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A snowmobile club rebuilds

Adirondack snowmobilers, how many times have you ridden a popular snowmobile trail on your way home from a beautiful day of riding, only to have that wonderful memory erased by having to ride miles through 2-foot moguls that Whiteface would be proud to call their own? Everyone has asked the question, “Can’t someone tame these beasts and keep these trails rideable?” The answer is, of course, yes … all it takes is money and folks to get out on the groomer to knock these bad boys down.

In most parts of the Adirondacks, that is accomplished by volunteer snowmobile clubs that use their own groomers and volunteer members for the chore. These volunteers give up their own time, not only to run the groomers, but to service and maintain these finicky machines seemingly year-round. The Indian Lake Snowarriors, having just passed their 50th anniversary as a snowmobile club, are no different, yet are currently saddled with a 30-year-old groomer that adds tremendous complexity to this equation. To rectify this situation, our club has begun a GoFundMe campaign which I hope you will all consider contributing to.

Let me take you through a brief narrative of what has transpired at our club in the last 24 months for you to see how benefactors such as you can help this important snowmobile region. Formed in 1967, the Indian Lake Snowarriors has always been a smaller grooming club operating in the Indian Lake/Blue Mountain region of Hamilton County, the heart of the 6 million-acre Adirondack state park.

Traditionally, the club used snowmobile-pulled drags on local trails in the region. At the start of the 2015 season, our club was considering applying for a grant to replace our 1987 Tucker 2000, which the club purchased in 2012-13. Once this process was begun, it quickly became apparent that the documentation of the club’s corporate structure was inadequate and would not stand up to IRS scrutiny for a charitable organization. This fact, combined with low membership due to the lack of snow, caused many of our officers and board members to leave the club, which resulted in a serious crisis. In February of 2016, the harsh reality was that the Indian Lake Snowarriors were about to close down.

Fortunately, a few dedicated members remained and went out with a call for help. Having always been a member, albeit uninvolved since I was not a “local,” I went to a general membership meeting in March of 2016, heard what the issues were and decided to do something about it. I accepted the position of president and vowed to turn the Snowarriors into what they should be — a midsize grooming club that operates year-round on community outreach projects helping our community and growing the sport of snowmobiling in this important “connector” region.

In case you are not familiar, the Indian Lake trail system anchors one end of the very popular Moose River Plains recreation area with Inlet-Old Forge on the opposite side. Indian Lake also connects with Speculator and points south, as well as provides access with Newcomb and Indian Lake via the Newcomb trail. Having a “failed” snowmobile club in an area of such geographic importance to our beloved sport was unthinkable to me and several other diehards in the Snowarriors, so we began the arduous process of “tuning” the club up again.

First thing we did was reorganize the club as a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which entailed a fair amount of legal and accounting wrangling to get decades of records updated to present to the IRS and the New York state attorney general’s Charity Bureau. Next, we began the important task of overhauling our Tucker 2000, so that it would be more reliable for the upcoming seasons. This overhaul entailed replacing ice wheels all around, changing all fluids, upgrading lighting and warning beacon, replacing the throttle cable, rebuilding the carb, installing various safety equipment, replacing all bearings and lubricating our drag.

Now, while we have a fairly dependable groomer to maintain the 14 miles of vital connector trail that the region depends on the Snowarriors for, our old Tucker 2000 is still 30 years old. Every trip out remains an adventure with seemingly endless bearings to blow or bogey wheels to pop loose. Antifreeze seems to drip from every connection, and oil levels never seem to stay full. Our old workhouse is tired, and the question always remains as to who will take her out to the Newcomb gate, only to walk back when it’s minus 20 degrees out.

Aside from the safety issue of our Tucker, as I mentioned above, these are not just trails to nowhere; rather, these connectors keep sleds and their commerce running through Hamilton County and the region. When that trail goes down and is unrideable, it effects the livelihood of countless folks who depend on a vibrant winter economy connected by our trail system.

While grooming is essential to our existence, the club’s membership is much more than playing with snow, and it has focused on many community outreach programs to help the Indian Lake community and give back to its residents and visitors. We have worked numerous events supplying “member power” for the Summer’s Black Fly Challenge through the Moose River Plains, the Cycle Adirondacks tour stop in Indian Lake, Indian Lake’s 4th of July Parade, a groomer training seminar with the New York State Snowmobile Association, youth rider safety classes and the Indian Lake Moose Festival, among others. Each February, the Indian Lake Snowarriors will be contributing to the Indian Lake Snocade festivities, hosting various snowmobile-focused events and a dinner throughout this festive week.

Currently we are working hard to realize a long-standing dream of the club to utilize a New York state grant to purchase a refurbished groomer for the club. Having been awarded $83,000 by New York state Parks and Recreation, our club is trying to raise approximately $20,000 more to purchase this groomer. Any contribution you could make toward the purchase of this groomer would be greatly appreciated and would go a long way in restoring the Indian Lake Snowarriors to the solid club this region so urgently needs. We are stronger when we ride together.

Donations can be made by visiting www.gofundme.com/snowarriors or Indian Lake Snowarriors, P.O. Box 534, Indian Lake, NY 12842.

Ed LaScala is president of the Indian Lake Snowarriors, lives in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, and has a house in Indian Lake.

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