Riding Strong: How Local Snowmobile Clubs Keep Outdoor Recreation Alive in Our Region

By Joshua Smith

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Locals enjoying the Groton forest trails maintained by the Buckaroos of 302 (photo by Jared Mclure)

In the heart of winter, while much of the region settles in under heavy coats and warm fires, a dedicated network of volunteers and outdoor enthusiasts revs up to keep the spirit of outdoor adventure alive. Across the Vermont and New Hampshire borderlands, snowmobile clubs like the Buckaroos of 302 and the Connecticut Valley Snowmobile Club are working tirelessly to maintain trail systems, adapt to weather conditions, and bring communities together through winter recreation.

These clubs, powered almost entirely by volunteers, represent the best of our region’s outdoor tradition — combining land stewardship, collaboration, and a deep love of snowmobiling.

Buckaroos of 302: Trails in Top Condition
In Groton, Vermont, the Buckaroos of 302 have hit peak season stride. According to Trail Master Gary Lamberton, trail conditions are better than ever.

“All our surrounding clubs are now open up,” said Lamberton in a recent interview. “Bailey Hazen Club, Twinfield, The Tops, Ridge Runners, Snow Bees — they’re all open. You can now ride to all destinations right from Groton, Vermont.”

Using a color-coded trail map system, the Buckaroos identify trail status with green (open), yellow (caution), and red (closed). Right now, nearly the entire map is green.

“Everything that’s green is a 10,” Lamberton said proudly. “Jesse Lambert from Lambert Farm's Grooming has put over 1,000 miles on the groomer this season, making sure trails are perfect.”

This level of grooming requires both dedication and endurance. Volunteers spend countless hours navigating snowy forests in heavy equipment to keep trails smooth and safe for riders. “It’s a labor of love,” Lamberton said. “We do it for the riders and for the region.”

Adapting on the Fly
Snowmobiling depends not only on weather but also on landowner cooperation. When a section of corridor 232 between Peacham Pond and Cabot was temporarily closed due to a landownership transition, the Buckaroos didn’t waste time.

“I worked closely with Ross Page of the Bailey Hazen Club,” said Lamberton. “We rerouted the trail through old logging roads and fields. We just cut it out and signed it yesterday.”

These quick pivots are only possible thanks to strong partnerships among clubs and a mutual respect between snowmobilers and landowners. It’s a testament to the cooperative spirit that keeps the VAST (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers) system running smoothly across the state.

Upcoming Event: A Buckaroo Tradition
The Buckaroos are also gearing up for their 47th Annual Dick Page Ride-In, a long-standing community tradition scheduled for Saturday, February 14, starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Groton Highway Garage, near Upper Valley Grill.

“It’s my kind of date,” joked Lamberton, referring to the Valentine’s Day timing. The Groton Fire Department will be serving chicken, and riders from across the region are expected to attend. It’s a time for camaraderie, great food, and celebrating a deep love of the sport.

Connecticut Valley Snowmobile Club: Making the Most of Every Inch
Just across the border in Haverhill, New Hampshire, the Connecticut Valley Snowmobile Club (CVSC) is also working hard — despite challenging snowfall this season.

“We’ve got 65 miles of trails,” said Vice President Dan Ingerson, who helps oversee operations stretching from Bath to Glencliff and over toward Landaff. “It’s been thin in places, but we’re hoping the next storm delivers.”

CVSC trails remain open, though grooming has been paused due to a lack of snow depth. “We need eight inches to start grooming again,” Ingerson explained. “That’s also the state minimum for funding eligibility.”

Despite equipment challenges — including a groomer that recently broke down — spirits remain high. “We got it out of the woods,” Ingerson said, laughing. “Still waiting on parts, though.”

Events that Bring Riders Together
CVSC is also looking forward to two signature winter events.

First up is their Annual Poker Run and Radar Run, taking place Sunday, February 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers a special New Hampshire permit allowing non-residents and unregistered machines to join the loop trail and radar run — a fun way to experience the club’s territory and test your sled’s speed.

The following weekend, on February 21, the club hosts the beloved Clunker Sled Classic, a celebration of vintage and quirky snow machines. “Gates open at 7:00 a.m., green flag drops at 10:30,” Ingerson said. The event includes nine different classes, from juniors to women’s races and the ever-popular “Double Clunker” challenge.

A Region Rooted in Outdoor Tradition
Both of these clubs demonstrate what makes our region so unique: a deep-rooted passion for the outdoors, a commitment to preserving trail systems for future generations, and the kind of volunteer spirit that brings communities together.

Snowmobiling, for many, is more than recreation — it’s a lifestyle, a family tradition, and a powerful connection to the land. Without the dedication of volunteers like Gary Lamberton and Dan Ingerson, or the hard work of groomers like Jesse Lambert, this vital piece of our winter culture would be at risk.

Get Involved
If you're a snowmobiler, landowner, or simply someone who loves winter and wants to support local outdoor initiatives, consider joining a club, volunteering, or donating. Trail maintenance is expensive and labor-intensive, and every bit of support helps.

You can learn more about these clubs or become a member through their websites:

Buckaroos of 302: buckaroosof302.com

Connecticut Valley Snowmobile Club: ctvalleysnowmobileclub.com

Or follow them on Facebook for trail conditions and event updates.

As winter continues, these local snowmobile clubs will be out there — in the cold, in the woods, and on the trails — ensuring that snowmobiling in our region remains as strong and thrilling as ever.

On the New Hampshire side, the groomer worked the trails on January 7th (photo courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Snowmobile Club)

Safety is important, but does not distract from the beautiful trails in the evening in Groton State Forest (photo by Jared Mclure)

Day or night, the groomers are out maintaining the trails in Vermont and New Hampshire. (Courtesy Photo)

Community Rallies To Revitalize The Groton Rail Trail

By Trish Griswold

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Members of the Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club repaired the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge, providing safe, dependable snowmobile access to the Cross Vermont Trail.

GROTON - Neighbors helping neighbors has been a long-standing tradition in the small, rural community of Groton, VT, and newly-elected Selectman Mike Nahmias, who moved to the area in 2017 and has served as Planning Board Chair for several years, has had the privilege of experiencing first-hand the power of many hands making light work for the Town.

“Groton has got a lot of heart,” remarks Nahmias, who estimates that, over the last 50+ years, 250 of the town’s 950 citizens have been directly involved in helping Groton’s Gateway Project, a grass roots economic growth initiative, come to fruition. The intent of the Gateway Project was to upgrade Groton’s portion of the Cross Vermont Trail (CVT), a four-season, multi-use trail network that spans the State of Vermont, east to west from the Connecticut River at the Vermont/New Hampshire border in Wells River to the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington. The CVT follows the railbed in Groton for 10 miles, the longest segment of the CVT in any town.

“Groton is located at the highest elevation on the trail, the summit, and we are a destination for trail users as we have campgrounds, lakes, ponds, hiking trails, and the forest,” explains Nahmias. “I see us as one of the anchor communities along the trail. Having the new surface in both the town and the forest, we really have the best segment at this time along the trail.”

The Gateway Project has been a collaborative effort, states Nahmias, who has spearheaded much of the Project in recent years and shares a common vision for the future of Groton with Gary Lamberton from the Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club, Groton Recreation Commission’s Mike Gaiss, and Greg Western, Executive Director of the Cross Vermont Trail Association (CVTA). “This project was the genesis of several like-minded, hardworking Groton residents who were in the right place at the right time.”

Nahmias also credits previous Groton Selectboards, Planning Commissions, and other Town Officers for “their forethought in acquiring the railbed from the State of Vermont when it was offered to the Town in the 1980s, for putting an ordinance in place to preserve the railbed as a recreational property with limited access for vehicles, and for drafting a Town Plan with goals and strategies that laid the groundwork for the Town to continue to maintain and improve the trail and embrace its presence as an economic driver for town businesses.”

Funding for the Gateway Project was made possible through a $225,000 grant from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC), a state-run program managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD). One of VOREC’s primary goals is to “strengthen connections between Vermont’s outdoor recreation resources and the benefits that come from participation in outdoor recreation.”

According to Nahmias, the Gateway Project is multi-faceted with many different segments. One portion of the project was to regrade sections of the existing railbed, install and replace eight culverts along the railbed, and install two barrier gates. A landslide in 2023 and a major flood in 2024 caused delays to this portion of the project, but townsfolk and volunteers have persevered despite these challenges.

Another key component of the Gateway Project was to build a 60’ by 100’ all-season parking area near the Village Center (at the old stump dump) and a trailhead with 10 parking spaces, making the CVT fully accessible to snowmobilers, bikers, snowshoers, cross country skiers, horseback riders, walkers, runners, dog sledders, etc. Crucial to the project was acquisition of the lower Groton hydroelectric power station property, a 3-acre parcel of land formerly owned by Green Mountain Power, and the development of a master plan for the proposed 12-acre Groton Gateway Park, which includes the former stump dump and gravel pit as well as retention of its current emergency management use.

Signage and wayfinding for the project were completed in collaboration with the CVTA. This included the design and installation of 50 directional signs on the railbed trail, 6 wayfinding signs, one sign on the road, 2 kiosks, 12 winter trail maps, and a digital map of the railbed trail for the Town’s website. Separate from the grant, Nahmais says, the Buckaroos of 302, whom he refers to as “the unsung heroes of the project,” also repaired the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge. These repairs have improved trail accessibility for snowmobilers in the winter months and helped get bikers off Route 302 and onto the trail, increasing safety for everyone.

According to CVTA Board Chair Mike Thomas, the hope is that the newly revitalized rail trail will provide an inviting, safe recreational opportunity for everyone to enjoy the benefits of nature and an active lifestyle. “The Park will be a draw for people to the area, and locals can take advantage of it too with access to the Village of Groton. It ties the community together.”

Former Selectboard Member Deb Jurist is one of many Groton residents who have utilized the CVT for years. “I have been riding my bike on the railroad bed since 1984 when I bought the Stoneshed in Ryegate and built my business, Mountain Meadows Pottery. I have seen a lot of changes over the years for sure. But it still holds true that there is always something to discover on the railroad bed. It might be a green heron, the sound of croakers in the spring, or sumac with leaves in green, yellow and red. The railroad bed never disappoints.”

The revitalized trail, Jurists says, makes for a smoother ride. She recently shared that, decades ago, she and her then 3-year-old daughter nicknamed one of the biggest puddles on the old trail “Sinker.” Thankfully, “Sinker” and the other puddles are gone. “[The railroad bed] is vastly easier to ride on now that it has been upgraded, which makes it much more accessible to me at 75 years old.”

Many local businesses, Vermont-based companies, and community volunteers, including: Berry’s Forest Products, Blue Mountain Excavation, Oliver Landworks, Rise and Run Timber Frames, Robco, SE Group and the Buckaroos of 302, have been instrumental in bringing the Gateway Project to life. “Over 1000 volunteer hours were put into this project,” Nahmias says, “and we couldn’t have done this work without them.”

More information about the CVT, including up-to-date trail maps, are available online at https://crossvermont.org/. Additional information is available on the Groton, VT, website at https://grotonvt.com/.

Repairs to the Stephen Hatch Memorial Bridge have increased safety for nature goers by getting bicycle traffic off the roadway and onto the Cross Vermont Trail.

The “before” picture on the left shows the surface of Groton’s rail trail (between the Village and Pine Mountain) prior to recent changes. The “after” picture on the right shows the revitalized trail roughly one mile east, closer to Pine Mountain.

The newly designed Buckaroos of 302 Snowmobile Club trail map showcases snowmobile trails in Groton as well as other noteworthy landmarks and reference points.