DEAD SNOW: Movie Trailer

The group of friends had all they would need for a successful Easter vacation; cabin, skis, snowmobile, toboggan, copious amounts of beer and a fertile mix of the sexes. Certainly, none of them had anticipated not returning home alive! However, the Nazi-zombie battalion haunting the mountains surrounding the aptly named Oksfjord (Axefjord) had other plans.
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DEAD SNOW Bjorn Sundquist Ane Dahl Torp Charlotte Frogner Jenny Skavlan Stig Frode Henriksen Vegar Hoel Tommy Wirkola Horror IFC Films Movie Trailers Movie Trailer Controversial Titles 
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APA Talking Points

All Members:  Please Comment on the APA’s Proposed Guidelines

for Snowmobile Trail Siting, Maintenance, and Construction

Recently the Adirondack Park Agency released proposed Guidelines for Trail Siting, Maintenance, and Construction.  These proposed Guidelines were presented by the DEC on Thursday, September 10th.  The APA has set a public comment period through September 30th, 2009.

Many snowmobilers and snowmobile clubs both in and around the Adirondacks and throughout New York State need to have an interest in these Guidelines and make comment to the APA on them.

The NYSSA BOD is preparing a resolution of support for the Guidelines with notations of concern.

These talking points can be used to assist in forming a comment letter.  All comment letters must be sent to the following no later than September 30th:

James Connolly, Deputy Director-Planning
Adirondack Park Agency
P O Box 99
Ray Brook, NY  12977

OR email to apa_slmp@gw.dec.state.ny.us

The following statement reflects concepts, conditions or procedures that are considered positives of the Guidelines:

• Guidelines flesh out concepts in the Adirondack Snowmobile Plan.
• Guidelines call for community connector trails to be nine feet wide compared to the current 8 foot wide trails.
• Guidelines call for trail conditions identified as needing maintenance addressed through case-by-case work plans developed by the DEC and APA, rather then subjective interpretation and implementation of broad-brush regulation.
• Guidelines call for designation of Class II community connector trails as accomplished through the UMP process.
• Guidelines allow for tracked grooming using equipment that is narrower than the trail width to reduce damage to trees.  It can be pointed out that tracked groomers with a blade can reduce berm buildup on curves for improved trail safety, help reduce effects of some side slope conditions, and assist in gathering snow where there are expectations that snow should be used to fill in the low spots on a trail.
• Guidelines allow small landscaping equipment to be used for trail work authorized by an approved work plan.
• Guidelines call for reroutes, some tree cutting, and some rock removal as potential descriptions of work plans that could be employed to remove obstacles for trail improvements and safety while retaining the natural character of the terrain as much as possible.
• Previously the Adirondack Snowmobile Plan did not allow rocks protruding 6 inches and lower to be removed. The new guidelines allow for removal of any rock if approved in a workplan.
• Guidelines do not describe snowmobile trail characteristics resembling a foot trail as being narrow like some hiking trails.
• Guidelines all for unsafe side slope conditions on Class II trails being corrected through full bench cuts, likely reducing maintenance demands.
• Guidelines were developed by both DEC and APA staffs who participated in extensive field work that identified unsafe conditions and potential actions to mitigate these conditions.
• Guidelines provide a greater opportunity for the use of motorized equipment for pre-season work trips.

Negatives

• Class I trails need clarification, as some access trails for groomers and to services can be as heavily traveled as any connector trail.  Class II trails do contain provisions to be spur trails that link a community to a longer community connector trail.  Clarification is needed so that Class II designation is possible for heavily used spur trails to services.
• Class I trails have a cleared width of 8 feet throughout, even on corners and steep terrain.  This can cause unsafe conditions on curves and on hills.
• Tracked groomers are described as small tracked groomers and that grooming equipment is sufficiently narrower than the approved trail.  This is a concern that no groomer currently used on trails as part of an AANR be denied approval as not deemed “small”.
• Groomers need to be allowed to pull in snow from outside the normal trail width in areas that are natural clearings.  This is especially needed in locations where it is expected that snow from the trail area will be used to fill in low spots in the trail tread.
• Only hand tools may be used for trail work on Class I trails, with small landscape equipment allowed only if absolutely necessary.  There is concern over how restrictive the phrase “only if absolutely necessary” is interpreted.
• Class I trails will be bench cut to remedy side slope, but not full bench cuts.  This will result in a continuous need for maintenance.
• Areas with existing dense local trail networks may see some of them closed or classified to Class I trails.  These areas should not be punished by having legitimate trails closed.

2009-2010 STEP Program kicks off

Dave Perkins announced at the September NYSSA Board Meeting that the Safe Trails Education Program Schedule has been set. NYSSA Members may view the schedule and access the sign up form by logging in at below left. The STEP materials are listed on the members-only member under Trail Programs > STEP Program.  Ten STEP Signage classes have been scheduled from September through November, with nine more to be done. These classes are for club trail workers to receive first hand information on signing trails according to state administrative guidelines. AND, for snowmobilers that want to see safer trails and consistent trail signage statewide by volunteering to become a trained Safe Trail Advisor. Each Advisor is partnered with a nearby club to ride their trails and provide feedback to the club on how their signage meets signing guidelines. Find out more here.

Snowmobilers – Please Comment!

Public Comment Period Scheduled for Draft Snowmobile Trail Construction and Maintenance Guidance.

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) is accepting public comments on Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan compliance for proposed guidance on snowmobile trail siting, construction and maintenance on State Lands in the Adirondack Park.

The draft standards and guidance document is available from the APA website at:

http://www.apa.state.ny.us/Mailing/0909/stateLand.htm or by contacting the APA at 518.891.4050. This public comment period will remain open until September 30, 2009.

Please address all written comments pertaining to State Land Master Plan compliance to:
James Connolly, Deputy Director – Planning
Adirondack Park Agency
P.O. Box 99
Ray Brook, NY 12977

Or e-mail: apa_slmp@gw.dec.state.ny.us

The proposed draft guidance document is a follow up to the October 2006 Snowmobile Plan for the Adirondack Park/Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement.

The 2006 Snowmobile Plan established a framework to reconfigure the Adirondack Park State Land snowmobile trail system through the Unit Management Plan process. The goal of this comprehensive plan is to improve safe connections between Park communities and minimize potential adverse environmental impacts. In addition, this plan promotes relocating snowmobile trails from the remote interior to the periphery of Wild Forest classified State Lands.

The following are highlights of the proposed staff guidance document.

NYS OPRHP releases new Trail Grooming DVD

The purpose of this DVD is to act as a resource and provide guidelines for grooming recreational snowmobile trails that will help improve the quality of trails and the effectiveness of grooming efforts and expenditures.

The DVD covers

• proper operation & maintenance of grooming equipment;
• trail grooming objectives, principles & practices; and
• trail grooming safety issues.

The DVD also serves to increase rider awareness of snowmobile trail grooming requirements and practices, including the need for snowmobilers to allow proper set up time on freshly groomed trails, and safe operation procedures for snowmobilers meeting groomers on the trail.

New York trails and club grooming equipment, along with other trails and equipment found throughout the northeastern United States, were used in the production of this DVD.

The DVD has been divided into 7 segments of about 20 minutes each, for easier viewing and downloading.

NYSSA wishes to thank OPRHP for their time and effort spent on producing this project, and for allowing us to share it on our website. Copies will be distributed to NYSSA Member Clubs this season.

Episodes will be released as they are uploaded.  Here is the Introduction to Trail Grooming Section.