Kittitas Grooming Council Meeting
March 11, 2013
Sign in on attendance sheet, make corrections and if new, add your name and info. One new--Michael Johnston.
Meeting called to order at 7:04 P.M. by Kevin Merrell, Grooming Council Chair.
Introductions of those in attendance. Welcomed Michael Johnston, new attendee has moved to Cle Elum. He is a musher and also on SMAC.
Groomer Operators Report:
U.S. Forest Service Grooming: John Simon
February on track with 822 miles groomed; continuing through March. Lower trail heads not enough snow, closing some. Tim Foss sent message to thank those who helped with Hog Loppit. 250 skiers participated and loved the snowmobiler's help. John also thanked WSSA for getting money out for additional grooming through the matching funds program.
R&R Grooming: Ron Lind
February groomed 163 hours; 101 hours left. Will be done by March 28. Still a lot of snow and a lot of activity. Trails get beat up easily out of the SnoPark.
Boulder Creek Grooming: Tim Penelerich
February groomed 160 hours; 100 hours left to finish out March. Done grooming around The Last Resort. Trails up high are smooth; hard to keep lower part of trails smooth.
Land Tec Grooming: Nick Whitman
88 hours left for March grooming. More snow on the bottom of the trails this year than last. Woods and Steel Road has been plowed; need to drive up to park, otherwise will have 1/2 mile of asphalt. Barber Springs has dirt to ride on for 1/2 mile.
NOTE: ALL GROOMERS BUDGETED CAREFULLY TO MAKE MONEY LAST THROUGH MARCH. GOOD JOB GUYS!
New Business:
Ron Lind told about Glen Markovitz's escape from death on a snowmobile ride with his girlfriend. Glen has a video of his experience spending one full night and part of another in a snow cave. We could show this video at one of our meetings next year.
WSSA meeting held on March 9 in Trout Lake; Kevin reported:
New officers and committee chairs were introduced.
Legislation: fee increase in limbo as WSSA has not been successful in getting a sponsor and co-sponsor. One legislator wants to support a onetime $15 increase. Wayne Mohler then reported that he had received an email before coming to the meeting that Cary Condotta will prime and Chris Reykdal will second a $10 increase the first year and a $10 increase the second year.
Fee for a SnoPark permit is probably a dead issue for this session.
Snowmobile registrations are similar to last year at this point, hopefully 28,000. It is very close now.
State Parks and the DOL have approved a Snowmobile Program Funding 101 insert in 30,000 snowmobile renewal registrations which are mailed in August. The insert will have both State Parks and WSSA logos. WSSA voted on and approved the approximate $600 cost of this insert. Kudos to the Kittitas Grooming Council for starting the program of handing out the 101's to snowmobilers in SnoParks on January 5th, 2013.
Kevin reported on the intrusion into Wilderness that happened on Mt. Adams while WSSA was in the meeting on Saturday in Trout Lake. A Ranger brought in pictures taken that day.
WSSA trail grant applications are due April 1 from clubs to Helen Maxwell, WSSA Grant Chair. Kevin will co-ordinate with the clubs. It is important to get this done to receive monies for the building of Evergreen SnoPark.
Wayne Mohler reported the re-activation of WSSA's Trail Grooming Committee of which he will Chair. The Committee is charged to do an objective criteria to how best spend the trail grooming money we have. It will be a committee of about 15 people from WSSA, State Parks, SMAC and groomers.
Topic of discussion: How to get people to register their snowmobiles? Education and enforcement are the keys. The 101 paper starts with the education. The enforcement is the reality in getting sleds registered and it needs to happen on the snow. How best to do this? Several ideas were presented for an emphasis program next season. Funding will be needed to accomplish our ideas. Wayne Mohler will look into an ISMA grant under education.
Michael Johnston explained the sled dog trail system at Crystal Springs SnoPark is funded by the non-motorized users and is available for all users. He asked the group for help (spotters) for the Crystal Dog Challenge on the John Wayne Trail on Saturday and Sunday of President's Day weekend in 2014. Several in the group said they would help.
Kevin expressed appreciation to Michael for coming back to SMAC.
Reminders of upcoming events:
July 19-20, SMAC (funding meeting) in Wenatchee
August 17, WSSA summer meeting at Blu-Shastin on Blewett Pass Highway
Monday, October 14, 2013 Kittitas Grooming Council Meeting (2nd Monday of the month)
Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Florence Mohler, Secretary Pro-tem'
for Kay Lloyd, Secretary
ACTION ITEM: SUPPORT FOR THE CRYSTAL DOG CHALLENGE PRESIDENT'S DAY WEEKEND