Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 61 "Without grooming, trails would be very rough and un- safe; therefore, it's in our nature to look out for the greater community," says Mark Smolen, membership manager of the Flathead Snowmobile Association. Funding for the trail grooming operation comes from the Montana Snowmobile Program, which is administered by Montana State Parks. The program's funding sources include snowmobile registration fees, gasoline taxes, dealer registra- tion fees, the groomed trail pass, and nonresident permit fees. But even with available grant funds, club members volun- teer their time and resources to keep the trails pristine. That participation involves year-round efforts, including clearing deadfall and debris in the spring and summer. "There is a lot of coordination involved—it doesn't hap- pen on its own," says Forest Mercill, president of the Lincoln Ponderosa Snow Warriors. When club members aren't rallying together to prepare trails for winter riding, they are building community among fellow riders and promoting the fun, family-friendly nature of the sport. "Snowmobiling is a very social sport," says Fred Bailey, current MSA president. Throughout the year, each club hosts its own events and rides to encourage riders and families to get out and enjoy the snow and each other's company. Each year on Superbowl Sunday, the Helena Snowdrift- ers host a "Women on Snow" event that gets ladies out for a day of fun before watching the game. The Great Falls Snowmobile Club has held outdoor movie nights in Moose Park where family films like Elf have been screened. In Lin- coln, the Ponderosa Snow Warriors host an annual fun run and pancake breakfast at their warming house featuring re- nowned sourdough pancakes prepared by Snow Warriors member Bob Orr. And the list of activities goes on. "We are fostering a love of the sport—a lifelong activity that generates a ton of good friends," says Kristensen. Montana's snowmobile clubs aren't just a community of winter recreation enthusiasts, though. They also serve as a passionate and unified voice that advocates for the sport of snowmobiling and educates on riding safely and responsibly. Bailey explains that the MSA is essentially the legislative voice for the clubs. The MSA maintains a lobbyist who advo- cates at the state and federal levels for maintaining access to public lands and riding areas. Within individual clubs, mem- WITH OVER 4,000 MILES OF GROOMED TRAILS, MONTANA IS A TRUE SNOWMOBILERS' PARADISE.

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