As the Pemberton Valley Snowmobile Club prepares to host its annual general meeting tonight (Nov. 5), current treasurer Heather Gamache said she expects few changes for the upcoming season of snowmobiling in the area, other than a possible increase in use of some trails because of closures related to the Olympics.

The Pemberton group, which regularly grooms the Rutherford Creek trail that climbs into the thrilling Pemberton Icefield, is also described by Gamache as “basically a social club of people who snowmobile” that has a history of supporting the Canadian Avalanche Association through awareness events and a financial commitment.

Snowmobiling remains a popular winter sport that brings people and business to the area, Gamache noted.

In the season ahead, Gamache expects that “we shouldn’t have any change in our access” in the Rutherford trail and parts north of Whistler, despite the Olympics. But more of the Whistler riders could saddle up and head further north than usual, she surmised, and it’s not clear what will happen to the people who come up from the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

“We’ll see this year how many of those people end up coming past Whistler,” Gamache said.

Meanwhile, the Powder Mountain Snowmobiling and Outdoor Recreation Club is coping with the closure of the Brandywine-area parking lot from Feb. 1 to March 22, 2010, and possibly limited use of the lot in January and the end of March, due to Olympic operational needs.

Longtime club president Nelson Bastien said many riders have headed to the Brandywine area since the Callaghan area has been closed to snowmobilers, and they have a “very good trail in the Brandywine, a lot of it paid for by government” for getting up into the beautiful backcountry.

The government has put in $85,000, and the Powder Mountain club $58,000, for clearing and creating the Brandywine lot, Bastien said. But the Olympic operations will close the lot during the typically busiest months of February and March, displacing an estimated 125 to 150 riders and losing some $30,000 of parking fees for the club’s projects, Bastien said.

“On a good day, we can have 100 riders in our parking lot,” he said, adding that the club has received some compensation in a small way.

Snowmobilers can go north to the Rutherford or south to Chance Creek, he said, but he’s not hopeful about the amount of room for riders around Chance Creek. Bastien said he and Doug McDonald, the dedicated club vice-president, might set up the booth at the parking lot in December and January, if there’s snow, to sell memberships and help generate interest in the B.C. Snowmobile Federation (BCSF), but if the use isn’t there, it might not be worth it.

He also has concerns about the state of the lot after all the activities, saying, “I will drive my motor home right onto the front steps” in Victoria if it isn’t fixed after the Games.

Last year, the Powder Mountain club had about 125 members, including about half locals from the corridor, while the Pemberton club drew about 115 members.

“It was higher this year than the year before,” Gamache said of the Pemberton club’s membership.

The Powder Mountain club has also spent about $1,000 for a GPS survey of its whole route, intending to produce a map of the Brandywine area, including the locations of the club’s two emergency shelters.

“It’s going to be a really nice map when it’s done,” Bastien said.

The Pemberton club also runs an emergency shelter maintained by volunteers, Gamache said.

Fees for the Pemberton club for this season will depend on the decisions of the new executive to be selected at Thursday’s AGM, Gamache said, but last year’s rate was $100 for membership. Members get access to the Rutherford trail, which the club has groomed at least once a week. Non-BCSF members pay $15 for use of the trail and BCSF members through clubs other than Pemberton pay $10.

Bastien said the Powder Mountain club charges $100 for a season’s pass, giving access to the Brandywine riding and club membership.