Outdoors

POSTED: Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008

OUTDOORS TIPS: Sno-Park licensing

The Washington Parks and Recreation Commission State coordinates a program of dispersed recreation opportunities for both non-motorized and motorized winter outdoors activities.

The program currently maintains 120 Sno-Park sites (80 dedicated primarily for snowmobiles) offering winter snow play (tubing and sledding), snow hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding or snowmobile options. They are located in the Northwest Cascades, all along the east slope of Cascade Mountains as well as in the Selkirk and Blue Mountains and in the Okanogan region. They are open as snow conditions allow from Dec. 1 through April 30.

Sales of seasonal registrations and permits raise money for trail grooming, trail signs, sanitation facilities, maps, parking lots, snow removal, education and enforcement. A percentage of the state fuel tax augments permit revenues. Funding is provided through annual grants to public agencies and private groups to cooperatively develop and maintain Sno-Park sites. Thousands of hours of volunteer help are critical to keeping this program going, too.

Here's what you'll need to buy and where to get them to use Sno-Parks:

1. On foot

Sno-Park permits (issued by the state parks department) are sold in one-day ($11) or seasonal ($31) versions plus a special groomed trail permit ($31) required for use of nine sno-parks in the state where more frequent grooming is done. These permits must be displayed in the left lower corner windshield of passenger vehicles parked at Sno-Park accesses. Washington Sno-Park permits are honored at Idaho and Oregon Sno-Parks when on Washington street-licensed vehicles.

2. Powered

Privately owned snowmobiles operated in Washington must be registered ($33.75 fee, $15.75 for vintage machines) annually (through the Washington Department of Licensing or an agent) even if operated only on private property. A decal must be affixed to the left side cowling below the windshield on the machine, and a companion Sno-Park permit must be displayed in the lower left corner windshield of the towing vehicle when the machine is used on a Sno-Park site.

3. Vendors

Sno-Park permits can be purchased beginning each Oct. 15 either by mail from the state parks winter recreation program or online at https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/sno/dsnostp0.asp. They can be bought in person at several state parks, national forest or national park offices or from 125 retail dealers around the state. In Bellingham, they are available from Backcountry Essentials, Sportsman's Chalet, Fairhaven Bike and Ski, REI, Joe's Bellingham store or from the Nooksack Nordic's Ski Club. In Glacier, they are available at the federal Glacier Public Service Center.

More information

Some Sno-Park permit vendors also sell more detailed maps of sites in their areas. For more information check out these Web sites and contacts:

* State Parks and Recreation winter recreation program: http://www.parks.wa.gov/winter/

* State Licensing Department snowmobile registration: http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/fees.html

* Nooksack Nordics Ski Club: http://www.nooksacknordicskiclub.org/

* Washington winter recreation advisory committees: (360) 586-6644.

* Sedro-Woolley park and forest service information winter conditions: (360) 856-5700.

Source: Washington Parks and Recreation Commission winter recreation and Sno-Park programs