Your help is desperately needed to get our trail system up and ready for the 2010-2011 season! Bring your 4-wheelers, chain saws, or just come and help clear brush, and post trail signs with us. Lunch is usually provided, call Steve Smith at 716-679-8299 or Jeff Richards at 716-753-6960 to get on a scheduled work party.

Those who work 15 hours on the trails will receive a 10% Bonus Program Gold Card, and those who work 25 or more hours will earn a 15% Platinum Card. This program makes it easy for the membership and businesses to share the costs of trail maintenance. After all, we both benefit from well maintained and groomed trails!

Come out and support the bonus program, participating local businesses and most importantly - support the club! Remember - Trail Sponsor Bonus Program Cards are good for twelve months. The money you will save with all the available discounts will outweigh the up-front cost of your donation. 100% of the money earned by the Bonus Program is used for the purchase of groomers, groomer fuel and trail maintenance.

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I would like to start out by thanking all of you for making the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club one the largest snowmobile clubs in New York State with over 1900 members!

Well it’s hard to believe that it’s that time of year again… So, you have received your snowmobile registrations in the mail and you’re wondering, what is the easiest way to receive the club membership discount and register my snowmobiles? There are several options to pick from:

You can join CLSC by mailing your membership application directly to the membership coordinator @ CLSC membership, 28 Central Ave, Brocton, NY 14716. Please allow 2 weeks for processing time.

You can join our club online with a credit card via the NYSSA website @ https://membership.nyssnowassoc.org/ and receive your voucher immediately. If you are registering through the NYSSA you will not have the ability to buy a clubhouse keys or join our trail bonus program during the checkout process.

You can also apply for a CLSC membership in person at any Chautauqua County DMV office should you wait until the last minute to register your sled. The DMV has membership applications located in their offices. We do encourage everyone to sign up as early as possible so we can get the money into the trails to help pay for gas and maintenance on equipment.

To view all the benefits of our club please view our membership page on the website.

If you have not received your membership within two weeks please feel free to call and check on the status. Please be patient, all the work that is done for the CLSC is voluntary and is done around our full time jobs.

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The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. It only means one thing… WINTER IS COMING! It’s time to pull those sleds out of storage and get them ready to hit the trails this winter.

The CLSC Board Members and Club Officers are working hard on developing a plan to make this the best season ever by improving trails, updating groomers, grooming equipment(drags), signage, widening trails, and bridges.

The Club is always looking for members that can come out and lend a hand to get the trails ready. It may sound like hard work, but you get a good feeling that you helped and made a difference to your trail system that we all love to ride in the winter. Please check the club website for upcoming work parties.

If you can’t come out and help with trail maintenance please help the club by donating to the Groomer Fund. 100% of your donations go directly to the groomer fund which helps pay for things like diesel, parts, drags, new groomers and safety equipment so you don’t encounter a groomer head on! Also, I would like to thank members for making CLSC the largest snowmobile club in NYS with close to 2000 members! This could not have happened without you!

Don’t forget to check out the club activity card when you receive your membership package. Every weekend during the riding season we have an event going on whether it’s a dinner ride or a member part at various locations! We are the only club in Chautauqua County to offer something to our members EVERY weekend and that’s what makes it worth joining the Chautauqua County Snowmobile Club!

Click Here For The Complete 2010-2011 Newsletter

Stay to the right and stay safe

Steve Smith

President, Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club

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Elections of Club Officers
• Elections are Wednesday evening, April 7, 2010 at the Clubhouse.
• All Club Officers are elected annually.
• We are currently taking nominations for: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Fund-Raising & Events Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Safety Coordinator.

Elections of Board of Directors Members:
• Board Members are elected for two (2) year terms.
• Each year we vote for three (3) of the six (6) Board Members

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Groomer Fleet:
We are making a very serious effort to obtain newer equipment and eliminate many of the breakdowns we always seem to have. We currently have (7) large-tracked Groomers.
• We sold our 1993 Bombardier BR-160.
• The 2005 Tucker Terra Sno-Cat we purchased from upper Michigan got a new paint job, thanks to member Bill Ottaway at his Auto Body shop.
• The 1997 Tucker Sno-Cat we got from Wisconsin at the end of last season ran well and took care of the Mayville area.

Please help out our Groomer Fund! All donations to the Groomer Fund are greatly appreciated and tax-deductable!

Gas Tax Refund:
Please go inside every time you purchase gas for your snowmobile, sign the signature page, and put your receipt (or a copy of it) in the envelope. We can get 8 cents back on every gallon from Albany. The paperwork is a real pain and it takes 3-4 months for us to get the refund. For the average person it is definitely not worth the effort, but it is for us. Please support us by signing the signature page and leaving your receipt. Thank You.

Events:
• All-Club Ride-In at Stockton was a large success. New York State Senator Cathy Young, Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, and others attended.
• Ice Castle Weekend was a great success! I hope most of you were able to visit and see the ice castle that volunteers built and did such a marvelous job. It stood for many weeks after. The Flare Ride was awesome, thanks to member Joe Notaro and his helpers. Saturday's fireworks were great! The Club earned extra money through snowmobile ride donations and manning a large parking lot.
• The Hot Dog Roast, Pancake Breakfast and Dinner Rides were also nice activities.
• Yamaha Demos went well at the Clubhouse.

Membership:
At last count was over 1,925 Family Memberships. Our Club continues to grow.

Trail Sponsor Bonus Program:
Getting discounts at local businesses is a no-brainer deal to save you money, especially if you are coming from Ohio or Pennsylvania and need lodging and purchase every meal here.

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The Season End Party will be Saturday evening, April 24, 2010 at the Sherman Volunteer Fire Hall. Doors open at 4:30 pm. Dinner is at 6:00 pm. The Party lasts until everybody gets tired and goes home. We will have a catered buffet with great food choices.

Club member D.J. “Digital Max” (Clay Jaynes) will return for music: Golden Oldies, Disco, 80's, Current, or Country? Make a request for your favorite tune(s) while you eat and chat with your neighbors. There will be Door Prizes, a 50/50 Raffle for our Groomer Fund, and 10 free Memberships (must be in attendance).

Club Members: $5 per person. Pay at the door.

Please, if you are able, e-mail Paul Weatherlow at paulweatherlow@roadrunner.com and let him know who you are and how many are coming. If it is not possible for you to e-mail, call 716-753-2924 or 716-326-4772 and leave a message.

There will be good food, good company, good music, and a chance for a Door Prize or the 50/50 Raffle, or a free membership. Please join us if you can.

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All trails are currently closed for the season and the signs are pulled. Thank you to all the members who volunteered their time and everyone who chose to make the Chautauqua trail system your trail of choice. It was a very successful year with trails being open nearly all season. We hope to see you all next year and look forward to meeting more people at our trail cleanup parties in the fall of 2010.

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Trails are currently closed due to the warm weather. Some base is still left however some areas are totally mud and impassable. With the temperatures forecast to be near 60 and rain through the weekend trails will remain closed unless we receive a surprise snowstorm with enough snow to bring back a base. If the trails reopen this year we will post a message here, if not we look forward to seeing you at the fall cleanup for next year.

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We do need help working this event on both days, please contact Jeff Richards @ 716-753-6960 for schedules.

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Trails are currently open and conditions range from fair to excellent depending on where you are. Trails West of the lake still have a little more snow than those East of the lake. Intersections at the highways are dirt and water because of the road salt but there is still two feet of snow in the woods and some fields depending on where the sun is shining. Trails will remain open as long as the majority of the system still has base left. With warm temps in the forecast and warmer temperatures at night, the trails will begin to deteriorate rapidly this week. Because of the warmer temperature grooming could be very limited if the temperatures at night do not get cold enough. Go out and have some fun while you still can!

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Trails are open and the total snowfall from the storm (Friday-Sunday) was 24 inches in Mayville. Some areas received even more snow so be careful if you get off the trail because you might get stuck and we wont find you until spring. Total on the ground starts at 33 inches and goes up from there depending on where you are. Groomers are still trying to catch up but for the most part trails are in excellent shape and should remain that way through at least the first weekend in March.

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Trails are open at this time with the area receiving anywhere from 9-12 inches of new snow to go on top of the good base we already had in most spots. It’s still snowing and it’s expected to snow a little more through the upcoming weekend. Because of the new snow groomers will have to wait to go out until trails are packed down a little by the snowmobiles. Things could be a little bumpy this weekend but still in good condition so get out there and ride so we can smooth things out.

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NY DMV Offices will be closed on Saturday for the remainder of the snowmobile season.

www.post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/551943.html

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Trails are open at this time although rain and seasonal temperatures are expected on Monday. This will impact the trail system a little, but shouldn't be enough to close the trails. They are saying colder temps and more snow after the day of warm weather so hopefully trails will be in decent shape for this next weekend. As of right now some portions of the trail system are excellent and others are bare because of traffic and warmer weather over the weekend. Overall trails are still very rideable, we will update conditions before next weekend.

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Please read this article about snowmobile safety, registration funds and riding on the Chautauqua Lake.  This issue presents itself yearly, please stay off the lake and use the trail system

www.post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/551787.html

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YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!  Please read this message and act by sending a letter to the Governor.  We cannot let them take our funds set aside for snowmobiling.

Governor Paterson has proposed in his 2010 Executive Budget to “sweep” $5 million dollars from the snowmobile trail development and maintenance fund into the general fund over the next several years.  What you may not be aware of is that the Governor proposes to sweep $1 million from the trail fund this current fiscal year! This unprecedented sweep, coming less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process.

This unprecedented sweep is being proposed less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process was avoided with the understanding by NYSSA and its supporters that similar raids would not be attempted in the future. Governor Paterson stated in a press release at the time that the state would “ensure that money from these registration fees will be spent in a way that specifically benefits snowmobilers… solely on trail maintenance and related program activities.”

If not amended by the Legislature, the Executive Budget will redirect $1 million from the Snowmobile Trail Development and Maintenance Fund to the state’s General Fund each year, and expand the authorized uses by the state of these funds. This will have a tremendous negative impact on trail maintenance activities as the loss of these funds reduces the reimbursement rate clubs get per mile for the costs of trail maintenance. One million dollars represents over 20% of the total trail fund monies and is far in excess of what the state needs to maintain and develop the minimal trail mileage on state lands.

Every snowmobiler needs to take action immediately by writing the their legislators and the Governor to head off the snowmobile trail fund raid this year!  Please write a letter to each one to ensure they know how many people from their districts are opposed to this action.

If you utitlize an example letter below, it is critical that you personalize your letter with your own comments on this matter in a clear and respectful manner.

Example letter to Governor Paterson (MS word format)
Example letter to Governor Paterson (Text file)

Example letter to your State Senator or Assembly Member (MS word format)
Example letter to your State Senator or Assembly Member (Text File)

Find your NY State Senator contact information here, Find My State Senator
Find your NY State Assembly Member contact information here, Find My Assembly Member

To view NYSSA President Mike Fischer's letter to legislators this week click HERE
To view Governor Paterson's July 10, 2008 press release click HERE 
 

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Come out and ride! Trails are still in great condition with groomers going out on a regular basis. As of 2/17 we are getting even more snow, which should add a fresh few inches before the weekend. There is still ice under the base around corners so be careful through the woods and stay RIGHT. The ice castle is still standing for those who haven’t seen it yet.

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We need a 220 volt air compressor for the garage at the clubhouse to run our air tools. We don’t want to spend too much money but we are looking for a 60 Gallon 7HP compressor with at least 11.8 SCFM. If you have something similar, please contact us with a good price or donation.

As most of you know we run on the honor system for candy and pop in our clubhouse refrigerator. This system hasn’t been working as we’ve only been collecting 50 dollars for every 100 we spend on refreshments. We’re currently looking for a candy vending machine or a newer more energy efficient pop machine. We would love a donation but would consider buying one for cheap if you have one available. One machine with a combination candy/pop would be great if someone knows of one for cheap.

Contact us via email by viewing our Club Information page

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We will be having our annual pancake breakfast on Saturday 2/20 from 9AM-11AM at the clubhouse. Trails will be in great shape so please stop by and have breakfast with us and be sure to drop a few bucks in the donation can. These donations go directly into the trail system you ride on.

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Finally!! After grooming 3 weeks of stale worn out snow Mother Nature has graced us with a fresh 6-12 inches of snow in the areas that were marginal. Groomers have been out in full force trying to smooth out the trails for the weekend. With all the new snow, conditions should be super nice for the weekend so be sure to come out and enjoy all the events we have going on with the ice festival and all club ride-in. There is still ice under the snow and hidden dangers under the powder so be careful and stay on the trails. There will also be lots of families out this weekend so stay RIGHT and slow down through the woods and around corners.

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The upcoming weekend of 2/13 - 2/14 is the annual Ice Castle Extravaganza. Stop by the lakeside park for a bite to eat, ride the groomers, watch fireworks and view the ever growing ice castle! Ton of events that are very fun for the entire family so bring everyone out to have a good time. To find a full event schedule, please view the Chautauqua Lake Chamber of Commerce website Click HERE

We also need help giving snowmobile rides and directing traffic across the street from the park. If you can help us out with either of these activities please email our Events director to sign up for a time with the following email address. clscevents@chautauquasnow.com

We will also be having our annual all cub ride in on 2/14 at the fireman’s fairgrounds in Stockton from 11AM-3PM. We’ll have plenty of food from local companies like stews, hot dogs and much much more. Stop by and get a bite to eat on the trail and don’t forget to donate to the groomer fund cans.

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Trail conditions are still holding but conditions are very marginal in some spots because of the lack of snow. Some corners and trails are down to dirt while others are in good shape with plenty of base to groom. We are still grooming some trails at this time to smooth out the bumps and trying to drag snow from the woods to fill in some bare spots. Snow and cold temps are in the forecast for the rest of the week so hopefully we get some much needed snow.

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Trails are still open and should remain so for a while with cold temperatures in the forecast. We have received a few inches of new snow but we still need more to improve conditions throughout the entire county. Conditions are excellent in some places and marginal in others because of the low snow cover. Groomers have been out doing what they can to smooth things out but there are still some holes in places and lots of ice so be careful. Overall it should be a good weekend to be out there riding. Be sure to stop by the clubhouse to check out the new 2011 Yamaha Snowmobiles. Yamaha is the first manufacturer to bring Power Steering to the snowmobile market, stop by and test out this new technology.

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Please note that the Lake Shore Savings bank will have a supply of $2 bills on hand the week of Presidents Day for all snowmobilers to purchase. The NYSSA has asked that these bills be used by snowmobilers when making snowmobile related purchases to bring to light the amount of dollars the sport of snowmobiling brings to our economy.

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Trail system is open and conditions are improving. The cold weather and a little snow have allowed us to get the groomers out to smooth some of the rough areas. There is still lots of ice and some water holes are open so be careful. Some of the fields have blown bare because of the high winds over the past few days, so grooming areas have been limited to where there is snow. Some trails have more snow than others but overall conditions are starting to improve nicely. Hopefully we get more snow this week and the trails should reach a good status by next weekend.

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We now have the ability to send instant trail/news updates right to your email account. Be the first to know when conditions change or new items are posted. Simple subscribe using the instructions on the page below.


Click HERE To Subscribe

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Trails are open as of right now and its still snowing. Lots of water holes and bare spots out there but hopefully with more snow tonight and tomorrow we'll have good coverage by the weekend. BE CAREFUL and take it easy until things freeze back up.

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Trails are currently closed due to rain and warm weather and lack of base. The 3+ feet of snow we received a few weeks ago is pretty much down to nothing and the current base on the trails is not enough to support riding. Colder temperatures are expected to return this week, so hopefully we’ll get enough snow to ride soon.

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Unfortunately, due to the lack of snow the bonfire ride in Brocton has been canceled.

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Trails are still open at this time but they will be closing on Sunday night because of thin snow cover on the trails. Very warm temperatures are expected on Sunday(1/24), which will require their closure until further notice. Cooler temperatures are expected after the warm up and Lake Erie is open again, so LE snow warnings could return.

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We are happy to announce that Yamaha Motor Company will be at our very own CLSC clubhouse on February 6th and 7th to showcase their new snowmobiles for the 2011 season. Take advantage of this opportunity to ride some of the newest and coolest sleds on the market. These new sleds are being releases on 2/2 and have been rumored to be the first ever snowmobiles with power assisted steering. No matter which OEM you like, an introduction of something like this is a must see. As we know ATV’s have been popping up all over with power steering, be one of the first people in the country to try this new technology. We will post more details here after the models are released so you know what to expect at the Demo Event!!

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Trails are still open at this time and we do not anticipate having to close them but conditions have deteriorated greatly from what they were a couple of weeks ago. Warm weather and traffic has beat up the base pretty bad and it’s been to warm for grooming. There is cooler weather in the forecast so hopefully we will be able to get the groomers out at night to smooth things out. We need more snow and cold temps to return so some of the holes can freeze back up.

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Warmer temperatures have moved into the region, not good news for the base we just set. Temperatures spiked in the mid 40's today making a lot of the snow settle. Trails are still fine as of right now but with warmer temps expected into the weekend the base will start to get mushy and some holes might open back up. If its too warm please take it easy so we dont ruin the base we have. Hopefully the colder weather will return soon.

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A bonfire will be held at the property of Rick and Dot Barnes January 16th from 1-4PM. The location is about 300 yards from the French Creek Tavern heading toward Clymer on the C4 trail. It is also the first place on the left of Redding Road as you leave the Tavern. Signs will be posted on the day of the event. Chili, hot dogs, and pop free for all club members (as supplies last). Donations for the groomer fund are appreciated. Hope to have a couple of club groomers there available for the kids to ride in. Family fun event, hope to see you all out there...

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Please note that the event cards issued with the memberships has a mistake for the Stockton All Club Ride-In.  The All County Ride-in is actually being held on Sunday 2/14/2010 rather than 2/7 as indicated on some of the event cards.  Sorry for the mistake and we hope to see you there!

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All trails are open and in great shape. Groomers have been out in full force and the snow has finally settled down so we have a very nice base. Cold temps are expected over the next week so riding should stay very good for the foreseeable future. Stay safe out there and if you are taking pictures of all this snow, please share some in our photo gallery by uploading your own.

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There will be a Spaghetti Dinner & More event this weekend to benefit the family and children of the late Jamie Miller-Helwig. This benefit is located just off the C4B Brocton trail and includes Spaghetti w/Tossed Salad, Roll, Drink & Dessert all for $6.00 and is All you can eat!!

Event Time: Noon – 5PM
Location: John W. Dill Post #434
American Legion
Main Street - Brocton, N.Y. 14716
(Just off the C4B Brocton trail)

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NYS DMV Will be doing Snowmobile Registrations this Saturday from 9-3 at the HR Clothier building Located on RT 394 in Mayville.

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All trails are open with more than adequate snowfall for riding and grooming. Portions of the area have over two feet in spots, so beware of things under the snow. Groomers are out but with all the powder snow and wind, it’s been difficult to get a good base going. Conditions will continue to improve over this week once things freeze and the snow settles down. Trails should be Good++ by the weekend.

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Overall trails are in fair condition with the majority of snow falling south around French Creek/Clymer and over east around Ellington. Trails up north have limited snow and are somewhat marginal. Heavy snow was falling around French Creek as of 9PM.

Things are a little bumpy out there but some places are really nice. Not enough snow in some places for the groomers to be out in full force, so you’ll have some bumps. If it keeps snowing like it is now they’ll have enough snow down south to get some serious grooming done. The snow is the white fluffy kind so groomer work will not be the best but should help a little.

There are some holes out there still, but things are freezing up nicely. Trails are in fair condition with some spots being better than others. With more snow expected this week and cold temps in the forecast Trails might reach a "Good" or better status by next weekend.

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As of 12/29 the trails in Chautauqua County are open on a limited basis. Trails have yet to freeze so there are lots of water holes and hazards on the trail. Some clubs have not opened their trails as of yet so please be courteous while riding the trail system if you see some trails are closed. Colder temperatures are expected this week with more snow expected before the New Year. Hopefully conditions improve to a “good” status by the weekend!!

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We are having our annual clubhouse weiner roast on January 2nd at the CLSC clubhouse on Hannum Road. The roast will be held from 1-3PM or until we run out of food. All proceeds generated from these events go right back into the trails and groomers. We’d like to thank Smith's Hot Dogs and Quality Markets of Mayville for sponsoring this year’s event!

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All trails in Chautauqua County are current closed at this time due to lack of base and warmer temperatures in the forecast. Warm temperatures are expected this week, which will make conditions dangerous so please stay off the trails. Colder temperatures are expected after the warm-up, which might harden a base if it’s not ruined by riders riding this week. Waiting the extra couple of days will make the trails better in the long run after the temps decrease and we get more snow.

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Our first winter storm is on the way and snowmobile season is right around the corner. The trails are still closed due to hunting season so please do not ride. We know it's hard to keep the sleds garaged for another two weeks, but our trails depend on the landowners. DO NOT make them angry by abusing the trail system.

We have added a new map to our website to allow you to see snowfall depth across the region. This map is updated throughout each day and will give you a good idea of where to ride if you are coming from out of town. This map is for reference only, always call the snowphone for up to date conditions before traveling. This map can be reached from our trail conditions page or by visiting the link below

Regional Snow Depth Chart

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The Chautauqua County Sheriffs Department is offering a Snowmobile Safety Training Course on December 29th & 30th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Mayville Fire Hall. This class is limited to 30 students and each student must be at least 10 years of age. You may not be able to preregister for this course, as the website says only the first 30 through the door get in. If you have any questions please call 716-753-4929.

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County Legislator Fred Croscut (Republican) organized a meeting of local officials, state elected representatives, law enforcement and members of the area's snowmobile clubs recently. Held last weekend at Webb's in Mayville, the meeting provided a forum for discussion. Information was shared about such issues as snowmobile registration procedures, the economic impact of snowmobiling, the role of snowmobile clubs, and priorities regarding law enforcement...

We thank www.observertoday.com for publishing this article and have included it in our blog for future reference. Click below to read the full article.

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CLSC is hosting a Trail Signage Course at our clubhouse on 11/11/2009 at 7:30PM. This will allow anyone to learn more about the states requirements for signing snowmobile trails in Chautauqua County. We like to have a good turnout for these events, so your attendance is greatly appreciated.

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WE NEED YOUR HELP!! We have trail work parties every Saturday and Sunday from Labor Day Weekend until all the signs are up and trails are open.

Bring your 4-wheelers, chain saws, or just come and help clear brush, and post trail signs with us. Lunch is usually provided, call Steve Smith at 679-8299(cell)/(clscvp@chautauquasnow.com) or Jeff Richards at 716-753-6960 to get on a scheduled work party.

Those who work 15 hours on the trails will receive a 10% Bonus Program Gold Card, and those who work 25 or more hours will earn a 15% Platinum Card. This program makes it easy for the membership and businesses to share the costs of trail maintenance. After all, we both benefit from well maintained and groomed trails!

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Welcome to our new club blog. This will allow us to keep you up to date on all the events and news dealing with the club. Everything from trail condit...

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