Here in Idaho the Sledders have one type of registration and ATV's have another. The snow machine sticker is $21.50 and the ATV sticker is $10.50. ATV's can use the groomed snowmobile trails if they buy a snow mobile sticker, otherwise you will be ticketed. The trails are patrolled by the people that groom the trails or something. anyway you have to have a snowmobile sticker to ride the groomed trails.

 

We are lucky here in Quebec. We have seperate groomed trails for both ATV's and sleds. ATV's are unliked on snowmobile trails because most ride at 1/4 to 1/2 the speed of the sleds. Plus it is true that ATV's leave two distinctive ruts in most trails. Thats why I prefer my Ski-Doo in the winter. Didn't even have to steer the quad...it just followed the tracks.

Just my opinion...

 

They are allowed near where i live as a shaired use trail with XC country skiers and sleds. I have only ridded up there once as my 200SX doesnt have nearly the power and traction as i need, but those sleds sure do make some nasty woops in the trail- nearly made my quad bonunce off the road as I hit 4 foot deep holes in 5th pinned! Brings new meaning to the word washboarded

 

JRM,

We are planning on riding at Frog Lake. There are signs posted that it is Ok for quads to ride on sled trails. My question is can we "legally" ride our quads on all snowmobile trails or just those posted? I am referring to the Mt. Hood area only.

 

ATVs are allowed on the snowmobile trails in Wisconsin.

>>>>Plus it is true that ATV's leave two distinctive ruts in most trails. Thats why I prefer my Ski-Doo in the winter. Didn't even have to steer the quad...it just followed the tracks.<<<<

Having both snowmobiles and quads in the family I can speak from experience that this is the truth and the main crux of the controversy. ATVs will
lay down ruts in trails after breaking through the snowmobile "crust". The ruts are just about the same width as the snowmobile skis and catch the skis of the snowmobile and cause darting.

Darting on a snowmobile is no fun and snowmobilers spend hours and sometimes hundreds of dollars to get their sleds to track straight. They get annoyed when they experience darting again caused by an ATV.

I experienced this last weekend when we were using both on some trails. Sad but true. So if some snowmobilers are giving you the #1 sign or showing you their IQ you know why. You are laying ruts in their trail.

I have tried to put this as delicately as possible because I love both sports. But... ATVs will trash a snowmobile trail if the snow is deeper and has a crust on it. If there is no snow and the trail is flat and icey there will be no damage.

 

We were in western NY a couple weeks ago and the snow was so deep that we couldn't make our own trails and ended up on snowmobile trails much of the time. Not sure on the legal issue or if these were state funded trails, but they sure didn't seem friendly when we came upon some sleds. Basically got the stares and the look of "what the **** do they think they are doing". We made a point not to overuse a trail for fear of making deep ruts. Didn't have any confrontations but you sure could sense that you didn't belong.

 

There only certain counties that allow ATV's on there sled trails in the winter. Iron County is one of them. Some of the trails are designated "Sled only" while others are "dual purpose". I don't know all the other counties that allow ATV's on the sled trails but they mostly seem to be in the Northern portion of the state. Down in the central counties I would get hung if caught on the trails by smowmobilers and ticketed heavily by the DNR if caught by them. I don't even waste my time riding the trails, I keep busy by running organized ice races all over the state.

 

hey bob4x4 did you buy your machine at rochester motorsports?

 

Carlos, I did in fact buy my current ATV at Rochester Motorsports. Thor, I have many more miles on sleds than ATV's, and I'll be the first to admit that under some conditions ATV's can damage snowmobile trails. My point was that if you have ever ridden a hi-po sled aggressively you would also know how much damage they can also do. My last ride was a Formula III 700 Ski-Doo, so yes I do know something about being less than happy with trail conditions. The thing is I've seen so many trails ruined by hotdog sledders, that I don't see your argument. Anyone who has ever ridden Twin Mountain in NH knows how fast those groomed snowmobile only trails turn to garbage on a saturday. About three hours at most, and then it is absolutely awful. The same goes for any high traffic snowmobile trail system. Xplor, Ive spent many weekends snowmobiling in Quebec, it is the best, period. If we had those conditions in southern NH I'd buy two new sleds, but we don't. The separate trails is a great idea, and Quebec is a model for how it should be done. While snowmobiling in St.Georges two years ago, I actually got reamed by a guy on a quad, for being on quad only trails. My fault totally, I couldn't read the signs in French, but hows that for a switch.

 

This is my first year with my ATV and have heard over and over the stories of confrontations between sledders and ATVers. As yet, however, I have not had any encounter like that.

Bottom line, too bad!!

Snowmobilers want to ruin the trails fine, it doesn't affect my ability to ride. Unless otherwise posted, the snowmobile trails in NH are open to ATVs as soon as there is six inches or more of snow.

Last weekend I rode one of the main snowmobile corridors in NH. Granted I only saw two sleds, but they waved and nodded as we went by. Worse than the sleds are the tree-huggers walking the trails. They really don't want to be bothered and don't want to share the trail. They are the first to try to stop you or give you the "what for" when you pass. Even on legal trails!!

We all need to be flexible and considerate. The ideal here in NH would be to get the trails open year round. The only way that can be accomplished is by showing respect for the land, the trails and each other.

That's my .02.