Trail User Fees

[dezmitchell]

Maybe if some of you guys cant spare the extra 10 bucks a ride and you need the trail to be like a highway all of the way up to the cabin you should look into a new sport, god forbid you cant go to the bar after a day of riding or your sore.

Bottom line cost has gone up for EVERYTHING and i support the increase because at the end of the days clubs are the ones who go to bat for our riding areas and step up to the plate to fix idiots actions I.E cabin damage some of you have this crazy idea that every club has this magical money tree that supports them this is not case we support them.

 

[RUDY]

lots of complaining about the trail fee being too high....I dunno if being a member has it's benefit's like discount's at certain places,or does it just have an unlimited use all year?
Guys will try to cut cost everyway possible such as eating out and gasing up.Instead of having 1 or 2 more beers the guys will head back to the room.Gas for the sleds,guys will bring up as much as they can to save .20-.30cents a liter and that will take away from buying snack at the station as well.

Just an option what if there was say coupons for 5-10% off at some of these donation places.A guy doesn't mind spending the extra $10 from last year,and if he got a discount on a restaurant/hotel he may not complain as much...Just an option,...not trying to stir the pot just wanna see if there is a way to make the riders happy and bring the ppl to McBride.

 

[007sevens]

I wonder how much local business contributes to the trail grooming. I know my group spends $10,000 in McBride every year snowmobiling. You'd think they would contribute more if they want this to continue. That is a steep increase, all being picked up by the sledders.

There's another link in McBride, BC under donations that explain more on who supports and who doesn't

 

[007sevens]

that's a steep increase for sure. I certainly don't mind paying it, as long as the trail is groomed. been there a few times where we happily handed over our money only to find the trail had not been groomed due to some circumstance and no mention made of it. at 25 bucks a pop, if that happens I will be loading back up and wanting a refund. I sure don't mind paying to support, but I want my money's worth. I love riding, but am getting too old for 60+ kms of whooped out trail.

Check at husky gas station. They will tell you what trail was groomed and when.

 

[steveo10]

i forgot what i was gonna say 007, too destracted by your picture!!

 

[007sevens]

I have to agree with some of the statements on here. I want value for my money. If I pay for a groomed trail, it should be groomed. If I'm only paying for the use of the mountain and cabin, then here's my $8... Thank you!

And I sick of the aurgument that because a handful of arsholes own $20,000 sleds, and $60,000 trucks, and $30,000 trailers, and $400 jackets, that all of us should pay whatever the price tag says and keep our mouths shut. I call Ballshat!!

I work hard for my money and I'm not going to waste it. I've never looked in my bank account and thought there was too much in there. If you're so thrilled and willing to pay anything; great! What weekend will you be in McBride? You can pay for everyone that day...

Again, it's not the $5 or $10 extra, it's the fact that I'm paying for a service I may not receive.

you know, most of you guys have no faaking clue as to what it takes to groom a trail but yet your experts when it comes to how much to charge. You should read more posts and mabye you'll fiqure out you can't smooth out a trail when there nothing to smooth it out with. A certain amount of new snow has to be present to groom a trail. Have you never run in the spring when its melting. Here something to try, dig a hole take half the dirt away then refill it.
Also You should know by now that daily trail pass revenue won't pay for one groomer trip up the trail, it takes multiple days to pay for such things.

 

[007sevens]

i forgot what i was gonna say 007, too destracted by your picture!!

LOL, You like my wife!

 

[ratpak]

For those of you that didn't read the beginning of the thread, $8 goes to taxes, and cabin maintainence, and propane, and keeping areas open, and all be other perks we enjoy. No one is complaining about those costs that were nicely broken down in the beginning of this thread...

The complaint is about the $17 that goes directly to the groomer for grooming only. Not for cabin maintenance, not for environmental studies; for grooming... to a private contractor... for grooming services...

And I think most of us "experts" also get the fact that you can only groom so much before you're digging a trench in the dirt. It's paying the groomer when he hasn't groomed the trail and it's all whoops the whole way. I don't need a pristine highway to drive on... I'll drive the shatty trail and call it a day. BUT... why are we paying the groomer if he didn't groom. I don't care if he groomed the trail or not. I just don't want to pay for it when it hasn't been done. I'd rather put that money aside to pay for the new shocks I'll need eventually.

 

[ratpak]

I guess I'm just a little cranky 'cause we've all handed over our cash to some guy in a parking lot at some point, only to get 5km up the trail and realize your sled and back are going to take a severe beating for the next 20km.

I'm not concerned with the money and I want the club to get all the support they can get. I do really enjoy sledding in McBride and all the hard work the club does to make that possible. It's just hard not to get annoyed when you hand over your hard earned cash to some guy in a pick up truck just because he's parked at the entrance, only to take a beating up the trail.

 

[slednek]

maybe keep the trail pass at $15, put speed limit signs up and just ticket anyone $250 that goes over the limit. Probably make more money with that then the trail fees. The trail would probably stay in better shape as well.

Everyone complains, and I've been at the 5km mark on renshaw to find out the groomer has broken down with another 25km to go. I also know they did their best to get the groomer up and running to have the trail smooth as hell for the ride down. Also, it seems most of the bumps are right after corners when everyone hammers on it. As users we need to be a little more responsible as well. Lets not forget about all the volunteers. Could you imagine what the trail fees would be if it was contracted out.

 

[bbtoys]

$17 bucks for grooming as all have said-----trail user fee is the correct term, it was even changed from trail pass to the above, by govt.
this portion has to cover fuel and oil, maintance, insurance and replacement cost of a $160,000 groomer. also the cost to print tickets and pay for the collectors and pay a groomer some sort of a wage. then there is income tax if he makes any $$$. also the contractor pays the club a set fee on a yearly bases which we have always used to promote the riding areas we maintain.
we know we can't keep everyone happy all the time but we do our utmost to try. the bottom line was that as a club we could not do a budget for this year unless the increase happened this year, going forward we think and believe that this increase will get us through the next few years and hopefully further. some our big expenses are this year with the trails and with the generous help of one of our S&M members we are hoping our costs will drop a ton. Thanks Mike it will make a big difference.
I don't know what else to add to this to help some understand, except that we as volunteers appreciate the riders that do choose to ride here very much.
Thanks
Barry

 

[pipes]

$17 bucks for grooming as all have said-----trail user fee is the correct term, it was even changed from trail pass to the above, by govt.
this portion has to cover fuel and oil, maintance, insurance and replacement cost of a $160,000 groomer. also the cost to print tickets and pay for the collectors and pay a groomer some sort of a wage. then there is income tax if he makes any $$$. also the contractor pays the club a set fee on a yearly bases which we have always used to promote the riding areas we maintain.
we know we can't keep everyone happy all the time but we do our utmost to try. the bottom line was that as a club we could not do a budget for this year unless the increase happened this year, going forward we think and believe that this increase will get us through the next few years and hopefully further. some our big expenses are this year with the trails and with the generous help of one of our S&M members we are hoping our costs will drop a ton. Thanks Mike it will make a big difference.
I don't know what else to add to this to help some understand, except that we as volunteers appreciate the riders that do choose to ride here very much.
Thanks
Barry

Barry I think you should bump it up to an even $20. the people collecting it for you will appreciate not having to make change and the extra $3 will help with the expenses. I know I'm going to say keep the change every time I buy a pass, and don't think that the extra three dollars will break anyone. Just my opinion

 

[shellnekov]

Barry I think you should bump it up to an even $20. the people collecting it for you will appreciate not having to make change and the extra $3 will help with the expenses. I know I'm going to say keep the change every time I buy a pass, and don't think that the extra three dollars will break anyone. Just my opinion

Dont worry, they bumped it up to an even $25.

 

[2manykids]

Since this is the hot talk of the season so far. Could you post when the snow has hit luc. staging. I have an itch that no woman can scratch and i think the only cure is the smell of 2stroke oil burning and snow under the track. Personally dont give a rats brown start about the trail fee, groomer fee, area user fee or what ever you want to call it. It is what it is.

Not sure but i know some large companies have a rec. fund where if you join a gym or any rec activity you can get you money back. Maybe it is worth it to look into. Also isnt the an alberta gov fund with this same idea or is that just for kids. Maybe some guys with personal companies need a little tax break this could be entertainment or advertising. Where there is a will there is a way

 

[topomountain]

I have a strange feeling that at $25 bucks a head they are going to see a lot more people refusing to pay. If you have 100 people willing to pay $20 or 50 willing to pay $25 where are you going to come out ahead. I mean what are the legal ramnifications of driving past and not paying at the booth and heading up the trail. I know that the backcountry is all public land and free to all??

 

[007sevens]

You Know, I willing to bet that people will show at the trail head just as strong as last year and will be willing to pay $25 just because they understand what Barry, Judy, and everybody else there fighting for us, has had to go through to keep there riding areas open for the people that truly love McBride and what it stands for.

My word of advise is if you don't like the fee go somwhere else, I belive that almost every area in BC has had to raise trail fees due to lack of Gov't funding that has gone obsolete.

I for one will be there and will Probally donate a little more to the cause just because I care.

 

[dezmitchell]

You Know, I willing to bet that people will show at the trail head just as strong as last year and will be willing to pay $25 just because they understand what Barry, Judy, and everybody else there fighting for us, has had to go through to keep there riding areas open for the people that truly love McBride and what it stands for.

My word of advise is if you don't like the fee go somwhere else, I belive that almost every area in BC has had to raise trail fees due to lack of Gov't funding that has gone obsolete.

I for one will be there and will Probally donate a little more to the cause just because I care.

x2 that grow up guys maybe consider golf cause if another 10 bucks to ride is goin to break you your in the wrong sport quit bein such cheap S.O.B's. Barry and Judy work very hard to keep our areas open and if there was another option they would of taken it and they dont need hear this constant b**ching cause some people cant see the justification of an extra 10 bean.

 

[j.c.higgins]

So if Valemont and Blue River and Revy etc. etc. had all announced they were raising rates up to $25 would you unhappy sledders be over on their sites bitchin' and moaning about the increase............probably because thats just the nature of the beast!!!! I applaud Barry and the club for being upfront and rolling out the increase and i would probably have to say at some point, maybe not right away, the other areas will follow suit and you'll see increases there also.

 

[bigdog67]

OK ...Let's look at it this way $25 trail pass,$80 for a lift ticket,or $40+ for green fees. At least we know where the money is going for something we all love to do. It's time to put this one to bed. Let it snow so we can all get on with the season.

Just a side note though...Would really like some more local support for the club. So keep posting that list Barry, of snowmobiler friendly businesses.

 

[Throttle*Queen]

$14000 sled vs $1000 worth of skis or golf clubs!
$50000 truck vs $20000 car with trunk or ski rack!
$10000 trailer vs ?


I think i will sell everything be a golfer and a whiny skier cause this sport is making me broke! LOL!

Just my 2 cents!