During the wintertime, snowmobiling is an amazing way to see the state of New York. The snow on the ground and the chill in the air sets a different perspective on the state. Did you know that there are about 10,000 miles of trails that are available around the state with levels of difficulty ranging from first-timer amateur to well seasoned professionals? Rest assured, there’s something for just about everyone. The New York State Snowmobiling Association website is a great place to get started in order to gather information. It can provide tips for those that are new and can answer detailed questions for those that are more experienced.

The NYS Snowmobiling Association website offers an opportunity to get your snowmobile registered online. Whether you are a New York resident or a visitor, your vehicle needs to be registered by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles. The website also offers a shortcut for finding what clubs you can join. Although joining a snowmobiling club isn’t required in order to ride, it’s highly recommended. The website offers a full list of clubs that are available to you. Joining a club will give you discounts on your registration of your snowmobile. The fee for registration is $100, but this will go down to $45 if you join a club. Also, snowmobiling clubs are open to everyone, not just New York state residents. This will apply to multiple snowmobiles as well if you own more than one. If you’re serious about snowmobiling, it can be worth it to join a club.  If you’re not interested in buying a snowmobile outright, there are rental options. The website also offers a list of companies that can also feature tours led by more experienced riders and professional guides.

One of the most important resources available through the State Association is the New York State Snowmobiler’s Guide.  This resource is periodically updated and it is recommended that all riders familiarize themselves with the guide. The guide contains information such as coverage guides for your snowmobile. Contact our team at Bieritz Insurance Agency so that you can speak with an agent to determine what level of coverage is most appropriate for you. The only exception about insurance is if you are operating the snowmobile only on your own property. Otherwise, you’ll need to be insured in order to ride on public trails. In the unfortunate event that you are in an accident, you can refer to the website to guide you through what you need to do.  They keep an updated accident report in a PDF file so that it can be quickly downloaded and then printed to file a report.

Here are some tips directly from the website that outlines what not to do when operating a snowmobile.

“It is UNLAWFUL to operate a snowmobile:

1. at a speed greater than reasonable or prudent under the surrounding conditions, or at a speed greater than 55 mph
2. in any careless, reckless, or negligent manner
3. while the operator is intoxicated
4. without the required lights
5. on the tracks of an operating railroad
6. in any tree nursery or planting in a manner that damages growing stock
7. on private property without the consent of the owner
8. towing a sleigh or toboggan except with a rigid tow bar
9. in any way that the operator fails to yield to an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction 10. in any way that fails to comply with a lawful order from a police officer
10. on a frozen body of water within one hundred feet of a skater, ice fisherman, ice fishing house, or other person not on a snowmobile except at the minimum speed required to maintain forward motion
11. within one hundred feet of a dwelling between 12 midnight and 6 AM at a speed greater than the minimum speed required to maintain forward motion.”

When you visit the NYS Snowmobiling Association website, you can count on information to help you make sure your snowmobiling adventure is completely legal and safe. When you ride, be sure to treat others as if you were in a regular car and be sure to treat the surrounding natural area with the utmost respect. Keep the trails in the best condition that you can so that you return to your favorite ones and leave the trails ready for future riders.