E Veterans Memorial Hwy, Kasson, 55944, 507-251-1199 coy3911@gmail.com

Bill Gehn, Red Wing, 651-388-7541 william_gehn@hotmail.com

Paul Maruska, 26276 Drexel Ave, New Prague, 56071, 952-212-2293 ptmaruska81@gmail.com

Region 6

Bill Prinsen, 5011 121 St N, White Bear Lake 55110, 651-260-8508 skidoo06-@hotmail.com

Jeremy Goebel 11210 7th St S, Cottage Grove 55016 651-308-0398 goebeljeremy1985@gmail.com

Ken Zak, 20629 Kenrick Ave, Lakeville, 55044, 952-469-2246 kjnbaa@frontier.net

Region 7

Randy Laberge-XM, 5424 Lax Lake Rd Silver Bay, 55614, 218-353-7697 dandrlaberge@hotmail.com

Ryan Boe, 5146 Jean Duluth Rd Duluth 55803, 218-349-5578 ryanboe@hotmail.com

Dan Hamilton, Duluth, 651-398-2461 danielhamilton@aol.com

Rick Johnson-XM, 4353 Briarwood Ln, Hopkins, 55343, 952-935-7249 rick@teampro.net

Phillip Lockett, 218-348-9161 lockettphillip@yahoo.com

Scott Seely, Two Harbors 218-830-1028, srseely@gmail.com

Gary Vezina, Duluth 218-722-2852

Bill Ylatupa-XM, 43 Garden Dr Silver Bay, 55614, 218-220-8189 ylatupa2@gmail.com

Region 8

Ted Breeggemann, 6201 250th St W Belle Plaine, 56011, 612-919-7811 breeggemann79@gmail.com

Randy Baudler, 9259 FoxlineDr N Corcoran, 55340, 763-420-5526 rbslawn@gmail.com

Mark LaBaw-XM, 1471 Independence Ave Chaska, 55318, 952-221-2564 mlabawstillafishn@yahoo.com

Dick Theis, 20575 Co Rd 10 Hamel, 55340, 763-494-3838 dickt.barbc@gmail.com

Region 9

Charles Chadbourne, 30974 170th St Detroit Lakes, 56501, 218-847-6517 peewee@arvig.net

Donald Hansen, PO Box 94 Cyrus, 56323, 320-795-2741

Steve “Woody”Widness-XM, 43390 220th St Clitherall, 56524, 218-769-4243 jwstulk@prtel.com

MnUSA Office: 7040 Lakeland Ave N, Ste 212, Brooklyn Park 55428 ph.763-577-0185 fax 763-577-0186

Franzen

This column is being written before the election results are in. While I don’t know who will win and who will lose, I absolutely do know what you can and should do after the election.

One thing is for certain, there will be many new faces in the legislature when it convenes in January. Some of these new legislators are folks you may have supported, or not. It really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that these are the people that hold the well-being and future of our sport in their hands. So, my unqualified advice is to find the time to take these legislators on a snowmobile ride and let them experience the joy of snowmobiling, the beauty of a Minnesota winter, and the critical role you play as volunteers in our state’s snowmobile infrastructure. Remind them that snowmobiling is a family sport.

A number of legislators of all persuasions and their staff have come to ride with us at the MnUSA Winter Rendezvous. Each and every one has had a wonderful time (even those who crashed) and want to come back. More importantly, these folks now truly understand who we are and what we do.

Tell these legislators that Minnesota has over 22,000 miles of trails and that clubs develop and maintain over 20,000 of these miles. Give the legislator a ride in your groomer. Experience shows that they will love it. Hopefully, there will be a sufficient snowpack to have a great ride. If not, invite them to your clubhouse to meet with you and show them

what you have done to prepare for the season. A vast majority of legislators have no idea of the work you do to get a trail ready to ride. Tell them about cutting, brushing, signing and (importantly) safety training that you do. Tell them about the work you do with landowners. Clubs do more than infrastructure work. You develop a culture of safety. Never hide this light under a bushel.

Thus far, I’ve been talking about newly elected legislators. A good number of incumbents will have been re-elected. These folks have seniority and are more likely to be named to leadership positions and committee chairs. Everything I’ve said about new legislators goes double for incumbents. Minnesota has the greatest trail system in the country because of your hard work. Snowmobiling is much safer because of your culture and volunteer training of new snowmobilers. We know that we do good work so why shouldn’t our elected representatives know it too?

Again, it doesn’t matter a whit whether you supported your elected representatives in the election. What matters is that your elected representatives support snowmobiling!

Doug

Updates from the MnUSA office

- Please let the MnUSA office know if you have a new address. Each month many Minnesota Snowmobiling magazines are returned for bad addresses.

- Printed labels for your club members to mail invoices, newsletters, etc., are available from the MnUSA office.

- Many inquiries are going to clubs through the MnUSA website to the email address your club has listed on your club page on MnUSA’s site. No dues are collected through those inquiries so clubs should respond with their own membership information. If your club does not have a page on the MnUSA website or you need the username and password to update the information and add your club events, contact the MnUSA office.

Order Your 2023 MnUSA Raffle Calendar

The 2023 snowmobile photo calendars are available to individuals or clubs. MnUSA member clubs can earn money for their favorite charity with every calendar sold, up to $5 per calendar. There are 365 prizes with a new winner each day. Prizes include jewelry, gift cards, $300 fuel cards, $2500 on New Year’s Day, $500 on Christmas and many $250 cash prizes. Minimum prize value is $25. Only 5,000 calendars are available for sale. The drawing for prizes is January 4, 2023. To learn more and order, visit mnsnowmobiler.org and click on calendars under Programs.

Veterans Appreciation Ride

Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association and Minnesota Snowmobile Education & Advancement Fund (MSEAF) are again co-hosting their annual snowmobile ride for veterans and active duty personnel as a token of our appreciation to our veterans who have given part of their lives to serve all of us. The 2023 event will take place in Bemidji, MN and include 3 meals and lodging. The hosts would like to introduce veterans to snowmobiling, and also invite those who have their own snowmobiles to come along to enjoy the day. Pre-registration is required.

The event is funded through donations. Your tax deductible donation of any amount is welcome or a $225 donation will Sponsor a Vet or active duty military personnel for the event. All funds designated “Veterans Ride” will be segregated for that purpose only.

MSEAF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donors will receive a receipt recognizing their donation and tax deductibility of donations. Send your donation to MSEAF at: Minnesota Snowmobile Education & Advancement Fund, 7040 Lakeland Ave. N #212, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428, 763-577-0185. Veteran’s registration information can be found at www.mnvetsnowmobileride.org.

Mark your calendar for the 2023 Veterans Appreciation Ride to be held January 14, 2023.

Fall Workshop

2022 Wrap-Up

Region 5 and its clubs including Co-chairs Mike and Cheryl Clevenger, did an outstanding job hosting the 2022 MnUSA Fall Workshop and Annual Meeting at the Holiday Inn in Austin. The weekend kicked off with a Friday evening reception featuring food and cash bar. Prior to the reception was a certification class for snowmobile safety instructors. Later that evening, Steele County Trail Association hosted a reception room.

Saturday morning began with a legislative meeting, followed by the MnUSA Annual Meeting which included the election of officers.

Current officers Scott Wakefield, President; Timothy Heinen, Vice President; Janet Widness, Secretary; and Gordon Heitke, Treasurer, were elected for a second oneyear term. Greg Sorenson will remain on the Executive Board as Director at Large.

Terry Hutchinson, Chair of MnUSA’s Legislative/Trails Committee, reported on the 2023 legislative agenda.

We are at the beginning of our 2023 legislative session. As this point in time, due to very few of our bills passing last session, our legislative agenda going forward will again include support for a

sales tax exemption for materials used on our trails, revisions to the current laws for transfer of used snowmobiles, safe crossings of divided highways, removal of the requirement of registration numbers on your sled, and we will closely watch for raids on the snowmobile dedicated account and gas tax. Most of these items were approved at the legislature without opposition, but failed to get completed before session ended. Other items not submitted during the last session but still on our agenda include revised collector sled registration requirements, and trails in WMA/AMA areas.

Past president Greg Sorenson.

President Scott Wakefield speaks at Saturday’s Membership Meeting.

Our revised trespass law for increasing fines for Civil Law violations was passed and is now law!

The MnUSA Board of Directors also passed the following new items for possible legislation.

A) Revising the existing Criminal Trespass fines to match our new Civil Law violations. These fines are currently far short of our new amounts.

B) Our support with other recreation groups and the MN DNR for a revision to the existing trespass laws throughout the entire State. Minnesota’s current law puts the onus on private property owners to post their lands yearly. The current law essentially creates a system where private property that’s not agricultural is presumed open to anyone participating in outdoor recreation unless specific steps have been taken to close it. A proposed change would provide that anyone entering privately or public owned lands for outdoor recreation purposes is responsible for knowing their location and the ownership of the land they are entering. Individuals must obtain written permission to enter.

C) We have been authorized to begin looking at changes to our current snowmobile registration requirements to encourage membership in our snowmobile clubs and MnUSA. Wisconsin and other states have been very successful in their current systems and we will begin researching a similar program for Minnesota.

A VIP Ride is being planned for Rendezvous.

DNR’s Laura Preus and Wade Miller reported to the membership regarding the status of the snowmobile dedicated fund. The snowmobile registration renewal percentage was 80% this past season, slightly lower than the projected number and 10% lower than FY21. This reduction in income did cause a small reduction in the grant in aid funding to the clubs. The clubs will receive their full base grant ($7,256,385 total allocation) but the total amount available for supplemental grants this season is reduced by $100,000 from last season’s total supplement amount of $750,310.

Sign orders were also discussed along with the need to have them earlier in the fall.

Saturday afternoon was for educational Seminars

• Grant Writing 101, presented by Wade Miller, State Trail and Snowmobile Program Consultant, gave an extensive discussion on how to navigate through the many different types of grants that are available and who would be eligible for them. Maintenance and Grooming Grants, Trail Improvement Grants and Equipment Grants were just some of the grants covered in this fascinating workshop. Federal,

State and Private grants were discussed and a detailed look at an actual Federal Recreational Trail Grant application was covered.

• Chainsaw Maintenance & Safety presented by Bill Gehn. Bill gave tips on best practices to maintain your chainsaw, so it works efficiently. Keep your chains sharp and properly oiled. Always use the brake when not cutting. Be cautious when trimming around a widow maker, which is a severed branch that is hanging in a tree. Hold chainsaw perpendicular to what is being cut. Make sure to stay hydrated and rested.

Wade Miller and MnUSA Vice President Tim Heinen.

Bill Gehn.

• Youth Group from Start to Now presented by Tri-County SnoCzechers members and mentors Paul Maruska, Ted Breggemann and Lacey Breggemann. They gave a detailed report on how they started and continue to grow the Tri-County SnoCzechers youth club. Tips on how to empower the youth from the electing and voting of their own Executive Board to determining what charitable causes to donate to. They stressed the need to empower the youth with certain responsibilities and duties while at the same time continue to make it fun for all. Adding more youth interest is one of the greatest concerns in the sport today and the Tri-County Sno-Czechers are providing the blueprint for other groups to follow.

• What is Trespassing presented by Doug Franzen Legislation changed the fines for the first civil offense for trespassing from $50 to $250. The second offense is now $500 and the third and subsequent offenses are $1,000. As criminal fines are significantly less, MnUSA will be looking at options to address this as well.

• Polaris Ride Command presented by Dave Halsey and Charles Skelton demonstrated how clubs can better utilize the functionality of Ride Command.

Some of the many items that were auctioned off on Saturday.

Tri-County SnoCzechers youth club. Dave Halsey and Charles Skelton demonstrate how to use Polaris Ride Command.

Becca McKeoen and Dick Kuttner were high bidders on Mary Lou Clevenger ’s handmade blankets.

President and auctioneer Scott Wakefield helped raise more than $1,800 for the veterans.

Saturday evening’s dinner featured a raffle and auction to raise funds for the 15th Annual Veterans Appreciation Snowmobile Ride. Our own president Scott Wakefield was our auctioneer and helped raise more than $1,800 for the veterans.

Special thanks go out to co-chairs Mike & Cheryl Clevenger, their many volunteers, and the following Region 5 clubs that helped make this year’s Fall Workshop a success:

Faribo Sno-Go Club

Lonsdale Sno-Wizards

New Prague Snowdrifters

LeSueur County Trail Association

Covered Bridge Riders

Steele County Snowmobile Trail Assoc.

Country Climbers Snowmobile Club

Kenyon Snowdrifters

Mower Co Trail Maintenance (Good Time Riders, Spamtown Sno-Drifters, Lords of London

K-M Snowdrifters

Whitewater Trailblazers

Byron Snow Bears

Goodhue-Bellchester Rail Riders

Caledonia Sno-Gophers

Cliff & Coulee Climbeers

Good Time Riders

Wells Creek Riders

Sakatah Sno-Cruisers

Don’t miss the 2023 MnUSA Fall Workshop and Annual Meeting which will be held in Lakeville hosted by the clubs in MnUSA Region 6.

oliver1650@icloud.com

Scott Wakefield (612) 483-5638

Celebrating Doug Franzen’s 70th birthday.

by Mark Kavanaugh

MnUSA Region 3 is comprised of 13 counties in the central part of Minnesota. The trails of Region 3 are some of the best known and heavily traveled in the state. Encompassing a diverse variety of terrain, location in proximity of the Metro Area, plus the fact that many of the state’s snowmobilers have vacation homes on the area’s many lake areas, make it a snowmobiler’s heaven. Region 3 trails offer the rider whatever type of riding they enjoy—from farm fields to dense forests, from frozen lakes to ditch banging, you can find it in Region 3, many times in a single day’s ride. The great thing about our playground is that you are never far from anything, be it our great lodging choices, multiple dining spots, gas stops, dealers, and great trail shelters. What makes this trail system work is the large number of clubs out constantly working the trails, so let’s break down the Region into areas.

North

Arguably the best-known area of Region 3 is the Brainerd Lakes Area which encompasses Crow Wing, southern Cass and northern Morrison Counties. This is home of the Crow Wing County Snowmobile Trails Association with its 12 snowmobile clubs plus our sister club in northwest Morrison County, Lincoln Lakes. With over 1,000 miles of trails, we have 18 groomers as well as many smaller machines working

Region 3 Destination

on the trails. Our two best-known corridor trails, Paul Bunyan and Sno-Way 1 are travelled by thousands of machines each year. Lodging, dining and “night spots” abound in the area, as well as many non-snowmobiling activities. It was selected “Best Snowmobiling” by WCCO’s “Best Of” awards.

Not to be missed is the extension trail system that exists around beautiful Lake Mille Lacs and down the Rum River corridor. This part of the region is intersected by the 126-mile Soo Line Trail, originating in Superior Wisconsin, and ending in Royalton. This is a very scenic route with a great mix of woods, farmland, and rivers.

South

Region 3 South offers a great riding experience, with both open fields and forest trails, an hour’s drive from the metro. The new MN Highway 24 bridge has a recreational path that connects Sherburne, Wright and Stearns county trail systems. Do you like snowmobile racing and riding vintage snowmobiles? Well, with the trail going to ERX Motorpark in Elk River, you can easily ride that vintage snowmobile to the Midwest Vintage Ride-In.

NORTHEAST

The northeast portion of the region is more natural in character. It includes two state parks and four state forests with trails, in addition to the GIA trails on mostly wooded private land. The area provides a more remote riding experience with a few small towns and establishments to serve snowmobilers. The Gandy Dancer Trail skirts the St. Croix River from St. Croix State Park through St. Croix State Forest and onto the Matthew Lourey Trail in Nemadji State Forest. Not to be missed is the famous 70-mile-long Willard Munger Trail that runs from Hinckley to Duluth.

WEST

The Western portion of Region 3 is a combination of farm fields and forest. The main corridor trail in this part of Region 3 is the 62-mile-long Lake Wobegon Trail. Extending from Waite Park to Sauk Centre, it has many great jumping off points, such as the North Wobegon Trail from Albany to north of Holdingford.

Where the Locals Ride

Former Mayor of the City of Lake Shore and the Gull Lake Drifters’ Groomer Coordinator, Groomer Operator and Treasurer, John Terwilliger, says he and his wife Cindy’s favorite ride is west of Nisswa. “We like to ride Sno-Way 1

to the Rock Lake Trail which is ten miles of wilderness with no signs of civilization. Watch closely and you might spot wolf tracks! At the south end of the Rock Lake Trail we cross County Road 1 and get on the Pillsbury State Forest trails which are hilly, winding, and scenic. Leaving Pillsbury Forest on the east side, we use Gull Lake which gives access to Ernies, Dock 77, and Zorbaz—all restaurants which welcome snowmobilers. The north end of Gull Lake brings us back to trails leading to Nisswa where we like to stop for a pizza and

XM Members

Rob Abear

Andy Akins

Jeff Alberts

Adam & Wanda Alsleben

Darren Amdahl

Mark Anderson

Keith & Michelle Anderson

Chris & Doreen Anderson

Mike & Denise Archer

Eric & Angela Bachinski

Mitchell Bahr

Deb Pomroy & Ray Barnes

Edward Barnick

Wally Barry

Chad & Amy Barthel

William R Barthold

Troy Beckers

Bruce Bekkerus

Michael Belanger

Richard & Lilly Berg

Trent Bernatz

Keith & Heather Berndt

Steve & Carolyn Blake

Chad & Shelly Boegeman

Michael Bogart

Tim & Karen Bothun

Mike Brandt

John & Linda Braunwarth

Paul Breckner

Gordon Brekken

Kelly Brown

Tony Brown

Charlie & Carol Brown

Colin & Jennifer Brown

Brian Brown

Jim Bryant

Richard Buresh

Jim & Laura Bush

Gary Butz

Jim Carlson

Tom Chamberland

Tim & Linda Clark

Dale & Sonya Clementson

Rick & Deb Colberg

Mark & Lori Coleman

Elmer & Margaret Cone

J. A. Connelly

Randy Demmer

Trent Dore

Allen Doty

Raymond Driver

Mike & Kym Duea

Wade & Melissa Dykema

Mike & Chris Eck

Rusty Eichorn

Jill Erickson-Buresh

Rick & Shelley Evenson

Daniel A. & Janet Feeney

Jim & Belinda Folz

Terry & Mary Foster

Christian Franzen

Sheri & Russell Gades F

Mark Garcea

Greg & Nancy Gellert

Joe Gerrits

John & Wendy Getz Bill Gibson

Alex Gould

Ed & Judy Grelson

Amy Groszbach

Grudell Family

Allen & Michele Gruidl

Donald & Thelma Hansen

Dan Hartel

Dane, Barb & Rebekah

Hasbrouck

Brian & Rosanne Hauge

Arne & Sharon Heggedal

Joseph & Katie Heidelberger

Dennis Heimerman

Kason Heinecke

Glen & Jane Heino

Gordon & Diane Heitke

Bob Hellerud

Jason & Angie Hendrickx

Jack & Julie Hensley

Scott Hillig

Jack & Julie Hinsley

Jennifer Hoglund

Robert & Gayle Holt

Rex & Arlene Holzemer

Bruce Hughes

Terry & Debbie Hutchinson

William & Sherri Jarvis

Michael Jasan

Kevin & Julie Jergenson

Terry Johnson

Richard & Judith Johnson

Charlie & Sue Johnson

Jeff Johnson

Todd Johnson

Paula Jones

Mark & Michelle Jorgenson

Jeff & Louise Kack

Kathy Karkula

Steve & Terri Kast

Jerry Kastner

Mark & Susan Kavanaugh

beverage at the Pickle Factory which is on the Paul Bunyan Trail.”

Region 3 has something for everyone, and whether you stay for an extended time or a short day trip, we welcome you to our winter playground.

Jim & Ellen Keesling

Michael Killian

Bob & Judy King

Paul Kirscht

Earl Klersy

Brent Klomps

Steven & Linda Knopp

Marlys Knutson

Jerry Kujala

Kenny Kukacka

Greg Kunz

Mark & Kathy LaBaw

Randy Laberge

Mark Langevin

Orv & Dee Langohr

Ken Larson

Brian & Paula Larson

Levi & Kristen LaVallee

LaVallee Inc

Kevin & Lisa Leary

Tim & Tammy LePage

Roger & Donna Letcher

Kevin Lewison

Jay Loeffler

Michael Lommel

Dave & Laurie Lorence

Gary & Judy Lothenbach

Brian & Janeen Lucker

Dan & Rachel Lund

Brian & Penny Lund

Paul & Barb Maki

Mike Manderfeld

David & Dianna Martin

Joel Matter

Terry Mattson

Shawn Mayer

Peter McTie

Steve, Brittni, Skylar, Sven & Serenity Meier

Kathy Kocina & Joel Mellenthin

Jim & Barb Mickow Rick Miller

Mark & Linda Miller

William Moreland

Dave & Patti Myers

Pete & Bonnie Nelson Eli Nelson Alex Nelson

Bill & Sharyn Nepsha

Mike & Judy Nodsle

Brent & Jenny Oberdieck

Paul Onken Jeff Orth

Tyler & Kristin Osiecki

Daniel Osterkamp

Jim & Kristina Paterson

Brian & Cathy Pazzelli

Lowell Peterson

Craig & Yvonne Peterson

Douglas Peterson Roz Peterson Ron Peterson

Petschl Family Jerome Phelps

Bill Plombon

Heather Potter

Jeffrey Price

Ramie Ramsden

Dan Reid

Eric Reierson

Nate Reilley

Mike & Peggy Reis

Steve & Kim Renslow

Scott Riggs

Mark & Sue Ringham Mike Roettger

Rodney Saline

Mark Sampica

Grant Scheibe

Chuck Schreiber

Dean Seeck

Patrick Shea

Dan Shelton

Larry & Judy Shepherd

Stuart & Jennifer Simek Bob Skoglund

Rod & Jennifer Skorich

Nick & Gretchen Slavicek

Steven & Jane Spaeth

John & Melanie Tevik Jeff Thomas

Mark & Karen Thompson

Jeffrey & Jolene Trippe Ole & Ruth Tweet

Keith & Jennifer Twombly David Van Wie Kyle Voelz

Paul Vranish

Scott & Lisa Wakefield Jeff Walstrom

Ron Warhol

Merle Weidemann

Gerald Weiland

Kim Werkmeister

Marv & Sally West

Rick & Ruth Whitcomb

Rob White

Steve “Woody” & Janet Widness

Archie Wiedewitsch

Dave & Tammy Wolf

Bill & Fran Ylatupa

Rich & Ruth Zeman

Paul & Kaylynn Zwak Craig Zweber

DESTINATION HILLMAN, MN

by LeAnn Pietrzak, Hillman Swampstompers

Hillman: Population 38. When most people think of Hillman they might think of the 4th of July, because Hillman is known for hosting the “biggest parade in the smallest town” in Minnesota! The parade route travels down a graveled main street, which is lined with ATVs and UTVs that rode in from the Soo Line Trail. During the winter months, the Soo Line continues to bring in guests from all directions. Hillman is located in eastern Morrison County: 15 miles southwest of Mille Lacs Lake, 30 miles southeast of Brainerd, and 25 miles northwest of Milaca. It is home to the Hillman Swampstompers Snowmobile Club. As a lifelong member of this club, I have traveled our area trails since I was a teenager. I know I can travel north, south, east, or west and eventually choose a trail that will loop me back to Hillman.

If I had a day to ride, here are a few routes that would help you find your way to Hillman. Traveling from the south, I would unload at Rough Cut Bar where the Rum River Riders have a park and ride north of Milaca. I would then head north through the Rum River Forest and stop at Muggs in Wahkon and ride west to the Soo Line Trail towards Onamia and make a stop at Hillman.

From the west, there is a park and ride on Highway 10 south of Little Falls on the Soo Line Trail. From here, one can head east towards Pierz for a stop at the Silver Bullet or Red Rooster. If you are lucky enough to ride during the week, plan

for a Wednesday so you can experience Bologna Days at the Red Rooster. Continue your ride to the east to find Hillman. Approximately one block off of the Soo Line you will find Hard Times Bar & Grill, which has parking for snowmobilers to the south. During the winter months they host meat raffles to help support the Harding & Lastrup Snowdusters Club.

You can always start at Hillman. There is a park-and-ride available along the Soo Line Trail providing access to the Soo Line which travels west and east and a corridor trail that travels north and south. You can ride north to the Brainerd Lakes Area through the town of Harding, but make sure to stop at Brother’s Porky Pine Bar & Grill for good food and atmosphere. RJ’s Meats will also provide you with sufficient snack options for your trail ride.

The great part about the Hillman area is whichever way you ride into town, you can get back to your starting point on a different trail. We offer all types of riding experiences: heavily wooded winding trails, wide open farm fields, and large swamps with tamarack islands. These vast swamps inspired the name of the Hillman Swampstompers Club, which chartered close to 50 years ago.

If the bars and restaurants are not to your liking there are several club warming shelters provided by local clubs where most weekends you will find access to heat from a wood or propane stove. Many weekends you will find club members hosting a family or club hot dog roast which are advertised on club social media pages.

Whichever way you decide to go, the trails are well marked and the area club members do an outstanding job getting trails ready for the groomers that makeup the 500 miles of groomed trails in Morrison County. Come for the day, weekend, or a random afternoon; you will not be disappointed with what the Hillman area trail systems have to offer.

The view looking into one of the many Tamarack swamps within the Hillman area.

Charter member of the Hillman Swampstompers, Del Kapsner with her grandson at the Annual Hillman Vintage Run.

Chainsaw Productivity Creating a Monster

5. Personal protection equipment; eye and ear protection, gloves, long sleeves, safety toe tall boots, helmet. Hydrate and rest before fatigue sets in.

6. Situational awareness; overhead widowmakers. Use a tractor to pull down hung-up timber, so it does not become an impact projectile when it hits the ground. (I know of an experienced logger who was paralyzed when a widowmaker flew horizontally after it hit the ground.) Keep clear of others running a saw. Communicate when felling, to keep others out of drop area.

Technique

1. Avoid pinching the bar; read the log; cut the portion in tension. Use a wedge.

by Bill Gehn

It’s time to get those trails in! Since we have to fit our work in between harvest and hunting, there’s no time to waste. I have assembled these tips to make your trail-clearing crew a “Monster in the Woods.”

Operator Productivity tips

Safety first. You can’t be productive if you’re hurt. Stihl produces a body chart showing the most common injury sites.

1. “Left leg & foot” – don’t use your saw to cut brush near your legs!

2. “Left hand” – make sure to hook your thumb around the saw’s top handle, and don’t use a saw without a chain brake and lefthand guard.

3. “Head/upper body”– be aware of your bar tip to avoid kickback, plus wear a helmet.

Keep the following in mind:

1. Positioning; keep the bar perpendicular to your body. Firm footing.

2. Grip; thumb wrap under saw top handle.

3. Bar tip awareness; to avoid kick back.

4. Chain status; braked when exposed. Set idle speed so no chain movement.

2. Keep the chain sharp and properly tensioned. Don’t cut dirt! Use a hatchet to remove dirty bark. Elevate the log.

3. Keep chain lubed; check it often. Avoid deep cuts with the top of the bar; this clogs the oil groove with sawdust. Clean out oil groove in bar.

4. Carry tools on your belt; “TopSaw” multi tool, wedge and hatchet.

5. Inspect log before cutting; nails, wire.

Machine Productivity tips

1. Keep chain lubed; avoid deep cuts with top of bar; it clogs the bar groove with sawdust.

2. Fresh gas! Non-oxygenated, recreational grade fuel is my choice to avoid clogged carburetors.

3. Spark plug; checked for gap and sharp electrode.

4. Learn proper choke/starting technique for cold and warm starts, and how to clear a flooded engine.

5. Carry a spare chain to swap out a dull one; If you are not making big chips, you are wasting your time.

6. Learn to sharpen your chains.

7. Keep your saw ready to use.

8. Vacuum off air filter. If you have a Stihl, adjust the air intake shutter per temperature.

9. Sharpen and tension chain properly; not too tight. Check, clean oil groove.

10. Create a saw kit so you can grab and go, containing everything needed. I use a plastic tub, with a box inside to organize smaller items.

About the author:

As a MnUSA Region 5 Director, living in the Dorer State Hardwood Forest near Red Wing, Bill Gehn has 20 years significant saw experience, living in the “Big Woods” and running a small tree service the past four years. Because of his power plant safety training, he decided to assemble these tips for the 2022 “Fall Workshop” presentation, to help you maximize your efficiency, as you work with your trail crew. “Thank you” for all you do to provide great snowmobile trails!

The new 2023 Renegade X-RS is ready to ride whenever you want. With the all-new REV® Gen5 platform and features like unmatched LED lighting and a 10.25" touchscreen that brings enhanced connectivity, prepare for trips you’ll never want to end. Lucky for you, they don’t have to.

AIRTEC SPORTS RICE LAKE 203 MAIN ST., RICE LAKE, WI airtecsportsricelake.com

AIRTEC SPORTS ROBERTS 801 WAGNER DR., ROBERTS, WI airtecsportsroberts.com

BEMIDJI SPORTS CENTRE 1826 ANNE ST. NW, BEMIDJI, MN bemidjisportscenter.com

BROTHERS MOTORSPORTS 7915 HWY 210, BAXTER, MN brothermotorsports.com

CENTRE POWERSPORTS & MARINE 43164 COUNTY RD. 112, SAUK CENTRE, MN centersports.com

DULUTH LAWN & SPORT 4715, GRAND AVE., DULUTH, MN duluthlawnandsports.com

HILMERSON SPORTS CENTER 14731 IRIS RD., LITTLE FALLS, MN hilmersonsportscenter.com

JAYCOX POWERSPORTS 1861 OXFORD ST., WORTHINGTON, MN jaycoxpowersports.com

LOSSING’S POWER SPORTS 30 NORTH DR., BABBITT, MN lossings.com

MIES OUTLAND 720 HWY 55, WATKINS, MN miesoutlandwatkins.com

MIES OUTLAND OF ST. CLOUD 3653 32ND ST. SE, ST. CLOUD, MN miesoutlandcloud.com

MILLER SELLNER POWERSPORTS 22024 STATE HWY 4 S., SLEEPY EYE, MN millersellnerpowersports.com

MINNEAPOLIS MOTOR SPORTS 801 LOUISIANA AVE. S., MINNEAPOLIS, MN motorsportsmn.com

MOON MOTORSPORTS 3613 CHELSEA RD. W, MONTICELLO, MN moonmotorsports.com

MOTORSPORTS OF WILLMAR 4970 HWY 71 NE, WILLMAR, MN motorsportsofwilmar.com

NEXTGEN POWERSPORTS CLEAR LAKE 235 US HWY 63, CLEAR LAKE, WI nextgen-powersportscl.com

NEXTGEN POWERSPORTS WEBB LAKE 30336 COUNTRY RD. H, WEBB LAKE, WI nextgen-powersportswl.com

NEXTGEN POWERTSPORTS CHIPPEWA FALLS 9443 HWY 124, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI nextgen-powersportscf.com

OLLIE’S SERVICE

111 DONNA AVE., ALEXANDRIA, MN olliesservice.com

OLSON POWER AND EQUIPMENT 38560 14TH AVE., NORTH BRANCH, MN olsonpower.com

POWER LODGE ONAMIA 33972 US HWY 169, ONAMIA, MN powerlodgeonamia.com

POWER LODGE RAMSEY 6781 HWY 10 NW, RAMSEY, MN powerlodgeramsey.com

RAY’S SPORT & CYCLE 20890 US HWY 169, GRAND RAPIDS, MN rayssportsandcycle.com

ST. BONI MOTORSPORTS 4120 STEINER ST., ST. BONIFACIUS, MN motorsportsmn.com

TOUSLEY MOTORSPORTS 1400 EAST COUNTY RD. E, WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN tousleymotorsports.com

TRUEMAN WELTERS 1600 HWY 55 E, BUFFALO, MN trueman-welterstractor.com

by Valdi Stefanson

It’s the early 1990s, and Polaris is on a big run with the INDY chassis. Meanwhile, the horsepower race is full steam. Rumors abound...

So, the management at Polaris calls in the Engineering Department and instructs them to cram into their tried-and-true INDY twin-cylinder bulkhead…a triple-cylinder block. Oh, and by the way, three pipes as well to enhance output and drive sales. “Got it?”

The result? The 1993 introduction of the Storm. Just look at that exhaust plumbing. All under the traditional INDY hood.

It’s a great-sounding machine, but at 750cc in its inaugural year, when the new Arctic Cat Thundercat was at 900cc, you can estimate the result. The next year, displacement was bumped up to 800cc by Polaris.

The same thing happened with Yamaha. But, instead of a three-cylinder power plant, their first year (1992) muscle class introduction was an inline four-cylinder! The V-Max 4 displacement grew to 800cc by 1995. Ditto for the Ski Doo Mach Z that started at 750cc but was bumped to 800cc.

Should you be interested in these sweet-sounding “tripletriples,” I’d suggest you attend the late January Midwest Ride-In at ERX Motorsports Park in Elk River. This World’s Largest vintage snowmobile show features TRIPLE WARS this year. Learn more at www.mwvss.com and we will see you there!

SEASON PREP

‘Primary’

pre-season focus:

Clutching is the difference maker. Not just in winning races on the track, but in overall performance of trail sleds as well. And just like the wrong clutching setup will sink a racer’s day, poor clutch maintenance will sink a trail rider’s day. There’s nothing more frustrating than worn out clutches ruining an otherwise perfect day of riding or racing. Clutch technology has come a long way in recent years, and reliability is certainly better than it’s ever been. But there are still wearitems that, left un-checked, will cause headaches and ruin your ride (or season!).

Practice tracks are now open, and trails will be open shortly, so I am working feverishly in the shop preparing race sleds for the track and trail sleds for the trail. My trail sled preparation starts the same way my race sled preparation begins – it starts with the primary clutch. The primary clutch is attached directly to the crankshaft of the engine, and it takes a beating, even if the sled isn’t ridden excessively hard. It’s constantly shifting as RPM is changing, and all that movement is wearing out parts!

Fortunately these parts are not expensive, and with a few simple (but admittedly specialized) hand tools and a couple of hours each pre-season, any sled can be dialed in to provide an outstanding season of trouble-free riding. A primary clutch has several wear-items in its design, but for simplicity, I zoom in on 3 things that do not require special tools to remove the spider from the clutch.

Over time, primary springs take a set, the rates change, and they will inevitably fail like this one. But they’re cheap and easy to replace. Swapping a primary spring out every year is a cheap insurance policy to avoid a failure and keep that sled running like it should!

Simply pull the clutch off the engine with a clutch puller, which you can get from dealers or online retailers like Dennis Kirk. Remove the cover bolts to gain access to the spring. I use a clutch compression tool like this one to make the job easier, but in a pinch, a buddy pushing down on the cover while removing the bolts will also get the job done. A broken spring like this will drop engagement RPM to something close to idle, and it won’t be able to get anywhere close to the correct peak RPM. $30-40 each pre-season will prevent this issue from surfacing on the trail – money well-spent in my book!

Weight bushings are the second wear item I check on each season. Again, they are cheap parts that wear out over time. When they are worn to the point they require replacement, they will allow the weight to rock side-to-side, which will bind up the clutch, and ruin the performance of any sled.

Aftermarket shops like Speedwerx sell these for most makes and models and they are easily replaced with a simple tool like this bushing press tool – which are available from companies like EPI.

The last simple maintenance item I look to is cover bushings. These typically start showing wear at higher-mileage marks. As they wear, they allow the cover to rock back and forth

by Kyle Roggenkamp

which will again, cause the primary clutch to bind when it is trying to shift. This 2000 XC 600 SP is my 12 year-old’s trail sled, and is approaching the 7,000 mile mark. It has lived a rough life so far, and is begging for a new cover bushing. The bushings are cheap and are readily available. It takes a simple pick to remove a retaining ring on the backside of the cover, and a spacer to push the bushing out of the cover and push the new one back in. I use a specialized press tool from EPI, but a socket of the correct diameter will also get the job done.

While every manufacturer has different designs, the fundamentals are the same, and the areas that wear out and will take performance away from your sled are the same. Getting that primary clutch tuned up doesn’t take much time or money, but can make a huge difference on the track or trail. So if you take an evening this preseason to dial-in that primary clutch, you’ll be one step closer to a sled that flat-out rips all season long!

Snowmobiling

by Emily Heinen

I was born into a snowmobiling family. Some of my earliest memories are cold Minnesotan winters, the smell of gasoline accompanied by the loud rumbling of a sled engine, and the feel of an insulated helmet being buckled under my chin. Even as a young child, I knew that wintertime meant snowmobiling. Like most kids, I started out on the front of the sled, before graduating to my own seat in the back. The first ride in my memory ended in an accident with a sprained arm, a sling, and a dad who was determined not to let fear stop me from riding.

My dad was the heart of our snowmobiling family. My brother and I had almost no choice but to love the activity,

because he wouldn’t have it any other way. Saturday afternoons in the dead of January called for my dad revving up his snowmobile, attaching our worn-out plastic sleds to the back, and pulling us around the neighborhood. At the age of eight, it felt like we were spinning one hundred miles an hour around the cul-de-sac, and we called for more until he ran out of gas. Even when we couldn’t make it out for longer trips, my brother and I would take turns on the back of our dad’s snowmobile, riding up and down the sides of the ditch along the main road near our house, and heading out on the local trails. For my dad, this was probably child’s play, but to us, it was the biggest thrill of the season.

Eventually it was time for me to get a snowmobile license of my own. While I was perfectly content as a passenger, I knew it was important for me to learn snowmobile safety, and having a real license would make me more confident as a rider. The driving course was easy enough for a 12-yearold to follow, and even though the driving test ended with a wipe-out into a fence at first, the local club was incredibly supportive and encouraged me to try again. After another slow ride, I passed the exam and could finally drive the snowmobiles myself. Riding slowly around my neighborhood was one thing, but eventually my parents encouraged me to try driving in our favorite place to ride: Michigan.

2022 Holiday Gift Guide

MnUSA Merch

Show you pride and show your colors, just in time for the season! Get your MnUSA merchandise including pullovers, t-shirts, hats, hoodies and more at Fully PromotedRoseville through the MnUSA website— www.mnsnowmobiler.org. Let other snowmobilers from around the snowbelt know you’re a member of the best snowmobile association in the Upper Midwest—MnUSA!

2023 MnUSA Raffle Calendar

Not only do you get a chance to win, you also get to look at really cool snowmobile pictures from your own

members each month. Heck, one might even be your own! If not, make sure to submit a great photo for next year’s calendar. Start getting ready now as the season starts. Note to self: A hot buy this year, limited availability at the office ($20 + $3 for shipping), or calendars are available through many snowmobile clubs. A win-win!

A MnUSA Membership

Membership has its benefits: discounts at favorite MnUSA member businesses found in the back of this issue, plus issues of the new and improved Minnesota Snowmobiling magazine. Upgrade your membership to an XM membership Extra Miler—it will let members know you’re in for the long haul and the future of snowmobiling in Minnesota. Fill out the form in this issue and mail it, or stop at your local club’s meeting and pay there. But whatever you do, make Santa and all his reindeer happy—join MnUSA today!

Club News Submission Form

Please use this form as a guideline when submitting your club news for publishing in Minnesota Snowmobiling. It is not necessary to use this form (emails gladly accepted) but please make sure to include all pertinent contact information. Club News should be items of interest to the snowmobile community as a whole—sharing ideas about successful events held, trail projects and improvements, ways to promote membership growth, etc.

To accommodate all clubs wishing to submit their news, we ask that you submit a Club News article no more than two times a year, keeping the length of your article to around 250 words or less with a photo, and 500 or less without a photo. We encourage you to send highresolution photos (300 dpi or greater) of your club’s activities, including captions describing the event and/or the people shown. If you have questions, please contact Nancy Hanson. All submissions due by 4 p.m. of deadline date.

Club Name: Town/City and County: Written by/Title: Phone: ______________________ Email: Photo Caption (if photo is being submitted):

Club News (Please submit on a separate page):

Send Club News submissions to:

MnUSA – Attn: Nancy Hanson 7040 Lakeland Avenue N., Suite 212 Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 or email: nancy@popp.net & copy mnusa@mwomedia.com Phone: 763-577-0185

Delano Snowstormers is 50 Years Strong

Supporting our trails since 1971!

Operation Deep Woods...

Due to the closing of a Wright County landowner trail on Corridor 32 in Delano in July 2021, Snowstormers was informed a new route would have to be located. That said, our 50 Years celebration was redirected to a “grand new trail reroute” on Corridor 32 west of Delano, MN! Many hours with members meeting, routing and planning this trail started August, 2021. Not as easy as you might think.

And so, “Operation Deep Woods” began!

Upon finally finding a new route that would work, and with the approval of several new landowner permissions, we were able to break ground on this four-mile trail reroute on September 17, 2021. At that point, calls were made for members to help as the work was large and expenses major. Many weekend hours were dedicated to getting the job done.

Clearing, cutting, removing debris, stumping, grading, setting bridges, adding concrete blocks, hauling dirt and adding signage—the finale was met.

The trail is smooth, wide, winding, wooded and awesome, complete with a spanning 30-foot Farmstead Creek Bridge and another creek bridge nestled in the Dalbec Forest. The reroute is an amazing new ride for snowmobilers to enjoy during the winter season! Let’s hope this winter will provide an abundance of snow for everyone to get out and enjoy the trail.

Thank-yous are many. Hats off to all members who worked long hard hours, donated equipment, and pitched in to make this trail reroute happen. Thank you to the Wright County Snowmobile Association, Ski-Doo Snow PASS, and to all who lent helping hands outside of Delano Snowstormers Snowmobile Club. We are very grateful!

Come to Delano this season and ride the trails throughout Wright County!

Janice Matter

Delano Snowstormers Snowmobile Club

Ride Safe, Ride Right. Thank you for supporting your local snowmobile club and the sport of snowmobiling!

– Members of Wright County Snowmobile Association

– Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association

– Delano Area Chamber of Commerce

– DNR Certified Youth Snowmobile Safety Training Instructors

River Valley Trail Blazers

Shakopee/Jordan River Valley Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club would like to say a huge “Thank You” to Roger and crew at Lano Equipment for the support you have given our club for the past 30+ years. Without your help, we would not be able to help the DNR keep the Minnesota River Valley Trails open. We really appreciate all that you do.

Sandy Doherty River Valley Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club

Trail repair work.

Washout before.

Washout after.

Flood damage.

Sherburne County Snowmobile Trail Association (SCSTA)

by Scotty Harder, Vice President of SCSTA

Well, here I sit typing up club news for the three clubs that currently make up the SCSTA and I’m staring out the window confused. It’s 48 degrees with thunderstorms on Nov. 10th at 5:00 a.m. with the rain gauge showing 2.98 inches of rain in the past 36 hours… How I wish it was snow! That being said, all three clubs (River City Snow Riders (RCSR), Big Lake Sno Cruisers (BLSC) and Elk Lake Easy Riders (ELER)) are all gearing up for the upcoming season. Crews have been out trimming trees and shrubs along with signing fields. Mowing of the trail system will be starting up around Thanksgiving and hopefully wrapping up right before the 1st of December.

Other members in the ELER and BLSC are also getting ready for youth snowmobile training. ELER offers a traditional class on Dec. 3rd and 4th, while BLSC does a field day on Dec. 10th for students who certified online. Members from all three clubs get together for a few hours each week to do groomer maintenance and get the units ready for grooming.

One of the big projects going on now is the repainting of our oldest drag (a 9’6” Trailmaster). We are also looking forward to the “Midwest Ride-In” happening in our back yard on January 27th & 28th at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, MN. ELER will be selling their famous pork chops on site again this year. BLSC is currently selling their cash raffle tickets and will be having their banquet this year at KJ’s Refuge Bar and Grill in Orrock, MN, with a silent auction on March 11th. The cash raffle drawing will be at 8 p.m., need not be present to win.

Clubs are always looking for new members. ELER meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. and BLSC meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Both clubs meet at the Sherburne County trail shed 5 miles west of Zimmerman, MN, and 1.75 miles east of Orrock, MN. RCSR meet on the second Wednesday of each month at Broadway Bar and Grill in Elk River, MN.

Pray for snow and be safe out there. Hope to see you on the trails!

Milestones

St. Augusta Blizzard Busters

The 2022-2023 season will mark the St. Augusta Blizzard Busters Snowmobile Club’s 50th Anniversary. To celebrate, we hosted an Open House event at Hidden Lake Park in St. Augusta on October 8th. There were many of our original founding members present as well as a vintage snowmobile display. The weather was perfect and our grill master Tom Henkel kept the hot dogs coming. Many thanks go out to our landowners, the enthusiasts who displayed their vintage sleds, and the club volunteers who helped make this event a success. We even gained a few new members!

Submitted by Kevin Albers

Original founding members present from left to right are Jerry Schmidt, Wayne Koenig, Dale Voss, Gene Fruth, and Ollie Mondloch. Not pictured but in attendance was Ron Imholte.

Calendar of Events

Dec. 3 – Clearwater Classic Vintage & Swap Meet, Bagley, MN Lee Peterson – 218-556-1122

Dec. 3 – Delano Snowstormers Snowmobile Club Silent Auction Fundraiser

Delano American Legion Post 377 http://www.delanosnowstormers.com/

Dec. 17-18 – Gerald Dyrdahl Memorial 200 Snowmobile Race, Pine Lake, Gonvick, MN https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057390403686

Jan. 7 – Dust ‘em Off Vintage Snowmobile Show & Swap, East Cottage Grove

Jeremy Goebel – 651-308-0398 smeyer77@live.com

Jan. 7-8 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Ottertail 100, Ottertail, MN https://corpowersports.com

Jan. 14-15 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Nisswa 100, Nisswa, MN https://corpowersports.com

Jan. 21 – New Market Snomads Vintage Show, New Market, MN https://www.facebook.com/snomadsnm

Jan. 25-29 – Northland 300 Ride for Special Olympics https://www.facebook.com/NL300-213923582689298/

Jan. 27-28 – Midwest Ride-In Vintage Show, ERX Motor Park, Elk River, MN https://www.mwvss.com/

Jan. 28-29 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Heartland 200, Park Rapids, MN https://corpowersports.com

Feb. 4 – River Valley Dutchmen Snowmobile Hill Climb, Golden Gate Campground, Sleepy Eye, MN https://www.facebook.com/RVDSC/ or https://www.rvdsc.org/

Feb.. 4 – St. Stephen River Runners 5th Annual Vintage Show, Ride & Raffle, St. Stephen, https://www.facebook.com/StStephenRiverRunners

Feb. 8-11 – Blackwoods Blizzard Tour for ALS https://www.neversurrenderinc.org/

Feb. 9-12 – MnUSA Winter Rendezvous, Grand Casino Hinckley https://www.mnsnowmobiler.org

Feb. 11-12 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Goodridge/Grygla 500, Goodridge, MN https://corpowersports.com

Mar. 4-5 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Snodeo 100, Naytahwaush, MN https://corpowersports.com

Mar. 18-19 – Cor PowerSports XC Pro National Series Battle at Whitecap Mtn, Upson, WI https://corpowersports.com

www.visitcranelake.com

Young’s Bay Resort

Angle Inlet, MN 218-223-8031

Bagley Motor Sports Bagley, MN 218-694-6911

Fireside Grill Bagley, MN 218-694-2132

Galen’s Fresh Food Market & Hardware Hank Bagley, MN 218-694-6212

Gergracht Logging Bagley, MN 218-694-2132

Baudette L/W Area Chamber Baudette, MN 218-634-1985

Boreal Builders LLC Baudette, MN 218-766-9963

Cenex Co-op Services Baudette, MN 218-634-1313

Darin & Shonna Dahl Baudette, MN 218-634-1038

Howard’s Oil Co Baudette, MN 218-634-2550

Northern Sports Baudette, MN 218-634-1089

Sportsman’s Lodge Baudette, MN 800-862-8602

Walleye Capital Sanitation Baudette, MN 218-634-3151

Bemidji Sports Centre Bemidji, MN 218-751-4477

Philip & Abbey Nyhusmoen Bemidji, MN 218-209-7973

Beckers Resort & Campground Bena, MN 218-665-2268

Hoot-N-Holler Blackduck, MN 218-659-9225

North Country Hardware Clearbrook, MN 218-776-3615

Lengby-Fosston Knightriders Fosston, MN 218-280-9614

Sportsman Lodge Gonvick, MN 218-487-5295

Roseau County Coop Greenbush, MN 218-782-2117

Wahl Bros. Racing Inc. Greenbush, MN 218-782-2295

Farmers Union Oil of Grygla Grygla, MN 218-294-6117

Shorty’s Place Gully, MN 218-268-4199

Lost River Trails Kelliher, MN 218-647-8142

Knob & Kettle Restaurant & Lounge Laporte, MN 218-699-3403

Side Track Tap Bar & Grill Leonard, MN 218-968-2304

Anchorage Inn Longville, MN 218-363-2236

Arrowhead Builders Supply Longville, MN 218-363-2124

Docksider Longville, MN 218-363-2565

Lavallee Inc Longville, MN

Longville Campground Longville, MN 218-363-2610

Longville Lakes Bottle Shop Longville, MN 218-363-3249

Longville Snowmobile Club Longville, MN

Musky House Marine & Arctic Cat Longville, MN 218-363-2044

One Stop Convenience Store Longville, MN 218-363-2252

Olson’s Outdoor Sports Mahnonmen, MN 218-935-2355

√ Lonesome Pine Rentals

Naytahwaush, MN 218-935-5855

Naytahwaush Nightriders Naytahwaush, MN

Pinehurst Resort Naytahwaush, MN 218-935-5745

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Oak Island, MN 218-223-8411

Sunset Lodge Resort Oak Island, MN 218-223-8211

TJ’s Tavern Oaklee, MN 218-796-5153

√ C’Mon Inn Motel Park Rapids, MN 800-258-6891

Clancy’s on Island Lake Park Rapids, MN 218-732-5270

Dorset Corner Liquor Park Rapids, MN 218-732-1770

Emmaville Inn, Inc. Park Rapids, MN 218-732-8544

Optic Connections Park Rapids, MN 612-599-0500

Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber Park Rapids, MN 218-732-4111

√ Pine Cone Lodge & Vacation Rentals Park Rapids, MN 320-491-6952

Up North Power & Sports Park Rapids, MN 218-237-5670

Wehrs AG Group Park Rapids, MN 218-867-6194

Zorbaz of Park Rapids Park Rapids, MN 218-237-1969

Visit Thief River Falls Thief River Falls, MN 218-686-9785

√ Country Inn - Walker Walker, MN 218-547-1400

Lakes Area Power Sports Walker, MN 218-547-1558

Carrot’s Auto Body Waubun, MN 218-473-2417

√ Cedar Crest Resort Waubun, MN 218-473-2116

Hilltop Supper Club Waubun, MN 218-473-2652

Kent Concrete LLC Waubun, MN 218-204-1670

Barnacle’s Resort & Campground Aitkin, MN 218-678-3122

Castaways Bar, Restaurant & Camp Aitkin, MN 320-684-2380

Denny’s Lakeview Inn LLC Aitkin, MN 218-549-3580

Farm Island Repair & Marine Aitkin, MN 218-927-6395

Farm Island Store Aitkin, MN 218-927-3791

Grill of Glen Aitkin, MN 320-684-2229

Midwest Machinery Co Aitkin, MN 218-927-2140

Northern Automation Aitkin, MN 218-670-0315

One Stop Mini Mart Aitkin, MN 320-684-2664

Paulbeck’s Country Market Aitkin, MN 218-927-6919

Riverside Pub Aitkin, MN 218-927-3915

Security State Insurance Aitkin, MN 866-929-3712

The Landing Aitkin, MN 218-927-9998

Tire Barn Aitkin, MN 218-927-1444

Ash River-Kabetogama Snow Drifters Ash River/ Kabetogama, MN 218-875-2841

Ash Trail Lodge Ash River, MN 218-374-3131

Frontier Resort Ash River, MN 218-374-3311

Babbitt ATV & Snowmobile Club Babbitt, MN 218-393-6853

√ Lossing’s Power Sports Babbitt, MN 218-827-2635

Golf on the Edge Bigfork, MN 218-360-9191

Loon Point Resort Bigfork, MN 218-245-1470

Powell Auto Sales & Service Bigfork, MN 218-743-3795

The Shop - Gordy Kinn Bigfork, MN 218-742-3666

The Lodge at Giants Ridge Biwabik, MN 218-865-7170

Trails End Resort Buyck, MN 218-993-2257

Wolf Bay Lodge Buyck, MN 218-666-6106

Dawghouse Bar & Grill Canyon, MN 218-345-8830

Reliable Insurance Agency Cloquet, MN 218-390-1161

Mr. Furnace Cohasset, MN 218-328-6145

√ Rox Speed FX, Inc Cohasset, MN 218-326-1794

BIC Realty Cook, MN 218-666-5352

√ Lake Vermilion Resort Assn Cook, MN 800-648-5897

The Landing Cook, MN 218-666-0221

Vermilion Hotel & Country Store Cook, MN 218-666-2272

VFW Post No 1757 Cook, MN 218-666-0050

El Toro Cotton, MN 218-742-2329

Melrude Whistle Stop Cotton, MN 218-969-5632

Wilbert Café Cotton, MN 218-482-3318

Mag 7 Transport Crane Lake, MN 507-514-0385

Bowstring Shores Resort Deer River, MN 218-832-3101

Bowstring Store Deer River, MN 218-832-3123

Riley’s Cannibal Jct Deer River, MN 218-832-3656

Neighborhood Tavern Effie, MN 218-743-3286

Christian Cavalier Ely, MN 218-820-7119

Ely Chamber Of Commerce Ely, MN 218-365-6123

Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club Ely, MN

Fenske Tree Service Ely, MN 218-235-2435

√ Grand Ely Lodge Ely, MN 218-365-6565

Jerry Skubic Ely, MN 605-237-2565

Joe’s Marine & Repair Ely, MN 218-365-6264 Kuehl’s Logging LLC Ely, MN 218-365-5504

Lindsey Keen State Farm Insurance Ely, MN 763-923-4066

Ojala Heat & Refrigeration Ely, MN 218-235-7562

OZFAB LLC Welding Ely, MN 218-220-8949

Paddle Inn Motel Ely, MN 218-365-6036

Patrick Knudson Ely, MN 218-235-3471

R&R Transfer Ely, MN 218-365-2701

Tim & Monica Cunningham Ely, MN 218-365-5831

5 Seasons Sports Center Inc Eveleth, MN 218-744-5871

40 Club Restaurant & Bar

Aitkin, MN 218-927-7090

Aitkin Flyers Aitkin, MN 218-927-2527

Super 8 - Eveleth Eveleth, MN 218-744-1661

The Event Center Floodwood, MN 218-591-4333

Mainline Station Floodwood, MN 218-476-2222

Eveleth Trailhawks Snowmobile Club Forbes, MN 218-780-5207

The Old Muni Gheen, MN

BoomTown Woodfire Grill & Brewery Gilbert, MN 218-248-8381

Camp Bluewater Grand Rapids, MN

Lakeview Behavoral Health

Grand Rapids, MN 218-327-2801

Ray’s Sport & Cycle Grand Rapids, MN 218-326-9355

Visit Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, MN 218-326-9607

Wildwood Resort Grand Rapids, MN 218-328-5858

Arrowhead Ultra 135 International Falls, MN Boise / PCA International Falls, MN 218-285-5312

Boyum Performance International Falls, MN 218-324-0566

CH Consulting Group International Falls, MN

Howards Cenex East International Falls, MN Int’l Dental Arts International Falls, MN 218-283-4059

International Falls CVB International Falls, MN 218-283-9400

Island View Lodge International Falls, MN 218-286-3511

The Junction International Falls, MN 218-283-3339

Koerter’s Fuel International Falls, MN

Rainy Lake Oil International Falls, MN

√ Arrowhead Lodge Resort & Outfitters Kabetogama, MN 218-875-2141

Border Guide Service Kabetogama, MN 218-324-2430

Kec’s Kove Resort Kabetogama, MN 800-777-8405

The Rocky Ledge Kabetogama, MN 218-875-3481

Fat Tire’s Main Dry Keewatin, MN 218-778-6344

Littlefork Municipal Liquor / City of Littlefork Littlefork, MN 218-278-6672

Mel’s Corner Service Little Fork, MN 218-278-6670

Cedar Point Resort Marcell, MN 218-832-3808

Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Assn Marcell, MN 888-754-0011

Edge of the Wilderness Realty Marcell, MN 218-832-4000

Frontier Sports Marcell, MN 218-832-3901

Lakeside Lumber & Hardware Marcell, MN 218-832-3300

North Star Lake Resort Marcell, MN 218-832-3131

Timberwolf Inn Marcell, MN 218-832-2390

202 Tavern McGregor, MN 218-770-3161

√ Bann’s Bar & Restaurant McGregor, MN 218-426-3450

Big Sandy Lodge & Resort McGregor, MN 218-426-5040

Dependable Demolition McGregor, MN 218-820-0174

Big Falls Liquor Store Big Falls, MN 218-276-3333

Bigfork Wilderness Bar Inc. Bigfork, MN 218-929-9307

Cromwell Sno-Gophers Inc. Cromwell, MN 218-390-0041

Eagle Lake Plumbing Cromwell, MN 218-821-0267

√ Iron Range Tourism Bureau Eveleth, MN 800-777-8497

Margie’s Roosevelt Bar Eveleth, MN 218-744-2121

Rainy Lake One Stop International Falls, MN 218-286-5700

Thunderbird Lodge International Falls, MN 218-286-3151

VFW Post 2948 International Falls, MN 218-283-8777

Fisherman’s Bay McGregor, MN 218-426-4662

Floe International Inc McGregor, MN 218-426-3563

Grand Timber Bank McGregor, MN 218-768-2410

Hillcrest Resort McGregor, MN 715-505-8854

Holiday Station McGregor, MN 218-768-4444

Jack’s Shack McGregor, MN 218-768-3848

Mark’s Bar McGregor, MN 218-426-8040

McGregor Ace Hardware McGregor, MN 218-419-2020

Meyer’s Service McGregor, MN 218-426-0026

Minnesota National Golf Club & Resort McGregor, MN 218-426-4444

Northland Parts McGregor, MN 218-768-3132

School House Cafe The Country House McGregor, MN 218-390-6525

The Craft House on Lake Minnewawa McGregor, MN 651-338-1751

Ukura’s Big Dollar McGregor, MN 218-768-2666

Willeys Marine & Sports McGregor, MN 218-426-4350

Moose Lake Implement & Sport Moose Lake, MN 218-485-4486

Anderson Auto Service Mountain Iron, MN 218-290-2192

Fisher’s Petroleum, Inc. Northome, MN 218-897-5249

Northland Progressive Northome, MN

Northome Municipal Liquor Northome, MN 218-897-9501

Ridge Runner’s Snowmobile Club Northome, MN 218-897-5764

√ Oveson’s Pelican Lake Resort Orr, MN 218-757-3613

Palisade Super Sledders Palisade, MN

MJ’s Lodge & Resort Pengilly, MN 218-838-0651

√ Cantilever Distillery & Hotel Ranier, MN 218-540-1932

Loony’s Brew Ranier, MN

√ Rainy Lake Grill Ranier, MN 218-540-1002

Ranier Municipal Liquor Ranier, MN 218-286-3343

Swan River Redeye Swan River, MN 763-442-8012

Boondocks Bar & Grill Ray, MN 218-875-2699

Joe Kapsch Side Lake, MN 218-235-0266

Hayslips Corner Talmoon, MN 218-832-3516

Little Turtle Lake Store Talmoon, MN 218-832-3804

City of Tamarack Tamarack, MN 218-768-0975

Jackson’s Hole of Lawler Tamarack, MN 218-768-2162

Meld Electric Tamarack, MN 320-267-8918

Tamarack Sno-Flyers Tamarack, MN

Village Pump Station Tamarack, MN 218-768-7867

√ Good Ol Days Tower, MN 218-753-6097

√ Pike Bay Lodge Tower, MN 218-753-2430

Vermilion Club Tower, MN 218-753-6277

Edwards Oil Virginia, MN 218-741-9634

Northern Pine Riders Snowmobile Club Willow River, MN 218-372-4077

Cub Foods Baxter, MN

Bowlus Two Rivers Club Bowlus, MN 320-584-7480

Katy & Matt Hamilton Braham, MN 218-343-5159

√ Kavanaugh’s Resort Brainerd, MN 800-562-7061 Motors-N-More Brainerd, MN 218-824-2277

St Augusta Blizzard Busters Snowmobile Club Clearwater, MN 320-558-6158

Canvasworks Sno Caps Cokato, MN 320-559-0165

Cokato Ridge Runners Cokato, MN 612-220-4793

The Cedar Chest Crosslake, MN 218-692-2657

Hillcore Plumbing Crosslake, MN 218-829-4855

The Castaway Bar & Grill Cushing, MN 218-575-2089

Hansen Sports on Bay Lake Deerwood, MN 218-678-2051

Anderson Carpet Service Elk River, MN 763-286-2770

Angell’s Hideaway Resort Emily, MN 612-290-3528

Diners Chicken Shack Emily, MN 218-763-3555

Emily Ace Hardware Emily, MN 218-763-2691

Emily/Outing Snowbirds SC Emily, MN 763-350-8987

Frank’s Resort Emily, MN 218-763-2246

Lake Country Foods Emily, MN 218-763-7700

The Pickled Loon Saloon Emily, MN 218-763-4402

Redding’s Sports & Spirits Emily, MN 218-763-2191

√ Wigwam Motel Emily, MN 218-763-2995

Hillman Swampstompers Foley, MN 320-355-2370

Harding/Lastrup Snowdusters Hillman, MN 320-277-3515

Fishers Resort Isle, MN 320-684-2221

Nitti’s Hunters Point Isle, MN 320-676-3227 218-575-3295

2 Tall Tavern Lincoln, MN 218-575-3013

Friendly Inn of LIncoln Lincoln, MN 218-575-3295

Lincoln Area Business Assn Lincoln, MN 218-575-3066

Lincoln Lakes Snowmobile Club Lincoln, MN 218-575-2282

√ Hilmerson Sports Center Little Falls, MN 320-632-4408

Little Falls Sno-Dogs Little Falls, MN 320-360-3542

Rich Prairie Trailbusters Club Little Falls, MN 320-630-4108

Ripley Snow Riders Little Falls, MN 320-232-8934

Sobieski Knight Riders Little Falls, MN 320-360-5933

West Side Recreation Little Falls, MN 320-632-6547

Merrifield Marathons Merrifield, MN 218-821-6208

Village Inn Outing, MN 218-792-5186

√ Nathe’s Marine & Sport Center Paynesville, MN 320-243-4517

Pequot Brush Pilots Pequot Lakes, MN 218-568-4343

Buckman Trail Blazers Pierz, MN 320-630-1810

√ KC’s Saloon Pillager, MN 218-746-3328

Hinckley/Pine City Flames Snowmobile Club

Pine City, MN 320-515-0156

Waste Partners Pine River, MN 218-824-8727

Randall Twin Trails Club Randall, MN 320-749-2235

RE/MAX Results Remer, MN 651-334-5000

Country Snow Cruisers Richmond, MN

Winter Recreation Technologies LLC Richmond, MN 812-229-3941

East Central Towing Rush City, MN 612-270-6088

√ AmericInn Sauk Centre, MN 877-352-1199

BEAM Electric Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-5641

√ Centre Powersports & Recreation Sauk Centre, MN 320-351-7669

Country Cat Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-3534

Phil Polipnick Insurance Sauk Centre, MN 320-352-6171

Winters Recreation Sauk Centre, MN 320-351-7533

Benton County Snowmobile Club Sauk Rapids, MN

Swanville Sno Drifters Swanville, MN 320-547-2184

Upsala Sno-Jammers Upsala, MN 320-360-4574

Trail Breakers Inc. Wadena, MN 218-6319-4766

Westside Sports Wadena, MN 218-631-1113

√ Power Madd Wyoming, MN 651-462-8465

Grover Farm Amboy, MN 507-380-8324

Linda’s Place Amboy, MN 507-674-9790

Snowbirds of Amboy Amboy, MN 507-340-2820

Appleton Ridge Riders Appleton, MN

Blue Earth Snow Rovers Blue Earth, MN 507-893-4679

Ruppert Oil Co Currie, MN 507-763-3778

Blizzard Snowmobile Club Fairmont, MN 507-238-2190

Flying Goose Campground Fairmont, MN 507-235-3458 Holiday Inn Fairmont, MN 507-238-4771

Visit Fairmont Fairmont, MN 507-235-8585

CentraSota Vintage Sledheads Glencoe, MN 320-327-2559

Thunder Bar & Restaurant Good Thunder, MN 507-278-4488

C & A Pro Skis Hutchinson, MN 888-321-6789

Hutchinson Area Chamber & Tourism Hutchinson, MN 320-587-5252

Madelia Snohawks Madelia, MN 507-642-3563

Riverside Trail Association Madelia, MN 507-642-8981

Deals & Steals Mankato, MN 507-380-0523

Kaduce Tire Mapleton, MN 507-524-4999

Pfeffer Tree Service Mapleton MN 507-317-0595

Action Sports Inc Marshall, MN 507-532-9649

Dick’s Sports Center Morgan, MN 507-249-3180

Darryl’s Motorsports Ormsby, MN 507-736-4131

Freedom’s Bar & Grill Redwood Falls, MN 507-637-5522

Weltsch Equipment, Inc Redwood Falls, MN 507-644-3566

Dranttel Sales & Service, Inc. St. Peter, MN 507-931-1363

D Bar Vernon Center, MN 507-549-3153

Best Western Plus & Willmar Conference Ctr Willmar, MN 320-235-6060

Little Dandy Sports Bar Le Center, MN 507-357-6062

Brewsters Bar & Grill Lonsdale, MN 507-744-2370

√ Motoproz Inc. Mazeppa, MN 507-843-2855

St. Patrick’s Tavern & Restaurant New Prague, MN 952-758-2380

Coborn’s Superstore New Prague, MN 952-758-2556

Union Hill Bar & Grill New Prague, MN 952-758-4239

Susie’s Roadhouse Ostrander, MN 507-657-0000

√ Sette Sports Center Owatonna, MN 507-451-6922

M&M Lawn & Leisure Rushford, MN 507-864-7781

Grand Stay Hotel & Conference Center Spicer, MN 320-347-1450

Millers Market St. Charles, MN 507-932-3760

Pearson & Stemper Electric St. Charles, MN 507-208-1968

BJ’s Bar & Grill Theilman, MN 507-534-3590

Brewskies Bar & Grill Utica, MN 507-932-3485

Cedar Valley Resort & Outfitters Whalen, MN 507-467-9000

United Employees

Credit Union Albert Lea 507-377-1616

J&M Parts Supply Chatfield, MN 507-867-4200

Elba Valley Express Elba, MN 507-932-9957

Stearns County

Snowmobile Assn. Albany, MN 320-250-4800

Brothers Motorsports Baxter, MN 218-829-6656

Crow Wing Cty Snowmobile Trail Assn. Baxter, MN 218-829-8922

Lake Country Properties Emily, MN 218-792-5200

Log Cabin Bar Emily, MN 218-763-2820

Moritz Excavating Emily, MN 218-763-7000

Rum River Sno-Riders Milaca, MN

PTWLUBES.COM Monticello, MN 612-501-8992

Nickerson Bar & Motel Nickerson, MN 218-496-5613

RE/MAX Lake Area Realty Outing, MN 612-269-3490

Bromy’s Storage St. Cloud, MN 320-743-2211

Antique Snowmobile Club of America Stacy, MN 651-462-4497

ATV Minnesota Stacy, MN 800-442-8826

Grover Farm Trucking LLC Lake Crystal, MN 507-720-8120

Mauers Bros Tavern Elba, MN 507-932-9957

Tony’s Saloon Elba, MN 507-932-4969

Harry Brown’s Family Automotive Faribault, MN 507-332-7441

S&A Petroleum Lanesboro, MN 507-467-2121

Todd Cardinal Andover, MN 612-685-4810

Anoka Area Chamber Anoka, MN 763-421-7130

√ Print Central Blaine, MN 763-780-3333

Sno Barons Snowmobile Club Blaine, MN Caliber, Inc. Burnsville, MN 952-540-4709

Danner Sales

Inver Grove Hts, MN 651-451-0121

√ Leo’s South Lakeville, MN 952-435-5371

√ Lighthouse Motorsport & Marine Rosemount, MN 651-322-4420

Stillwater Snowmobile Club Stillwater, MN

Washington County Star Trail Stillwater, MN 651-430-3175

Lindeman Insurance Agency Inc. Woodbury, MN 651-739-9684

Pequaywan Inn Duluth, MN 218-848-2201

Scott & Lisa Pichette Duluth, MN 218-590-2967

Shamrock Landing Duluth, MN 218-753-4455

Sheet Metal Solutions Duluth, MN 218-391-6582

Crooked Lake Resort Finland, MN 218-220-0211

Finland Snowmobile Club Finland, MN 218-353-7337

Friends of Finland Finland, MN 218-353-0300

Trestle Inn Finland, MN 218-830-0523

Cook County Snowmobile Club Grand Marais, MN 218-387-9392

218-226-3586

Silver Sledders Trail Authority Silver Bay, MN 218-220-8189

Silver Trail Riders Silver Bay, MN 218-226-4608

√ AmericInn by Wyndham Tofte Tofte, MN 218-663-7899

American Legion Post 109 Two Harbors, MN 218-834-4141

√ AmericInn by Wyndam

Two Harbors, MN 218-834-3000

Auto Value Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2191

Blackwoods, Inc Two Harbors, MN 218-834-3846

Castle Haven Two Harbors, MN 218-834-4303

Superior Hiking Trail Assn

Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2700

TH Auto Inc. Two Harbors, MN 218-834-3089

Two Harbors Federal Credit Union Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2266

√ Minneapolis Motor Sports Minneapolis, MN 763-634-0244

Westonka Snoblazers Mound, MN 612-309-5882

Moorhouse Motorsports New Germany, MN 507-491-6217

The Doublewide New Market, MN 952-461-3682

Alta Technologies Inc. Plymouth, MN 763-475-5375

Voyageur Snowmobile Club

Two Harbors, MN 218-830-8089

Minnesota Snowmobile Education & Advancement Fund Brooklyn Park, MN 763-577-0185

Snow Goer/EPG Brand Acceleration Plymouth, MN 763-383-4400

Charlie’s on Prior Prior Lake, MN 952-226-5253

Doherty’s Tavern Prior Lake, MN 952-292-5886

Absolute Insurance Audubon, MN Pit 611 Audubon, MN 218-439-6121

Barrett Farm Supply Barrett, MN 320-391-1435

DHS Grain Ltd Barrett, MN 320-815-1043

Spud’s Small Engine Service & Repair Barrett, MN 320-528-2299

Richwood Offsale Callaway, MN 218-847-6380

Bleachers Sports Bar & Grill

Detroit Lakes, MN 218-310-4105

Haley Oil Company Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-4466

LG Seeds – Dana Bloom Elbow Lake, MN

Midwest Machinery Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-4438

Frontier Marine & Powersports Fergus Falls, MN 218-998-4386

Otter Country Trail Assn. Fergus Falls, MN 218-739-3708

AJ’s Gas & Grocery Herman, MN 320-677-2300

Runestone Telecom Assn Hoffman, MN 320-986-2013

Otter Tail Riders Perham, MN 218-385-3991

Perham & Tri-County Stockyards Perham, MN

United Community Bank Perham, MN 218-346-5700

Big Elbow Lake Lodge & Campground Waubun, MN 218-261-0949

Carlson Ag Aviation Wendell, MN 320-284-2415

Snow Thrashers of Dalton Wendell, MN 218-458-2265

OTHER MEMBERS

Hugo’s Bar Brimson, MN 218-848-2220

Country Corner Bar Brookston, MN 218-391-5661

Billy’s Duluth, MN 218-525-3465

Bruce & Melissa Illsley Duluth, MN 218-251-6443

Duluth Drift-Toppers Snowmobile Club Duluth, MN

Duluth Lawn & Sport Duluth, MN 218-628-3718

Fish Lake Storage Duluth, MN 218-721-4243

Johnson Supply Co. Duluth, MN 218-722-1717

√ Marshall Hardware Duluth, MN 218-525-3638

Pequaywan Area Trailblazers Duluth, MN 218-591-3574

√ Hungry Jack LodgeGunflint Trail Grand Marais, MN 218-388-2265

√ RJ Sport & Cycle Hermantown, MN 218-729-5150

Lutsen Trailbreakers Lutsen, MN 218-663-7305

Duke’s Towing Proctor, MN 218-950-2508

Hoss Construction Saginaw, MN 218-591-3829

Saginaw Grand Lake Station Saginaw, MN 218-345-6266

Bri-Esa’s Convenience Store Silver Bay, MN 218-226-4694

J&H Auto Repair & Towing

Silver Bay, MN 218-226-4447

LaBerge Logging & Contracting

Silver Bay, MN

Cooperative Light & Power Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2666

√ Country Inn of Two Harbors

Two Harbors, MN 218-834-5557

Danny’s Auto Two Harbors, MN 218-834-4524

Harbor Insurance Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2114

Haugan Construction Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2876

Judy’s Cafe Two Harbors, MN 218-834-4802

Lake County Chamber of Commerce Two Harbors, MN 800-777-7384

Sonju Two Harbors Sports Center

Two Harbors, MN 218-834-2181

MSPN Inc. Eden Prairie, MN 952-473-7870

Franzen Law & Policy Group Edina, MN

Joe Silitz Golden Valley, MN 612-245-8040

Kassbohrer ATVPisten Bully Jordan, MN 952-345-3330

Erickson-Larsen Inc. Maple Grove, MN 763-535-0055

Ox Yoke Inn Maple Plain, MN 763-479-2522

√ Tri-K Sports Maple Plain, MN 763-479-3719

Carver County Snowrunners Mayer, MN 952-466-2673

√ CorTrust Bank Mayer, MN 952-657-2500

APA Medical Equipment Inc

Minneapolis, MN 612-722-9000

Prior Lake Snowmobile Assoc. Prior Lake, MN 952-484-3534

Savage Sno-Pacers Savage, MN 612-567-6691

Hennen’s Auto Service Shakopee, MN 952-445-2478

Obrien Development & Holding Company Shakopee, MN 612-741-3945

River Valley Trailblazers Shakopee, MN 952-403-7850

√ St Boni Motor Sports St Boni, MN 952-446-1554

Boats Inc Detroit Lakes, MN Dairy Queen of Detroit Lakes Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-8154

Detroit Lakes Express Inc Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-8049

Detroit Lakes Tourism Bureau Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-9202

Okeson Offtrail Sales Detroit Lakes, MN 218-847-9304

ULTRA Snowmobile Club Detroit Lakes, MN

Venom Products Detroit Lakes, MN 218-844-3283

Donnelly Co-Op. Donnelly, MN 320-246-3555

Sand Castle Lake Homes Dorset, MN 320-232-8297

AgCountry Farm Credit Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-5311

Brian Woodle Trucking Kensington, MN 320-815-3992

√ A-1 Automotive Service Moorhead, MN 218-233-6161

West Central Trailblazers Morris, MN 320-589-3445

Tender Hearts Home Care New York Mills, MN 218-385-3466

Warner Garage Door New York Mills, MN 218-385-2853

54K LLC Norcross, MN 320-815-9720

Lakes Inn at Dunvilla Pelican Rapids, MN 218-863-8000

√ Osage Schoolhouse Vacation Rental Osage, MN 612-618-5846

Ottertail Aggregatge Ottertail, MN 218-367-2581

V&V Insurance Agency, Inc. Cresco, IA 563-547-2161

MWO Media Burr Ridge, IL 630-887-1941

Texas Crossing Bar & Grill Wahpeton, ND 701-642-1991 Sledtrack Port Crane, NY 607-693-1031

Custom Manufacturing Clinton, WI 608-676-2282

Mag 7 Transport Ellsworth, WI 507-514-0385

Lake Chippewa Flowage Resort Assoc. Hayward, WI 715-945-2511

Lulich Implement Mason, WI 715-746-2477

Track Inc. Monico, WI 952-888-7372

Ollie’s Service Alexandria, MN 320-763-4455

Winning Edge Graphics Alexandria, MN 320-763-7953

Ashby Legion Post 357 Alexandria, MN 218-747-2858

Audubon Liquor Store/ A.L.S. Audubon, MN 701-367-1291

Farmers Agency Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-6880

Farmers Cooperative Oil Association Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-4491

Grant County Herald Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-5326

Grant County Lumber Elbow Lake, MN 218-685-5321

Volt Edge Electric Ottertail, MN 218-371-6830

√ Grandstay Hotel & Suites

Parkers Prairie, MN 218-338-3380

√ Grandstay Hotel & Suites Perham MN 218-346-2033

New Horizons Realty Perham, MN 218-640-0068

Stud Boy Trackson Ravenna, WI 231-853-2323

Cor PowerSports LLC Somerset, WI 651-387-5880

Arrowhead Groomers/ Hamblen Equipment St. Germain, WI 715-479-4200

WestView Rental Lodge & Bunkhouse Dubois, WY 715-529-0898

Visit Laramie Laramie, WY 800-445-5303

2023 SRX LE EPS Race to the horizon.

5 SEASONS SPORTS CENTER INC. 601 HAT TRICK AVE EVELETH, MN

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A & C YAMAHA 412 BUSINESS 23 S PAYNESVILLE, MN

ACFARMSERVICE.COM

BEE LINE SPORTS CENTER, INC. 8805 RIDGEWOOD CT SAINT JOSEPH, MN

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BELLE PLAINE MOTORSPORTS 908 E MAIN ST BELLE PLAINE, MN

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BEMIDJI SPORTS CENTRE 1826 ANNE ST NW BEMIDJI, MN

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BROTHERS MOTORSPORTS 7915 STATE HIGHWAY 210 BAXTER, MN

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CENTURY POWER SPORTS 5920 MEMORIAL AVE N STILLWATER, MN CENTURYPOWER.COM

DAVIS MOTORSPORTS OF DELANO 471 BABCOCK BLVD E DELANO, MN

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DRANTTEL SALES & SERVICE INC. 41311 OLD MINNESOTA AVE SAINT PETER, MN

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ECOFUN MOTORSPORTS 531 LAKE ST S FOREST LAKE, MN

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LARSONS’ CYCLE, INC. 205 GARFIELD ST S CAMBRIDGE, MN LARSONSCYCLE.COM

QUALITY HOME & SPORTS CENTER 1910 COUNTY ROAD 61 SANDSTONE, MN

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R J SPORT & CYCLE 4918 MILLER TRUNK HWY HERMANTOWN, MN RJSPORTANDCYCLE.COM

RAYS SPORT & CYCLE 20890 US HIGHWAY 169 GRAND RAPIDS, MN

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RAYS SPORT & MARINE 941 MARKET ST PERHAM, MN RAYSMARINE.COM

ST. BONI MOTOR SPORTS 4120 STEINER ST SAINT BONIFACIUS, MN MOTORSPORTSMN.COM

SETTE SPORTS CENTER INC. 2299 AUSTIN RD OWATONNA, MN SETTESPORTSCENTER.COM

STEVE’S SPORTS & AUTO INC. 531 EAST HWY 61 GRAND MARAIS, MN STEVES-SPORTS-AND-AUTO.COM

TOUSLEY MOTORSPORTS, INC. 1400 EAST COUNTY ROAD E WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN

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U MOTORS INC. 18457 US HIGHWAY 59 DETROIT LAKES, MN UMOTORSINC.COM

©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider on closed course under controlled conditions. Model shown with optional accessories. Always wear an approved helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Ride responsibly and always ride within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvering, and respect others around you. Know the conditions. Observe all state and local laws. Don’t drink and ride.

Electric Power Steering I iQS Suspension I Stryke Single Keel Ski