Two new Polaris snowmobiles sit in the parking lot at Kurt’s Polaris on Broadway. Many winter enthusiasts are unable to get out and play due to the lack of snow. (Ben Coulter/Montana Kaimin)

Snowmobiles idled by dry winter weather

by Jessica Stugelmayer | January 27, 2010 | Montana Kaimin

Curt Friede has owned his motorsports store, Kurt’s Polaris in Seeley Lake, for 20 years and has opened two other stores in Missoula and Kalispell. Friede said all three locations are down in sales, not only because of the stunted economy but also the marginal snowfall.

“Without snow, people don’t travel, they don’t buy, they don’t do,” said Friede.

Local snowmobilers and snowmobile dealers are hurting from the lack of snow in western Montana.  With little snowfall, snowmobile clubs have been forced to cancel events that bring in money from tourists, which is important to the economy in the Missoula area.

Friede said the beginning of the year is normally the busiest time for his business, but 75 percent of the people who normally attend his New Year’s event were not there this year.
“It’s really bad when you don’t get people that would come anyway,” said Friede.

Chad Eckley sells snowmobiles at Five Valley Honda-Yamaha. He said when snow is falling, it brings customers in to look at snow machines. Eckley estimated that currently there is only 25 percent of the typical amount of snow in the mountains for this time of year. He said that is enough snow to go snowmobiling, but it isn’t ideal for the sport.

However, some people still ache to be outside in the winter, whether it is snowmobiling, snowshoeing or backwoods skiing. Among those dedicated few who come out, snow or shine, is Howard Morrow, former president of the Missoula Snowgoers Snowmobile Club. But even Morrow said he hasn’t ventured out this year.

“Once you’ve done it all, you begin to get spoiled,” Morrow said. “I’ve been out in bad weather before and don’t feel like it now.”

Morrow said the club wants more snow at Lolo Hot Springs, where they start their rides. The club has to take off from this spot because there is no longer enough room farther up the trail for all of the riders to park.

The intermittent snowfall received since the weekend has all types of winter sports fans excited. Morrow and Friede both think that there will be more snow, because in the past few years, the Missoula area has been getting most of its snow later in the winter, usually in February and March.

Friede is hoping for 5 to 8 inches of snow, enough to make a difference. The National Weather Service predicts snow Wednesday and into the weekend in the Missoula area, and it may be enough to satisfy western Montana’s snowmobilers.

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