Snowmobilers admiring the view of the red hills in the Gros Ventre Mountains Northeast of Jackson Hole Wyoming

Forget the sunny Super Bowl, I'll take Wyoming and a snowmobile - by John Steigerwald
I wouldn't know, because for the past 10 days, I've been about as far away from Phoenix and the Super Bowl as a guy can get. Well, actually, I'm closer to Phoenix than you are but only geographically............................While the 3,000 media who are covering the Super Bowl were being herded into a stadium on Wednesday to record the 3,000,000 clichés that would be spewed on Media Day, I was cruising along the semi-frozen Grey's River in Western Wyoming, looking at some of the most excruciatingly beautiful scenery available for human eyes. It was 15 degrees and it was snowing and I was sitting on a snowmobile that was sitting on top of about five feet of hard packed snow......................As I was watching four moose - two males and two females - cavorting in the river, I have to admit-----------------------------------> More

NPS decision keeps east gate open in winter
By Carole Cloudwalker • Motorized over-snow access to Yellowstone Park via Sylvan Pass will continue under terms of a Park Service decision signed Tuesday................................The decision reversed an earlier Park Service preferred alternative that would have totally closed Yellowstone's East Entrance in wintertime after the 2007-08 season.............................A Record of Decision (ROD) concerning Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks and the Rockefeller Parkway was signed by Mike Snyder of Denver, director of the Intermountain Region of the Park Service...........................The ROD calls for changes in winter use in the two parks beginning with the 2008-09 winter season.----------------------More

seventy year old Louise Mcdonald snowmobiling in Yellowstone

New limits on snowmobiling in Yellowstone
By Ben Neary • Snowmobile travel in Yellowstone National Park will be restricted to 540 trips per day starting in the winter of 2008-09, the National Park Service decided Tuesday..................................Conservationists had wanted a ban on snowmobiling in the park, saying it causes noise and air pollution. In a recent letter, 86 members of Congress — none from states surrounding Yellowstone — asked the National Park Service to phase out snowmobiles due to pollution concerns............................Snowmobiling enthusiasts and some local business owners had wanted the daily---------------------------More

Snowmobile enthusiasts respond to new Yellowstone Winter use plan
the Regional Office of the National Park Service in Denver issued its Record of Decision (ROD) on winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. This is the latest action in the process of developing a long-term winter use plan for the Parks. The ROD is the final step from which the implementing rule will be developed. This must happen in the next 30 days for the Park to open to snowmobile access December 19, 2007. The ROD formalizes changes and restrictions in snowmobile access to the Parks.

Jack Welch, President of the BlueRibbon Coalition, stated, "We are not completely satisfied by the reduced levels of snowmobile access available only through commercial tour operators, but we appreciate the difficulty of the Park Service's management balance and are thankful that the agency has decided to allow for some level of continued snowmobile access to the Parks." -----------------More

US Congress Votes to keep Yellowstone Open for Winter Recreation
The United States Senate and House of Representatives enacted legislation to keep Yellowstone National Park open for winter recreationists. The legislative action affirms National Park Service rules to continue limited guided-snowmobile access on groomed roads in the Park, using only new technology snowmobiles. The affirmed rules also provide for snowcoach access and cross-country skiing in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks this winter.-------------------------------> More

Winter in Yellowstone: A Caldera of Your Own
Lisa Torrance Duffy • Want to tour Yellowstone National Park in near solitude? Visit in winter. With a fraction of the summer's visitation -- only 140,000 during the winter season compared to almost 3 million in summer -- winter is the ideal time to take in the park's astounding natural attractions.------------------------------> More

Wyoming court contemplates restoring roadless balance
Recreational interests were among those present in the crowded courtroom as U.S. District Judge Clarence Brimmer presided on October 19th over the latest legal maneuvers affecting U.S. Forest Service roadless area management. In this latest lawsuit, the State of Wyoming seeks to have the Court reinstate its earlier ruling finding the 2001 Roadless Rule illegal. A number of recreational groups have weighed in as "friends of the court" in order to protect recreational access to the approximately 60 million acres of "roadless areas" potentially affected by the Rule. The groups, who include the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs ("CA4WDC"), United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA), the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA), and the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), have been involved in a series of Roadless lawsuits including several in the U.S. Districts of Idaho and Northern California, and appeals court proceedings in the Ninth and Tenth Circuits. In the present case the recreational groups are supporting Wyoming's position and are seeking to have an injunction issued preventing the Forest Service from implementing the 2001 Rule. ---------------------------> More

Snowmobiling Growing in Importance as a Job Generator around Yellowstone
Haslett, MI - Decent jobs in rural North America are often hard to find. The loss of the commodity based economic engine (i.e.: timbering, mining) has been replaced in most cases by tourism related activities and snowmobiling is certainly a major job generator in some markets.

Jackson Hole Snow Devils • JH Snow Devils general membership meetings are 1st Thursday of each month in January, February & March: 6:30pm at the Virginian.

Gallatin Valley Snowmobile Assoc. • (Bozeman MT) (406) 586-8687 - Located on I90 and Hwy 191, 90 miles North of Yellowstone National Park and home to Montana State University. Renowned for its beautiful scenery and downhome atmosphere. The local club supports two separate trail systems. The Bridger Mountains Trail system is just 15 miles NE of Bozeman and the Gallatin Range is just minutes South of this city. The Gallatin Range is the proud location of the nationally registered historic Big Sky Trail that starts just southwest of town at Little Bear Creek and traverses 123 miles thru the mountains to West Yellowstone, the Snowmobile Capital of the World. Being this close to Yellowstone National Park affords us beautiful scenery and a multitude of snowmobiling opportunities to see, all from the Bozeman area. For a family ride try Buck Cr. Ridge Trail just south of Big Sky or 15 miles further South to Taylor Fork/Carrot Basin. For the more extreme riders try Portal Cr. to Buffalo Horn segment of the Big Sky Trail.

Pinedale Snow Explorers Snowmobile Club • Meetings are held every 1st Wednesday of the month in various locations at 7 p.m. Please contact Mike Carrillo, President, for more information: 307-537-3132.

Sno-Roamers Snowmobile Club • (Swan Valley ID) Sno-Roamers is a nonprofit organization benefiting the Swan Valley, Irwin, and Palisades communities. The Sno-Roamers was established in 1966 by a group of friends in the Swan Valley, Irwin and Palisades area who loved to ride snowmobiles and get together for fun activities such as monthly rides in the winter, pot luck dinners, annual steak fry and an annual Christmas party and the current membership loves to do the same.
There are records going back to 1983 showing that there were 27 members and that the dues were $5.00 for each member or $10.00 for a family. Some familiar area families that were members include the Rolfe’s, Longhurst’s, Drumond’s, Park’s, Taylor’s, Traughber’s, Burnside’s, Jackson’s, Wadsworth’s, Rose’s, Jone’s, Moeller’s, Poole’s and Wilkins. Currently there are 64 members and the dues are $20.00 for each member or $40.00 for a family, which includes the membership to ISSA with our longest members being Linda & Del Wilkins, Chub & Roberta Moeller and Ron Poole. New members are always welcome.

Top of the Rockies Snowmobile Club • (Alpine WY) This club was organized with the intent to bring people together with similar interests, to raise money for community projects and to support family oriented activities.

Targhee Ridge Runners • (Ashton ID) The Targhee Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club was organized in 1968 in Ashton, Idaho. Living in an area that borders Island Park and Yellowstone National Park , we usually have abundant snowfall and a season that runs from late November through March. The Ridgerunners believe that with careful consideration and stewardship toward the environment, wildlife, and personal property, snowmobiling can have a bright future in this area and will be a sport we can enjoy for a lifetime.

Cody Country Snowmobile Association • Remember, numbers are everything when dealing in legislative and environmental matters. As an organized group we can fight to keep our favorite areas free of wilderness and preserve our rights to multiple use lands. The club provides a place for companionship and sharing of fun times, and engages in family outings. We meet the second Tuesday of the month, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cody Search & Rescue Hall, September through April.

Sleddin the Winds = RIVERTON SNO-GOERS - LANDER SNOWDRIFTERS - DUBOIS SNO-KATERS • Snowmobiling is our passion and the Wind River Mountains is our playground. Here you will find information about club events and rides, maps of trails and riding areas, saftey information and links to great snowmobiling websites in Wyoming. Our goal is to help you have the best time and most fun snowmobiling. Don't forget to check out the Wyoming State Snowmobile Association website for more statewide club news and to support the sport of snowmobiling.

Fugowee Snowmobile Club • (Island Park ID) Our meetings are the second Friday of the month at Pond’s Lodge at 7:30pm. Club rides are open and we especially invite members of other clubs to join us.

MountainRiver SnoRiders • (Idaho Falls) Club meetings for 2008 have started. 2nd Tuesday of the month at Papa Toms. 7:30 PM, Come early for social hour, dinner, and drinks with us.