Trail Pass Increases!

[mxz sledhead]

Been that iam the v.p for the trailseekers i know what it takes look after a trail and the cost of expanding it and grooming it maintenance of the groomer
and we really have to say thanks to our sponsors that jump in with money
and help and A.B government for grants .nobody ride for free if you want play
you have to pay.I argue each season with people that they think they can ride our trails for free that it there right to be their i drive about 500-600 k.m
a season at my cost just to do mantennce and put on rallys for people to have fun on the trail .The A.S.A pass is a small price to pay for a fun season .That my two cents on that subject

 

[senorjeem]

Funny you should say that. They do!

 

[merv jennett]

Thats canada my friend...were taxed and taxed on the tax, but our beer is strong and we do love winter.........so everyone who rides just accepts that it's just part of what we have to pay for what we love to do..........I just wish more of it actually went to the clubs and not to the gov't coffers!

revy grooms about 50klm of trail seems alot of money for what is groomed,

 

[Shibby!]

I can understand both sides of the arguement.

I'll admit I'm not overly informed of the costs some of the BC clubs go through. I do not know of the maintenance and running costs of a groomer. Therefore my previous comment of twice a day groomer was maybe out of line, but I have seen it done quite often which I find strange if costs are so high. Either way it's appreciated. If I lived where there was sledding I would volunteer groomer service. It's a cheap ticket up the hill and back for a little bit of time and energy.

That being said, I'm accustomed to paying 10-15$ trail fee's. I make a fairly modest living but to see costs jump to 30$, even if warranted, will make affect the amount of times I go sledding.

Please keep in mind I'm not complaining. Costs are costs. I don't complain, nor do I give the trail pass people any grief. I appreciate the time everybody puts in. It's one of those things that I'll have to cut back because it becomes too expensive for me to ride.

BTW< I don't drive a diesel, I don't have a huge trailer, I stay in cheap hotels with mulitple people per room if overnighting, and I barely drink. I sled on the cheap, yet I probably make as much or more then some on this forum. Sledding isn't cheap, but to over double the cost of my sled gas money a day does pinch the wallet that much tighter, and I imagine I'm not the only one.

As a side note, thank God I don't have a family to pay for.

So with that being said, yes I believe it's costly to run a club and keep the facilities and trails we use going, but it's also hard for some to say sledding is going to cost them that much more a year.

 

[fargineyesore]

Hey sub zero. Its sledders like you who spend big money on upgrades to sled then try to avoid the toll booth. Toll money is not only for trail grooming, cabin repairs, garbage clean up, or trail cleaning in summer. Its for poeple to fight for the right for you ,me and everyone else to be out there. From some logging companies, to ski companys and tree huggers that don,t want us out there . So every year the clubs and snowmobile organization fight for use. This takes big money for lawyers and lobbying. So pay even if not using trails, because your still out in the mountains that don,t belong to you.

Who do the mountains belong to?

 

[cansub123]

Maybe the groomers in Revy should be parked for a season,and then we'll see who is complaining about the jump in fees.If you can afford a sled you can afford a trail pass or club membership.

 

[fargineyesore]

So you're saying no one should be able to ride a sled unless they belong to a club?

 

[cansub123]

What I am saying is that clubs and volunteers put a lot of time and effort in their trails and other things,and yes you should belong to a club or buy a trail pass where ever you ride.It cost big money to operate these groomers and keep areas open.If you don't like the increase in fees.STAY HOME.

 

[fargineyesore]

What I am saying is that clubs and volunteers put a lot of time and effort in their trails and other things,and yes you should belong to a club or buy a trail pass where ever you ride.It cost big money to operate these groomers and keep areas open.If you don't like the increase in fees.STAY HOME.

What if I'm not riding on any trails or areas maintained by a club? I agree with paying when on trails maintained by a club, only seems fair to help. I don't agree that I need to belong to a club regardless of where I ride, and I'm not sure if that is what you are saying or not. If I'm riding around my cabin (no club maintained trails there) then why join a club? I buy an ASA trail pass each year just so I don't wind up riding on some club's trails system for free. Last year I didn't even ride on any club maintained trails in Alberta, but I paid anyway. In BC, I paid the trail pass whenever I went on a club maintained trail. I don't agree with the statement that I shouldn't be allowed to ride anywhere if I don't belong to a club. I think that's going overboard.

 

[overkill131313]

What if I'm not riding on any trails or areas maintained by a club? I agree with paying when on trails maintained by a club, only seems fair to help. I don't agree that I need to belong to a club regardless of where I ride, and I'm not sure if that is what you are saying or not. If I'm riding around my cabin (no club maintained trails there) then why join a club? I buy an ASA trail pass each year just so I don't wind up riding on some club's trails system for free. Last year I didn't even ride on any club maintained trails in Alberta, but I paid anyway. In BC, I paid the trail pass whenever I went on a club maintained trail. I don't agree with the statement that I shouldn't be allowed to ride anywhere if I don't belong to a club. I think that's going overboard.

oh my god......I think your taking it to far!

 

[fargineyesore]

oh my god......I think your taking it to far!

Actually I kind of took the discussion off track here, my bad. My points are probably for a different discussion. I don't have an issue with increases in trail pass fees as I don't get to go to the mountains as often as you others do, with kid in hockey and such. Others may though that go more often. I think that they are more qualified to comment than me on the trail pass increase thing. Probably should get back on track.

 

[sub zero]

oh my god......I think your taking it to far!

actually i dont think he did. fair question.

 

[CRF]

Who do the mountains belong to?

I can answer this. They belong to the people of British Columbia, and the clubs that hold tenures for those areas. Well any Mountains that are in BC anyways.

 

[summit889]

I can answer this. They belong to the people of British Columbia, and the clubs that hold tenures for those areas. Well any Mountains that are in BC anyways.

technically, crown land is held by a gov't (provincial or federal) for the monarchy, hence the name crown( just found this out recently myself) So the mountains and other crown lands belong to anyone living inside one of the countries in the monarchy.

 

[OOC ZigZag]

The MTNS belong to us we pay for them as tax payers. Most of the areas we ride there are no fees cause no grooming. When you ride the pop spots big cabins ect you gotta expect to pay for those things. I have found the best spots are kept quiet and the locals don't want to pay $ 30.00 every time they ride. So if you don't want to pay fees hook with locals and enjoy some hidden terrain. I don't complain I just go else where. Think the reality of the economy will hit home pretty hard this winter, People will be looking to cut costs.:d

 

[summit889]

BC Crown lands do not belong to Albertans, sorry. As a BCSF Club President, the club can set any regulations on any of the clubs tenures. Those secret spots you refer to are kept open by Clubs.

crown lands by definition belong to the monarchy. I realize the clubs keep areas open and appreciate their efforts.

 

[ferniesnow]

.... I have found the best spots are kept quiet and the locals don't want to pay $ 30.00 every time they ride. So if you don't want to pay fees hook with locals and enjoy some hidden terrain......

Most of the locals belong to the Clubs and therefore have a "season pass" with membership, hence, they do not pay daily nor trip fees.

Yes, there are locals who do not want to pay and try to find ways to "ride for free"! They are a pain in the butt for the trail pass vendors.

 

[Bogger]

BC Crown lands do not belong to Albertans, sorry. As a BCSF Club President, the club can set any regulations on any of the clubs tenures. Those secret spots you refer to are kept open by Clubs.

Most of you do not have a clue to what it takes to keep these areas open for winter recreation use. These areas are on all the greenies scope to limit or completely stop use.

So stop whinning about trail fees, think yourselves lucky that there is still access for out of Province users. Very soon some of those secret spots will require a trail permit.

"As a BCSF Club President" I would have hoped you'd have a little more political couth than that.... Crown land is crown land... it belongs to the TAX PAYERS... you sound like a Quebec seperatist... "It's ours, get out, we don't need you"....

You DO need us... and not just us "ALBERTANS"... folks from Saskabush, Manitobastan and as far east as Nefoundland pay federal taxes AND spend piles of cash to go to the BC mountains whether it be for Sledding, skiing, climbing, fishing protesting...ect... and they all spend money locally on hotels, meals, licences, fees, fuel, parts, ect....

I see both sides of the debate... clubs need the cash injection, volunteer time is priceless, the political battle needs to continue...

On the other side of it.... a family of 4 going sledding for 3 days with an increase of $15/day per person is an extra $180 to the cost of said trip and for some might be a deal breaker...

I think ideally the people who bennifit most from the industry should be the ones to support and drive it.. (I'm aware many do, but as pointed out in other threads many don't)...

The hotels, restaurants, gas stations, bars, ect... bennifit the most as the owners and employees have the priviledge of making a living and residing in the places we can only go for vacation, it is in thier best interests to promote sledding in these areas and fight the political machine trying to shut areas down....

Without the Out of town sledders helping to drive the economy you "Mr.BCSF Club Prseident" might be working up in fort McMurray helping to drive our economy...

Just sayin...

 

[OOC ZigZag]

:d

Most of the locals belong to the Clubs and therefore have a "season pass" with membership, hence, they do not pay daily nor trip fees.

Yes, there are locals who do not want to pay and try to find ways to "ride for free"! They are a pain in the butt for the trail pass vendors.

Griffin, Area 51 ,Hall Mtn ,those are a few of the areas I've rode and they are not maintained so thats just what happens. I don't have a problem with paying when I use a maintained area like Fernie and I always buy a yearly trail pass. That being said I like to ride the less populated areas and avoid all the politics federal provincial and personal. Oh and thanks for the trail conditions down Fernie way you guys do a great job. I guess it's a bit of a pain down Fernie way with all the pipeline access to the ride areas. But hey like I said I buyb a yearly so you can jump back down off your soapbox.

 

[OOC ZigZag]

BC Crown lands do not belong to Albertans, sorry. As a BCSF Club President, the club can set any regulations on any of the clubs tenures. Those secret spots you refer to are kept open by Clubs.

Most of you do not have a clue to what it takes to keep these areas open for winter recreation use. These areas are on all the greenies scope to limit or completely stop use.

So stop whinning about trail fees, think yourselves lucky that there is still access for out of Province users. Very soon some of those secret spots will require a trail permit.

These enviromentalists are using the bad apples of the sledding community as there ammo. Garbage, harrassing wildlife, ecosystem damage, avi deaths, are just a few issues, it is very easy to police the locals. It is an entire different issue policing out of towners and even more difficult with out of province riders. Permits will be the only way to hold riders accountable.

As a club pres I thought you would be a little better informed Crown land is and always has been federal held. Oh and you thought you owned it