TRAIL BOSS: 
Paul Vallimont
(814) 572-0063

Lane Rd to ½ between 19/97: Sid Schaefer (814) 882-5607

½ Between 19/97 to Mound Grove: Jim Dauer (814) 881-5608

Mound Grove to Lake Pleasant Rd: Dick East (814) 882-7473

Click on hyperlink below for more information...

Snowmobile Registration, Titling and Insurance

Snowmobiling - Economic Impact

Do Personalities Rule Your Recreation?

International Snowmobile facts

Snowmobile Hand Signals

Pennsylvania Snowmobile Association Region I Clubs

Region I Director - Liz Krug - Phone # (814) 825-5461    email

 back to top of page

Snowmobile Registration, Titling and Insurance

Who must register and title?
All snowmobiles in Pennsylvania need to be registered and titled with DCNR. Snowmobiles used in Pennsylvania must be registered and titled with DCNR's Snowmobile/ATV Section. The snowmobile registration and titling fees are NOT user fees for the privilege of using trails on state-owned land. The fees provide funding to administer the program, maintain trails on DCNR-managed parks and forests, and provide grants to profit and non-profit organizations for developing additional riding opportunities.

Two types of registrations apply:

Registration

• For snowmobiles used anywhere off of your own property or property leased by you, such as designated State Forest trails
• $20 fee every two years

Limited registration

• For snowmobiles used solely on your own land or land leased by you
• Free registration
• No expiration, unless ownership of vehicle changes

Pennsylvania registration is NOT required for:

• Snowmobiles owned by nonresidents covered by a valid registration in their state, province or country that honors Pennsylvania registration;
• Snowmobiles owned and used by a federal, state or local government body;
• Snowmobiles owned by a dealer who has been issued a dealer registration certificate and used only in connection with the dealer's business.

Titling is NOT required for:

• Snowmobiles bought or acquired prior to Oct. 23, 2001;
• Snowmobiles owned and used by a federal, state or local government body;
• Snowmobiles owned by a dealer before and until sale;
• Snowmobiles owned by a nonresident;
• Snowmobiles owned by a Pennsylvania resident, but registered and used in another state.

Fees

• Titling: $22.50
• Registration: $20, for a two-year period
• Limited registration: Free
• Replacement of lost or damaged registration certificate, limited registration certificate, registration decal, registration plate or expiration sticker: $5
• Transfer of registration to a new machine by the same owner: $5
• Dealer registration: $25

Plates and decals
Snowmobile owners will be issued two identical registration decals and two expiration stickers to be affixed to the machine.

How to register and title your snowmobile
If you purchase your vehicle at a registered dealer, you will be issued a temporary registration decal. The dealer will handle your application for title and registration.

Applications for registration and titling of ATVs and snowmobiles are available from the Snowmobile/ATV Registration Section, ATV and snowmobile dealers, forest district offices, and State Park offices.

The registration and titling application form must be completed and sent to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Snowmobile/ATV Registration Section, P.O. Box 8553, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8553, along with the registration and titling fees and sales tax statement.

Liability Insurance
If you are using your snowmobile solely on land owned or leased by you, you are not required to get liability insurance. All other riders must carry liability insurance. Proof of that insurance must be carried with you when you ride. There are no minimum requirements or coverage standards established by DCNR or the Snowmobile/ATV Law for the liability insurance.

How to transfer title/ownership of your vehicle
If you are transferring the title of your snowmobile to a new owner, complete the assignment on the back of the certificate of title and obtain notarization. The new owner must then apply for a new certificate of title and registration in his/her name. DO NOT REMOVE THE REGISTRATION DECAL OR PLATE FROM THE MACHINE.

Registration cannot be transferred from one owner to the next. If you no longer need registration because you have disposed of your vehicle in some way, complete the reverse side of your certificate of registration indicating the disposition status, listing buyer's name (if applicable), signing, dating and returning to DCNR within 15 days of disposition.

You may request the remaining months of your current registration be applied to a new registration of another vehicle that you have acquired. The fee for this transaction is $5.

Changes of Address
You must notify DCNR's Snowmobile/ATV Section in writing of any change of address within 15 days.

For More Information

 back to top of page

Economic Impact

Snowmobilers in Canada and the United States spend over $26 billion on snowmobiling each year. This includes expenditures on equipment, clothing, accessories, snowmobiling vacations, etc.

Surveys show that, on average, snowmobilers taking overnight trips (24% of these surveyed) take 3 - 5 trips per year, spending 2 nights per trip away from home.

The sport of snowmobiling is responsible for "spin-off" economic benefits such as:

• jobs for tens of thousands of people; jobs which enable those people to further stimulate the economy through additional expenditures on goods and services; jobs which provide significant income tax revenues to provincial, state and federal treasuries and dramatically reduce unemployment and welfare payments.
   

• millions of dollars in tax revenues derived from snowmobile-related businesses (including, but not limited to manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, dealers, resort and hotel facilities, restaurants, service stations, insurance agencies, hardware stores, etc.).
   

• millions of dollars in winter tourism spending which support local snowbelt economies.
   

• millions of dollars in local and provincial/state sales and gas tax revenues.

Snowmobiling has rejuvenated the economies of many communities.

Provincial and state travel bureaus are now actively promoting snowmobile tourism through such means as the production of snowmobile information guides and trail maps and the establishment of toll free numbers with information on snowmobiling opportunities and conditions.

The New York State Snowmobile Association, in cooperation with SUNY Potsdam, performed an economic impact analysis in 1998 showing the economic impact of snowmobiling in New York state is estimated at $476.2 million.

The Wyoming Recreation Commission, in conjunction with the University of Wyoming, prepared a report on snowmobiling in the state in 1995. After analyzing monies spent on items like equipment, gasoline, service, lodging and food, the study concluded that snowmobiling is responsible for $189.5 million in economic impact and "is extremely important to the economy of the State of Wyoming."

The economic significance that the sport of snowmobiling has on the state of Vermont exceeded $600 million annually, according to a study by Johnson State College compiled in 2003.

The Alberta Economic Development and Tourism Dept., in 1995, estimated the economic impact of the snowmobile industry in Alberta to be $162.6 million.

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs 1998 economic impact study showed that direct expenditures generated by snowmobiling was over $932 million.

The Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania in cooperation with the Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association conducted an updated economic impact study in 2000 showing the annual economic impact of snowmobiling of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be approximately $161 million.

The Plymouth State University and New Hampshire Snowmobile Association conducted a study in 2004 showing the economic impact of snowmobiling in the state of New Hampshire to be $1.2 Billion annually. In Alaska, the economic impact of snowmobiling in the Anchorage and Mat-Su Borough was found to be over $35 million annually, according to a study conducted by the Anchorage Economic Development Corp., and released in May 2000.

The University of Massachusetts found the economic impact of snowmobiling to be $54.7 million annually in a study conducted and released in 2003.

In 1998 the University of Maine and the Maine Snowmobile Association conducted a study showing the economic impact of snowmobiling on Maine to be $261 million.

The Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs recently completed an economic impact study that showed over $1.5 billion is generated by the snowmobile industry in Quebec.

Michigan State University, for the Michigan Department of Parks and Recreation, completed an assessment of snowmobiling impact in the State of Michigan in February 1998. That survey showed that the average snowmobiler in Michigan spends $4,218 annually on snowmobiling activity, equipment, and vacationing in the state of MI. Over $1 billion in economic impact in MI is generated by snowmobiling. Over 6,455 full time jobs are created by snowmobiling in Michigan.

In 2001 Washington State University and the Washington State Snowmobile Association conducted a snowmobile usage study and concluded that the annual economic impact of snowmobiling in Washington was $92.7 million.

A 2001 Economic and Social Assessment of snowmobiling in Utah conducted by Utah State University determined the following data to be correct:

• Total annual expenditures resulting from snowmobiling in Utah are about $52.6 million.
   

• 31% of Utah riders have college or technical training; an additional 31% have a B.A. or Graduate degree.
   

• About 87% of Utah riders have not experienced any conflicts with other types of winter recreationists.

Economic impact reports across North America show the positive economic significance of the sport of snowmobiling at all levels.

 back to top of page

Is your club ticked off at a neighboring club?  Are you drifting away from your club because of the behavior of a few folks?  Do you find yourself attending fewer club/group meetings these days?  Do you feel like your opinion does not count? Are you tired of the politics and clicks in your club?  In other words, do personalities rule your recreation?

In my travels around the country helping folks to get organized and keep trails open, I have seen too much of the above problems. Don't get me wrong, there are tons of great clubs that are doing just fine.  But I've seen my share of personalities driving folks away from organized recreation.  There are ways to fix that.

I am convinced that our future lies in folks joining and staying active in organized recreation.  The more we band together and stay tuned into what's happening with our trails, the better our chances of having a sport in the future.  The more we separate or alienate from each other, the less chance we have of surviving as a recreational pursuit.  We must be together at every opportunity.

This means that our local clubs/groups must be viable and effective.   I am always reminded of the anti-access (radical environmental groups) slogan of *think globally; act locally.*  They've got it figured out.  They preach keeping the big picture in mind, while taking baby steps at the local level towards achieving the big picture.  It works!

In large business corporations and management, there's a concept called the *Swiss cheese* approach.  Swiss cheese has a lot of holes in it to make the cheese what it is.  When a manager is faced with a tremendously complex task, the Swiss cheese approach is to make one hole at a time until you have your block of cheese done.   In other words, like a long hike in the back country, it's just one step at a time until you reach your destination.

This is where the local level involvement is so important.  If we're all taking baby steps, punching holes in the big block of Swiss cheese,  eventually we'll achieve the big picture -- responsible access for all!

It starts with your local club or group.  It starts with a few folks deciding to get past personalities and get something done for the greater good.  It starts with a commitment to not let someone else control how you feel about your sport or your club.

If you have personality issues in your club or group, I suggest that before you give up, you confront them head on.  Let folks know how you feel and what you expect.  Only then can a group or club decide if they want to make changes to accommodate your wishes.  But to me, it is such a shame to see someone drop out of a group without letting folks know what's up.  It's similar to telling a boss at work what's wrong from your perspective so the problem can be fixed.  Many times bosses don't know what the employees know.  So by letting someone know there's a problem, at least you give them a chance to fix it.

There's an old saying I use a lot: *A complaint is never legitimate until it's voiced to someone who can fix it.*  If personalities are ruling your recreation, then I suggest you speak up and clear the air.  Get to the *peace table* and talk it out.   Find solutions or compromises that all the parties can live with.  But whatever you do, give it a shot before you give up.

When I help folks get past personalities issues, I always remind them that we are not out to change who someone is, only how they behave in our group. If a certain behavior is alienating other club members, then we need to find a way to change that behavior.  It can be done, but only through communications that are pretty open and honest.

In the leadership training I give folks, I drive home the point that we must let folks know our expectations -- those things that make us smile and enjoy our sport (or our job or anything else).  The same holds true for a club.  If you have expectations that are not being fulfilled, then let someone know.  By doing so you increase your chances of staying in the game and helping us to punch holes in that big block of cheese.

Del

Del Albright, internationally published columnist, Environmental Affairs Coordinator for CA4WDC and BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador, has authored volumes over the last 20 years on land use, outdoor recreation, and access.  Contact BRC at 800.258.3742 or www.sharetrails.org; or visit Del's Web Site at www.delalbright.com/.

 back to top of page

 back to top of page

 Snowmobile Hand Signals

Ride Responsibly -- Five Important SAFETY RULES for Snowmobilers