Genesee County rips out bridge built by club, cuts corridor trail C4G

County rips out bridge, took Genesee Snowpackers club 400 hours to build

Your e-mails, postal mail and faxes are needed now !

Genesee County, on the advice of counsel, ripped out a 60 foot bridge constructed by the Genesee Sno-Packers. The club needs help getting this fixed, the bridge is not destroyed and can be put back in place to keep this corridor trail(C4G) open.  The problem seems to be with the county attorney, one Mr. John Rizzo claiming that the county has too much liability for this bridge.

NYSSA has been advised and recommends for all NYSSA members as well as citizens of Genesee County to contact the elected officials for this area(Especially the County elected officials) whether by phone, e-mail, postal mail and fax to express your concerns. 

Please make sure to mention the following in your message:

a. The statewide trail liability policy is in effect year round.
b. The policy has $2 Million worth of liability coverage.
c. The county is protected under the NYS General Obligations Law.
d. This Corridor Trail(C4G) connects Western New York to the rest of the state trail system.
e. The community benefits economically from snowmobilers.
f. The Towns and County benefit economically from the sales taxes collected.
g. The bridge was designed for and is used by many citizens(multi-use) and is handicap accessible.
h. The bridge costs the county nothing as the club built it and maintains it.

The squeaky wheel get the grease-so the more calls they receive, the more time they spend on listening to people, the more motivated they will be to fix this problem.

Snowmobile safety courses have begun

Through the efforts of our clubs, New York State is a leader in snowmobile education.  Courses are taught by certified and experienced club instructors who volunteer their time to make the sport safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

Successful completion of this course results in the award of an NYS snowmobile safety certificate. This certificate grants those holders, ages 14-17 years old the privilege of operating a snowmobile without adult supervision.

Courses are free and sponsored by snowmobile clubs.  Please pre-register early as classes fill up fast.

Click here for a list of courses being offered throughout New York State. This list is updated on a weekly basis during the snowmobile season.

Ice Hotel

Made entirely out of ice, it is located in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The unspoiled nature that surrounds the Ice Hotel creates magnificent impression of a palace. The River Torn flows through this unique wilderness, covered with a meter thick ice layer. It is the best source of clear ice for the art and design that originates here. The Ice Hotel itself spans over some 4,000 square meters. In this video guide you will see the following tourist attractions: Stay in Ice Hotel, Absolut Icebar, Dog sledge, Snowmobile ride, Reindeer sledge, Ice Fishing, Ice sculpting, and Saab ice-driving school.
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Click here to watch the video (05:19)
Submitted By: Babelgum
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Categories: People & Stories

APA Comment deadline extended

Public Comment Period Comments on Draft Snowmobile Trail Construction and Maintenance Guidance Extended until October 16, 2009

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) announced today that it was extending the public comment period for proposed guidance on snowmobile trail siting, construction and maintenance on State Lands in the Adirondack Park.  Discussion by the Agency’s State Land Committee has been postponed until the Agency’s regularly scheduled meeting in November in order to allow for additional comments to be submitted by interested individuals and organizations.

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 October 16, 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 APA State Land Committee will deliberate whether the draft standards and guidelines are consistent with the State Land Master Plan at its November monthly meeting.  Agency staff will continue to collect public comments and provide them to the Agency Board prior to the November monthly meeting.  Any written comments received by October 16th will become part of the public record.  Written comments received after October 16th will be provided to Agency members but will not be part of the official record.

Public comment on APA/DEC Draft Trail Document is needed

Recently the Adirondack Park Agency released proposed Guidelines for Trail Siting, Maintenance, and Construction. The APA has extended the public comment period through October 16th, 2009.

You may view the guidelines at: http://www.apa.state.ny.us/Mailing/0909/StateLand/Snowmobile%20trail%20guidelines%20staff%20memo.pdf

Please direct your commentary to:

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 

  

 

You must include your full contact information, including name, address, phone number and e-mail (if applicable) in order for your commentary to be accepted into the public record. We know APA and DEC are listening to the enviro-nut groups that want to shut us out. If we stand silent, we will lose more trails!

 

New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA) has developed the following talking points that you may incorporate into your commentary.

Positives of the Guidelines: 

Recently the Adirondack Park Agency released proposed Guidelines for Trail Siting, Maintenance, and Construction. The APA has extended the public comment period through October 16th, 2009.

You may view the guidelines at: http://www.apa.state.ny.us/Mailing/0909/StateLand/Snowmobile%20trail%20guidelines%20staff%20memo.pdf

Please direct your commentary to:

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 

  

 

 

 

You must include your full contact information, including name, address, phone number and e-mail (if applicable) in order for your commentary to be accepted into the public record. We know APA and DEC are listening to the enviro-nut groups that want to shut us out. If we stand silent, we will lose more trails!

New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA) has developed the following talking points that you may incorporate into your commentary.

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 of the Guidelines:

• 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.