UTVs on Snowmobile Trails - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[airbiscuit]

Another snowless winter in NW WI, and nothing on the forecast for the next 10 days. Our snowmobile trails haven't opened at all yet this year. Some of the comments on the snow groomer Facebook page seem to not like UTVs on the snowmobile trails. What are your thoughts/opinions?

 

[not2old]

Our club will only allow them if they have tracks rather than wheels. They would likely make a real mess in places as we are far from flat.

 

[airbiscuit]

Are the tracked UTVs no more damaging to the trails than snowmobiles? Are you seeing 10% tracked UTVs, or ??

 

[Paystar]

I never understood this either. Here in Northern Ontario, the OFSC does not allow atv's on the trails either. I can't see why you can't use an atv with tracks?

We have lots of trails that are on crown land and all I do is wait for the snowmobiles to pack them and I ride my atvs and don't even leave a tire rut.

 

[ruffdog]

Are the tracked UTVs no more damaging to the trails than snowmobiles? Are you seeing 10% tracked UTVs, or ??

No snow down here either. In fact, we have had less than you have had and the trails probably won't open this year. Sales of sleds have tanked and people have had them in storage for 2-3 years. Our clubs do not allow wheeled vehicles on the trails as the private land owners don't want everything tore up. In recent years, some of the riders couldn't stay on the marked trails so land owners threatened to boot the clubs off.

 

[not2old]

Are the tracked UTVs no more damaging to the trails than snowmobiles? Are you seeing 10% tracked UTVs, or ??

I've only seen the tracked ORV's on the groomed trails. The only areas that get beat up to a bit of mud are the parking lot and gravel roads where there is no snow, on the way up the mountain. Yes, I've ridden my sled on as much as 1/2 mile of gravel on the way up to the snow. A busy day on a weekend might see 250 sleds but I've only actually seen a dozen tracked ORV's over a 15 year period.

 

[Rockbadchild]

If they are not open then its a free for all, as long as its public land, if its private land you can't go on if the trails or not open (because of the liability). For use the issue with side by side is they are too wide for the trails (not enough room left for incoming traffic) but I don't understand why folks couldn't have lets say a bike with the timber kit (track and ski) or a sport quad with track and ski on it which are a no go for use, some stats do accept them. Yes if the condition are right you won't see the ruts on a groomed trails if a quad or side by side goes on the trails but there will always be that idiot going on when the condition are less then ideal and create ruts then you ride you sled on that and its hell you pay for nice groomed trails not beat up rutty trails.