Snowdrifters begin their season

By Danny Bay

Of the many paths paved by mountain hikers and explorers, the Buena Vista Snowdrifters leave such an unnoticeable trace that it appears as if they hadn’t traveled at all. In fact, their trail vanishes. But they just might have the broadest, most extensive routes throughout the entire collegiate peaks area.

“When the snow melts the trails are gone. I can’t find them in the summer,” said Ted Neis, president of the Snowdrifters snowmobile club. “It doesn’t affect the trees or anything. It’s really environmentally friendly and they’ve improved snowmobiles so much that they really don’t have the emission problems anymore that they used to.”

More than 30 years old, the club has expanded its local roots to now be a part of Colorado Snowmobile Association. Those who join the CSA for $35 per year can also become part of the Snowdrifters.

The annual dues paid go toward grooming trails that extend over 100 miles. A group of club volunteers use two Snow Cats to clear a 14-foot-wide path through parts of Cottonwood Pass, Taylor Park, Tin Cup, Tin Cup Pass and St. Elmo.

“The trails are plenty wide and it’s a good thing that everybody gets to use them,” Neis said, mentioning that snowshoers and cross-country skiers frequently follow the Snowdrifters’ paths. “We invite them all,” he said.

The club also administers avalanche awareness classes throughout the season. But according to Neis it is completely safe as long as snowmobiles remain on the trails.

“It’s as simple as driving on a golf course. And it’s a lot easier to fall off a snowmobile and get up and back on it than it is to fall off an ATV and get up and back on it,” Neis said.

However it can become dangerous when venturing off of the trails. So Neis suggested always riding with others.

“It can get pretty eerie out there. But there are a lot of people that go up. And that’s the nice thing about our area. People will come and help,” he said.

With about 80 members, the club holds a once-a-month trail ride to various locations and, according to Neis, it’s much more addictive than just a monthly excursion.

“I go once a week or more at least. It depends on the snow and the conditions.”

On those trips, Neis said that he has seen elk, deer, a lynx and Ptarmigan birds so close to him that he nearly mistook them for patches of snow because of their pure white, winter feathers.

“It’s such a kick to get out there and sit on top of a mountain that 99.9 percent of the people will never get to see. And if you see it just once, you’ll never forget it,” Neis said, suggesting that Buena Vista has one of the best trail systems in the state. “It’s just gorgeous. That’s the only problem. You get hooked and you end up spending a lot of money buying an expensive snowmobile.”

But for the picture-book scenery and open terrain he said it’s money well spent.

• The official grooming season begins November 15.
• Club trail rides will be posted thereafter.
• For information contact Ted Neis at 719-395-9251 or visit http://www.snowmobilecolo.com/
• For those new to snowmobiling, Neis suggests making reservations with a rental outfit that provides a guided tour.
• Cottonwood Country Snowmobile Tours offers half-day, full-day and over-night cabin trips.
• Visit http://www.colorado-snowmobile-tours.com/ for more information.


(Originally published in the Buena Vista Winter Adventure Guide)