Minutes

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA for 12/01/11

1. CALL TO ORDER - By: Eileen Maier At: Hi Low in Weed Time: 7:00 pm Number Attending: 21

Eileen announced that we have Craig Vivas with us tonight. He’d like to talk to the Club about having a x-country ski race between Chuck’s Snowmobile Park and Pilgrim Creek Snowmobile Park on the 19 Road. Eileen said she’d like to save Craig’s proposal until we got to new business.

2. APPROVEL OF MINUTES FROM MEETING: Meeting from 11/03/11 as posted on the web site. Motion passed, approved.

3. TREASURER'S REPORT (Larry): Balance: $1961.00 plus some petty cash.

4. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES:
a. Nordic Bypass: We have a Club ride thru our bypass scheduled for March 17th. Hopefully Doc can lead the group.
b. Warming Huts/Sheds/Snoparks:

1) Chuck’s Park: No Snow. We did not get the wood in the shed on the 5th, we did it on the 12th. There were 10 or so of us, it was pretty easy and went quick! Thanks to Bernie Paul with CalFire for providing the wood and thanks to everyone who helped unload and stack! The culvert at the lower end of the lower parking lot has not been put in yet. Dick Holcomb is trying to get a hold of George Hawn so they can go up and do it. One member attending the meeting didn’t understand what the holdup was, and why it hasn’t be done yet, of course the one complaining is not helping with the project.

   2) 4 Corners/Medicine Lake: Medicine Lake snow pole reports on 11/29 at 2am there was 11.7 inches of snow.
   3) Door Knob: No report.
   4) Pilgrim Creek: No snow. The windows and door have been put back in the warming hut.
c. USFS:

1) Klamath National Forest: From Jim Stout: “X-county ski race??? News to me. He will need a permit. The dogsled race is scheduled for the 11 & 12 of February. We are still waiting for the go ahead to start spending our OSV money, everything’s approved just need the final go ahead. We are trying to get the grader moved to Deer Mt this week so it will be ready. Does the Club think we need to redo the maps??? Thanks.” Eileen emailed Jim back and let him know that Craig had spoke to Stacy Smith from the Mt. Shasta RD. Also Eileen asked him to hold off on the maps right now, she is thinking about moving the Club’s website away from snowcrest. (Steve Elgin, the Club’s very own IT guy is helping Eileen with this.) Jim emailed Eileen back: “No rush on the maps, just wanted the Clubs view if they need any changes, I was thinking about a grant to print some more, it would be a year or so. Not to add fuel to the fire, but the USFS in California, including us (Klamath NF), is being sued over its OSV program and not proper environmental documentation.” Eileen asked if members thought that the maps needed to be changed? Michele from Fun Factory said that they needed more ridge and stream names added. Eileen thought that was the purpose of our current maps was to keep those names off so they would be simpler to read. We passed around old detailed maps and the new maps. Michele was to look over the maps and let us know what she thought needed to be added.

2) Shasta/Trinity Forest: Marcus from Mt. Shasta RD (he’s replacing Ed as Rec. Officer) and Val Hall attended the meeting.

3)Modoc National Forest: No report.

d. Grooming Reports: No grooming yet.

1) Klamath/Modoc report: Eileen asked Jim Stout what he thought the cost per mile was on the groomer, he said about $20.00 per mile, not including operators.

2) Shasta/Trinity report: Val asked Marcus about groomer cost per mile, he said it runs $16.50 to $16.80 per mile, not including operators.

e. OHMVR: The Shasta-T and Klamath grooming funds have been approved for the next three seasons.

f. CNSA: OK, so here is some big news. It was brought to Eileen’s attention that CNSA has not filed its 501c non-profit statement with the state of CA since the early 2000’s. Eileen could find our Club’s listing on the internet, but nothing for CNSA. Also, the officers of CNSA were asked to show the financial info to its members and they have been refused as to date. CNSAs membership numbers have fallen over the past few years and now they are in financial trouble. Former members of CNSA have been mulling over the idea of starting another state snowmobile organization and Eileen has been asked to spread the news. Eileen received this information from Sylvia Milligan, the former north region director of CNSA, when she called to discuss the request of a x-country ski race on the snowmobile trails. Because of this new CNSA news, Eileen asked if Larry had paid our Club CNSA dues as of yet? Larry said he had not sent the check off yet. Eileen asked the Club if we should hold our Club dues until this new info could be reviewed. Members attending the meeting voted to hold off on sending in our dues now.

g. Safety: Since we have the issue of a x-county ski race on the groomed snowmobile trails coming up, Eileen took the time to remind everyone that snowmobilers are not the only ones on those trails. Please be safe and be aware that skiers, wildlife, snow-shoers, dogsleds, and wild snowmobile renters, along with maybe ATV’s or vehicles could be on the trails. Michele from Fun Factory took this opportunity to thank everyone for helping dig out her renters and giving them directions.

h. Public relations: Nothing new.

i. PHI Air Ambulance (Eileen): With membership to the Club, you can have PHI Air Ambulance coverage for $40.00 a year for everyone in our household. If you have any questions or didn’t get your info in, contact Eileen.

j. Adopt-A-Highway (Dick Holcomb & Bill Willison): Next scheduled cleanup is this Saturday, December 3rd. Club will provide doughnuts (after the cleanup!). Eileen asked if anyone wished to try to do some trail cleanup after on snowmobiles or ATV’s depending on conditions. There was some interest.

5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

a. Wilderness Intrusions: As the snow starts to fall, please be aware of where you ride and stay out of the wilderness. Thank you.

b. Avalanche class: At our last meeting Eileen was asked if we could have another avalanche class. Nick Meyers, Lead Climbing Ranger/Avalanche Specialist with Mt. Shasta RD is out of the office until sometime this month. Eileen has not had a chance to talk with him yet. Until then, you can go online to the Mt. Shasta Avalanche Center and look under education to see a listing of their scheduled classes. There is an Avalanche Awareness 1.5 hour presentation held at the Ranger Station and then there is an infield Avalanche Transceiver Clinic if you are interested.

6. CORRESPONDENCE: (Mailbox last checked today)

IN:

OUT: Meeting minutes.

7. NEW BUSINESS:

a.	New Memberships: 0, Last season 2

b.	Total Memberships: 7, Last season 60

c.	Membership numbers: 13, Last season 111

Moving Clubs website: Eileen would like the Club’s web site off of snowcrest so we could just have a direct site to our Club. Steve Elgin is going to help her with this, he said ‘godaddy’ will work for us and it should cost us around the same as it does now. Eileen didn’t think she’d have time to work on this until after the first of the year. Members attending the meeting thought this would be alright.

Email user group: It was brought to Eileen’s attention that the Club does not have an email user group that members can use to contact each other. Like if I’m riding and need someone to ride with, or asking if any other members will be riding someplace. We once again turned to our Club’s IT guy, Steve Elgin. Steve said he can take care of it, and we should have it up and running before the new year.

f.	Lawsuit filed against CA’s USFS: Eileen read an article from the Redding Searchlight ran on 11/14/11. Please see the PDF to read a copy of the article.

Craig Vivas: Presentation for his plans for a x-country ski race between Chuck’s Snowmobile Park and Pilgrim Creek Snowmobile Park. Craig started speaking around 7:23pm. Craig said he’d like the race to be a fund raiser for a local non-profit org. Maybe they would have 50 skiers, but he thought the first race would be a lot less. He wanted the race location because of its distance, the uphill part is to start the race, the downhill and the last half mostly flat. Also of the beautiful views. He needed help with personal to stage 4 aid stations during the race, help marking the race route, well groomed trails, parking helpers, shuttle helpers to start with. Some of the Club’s issues with the race were: 1. The Club does not have D&O Insurance. This is insurance to cover the Club’s directors and officers. If the Club supports the race, and by some weird chance a skier is hurt/injured/run over/ killed by a snowmobile, they or their families could sue the Club which would come back on the Club’s directors and/or officers. If the Club chooses to support the race, Eileen resigns from President, effective right now! Doc Elgin said he checked into this insurance, it would cost the club $1000 for one million dollars worth of insurance. Then he didn’t know if that was enough insurance, and the Club doesn’t have that type of income to pay for that insurance. 2. Safety Problems: Snowmobilers and x-country skiers do not mix. User conflict. We have reported incidents between snowmobilers and x-country skiers just last season. And reported incidents between snowmobilers and dogsled racers. 3. Snowmobile rental users... Safety problems again. 4. Signs on the trail. Must be at all major trails cross roads. Snowmobilers are not use to seeing x-country skiers out miles away from any of the snowmobile parks. 5. The x-country skiers need to follow motor vehicle rules, stay single file and do not spread out across the trail. 6. Dogs must be on a leash and not allowed to run free. It’s too hard to predict where a dog will run when a snowmobile comes up on them. 7. Have the race end of March after snowmobiling has slowed down. 8. Have the race on a week day when snowmobile use is low. 8. If skiers are using the groomed trails, they could help with grooming costs. 9. Maybe they should pick a route where they could have spectator viewing. Like from the Nordic Center out the M31 Road then to McCloud and back if they need the miles. 10. Michele worried about her renters. 11. Craig had not even checked on insurance for the race or even knew any of the things he had to do to get a permit from the FS. 12. Craig did not like the idea of another route other then the 19 Road between parks. Craig flat said that he needed groomed trails for the skiers. 13. Eileen and Doc both offered to use their sleds personally to make the skiers a trial from the Nordic Center to McCloud, independently of the Club. At the end, Craig said he might look into it. Towards the end of the presentation, Doc Elgin made a motion for the Mount Shasta Snowmobile Club to reject a proposal for a cross-country ski race on the OHV groomed trail between Chuck’s Park and Pilgrim Creek Snowmobile Parks. Further, the Mount Shasta Snowmobile Club is on record with this motion to reject and refuse to support any future organized non-motorized activities of any type on any of the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath or Modoc National Forest OHV groomed snowmobile trails. This motion is not to be construed as denying any individuals, organizations or entities access to the Shasta-Trinity National Forests. Motion to send a letter from the Mount Shasta Snowmobile Club clarifying the reasons the Club will not support any future organized non-motorized activities to USFS ranger district offices in Mt. Shasta, Goosenest and Doublehead. 1. Potential dangers and conflicts between motorized over the snow vehicles and persons and animals on the groomed trails. 2. Potential liability of collision of over the snow vehicle drivers and persons and/or animals on the groomed trails. 3. Potential liability of Directors and Officers of the Mount Shasta Snowmobile Club. 4. Grooming tractors, storage buildings, groomer operations (particularly when operated by non-USFS volunteers), groomer fuel and maintenance are financed by OHV Green Sticker fees and off-road fuel taxes, are intended solely for the use of over the snow motorized vehicles. (We acknowledge the groomed snowmobile trails can be used both by motorized and non-motorized users.). End of motion. The Club approved the motion. Eileen said that she would write up the motion and get a letter approved by the Board at the next meeting to send to all of our FS districts. Craig and the Club discussed this until 8pm.

Grooming sucks: Phil Carey did not have anything nice to say about the past few years of grooming at our Tri-Forest Snowmobile Trails. 1. He brought up the fact that there have been people running the groomers that have no idea how to groom or how to use the groomers. (FS personal did not know the groomer had two fuel tanks and they had an overheating problem because they placed their jackets over the groomer vents.) 2. Lack of use of the mogol master. 3. Miles of actual grooming is way less than the advertised 260 miles. 4. Night grooming has been axed from Ed (even though that’s the best time to groom because of temps and snow conditions) for FS personal, even though he asked Phil to groom at night. 5. If we are paying someone to groom, and night offers the best conditions, then they should be grooming at night. 6. Per Ed last season, volunteer groomers could only groom on Thursdays, and they had to call in Wends and schedule their time. 7. Why can’t the groomer spend the night at Deer Mt. and go back to Pilgrim Ck the next day? This would give them plenty of time to groom the Shingle Springs loops and Whaleback. {Eileen hopes she got everything that Phil brought up. She could only write so fast.} Marcus from Mt. Shasta RD addressed Phil’s issues best he could. Since this will be his first season as Rec Officer, he is not aware of any of these issues, but he said he will address each issue and be aware of them when the grooming starts. We asked if we could have a grooming meeting whit the FS. He said of course and let us know that the three FS will be holding a grooming meeting Tuesday, December 13 at 10am at Goosenest. Eileen and Michele said they would attend, and Doc said he had to check his schedule.

Parking fees: Someone attending the meeting brought up Snowmobile Park parking fees again. Eileen explained that for that to pass it had to be approved through the County, not the FS. And if we were to get the county involved, they would just take all the fees for themselves and there would be none left over for Trailhead funds. Our four snowmobile parks are not in the State Parks system, so there is no fee to park at any of our trailheads.

8. GOOD OF THE ORDER:

a. Your Riding Areas – Out of Chuck’s Park, top of Pomeroy, around Brewer Ck restrooms, Gumboot, Tamarack and back thru Mumbo basin.

b. Duck Award – The Duck is in the Club’s trailer.
c. Classifieds – Please email Eileen your classifieds with pictures! Don’t forget to let her know when your items have sold.

9. RIDES/ACTIVITIES OF THE MONTH –

a. Saturday is Adopt-A-Highway cleanup. Meet at A12 and 97 at 10am. Club providing doughnuts after.

b. If there is enough of us, we could do a trail cleanup and/or mark trails after the highway cleanup. We will be going to Chuck’s Park after, were warm clothes and bring your lunch! We will be using ATV’s, don’t think there is enough snow for snowmobiles.

c. Our annual breakfast is on Saturday, January 14, at Chuck’s Park. David and Christi Beer have been suckered into chairing the breakfast, thank you! Also, we need donations for the raffles. Eileen has letters from the Club that can be used as receipts if anyone is interested in gathering items for us. Eileen gave some to Dion.

10. TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT BOARD MEETING – January 5, Thursday at Purple Plum in Yreka at 6:30pm.

11. TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING – January 5, Thursday at Purple Plum in Yreka at 7pm.

12. ADJOURNMENT: Time: 8:18 pm.