I cant help going back to trail permits being to cheap. It cost more to keep a 2 stroke full of oil for a season. How much does it cost, on average, to attend the snowmobile show for the day? How much does the average rider spend on new riding gear they didnt really need?
I'd like to know how many frivolous lawsuits the ofsc has to defend against every year. Near none have merit, but still have to be defended to some extent?
My point is that sledding has become a sport for deeper pockets than alot of people can even consider getting into. The last report I seen said that over 60% of riders have an income of over $100,000. People that have to finance have much higher costs per season that make the sport less appealing or unsustainable. I'm sure the folks that can afford to ride wouldnt mind keeping up with inflation as they do in every other aspect of daily living. Gotta pay to play. Lets start by fixing atleast that part of a broken system.
Snowmobiling etiquette says obey speed limits, dont trespass and dont tear up the trails, yet manufacturers build sleds that make obeying the laws of this etiquette nearly impossible. Trail maintenance has become impossible to keep up with. Trails that require a reroute for what ever reason take alot of money and time to develop. Online support costs alot of money.
Big money has ruined the sport in my opinion. Just like many other sports. More money invested means more regulations and rules to protect the investment.
I enjoyed the sport alot more when sleds were low horse power, no ITG and little to no enforcement. Whats next...self driving sleds??
The independence and sense of adventure is gone.
The late 70's and 80's seen the downfall of alot of things, but snowmobiling was a blast. When the snow showed up, you rode. Simple as that. No plans, no online support, no gps, just plain ol' fun.
I hear you, but talking about reality is not negativity, it’s reality. Ignoring reality and pretending everything is okay is what gets people, businesses etc into the bad situations to begin with.
if talking about it bothers people, then continue believing it is fine and keep the blinders on, it will lead you to nowhere fast.
The group who are taking action have teamed up with ODSC, two of the leads who are part of the revival now sit on the ODSC club board. Best to reach out to ODSC for some accurate info.
It's a process..