Who needs safety training?
Minnesota law requires anyone born after Dec. 31, 1976 to be safety certified
in order to legally drive a snowmobile. Youth age 12-16 are required to take the 10-hour
Youth Snowmobile Safety Certification course, whereas those 16 and older can take
the new four-hour Young Adult/Adult class.
MN DNR SNOWMOBILE SAFETY WEB SITE
The Ash River/Kabetogama Snowdrifters now have 4 Certified Youth Safety Instructors;
Arlan Gunnerson, Ron Travis, Paul Kiner & Scott Birnie.
CD Based Youth Snowmobile Safety Classes
The CD Based youth snowmobile safety training class is an introductory class designed
primarily for the snowmobile rider with little or no experience in snowmobile operation.
Students obtain and study the safety information on the interactive CD at their own
pace in the comfort of their own home under the guidance of a parent or guardian.
Depending on the youth’s age and experience, the CD should take approximately 2-4
hours to complete. Ron Travis in Littlefork (218-278-4854) and Paul Kiner at
Voyageur Marine, Kabetogama, (218-875-2023) will have the CDs. You can call Ron or
e-mail or call Paul (218-235-7690 cell) if you need to have one left somewhere for pickup.
Once they complete the CD, students print out a ‘voucher of completion’ and bring
it to the training class the club is putting on. Contact Ron Travis to sign up for the class.
The one day class will begin with registration at 8am and class starting at 9am at the Littlefork school and includes classroom review of priority safety information and a
performance driving course. A fee of $5.00 will be collected by the instructors
to conduct the class. Each student will also pay an on-line DNR fee of $5.00 upon completion of the course.
Parent or legal guardian must accompany the youth to register.
All students must bring appropriate clothing and a helmet to wear during the driving portion
of the test. If you do not own a helmet, contact either of the above people to be sure they
have one available for the test.
Please Note: You will not be allowed to participate in the classroom review/performance
test unless you have first completed the Youth Snowmobile Safety CD.
To obtain the Snowmobile Safety Training CD, or for general information, please call
(888) 646-6367, (651) 296-6157, or (800) 366-8917, or email at [email protected].
SAFETY ISSUES
Etiquette for Encountering Trail Grooming Equipment
It is important to respect the work trail groomers do to smooth and restore the snowmobile trails you ride on to a safe condition. Recognize that groomers may be working on the trail at any time. Always keep your snowmobile under control and anticipate that a groomer could be around the next corner or over the hill—and they are a large, immovable object that will win should you collide.
Snowmobiles are much smaller and much more maneuverable than groomers, so always yield to trail grooming equipment. Always slow down when approaching or overtaking grooming equipment. Understand that groomers move very slowly—typically only 5 to 8 miles per hour—so they are almost stationary when compared to a snowmobile traveling 30 to 60 miles per hour.
When approaching an oncoming groomer on the trail, slow down and move your snowmobile to the far right side of the trail. Realize that the grooming drag or tiller behind the grooming tractor is very wide, may extend wider than the tracks of the tractor, and may take up most or all of the trail's width. If the trail is narrow or winding, you may need to stop at the far outside edge of the trail, or even off it, to allow the groomer to pass.
When overtaking a groomer from the rear, slow down and assess the situation ahead. If there is good sight distance and the trail ahead is clear of oncoming traffic, pass the groomer while operating with caution. Beware that the groomer may create snow dust and make visibility poor as you pass it. If the trail is narrow or winding, you may need to stay behind the groomer until the operator pulls over and signals for you to pass. Be patient since it may take quite a bit of time before there is a good location with sufficient room for you to safely pass.
If you need to stop a groomer to ask the operator for information or assistance, understand this should be done only in an area where there is good sight distance and is safe for it to stop. The groomer operator may instruct you to follow the groomer to a safer location where he can safely stop to provide the assistance you need.
Trail Quality and Set Up Time
Snowmobile trail grooming requires a 'set up' time whereby the freshly groomed trail can re-freeze. Therefore riders must understand that riding on freshly groomed trails during this essential set up time can quickly destroy the trail base, resulting in long-term rough trails. Set up time will vary depending upon temperature and moisture content of the snow. Generally, at least two to six or even more than ten hours may be needed for the freshly groomed trail to set up to where it is durable and can withstand heavy snowmobile traffic.
Respect the work trail groomer operators do by never following directly behind their grooming equipment, since it immediately destroys their work. If possible, try to avoid riding a snowmobile on freshly groomed trails for at least two hours after the groomer passes by either waiting or choosing an alternate route. Showing this respect can help improve the quality and durability, as well as the safety, of your snowmobile trails.
If you come upon a groomer working on the trails and absolutely must use that route, try to minimize your impacts by observing the following groomer etiquette:
Slow down!
Try to stay off the fresh grooming if the trail or adjacent area is wide enough to safely and legally do
Operate only at the far outside edge of the fresh grooming if your only option is to ride upon the newly groomed trail
Keep your group in single file versus allowing everyone to take a different path on the fresh grooming
Don't be purposely disrespectful (and damaging) by intentionally fishtailing or powering through the soft snow
Understand that aggressive riding styles harmfully impact the quality and smoothness of the snowmobile trails you ride on—whether the trail is freshly groomed or not. Powerful engines, carbide runners, aggressive tracks, traction devices, fast starts and stops, and powering through curves all combine to destroy the smoothness of any snowmobile trail. So the next time you hit the brake or throttle, think about how you may have innocently (or purposely) contributed to destroying the trails you would really prefer to be smooth.
SAFETY REMINDERS
The Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association (MnUSA), the state's largest snowmobiling
organization, reminds operators of the nearly 298,000 licensed snowmobiles in Minnesota
to keep safety and responsibility top-of-mind as they head to the trails this snowmobile season.
"Our top priority is safe snowmobiling and we're very pleased to see that Minnesota snowmobilers
continue to make safety a priority on the trails by taking safety courses and practicing safe
and responsible snowmobiling," said Bob Linn, MnUSA's president.
SAFETY TIPS
In addition to recommending the safety certification classes, MnUSA offers the following
advice for snowmobilers as they head back to the trails this season.
Ride Straight - no alcohol or drugs · even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment
and response time significantly · drugs can impair judgment and response time
Know the trail or terrain and ride for the conditions · many accidents involve hitting a fixed
object, fence, tree, rock or other objects · hidden objects on lakes hit at high speeds can
result in serious accidents · riding on frozen lakes is especially dangerous early or late in the season
Slow it down, especially at night · maximum speed allowed on public land, frozen waters,
roadside ditches and groomed trails in Minnesota is 50 mph or what is reasonable and
prudent for conditions or as posted · at night, speeds should be slower because of reduced visibility
At 50 mph, riders need a football field - or 300 feet - to come to a complete stop
· don't ride too closely - maintain space between snowmobiles to avoid collisions
Stay on marked snowmobile trails · marked trails offer signs that alert snowmobilers to
trail changes, stops, curves, etc. · respect private property and stay on marked
snowmobile trails - objects may be hidden under the snow off marked snowmobile trails.
The Ash River/Kabetogama Snowdrifters and sponsors endorse this site but assume no
liability for the trails maintained by the VTSI, MN DNR, NPS and other area clubs.
The Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association (MnUSA), the state's largest snowmobiling
organization, reminds operators of the nearly 298,000 licensed snowmobiles in Minnesota
to keep safety and responsibility top-of-mind as they head to the trails this snowmobile season.
"Our top priority is safe snowmobiling and we're very pleased to see that Minnesota snowmobilers
continue to make safety a priority on the trails by taking safety courses and practicing safe
and responsible snowmobiling," said Bob Linn, MnUSA's president.
SAFETY TIPS
In addition to recommending the safety certification classes, MnUSA offers the following
advice for snowmobilers as they head back to the trails this season.
Ride Straight - no alcohol or drugs · even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment
and response time significantly · drugs can impair judgment and response time
Know the trail or terrain and ride for the conditions · many accidents involve hitting a fixed
object, fence, tree, rock or other objects · hidden objects on lakes hit at high speeds can
result in serious accidents · riding on frozen lakes is especially dangerous early or late in the season
Slow it down, especially at night · maximum speed allowed on public land, frozen waters,
roadside ditches and groomed trails in Minnesota is 50 mph or what is reasonable and
prudent for conditions or as posted · at night, speeds should be slower because of reduced visibility
At 50 mph, riders need a football field - or 300 feet - to come to a complete stop
· don't ride too closely - maintain space between snowmobiles to avoid collisions
Stay on marked snowmobile trails · marked trails offer signs that alert snowmobilers to
trail changes, stops, curves, etc. · respect private property and stay on marked
snowmobile trails - objects may be hidden under the snow off marked snowmobile trails.
The Ash River/Kabetogama Snowdrifters and sponsors endorse this site but assume no
liability for the trails maintained by the VTSI, MN DNR, NPS and other area clubs.
