Top of Utah Snowmobile Association

CLUB NEWSLETTER FOR

November 2007

Chairman Kelly Leishman 435-245-4689, V.Chairman Kerry Hendrickson
Treasurer: Jon Kleven, Willie Duersch, Bryce Berry (web master), Garth Barker (Search/Rescue), Dennis Ostermiller, Mike Everhart, LeGrande Ellis, Teri Johnson, Colter Leishman, Jim Beazer, Scott Murray, Stuart Speth, Jason Allred, Tony Tuddenham (website)


The TOP OF UTAH SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER: The NEWSLETTER is sent to registered club members. Membership is October to October. Its time to renew!!!!!!!!

*PARTY * PARTY * PARTY *

We are excited to be having our annual fall social, it will be on November 17th at 5:30 pm. at the Celebration Centre (1903 So 800 W, Logan) please plan on coming, there will be lots of great food and live entertainment, its always a good time. We will have some great door prizes and silent auction/raffle goodies, so start saving those quarters.

Some auction items include: Simmons Skis, 4 nights lodging for four at fishing camp in Kenai Alaska (must be used July 8 – Aug 5 2008) and much, much more.

Cost of the meal (great dutch oven food) will be $15 for adults, $8 for kids 12 and under. We look forward to seeing you there.

Unfortunately due to the rising cost of putting on the auction, the liability involved and the desire to keep the cost for those participating down, not to mention the fact that we weren’t making any money, we will not be having an auction this year. This year our only club fundraiser will be our fall social.

We are looking forward to having lots of great snow this winter, please come out and help support the greatest club in Utah.

We have several items of business we are currently working on regarding snowmobile issues.

• We are pleased to announce that Jennefer Parker will be the new District Ranger in Logan, Utah, effective January 7, 2008. Jennefer is currently the Environmental Coordinator on the Clearwater NF in Orofino, Idaho. Prior to her job as EC she was the Rec Staff Officer on the North Fork Ranger District. She brings a wealth of skills and has a great background
in resource management. (Faye Krueger, Forest Supervisor, Wasatch-Cache NF)

• The Forest service has been installing gates at several locations to be closed around mid Nov each year to keep the trucks and ATV’s from doing damage to the roads. Though we support this agenda they are putting the gates in locations where there is no room for a 40” wheeled vehicle to get through, which is what they need to do to keep all wheeled vehicles out of the closed area, but that also creates a difficulty getting our snowmobiles around the gates also. We are talking about some alternatives to this problem. Most of these gates are in the Dip Hollow, Right Hand fork area.

• Implementing the reopening of the White Pine, Steam Mill drainages to snowmobile use. Which will include clarifying maps, orange poles and signage wherever possible to educate all wintertime users of the new boundaries.

• UDOT is planning a new turn lane and acceleration lane at the Beaver Mountain turn off, this is scheduled for the summer of 2008 the preliminary drawings show moving the existing road further to the east to make a better visual from west bound traffic. This will eliminate 65% of the parking in the lower parking lot. This is State Trust Lands property (SITLA), which includes both parking lots and Beaver Mountain. After looking at several different options of expanding the lower parking lot further eastward, having possible parking on both sides of the road, and even making a new one on the south side of the road which is Forest Service property, we have determined the best solution would be to expand the upper parking lot. We will keep you informed on any updates.

• Last, is the Spring Ski race, which closed both the Franklin Basin and Beaver Creek trails for the majority of the day? We fought the closure part of the race, with some very direct letters from both the club and a separate letter from Utah Division of Parks and Rec and others, which stated we would not tolerate any closures. They seemed to rest on deaf ears with Rob Cruz. These are also county roads, which needed the county’s permission to close, which happened with out proper authorization there. In your travels I would suggest you bring this issue up with your county councilman. Let them know of your displeasure with any closures. Again we are not trying to deny them the opportunity to host a ski race, just any closures associated with it.

We look forward to seeing you on November 17th for our opening social, always a fun night with great Dutch oven cooking, Live entertainment with Ugly Earl and the Tumbleweeds. And many great auction items. We will see you then.

Kelly Leishman
President: Top of Utah Snowmobile Association

If you haven’t paid your membership dues yet, its that time again.
This is the easiest way to keep your self involved in this great sport.

Your paid membership helps to keep your great sledding areas open by giving you a voice in the constant battle to keep our backcountry open, it pays for your membership in the Utah Snowmobile Association, you’ll receive great newsletters keeping you informed of all the latest happenings, and get your club discount card.

The $35 is by far the best investment in your sleds that you can make.

You can print up registration forms on line by clicking the link below.


Membership Sign Up / Renewal Form


If you are just renewing and all your info is the same all we need is your money $35

EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL

We need your email addresses. If you haven’t been getting any of the club emails we need your email address. The fastest most efficient way to get news out to our club members is through the Internet. We can get out last minute changes, the latest news or upcoming meetings. You’ll get a copy of the newsletter in color, much better then black and white. Plus we can get pictures out to everyone of your buddies stuck in the trees.