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Home / Washington Business - March/April 2007 / Travel Washington - Snowmobiling: Winter sport catches on in Washington |
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Travel Washington - Snowmobiling: Winter sport catches on in Washington |
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Written On: March/April 2007 |
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Written By: by Daniel Brunell |
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Washington is enjoying one of the best winter recreation seasons in years. That means people are skiing. People are snowboarding. Ski lifts are running and ski resorts are raking in the cash. It also means snowmobiles are humming again.
Snowmobiles are unfamiliar to many, but the sport is rapidly growing in popularity. There are more than 36,000 registered snowmobiles across the state; more than a third of them are registered in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.
When the snow flies in Washington’s higher elevations, snowmobilers hit the trails to enjoy their favorite pastime. You would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated or enthusiastic group of recreationists. Snowmobilers come from all walks of life, but they all share a common trait—a love for Washington’s great outdoors.
The economic impact of snowmobiling in Washington is estimated to be $70 to $90 million per year, but not all of this is spent on new snowmobiles. Every October, the Washington State Snowmobiling Association puts together their annual Snowmobile Expo and Swap Meet in Puyallup. A wide range of products and businesses are featured at the event, including resort and hotel facilities that accommodate snowmobiles, winter clothing manufacturers, snowmobile accessory manufacturers, towing trailer and vehicle dealers, snowmobile dealerships and others. This event is the largest of its kind west of Minneapolis, with over 10,000 people attending during its two-day run at the Western Washington Fairgrounds.
Among the most innovative new products shown at the Expo recently are the new environmentally-friendly two- and four-stoke engines. Introduced by snowmobile manufacturers looking to respond to criticisms about backcountry air pollution, the new powerplants are designed to be more efficient.
"These new engines bring better fuel consumption, less noise and emissions compared to the older engines," said state Rep. Cary Condotta, R-Wenatchee. Condotta and his wife, Rebecca, own Condotta’s Motorsports in Wenatchee, one of the area’s leading snowmobile dealers. "Snowmobilers can go into the country now without leaving anything behind but tracks. It’s remarkable how the technology is advancing," he said.
The transition to more environmentally friendly snowmobiles is just one part of the complex relationship between snowmobilers, environmentalists, other outdoor enthusiasts, and the government.
"Washington state affords snowmobilers a large area to travel in with a large variety of terrain and variety of elevations," said Howard Briggs, legislative chair with the Washington State Snowmobile Association. There are over 3,500 miles of groomed and marked trails in the state. The majority of the trails are on public lands. There has been a long-standing dispute between motorized sport enthusiasts and those who want to restrict all forms of motorized transportation in Washington’s backcountry.
"There is a lot of misinformation out there about the impact of snowmobiles," said Briggs. "We want to ensure access, not only for motorized recreation, but also for families who car camp, older people and the handicapped who may not be able to enjoy these areas if they are barred from traveling on the roads to them."
Open access for recreational snowmobiling is under constant challenge. For example, a bill introduced in the state Senate this year would make it illegal "to operate a non-highway vehicle in such a manner where the noise created by such vehicles is plainly audible inside or adjacent to an immediate resident." Violators would face stiff fines. Opponents say the law would make it almost impossible to snowmobile in many public areas of the state.
Another issue that the snowmobiling industry is grappling with is the question of funding for trail maintenance. Receipts from off-road motorized vehicle registration fees—as well as a percentage of the state gasoline tax—are used for maintenance of trails and related expenses, including snow removal in designated parking lots, law enforcement, equipment purchases, safety education and training, trail signing and mapping, and administration. However, in light of the growing popularity of snowmobiling in Washington and the increased usage of trails and facilities, some feel that the snowmobilers’ cut of the gas tax needs to be raised.
"The people who snowmobile do not get their fair share of the gas tax," said Condotta. "There has not been a increase in the percentage [of gas taxes revenue] in the last 20 years. We need to improve conditions on trails and at snowparks, but we get back a disproportionate amount of revenue."
Despite some concerns, things are looking up for the snowmobiling industry. The early snow this year has boosted the number of riders on the trails. This is in contrast to the previous two winters, when the lack of snow in the mountains kept riders away and new snowmobiles collecting dust in showrooms. "It’s been a really good year so far," said Condotta.
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