I would never walk my dog down a sled trail. I've had a few entitled tree huggers get mad at me when I passed them (at a respectable speed) meanwhile they heard me coming and didn't take a moment to stop, move over and let us both get on with our merry lives. Pretty sure they didn't buy a trail pass

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Encountered people walking and skiing on the trails yesterday, and 1 older gentleman who was CC skiing was going right up the middle of the trail. For a moment I thought someone was putting a center line on the trails for us. All the room in the world and he was dead center. He did not hear me until I got 50ft from him. Just another thing that can turn into a mishap and give snowmobilers a bad reputation.

 

Encountered people walking and skiing on the trails yesterday, and 1 older gentleman who was CC skiing was going right up the middle of the trail. For a moment I thought someone was putting a center line on the trails for us. All the room in the world and he was dead center. He did not hear me until I got 50ft from him. Just another thing that can turn into a mishap and give snowmobilers a bad reputation.

Your last sentence is the same conversation we had on the drive home in the truck. Next headline will read snowmobile strikes and kills dog, skier, person walking etc...

Up near midland for those local reading this was on old lady with a walker on the trail. No she wasn't senile I stopped to check.

 

Guess it's still safer than on the road , but heck they could go to any mall parking lot and not be in any bodies way

 

I know that many of our trails (in Northern Wisconsin) are on private land and we only get to use them with the permission of the landowner. I know of several landowners who intentionally use the snowmobile trails across their property to walk their dogs and CC ski, and they have every right to.

Also, in many cases, snowmobiles do not have exclusive rights to the trail; they may be shared by motor vehicles, ATVs, hikers, skiers, birders, et cetera.

In many cases those people you see walking, skiing, whatever on the snowmobile trails have more right to be there than you do. So slow down, acknowledge them and crawl past them. The future of the sport and the trail network depends on it.

 

Your user name speaks well for you.

 

I was under the impression that snatching their hats was the proper way to deal with pedestrians on the trails.

 

If they snatched my hat they would get a rock in the back of their head.

 

I was under the impression that snatching their hats was the proper way to deal with pedestrians on the trails.

How else will they learn??????

 

On shared trails you need to share and not have a sense of entitlement. They have as much right to use the trail as you do.
I think it's rediculus having sleds bombing down shared use trails at 80mph. All shared use should have a posted limit and people should follow it. Plenty of places to run your machine fast. With that said I don't walk my dogs on multi use trails where snowmobiles ride because there are just too many stupid A holes out there. I don't even like running my sled on narrow 2 way traffic trails with guys passing at 80. I slow down to a max of 40 when oncoming traffic is passing.

My beef is with cross country skiers at my local park who have a crap attitude about anyone walking on groomed trail. 95% of the park is now groomed so they think every trail is a ski trail.

 

I know that many of our trails (in Northern Wisconsin) are on private land and we only get to use them with the permission of the landowner. I know of several landowners who intentionally use the snowmobile trails across their property to walk their dogs and CC ski, and they have every right to.

Also, in many cases, snowmobiles do not have exclusive rights to the trail; they may be shared by motor vehicles, ATVs, hikers, skiers, birders, et cetera.

In many cases those people you see walking, skiing, whatever on the snowmobile trails have more right to be there than you do. So slow down, acknowledge them and crawl past them. The future of the sport and the trail network depends on it.

Private fields etc I would never question someone as you said they may own the land. However the railway lines that run through town are more what I'm talking about.

 

We had a lady in town write in to the local news paper that the snowmobiles were so quiet now she couldn't hear them coming anymore when walking her dog so the trail should be moved ... where is my old tripple tripple when you need it.... lol

I agree with never knowing when or where you might meet a landowner so some etiquette is required but I have met a newly transplanted city folk walking their 2 dogs and 3 kids on a blind corner of a rail line and went back to have a chat with them about what could have been if I hadn't been on my game that day.

 

When the local clubs here get permission from the land owners to use their propery for the trail, the Federation insures that part of land at a hugh cost. I dont believe there is any laws concerning walking, skiing or crossing the trail, but if the landowner wishes to use an unauthorized vehicle, like an ATV will be fined. He gave up the piece of land to let the snowmobile club to use and there are laws in place that concern everyone.

 

Tic?

 

We had a lady in town write in to the local news paper that the snowmobiles were so quiet now she couldn't hear them coming anymore when walking her dog so the trail should be moved ... where is my old tripple tripple when you need it.... lol

I agree with never knowing when or where you might meet a landowner so some etiquette is required but I have met a newly transplanted city folk walking their 2 dogs and 3 kids on a blind corner of a rail line and went back to have a chat with them about what could have been if I hadn't been on my game that day.

Well done, 'Bender. Those people probably had never been around sleds before.

Who knows, they may end up becoming sledders someday....

 

When the local clubs here get permission from the land owners to use their propery for the trail, the Federation insures that part of land at a hugh cost. I dont believe there is any laws concerning walking, skiing or crossing the trail, but if the landowner wishes to use an unauthorized vehicle, like an ATV will be fined. He gave up the piece of land to let the snowmobile club to use and there are laws in place that concern everyone.

Doesn't work that way in the 'states. The landowner has no restrictions on how he/she uses their land. Other users are restricted on what vehicle they can use.

Playing nice with our landowners pays off.

 

You would think a few 120 MPH runs past them they'd be afraid and not come back? What is the law? 150' from a person or dwelling isn't possible.
I just slow down to almost a crawl and wave, most wave back, but I don't see many walkers around my area.

 

I don't mind sharing the trails with anyone but it rubs me the wrong way when I get the evil eye from a user who doesn't help maintain the trails, and they act like they own them and don't even try to share.

Where are all these users when we are doing trail maint.?

 

Tic?

sorry he is out adding to his collection.

 

On multi use trails in WI, you must slow down to 10 mph when passing anything other than a snowmobile. They have just as much right on the trail as snowmobilers do.
Now on a trail that is just a snowmobile trail they are trespassing. I have called the warden on some fat tire bikes that have been on them. Not sure if he got them or not.

 

I have a friend that owns a large parcel of land. And is generous enough to allow the snowmobile trail to go through it. He uses the trail with his 4 wheeler to go hunting and is often stopped and chewed out by snowmobilers. He laughs and thinks its funny but he could get mad and shut down the trail. And the snowmobilers would have to ride down the side of the road for 2 miles.

 

Most everyone I come across using the trail without a sled is very nice. Many times they aggressively wave me down as I approach them to slow me down. But I was already slowing down, When i pass by them and wave, I almost always get a smile and a wave back. For the dog teams, I go especially slow by because I don't want to scare them as I pass along side. I have mostly received gestures of gratitude. My guess is that there are a bunch of snowmobilers who feel it is their trail and want to teach them a lesson by blowing past them. We all have a right to use public land and we need to share. There will always be dinks out there trying to prove - point on both sides of the argument.

I have a lot more issues with fellow snowmobilers than others on the trail. Those people who can't seem to ride their side of the trail, are stopped around a turn, and those that think it is cool to pass by me at 70 mph the opposite direction.

 

I am not a big fan of the evil eye either, but the only way we will have any trails is we band together with other special interest groups. If we do not share the trails we will never have the numbers to retain the trails. Funny I read this year that a major section of trail was lost in the Barrie area due to a couple of sledders mouthing off to a land owners wife about her walking on the trail. There seems to be a sense of entitlement that comes from buying a trail pass, we aren't renting the land the trail is on, just paying for grooming and insurance.

 

I have no problem with walkers and skiers on the multi use trails. They have as much right to be there as we do. Could do without the dirty looks though. I never understood that mentality. If it wasn't packed down and groomed, I doubt they would want to be walking there. Small dogs on short leashes are ok most of the time, but see many times dogs off leashes or large ones on long leashes that want to bite at the snowmobile. One young lady was riding a horse down the trail, that was dicey for a few seconds.

 

have had a few cross country skiers do the "dive for life" when I've met them, but I'm always slowed way down by the time I get to them. Kinda amusing, but after riding for 46 years, here's my take. Most other winter trail users hate us, some simply "put up with us", a few don't mind us. You had better expect something bad around every blind corner, I've seen it and hit a few of them; ie, deer, trail groomers, they really hurt and cause lots of damage. Be mindful of sled dogs like we have in northern NH. Who's right, who's wrong ? Unfortunately, doesn't matter. We are the ones who lose the trails. Took my godson on his 1st ride on his 1st sled this past week and ran into deadend trails that I rode 2 years ago with no problems. Closed due to the wishes of the landowner. Loud cans, going off trail, rude behavior, speeding, littering ? Doesn't matter. I'm sure some of those trails are lost for good. I rarely ride on weekends[self employed] as I still love to ride at a good clip but worry on weekends when "the family" is out for a ride. Ride as fast as you can see, cool it around other trail users and anytime your riding near houses.

 

I have a friend that owns a large parcel of land. And is generous enough to allow the snowmobile trail to go through it. He uses the trail with his 4 wheeler to go hunting and is often stopped and chewed out by snowmobilers. He laughs and thinks its funny but he could get mad and shut down the trail. And the snowmobilers would have to ride down the side of the road for 2 miles.

They ought to chew a 4 wheeler rider out, just so happens this guy owns the land, oops. But they were trying to protect his land.

 

I agree they have every right to be on most trails and passing with extreme caution and curtesy is proper etiquette. I wouldn't want to walk,ski or ride my horse on a trail but you need to respect those that do. If you feel it's a danger as you may run into them rounding a corner then you're not riding in control as a broken down sled or fallen tree could also be around the next corner or over the next hill. Ride safe and with respect.