While most families are sitting in a quiet livingroom in front of a warm fire during Christmas vacation, junior Lisa Keller’s family is plowing through the cold snow on snowmobiles. “We usual go up on Sundays and sometimes on Saturdays as a family,” said Keller. “We go up to Canyon Creek, and sometimes on the backside of Big Mountain.” Keller’s family is so involved with snowmobiling that they helped found the Flathead Snowmobiling Association (FSA). “My family started it (the FSA),” said Keller. “My dad (Harold Keller) helped organize it, and it just grew from there.” The continuing expansion of the FSA provides many opportunities for students and their families to enjoy the sport of snowmobiling. “We’re kind of a family association,” said Ryan Lockhart, the president of the FSA. “We have a cabin in Canyon Creek and we have a lot of family cookouts there.” Perhaps the best activity that the FSA sponsors is not the family cookouts, but rather working with Flathead Industries to provide handicapped people the opportunity to experience the excitement of snowmobiling. “We have a deal in Happy Valley where one Saturday a month, we take our sleds out and we give people from Flathead Industries rides,” said Lockhart. “I guess that’s one of the better things we do.” FSA is not the only way students can enjoy snowmobiling. Some students enjoy going on weekend excursions with family and friends. “We (my friends and I) race around lakes and stuff,” said senior Jeff Schuman. “I find it more fun because there is a lot more power to it.” As is the case with many sports, the sense of competition makes people lean towards snowcatting rather than towards traditional sports. Besides the feel of competition, some students search for a winter sport that they can participate in without being bound to the FHS varsity sports system. “It gives you a chance to not be tied into the school,” said senior Mike Byers. For Byers, snowcatting takes precedent over varsity school sports. “Wrestling is during the winter and that’s my favorite time of year,” said Byers, who gave up varsity wrestling during his junior year so he could snowmobile. “So that was my only choice.” Like all winter sports, snowmobiling is expected to suffer this year due to a lackluster snowfall. “I’m thinking that it (the snow) will pick up,” said Edelen. “If it doesn’t, I guess I won’t go as often.” Even with the lack of snowfall in the Flathead Valley, some snowcatter’s devotion are still continuing their hobby as much as possible. “I went up just about every weekend last year,” said Byers. “I’ve already been up twice this year.” With the lack of snow, snowcatters may be forced away from the popular frozen lakes to higher-elevation, steeper places in the mountains. “There’s nowhere near enough (snow) to snowmobile safely,” said vice president of FSA Byran Whitehead. “I’m going to be sad,” said Byers. “Places that we can go this year are limited.” |
