SEELEY LAKE — Seeley Lake snowmobilers hit the trail to support local outdoor recreation on Sunday. Non-profit Scenic Montana Trails hosted its annual Seeley Lake Fun Run featuring rides, snacks and prizes at the Westside Trailhead.
“Could we use more snow? Yes, but it's a fun, family event,” local snowmobiler Jacqueline Foote said. “We encourage everybody to come out to Seeley Lake and ride in these bluebird skies.”
Scenic Montana Trails, based in Seeley Lake, is a club dedicated to mechanized and motorized recreation. The nonprofit formed from the Seeley Lake Driftriders and the ATV club to unite all sorts of trail riders.
“Our club houses any sport that needs trails, mechanized use: snowmobiles, side-by-sides, mountain bikes, motorcycles, etc.,” President Kurt Friede said.
The club also maintains and grooms more than 450 miles of local trails around Seeley Lake and Greenough. Friede said it is about more than just recreation.
“It's very important for our livelihood in Seeley Lake in the winter to have these trails being maintained and to have our club here, because it brings a whole lot of people into our community in the winter,” he said. “It helps us financially, all the businesses in the community.”
Like much of Western Montana, Seeley Lake saw a warmer winter this year. Some winter activities, including parts of Winterfest, had to be postponed or canceled. There was still plenty of snow to ride, Friede said, and he was grateful.
“We didn't have the snow to work with to make beautiful trails, but our trails stayed pretty sufficient all year. And at least we had trails, because a lot of places in the state never even fired their groomers up,” he said. “It has impacted us, because people do a lot of stuff with visuals. So, when they don't see snow on the ground, they don't think that they can go and do anything.”
While the snow lasts, the riders were making the most of it at the fun run. Jacqueline Foote spent her 60th birthday at Sunday’s event.
“It’s bittersweet, but I wouldn't have another way to spend my birthday, actually, is on the trails and snowmobiling in Seeley Lake,” she said.
Foote said Scenic Montana Trails, and recreation in general, brings a lot to Seeley Lake — for both the locals and visitors.
“It's probably one of the best places to snowmobile in Montana, because of the elevation,” she said. “There's powder, there's tree riding, there's trails for beginner riders. We get a lot of like youngsters out here. I get 12 of my grand-kids out here riding on these trails.”
If the weather stays the consistent, Friede said the club will need to stop grooming the trails soon. While snowmobile season might be coming to an end, there are still plenty of other ways to hit trail. Scenic Montana Trails is even working on building a 27-mile mountain bike trail in the area.
“This is going to be a 365 day-a-year organization,” he said.
