CONWAY — In some ways, snowmobiling is like the Rodney Dangerfield of local winter sports: it “don't get no respect.”

Local snowmobile rental operators are hoping to change that perception, saying they would like to work with the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce to better market the region's hundreds of miles of trails.

With this month's recent snowfall, things are looking up for local snowmobile businesses after a poor snow season last year and a nearly snowless December.
Many proponents say along with the area's alpine and ski touring trails, the Mount Washington Valley is a viable winter destination for families who not only ski, and shop, but who might like to try snowmobiling while they're here.

Hotels such as the North Conway Grand, White Mountain Hotel and Golden Oaks have partnered with snowmobile operators in the past.
But even more could be done, say some operators.   “Some areas get it, but it could be better, especially in North Conway,” says Terry MacGillivray of the newly renamed and expanded Northeast Snomobile Rentals of Fryeburg, Maine.

“I do a lot of my own marketing with inns,” says Peter Gagne of Northern Extremes of Bartlett, “but I think as far as the community, I would love to see more hotels on the [Route 16 strip] in North Conway get involved. I don't think they even realize what they could get for business if they marketed lodging and snowmobiling packages more.”

The chamber is open to such ideas, notes executive director Janice Crawford.  “This traditionally has always been a ski town,” said Crawford, “so there is a certain level of camaraderie that needs to be continually built between the alpine and Nordic community and the snowmobile industry. Perhaps it is time for a meeting — just as we have worked with the ski areas, golf courses and cycling, we are more than happy to sit down and work with [the operators] to support any lodging and snowmobiling packages they would like to create.”

A problem in the past, she said, was that some lodging properties felt that the cost of the packages was too prohibitive, given the cost of renting snowmobiles.
Many local properties also do not have the room for snowmobile trailers, Crawford said, noting that towns further north such as Twin Mountain and Colebrook do embrace snowmobilers.

“We believe it is a good market, although there are some infrastructure issues regarding accessibility that we need to work through,” notes Crawford.

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Skiing is the state's official sport, and alpine and cross-country skiing are the backbone of Mount Washington Valley's winter, tourism-dependent economy, but snowmobiling is nearly as important economically statewide.

According to a report prepared for the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association in 2003, snowmobile travel parties had direct spending within New Hampshire of about $453 million, and direct and indirect spending of approximately $666 million.
That lags behind skiing — a study prepared for Ski NH during the record 2007-08 winter showed a total of $940 million dollars spent by guests visiting New Hampshire ski areas.  Yet snowmobiling's economic impact is still significant.


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Mount Washington Valley is home to several of New Hampshire's 115 snowmobile clubs: Snoward Bound Snowmobile Club of East Conway; White Mountain Trail Club of Glen; the Scrub Oak Scramblers of Madison; Mountain Meadow Riders of North Conway; and Ossipee Valley Snowmobile Club of West Ossipee.

The region is serviced by at least seven snowmobile rental and/or sales operators, including:
• A Better Life Snowmobile Tours and Rentals, Bartlett (374-0952).
• Northeast Snowmobile Rentals, Fryeburg (207) 935-1220.
• Northern Extremes Snowmobile Rentals, Bartlett (374-6000).
• Town and Country - snowmobile sales, East Conway (939-2698).
• Barton's Motorsports - snowmobile sales, Tamworth (323-8054).
• Profile Powersports - snowmobile sales, Conway (447-5855).
Guided tours are offered by most to Corridor 19 and snowmobiling areas in the surrounding White Mountain National Forest. Riders also head east to Maine, or south to the Lakes Region.

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Operators will tell you that there's no business like snow business.  All hailed this month's snowfall. Unlike alpine resorts, after all, snowmobilers don't have the luxury of snowmaking on their trails.  While sales are flat, or down, interest in riding has returned.

“Rentals are good,” notes Northern Extremes' Gagne of Bartlett. “Last year, due to the poor snow and early spring, things were very challenging.”
Gagne said trails in North Conway only had 14 days of grooming last year.   Bartlett, meanwhile, had more snow last season, but Gagne still had to end the season March 20.  “Usually we are able to rent at least through April 1, as we are in the shade of Bear Notch,” said Gagne. When it rains in North Conway, it often snows in Bartlett, he says, due to the Bear Notch effect. “The 10 miles between here and North Conway make a difference.”

Like Northeast Snowmobile Rentals of Fryeburg, and Profile Motorsports of Conway, Northern Extremes opened a second location farther north to access the snow. Northern Extreme now has a second location at Bretton Woods. Profile has a rental location in Colebrook, and Northeast Snowmobile has a second location in Gorham.

It's a matter of going where the snow has been the past two seasons.  “We opened a second location at Bretton Woods. Riding was extremely busy over New Year's weekend — I have never seen that many sleds. One report was that there were 450 trailers on Route 302 in Twin Mountain that weekend,” said Gagne.

Northeast Snowmobile has invested approximately $300,000 into its revamped and renamed business this year, according to MacGillivray.  In addition to new sleds and a second location, MacGillivray says Northeast Snowmobile has invested in a new high-tech GPS Fleet tracking system which enables him to track all of his company's sleds when they are out on the trails.

“Fryeburg Snowmobile has completely reinvented ourselves this year,” says MacGillivray of Northeast. “Our GPS Fleet tracking system is unique to New England, and perhaps in the United States.”  Should a sledder call from the trail, saying he or she is in trouble, the system allows Northeast to track their location via GPS.  “This is huge in terms of safety as each of our sleds has GPS technology now. It also allows people to come in after their ride, and we can show them where they went that day,” said MacGillivray.

New sleds are also the norm at Profile, Northern Extremes and A Better Life Snowmobile Tours and Rentals, also in Bartlett.  Richard Wilczek of A Better Life Snowmobile Tours and Rentals echoed that business has picked up with the snow.  “It's slow midweek, but the snow does bring the people back. This year started kind of late, due to the lack of snow, but we're hoping for a good February vacation week.”

All liveries say that they cater to families and everyone who wants to give snowmobiling a try.  “Our market is a family market. Mom may want to shop; other members of the family may want to go cross country or alpine skiing; dad may want to try snowmobiing. The fact that you can do it all here makes for a nicer vacation community,” said A Better Life's Wilczek.

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Snowmobile Facts