There are more than 350 miles of snowmobiling trails in Cattaraugus County and over 90 miles of trails just in Allegany State Park. However, they’ve only been put to good use these past few weeks.
While the frigid temperatures of late have been good for some winter activities, like outdoor ice skating, snowmobilers need a bit more than cold air.
Mark Aldrich, president of the Snow Bounders snowmobiling club, called this winter a “pretty poor season” until the recent downfalls of snow the past few weeks provided a good enough base for riders to get out.
“This year we got a lot of cold weather and not really enough snow to ride. The trail conditions are good right now, but they’ve been poor up until last week,” said Aldrich. “I think they’ve had a little better luck toward Dunkirk and the lake, but as far as for our club it just hasn’t been favorable for riding. … When it’s only cold and no snow, we just don’t get to enjoy the winter.”
The Snow Bounders maintain and groom 114 miles of trails, and are currently getting them uploaded to GPS to be compliant with a New York state mandate for snowmobile clubs that will be coming down the pike, said Aldrich.
He also said riders come from all over to use the trails, including Ohio and down from Buffalo, and can access the state park trails from the Snow Bounders’ trails.
The recent AMSOIL Snocross event, hosted by the Seneca Allegany Hotel and Casino on Feb. 7 and 8, certainly fired up interest for the sport according to both Aldrich and Tom Livak, a Quaker manager for Allegany State Park.
“Although its been a cold winter, and we haven’t gotten a snow until the past few weeks, conditions have improved tremendously and there’s been a lot of riders out this weekend with the Snocross,” said Livak.
“Especially with the Snocross event, we’ve had to really get out there with the groomers so we know there’s been lot’s of traffic,” said Aldrich.
Additionally with the new trail leading right up to the Seneca Allegany Casino location, many snowmobilers simply rode in to the event, with approximately 400 sleds reported to have been parked near the lot.
Livak also said the park was completely booked during the AMSOIL Snocross Championship, and the two six-person grooming teams have been out in full force since.
Looking ahead for snowmobilers, the short season may be brought to an even quicker end with temperatures projected to reach the 40s by the end of this week and bring with them some additional rain showers.
Livak says he is hopeful for a resurgence for snowmobiling in March saying the snow tends to stick around the park longer than other places. However, Aldrich is less convinced.
“They’re looking at 40 to 50 (temperatures) and if it rains that’ll be the end of us,” he said. “I don’t foresee us getting a lot of snow in March. If we lose the base on the trail, I don’t think we’ll get it back once the ground thaws out.”
(This story appears in the Feb. 20, 2014 edition of The Salamanca Press.)
