Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Old Forge and Snowmobiling

I'd like to address a subject that keeps coming up here ~ Old Forge and snowmobiling.

I too, at one time thought that the area existed just for snowmobiling, until I returned during the other seasons of the year. The Old Forge area has been a vacation destination for over one hundred years, long before snowmobiling.

Old Forge has seasonal businesses like The Enchanted Forest/Water Safari, Old Forge Lake Cruises, cabin colonies or the gift shops on Main Street, that close for the winter.

Will Old Forge fall off the face of the earth without snowmobiling? No. Will some businesses? Maybe. If you're a snowmobile dealer or parts store, you'd better believe you're going out of business without snowmobilers. Places like Stillwater Hotel, the Stillwater Shop or Norridgewock in Beaver River which was established in 1911, all riding destinations, would most likely feel the impact more so than say, a restaurant here in Old Forge. Snowmobile patrons are a big part of their business base. Would they go out of business? I don't know, I can't speak for them, but I'm sure they'd feel the impact. I can speak for Christy's Motel, would I go out of business without snowmobiling? No. Would I notice a difference in the bottom line? All depends on the year, this winter I'll be happy to break even and other winters I've made a few bucks after all the bills where paid. Summer is the strongest season for me, but that doesn't mean winter isn't an important part of the puzzle.

The fact is, snowmobiling and all tourism has an impact on everyone that lives, owns property or runs a business in the Town of Webb. Every cent that is spent here helps support our local economy and the sales tax money that is returned to the town helps by reducing property taxes. It AFFECTS ALL OF US, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, some more than others and if you think any differently you are a fool.

Please no personal attacks on people/businesses or I'll delete the post.
Can we all play nicely on the snow pile now?

42 comments:

  1. hey people, take a look at JOE BASTARDI LONG RANGE FORCAST this guy is mostly correct in his forecasts. he did say that 1st half winter was going to be mild. log on to the website above i think you all will like it----even you downers out there----------JERRY

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  2. You the Man STEVE...............
    Well said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Thanks for everything.

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  3. Right on Steve! Thanks for all you do, you make all of our days a little easier to deal with.

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  4. I have snowmobiled in Old Forge for the last 16 years. I too learned that there is more to the area then just Dec-Mar. In 2005 I was lucky enough to become a home owner in the area. Snow or no snow I visit old forge frequently during the winter, I know that for some staying in a hotel waiting for the snow to fly isnt that exciting, but remember that a weekend in Old Forge hoping for snow is better then a weekend spent at home doing chores and having to deal with those pain in the ass friends and family. There are some great people in Old Forge, go up and ride a bar stool cause its better then sitting at home complaining about the conditions.

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  5. Nice....wish it was snowing.

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  6. can we get a snow pile to play on?

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    Replies
    1. There's one out front...but it's not very big.

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  7. Very well said! Thank you!

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  8. hey no more weekend permits up there? pay 80.00 a sled to ride on sand all year what's up!

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    1. 7 day permits are still an option for $45.00.

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    2. We were up two weeks ago and had a great time! Sand? Dud you make a wrong turn somewhere?

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  9. any chance of riding the inner trials this weekend?

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  10. Yippy! Snow is coming, it's gonna be a great 7 week run! Yipppppy!

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  11. How much is the trail pass for Old Forge

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    1. You can find info here:
      http://oldforgeny.com/snow/permits.html

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  12. Has anyone heard how trail 10 is? I heard it was rough, but what are they going to do about the water hole?

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    1. Trail 10 is a state trail. So the town is limited on what upgrades if any can be done to it.

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    2. I rode trail 10 over the weekend, all in all it really was not bad no water hole everything was frozen. not that bumpy either.

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    3. On Jan 30th there was a pretty good size water hole on trail 10 to pass through and I have been concerned that it has gotten worse with the warm-ups. I am glad to hear it has frozen over...thank you.

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    4. See....this is a productive conversation abou trail conditions! Great job.

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  13. My family and i love the town of old forge and i ride there every year. I stay at various locations and patron many resturants in the town. I have to be honest though and tell you that when i ride with the guys, we go to tug hill. I try and convince them that forge is a much nicer area with nice people and better establshments. They all say that they would go to old forge if it were not for the permits and to be honest, I can not argue with them. We travel a long way, spend a lot on gas, oile, parts, food, hotels. We all belong to clubs that are supposed to help clubs with grooming and other expenses.
    Like I said, I go to OF every year anyway and pay the permit fee anyway, but times are hard and people are looking to stretch their dollars as far as possiblr and permit fees are an easy cut. I think you guys can def drum up additional busines if you do something about the permits or at least offer the 2 dayer again. You will make for the lost revenues by more volume.
    Quebec canada is even offering free permits for this upcoming weekend. They are using this as an opportunity to get new yorkers to try their trails. I am not one of them because i dont like to have to lock up everything i own when it is out of site, but others dont care and may never return. You guys can do the same and get those dollars from other establishments on the hill. Trust your product! Its the best in new york. Stop chasing people away because of permits! Oh see you presidents weekend with my family.

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    1. I say double the permit fees. That way all the yahoos with their Loud pipe usin, mohawk helmet havin, throttle rip rappin, left side drivin morons will stay on the hill!

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    2. a seven day pass is a joke up there.mabey you get to ride one day.the rest of the time all you get to do is see plow trucks scraping and sanding the roads to death.can't get to the trails and can't get out of them!

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  14. What needs to happen, is a "pipeline," from Tug to Old Forge, as the crow flies, flat, very few turns, and little road crossing. I mean, a snowmobile expressway, where riders can enjoy both places/dif. topography w/out having to limp through crap and bumps to get to the other. It's really not that hard if you look at a map.

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    1. there is one here now!!!!!!!!!! it's a state truck trail and fire lane.across from bill martins place. it comes out in bradinham 17 miles.!!!!!!!!!!!. but it will never happen because casey can't sand it.

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  15. Hey there...easy on the loud pipe comment..I have one of the loudest pipes in history but no goofy mohawk helmet..haha

    I hate tug hill....

    sb

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  16. I can assure you that none of us have modified sleds. We are all respectfu guys in out 40`s to 60`s just looking to ride and have fun. I can't imagine that the folks in old forge would rather we ride and spend our dollars on the hill.
    Like I said, I still enjoy and ride old forge and will be there (snow willing) over presidents weekend, but id love to ride there all the time but cannot convince guys without pipes and mohawk helmets that they should spend for the permits. And before the cheap comments fly, trust me when I say that these guys are far from cheap and will spend plenty. But I just cannot convince them to spend on permits when they are already paying club fees

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    1. A trail permit of $65 / season is cheap if you compare it to a pass at a ski resort for one day. tug's trails are not maintained as well as TOW. plus the real problem is the amount you need to pay this communist state of $100/ sled w/o club fees $45 with just to register it. But that is another story for another forum! lol

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  17. We'll be up this Thursday night with our friends to ride the bar stools throughout the weekend! Looking forward to it!

    Barb

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  18. Hey Pinky, Where are ya? lol

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  19. Hey..I'm a communist....eaaasy..

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  20. Steve, I have great respect for all your work with the web cams and the upkeep of this website's videos/blog, which I understand to be volunteer and self-funded. You always are very fair in your reviews and comments...about trails or otherwise. There will always be people who want to complain about things. I just wanted you to know that we truly appreciate your hard work. THANK YOU!!!!!

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  21. Can't predict the weather, make the best of what you got. Rode there this weekend . Seen it better but also have seen it a helluva lot worse. Inner trails were beautiful, some of the main trails were getting a workout. Still managed 140 miles in a day and a half. Thanks for a great time, Steve!

    Room 16

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  22. I have wanted to get these comments up for a couple of weeks, and Steve has touched on some of the same things I wanted to address. Like Steve I own a business in Old Forge. Some of the comments going back a week or so attributed to business owners don't ring true. On the outside chance a owner here spoke that way they would certainly be a minority and pretty short sighted. Like Steve said summer is the big season and that is primarily due to summer visits being fairly steady all week and winters season is pretty much weekends (some long). I also would guess that this year is very tough on the Stillwater/Beaver River area, especially Beaver River as they do not get the summer traffic of other areas. A simple math lesson for those who think we would rather drain the pipes or don't care about the one day (we know it's more) a week snowmobilers spend money. Anyone new enough to a business in Old Forge to have a mortgage bought that business based on its value which in part is determined by income. That income included winters better than this one. Winter income is important to more businesses than you may think. To think we don't care about snowmobilers is a joke. Besides it's a lot more fun to have people around that have been out enjoying a ride rather than listen to the wind blow through the tress or play computer games. Now, someone like Steve who has been around a long time probably can ride out a bad winter better than some. He probably has had to drop down to sirloin from filet mignon while the rest of us are chowing hot dogs with spam starting to look good.

    That said I would guess some or all of the comments that may have ruffled the feathers of some of our winter guest are just some cranky guy that didn't take a chance on the conditions and wants to spread the misery by stirring the pot. Maybe next I'll take a stab at (comments) the roads and Casey.

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  23. Right on Steve and D I. Sure hit the nail on the head. Been comming to Old Forge for 25 years and fell in love with the place. Steve and D I Thanks for all you do and to all the business owners in the area, i give you a round of applaus.

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  24. Nice support article Steve. I am "New Yorker" from another area that is suffering from a low snow season too! We were up there on 2/3 & 2/4 for out 1st ride of the season. We rode 120 miles and had a great time. There are no complaints The people/area are all fantastic! Just travel up there if you want to ride and enjoy what we/they have, when we/they have it. Complaining does nothing.

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  25. I always enjoyed riding old forge but could never get my friends to go cause of the trail permits I just hope they dont raise the permit fare next season to make up for this topical winter that we are having

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  26. I am more than happy to purchase a trail permit to ride in Old Forge and the surrounding towns. The best times my family has ever had is riding in OF. My husband has tried riding in VT where you pay $150 for a permit and the trails and atmosphere can't hold a candle to Old Forge. We'd rather be there with or without snow. I'll keep doing my snow dance!

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  27. My grandparents had a cabin on Rondaxe Rd. since 1959 and sold it due to rise of taxes and the death of my grandparents. I spent just about every summer there (I have never been there during winter, I'm from FL) from 1972 until my last visit in 2001. We are planning a visit the first week in August. The first motel that came to mind was Christy's! Hopefully we will be able to stay there, and will be calling in a couple days to make the reservation. Old Forge will always hold a special place in my heart.

    Michelle

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  28. Hi Michelle,

    Thanks for thinking of Christy's for your upcoming trip. I'm not sure when you plan on being in the area. But if it is over a weekend you may want to call ahead for a room. As we book almost a month out in the summer on weekends. You are going to see some changes to the area if you haven't been here since 2001. For the most part I would say they are good changes.

    Steve

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