| DATE 03/21/2007 7:15 AM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. 11th Annual Snowmobile ‘Shootout’ Set for March 30 – April 1 |
| Eleven years ago, Bruce Kahlhamer came up with an idea: every year, around his birthday, he’d gather in Utah with some of his clients for a snowmobile “shootout.”
Kahlhamer owns PSI Power Inc., now located in Ogden, which manufactures high performance equipment for snowmobiles, motocross and ATVs. The company used to be based in Wisconsin and had clients all over the United States. Every now and then, customers liked to get together to test their latest creations. “Everyone was building faster and faster machines,” he says. “They wanted to see how they compared and competed against what others were building.” So Kahlhamer chose Sanpete County’s Skyline Drive, located up Fairview Canyon, as the meeting place. Every year, clients from all over the country would travel to the region for the annual “shootout” where snowmobilers travel at a high rate of speed and race each other up hills. Kahlhamer eventually moved his business to Utah, and the ‘shootout’ became an official event. This year’s 11th annual Skyline Snowmobile Shootout will be held March 30 to April 1. The free event is open to the general public. “It all started as a gathering for a customer base,” he says. “Every year, it got more and more competitive. Pretty soon, it became a full-blown, annual event and now, upwards of 500 to 1,000 people from all over the United States come out to race one another or just to watch the action.” The popular weekend event includes plenty of “shootouts,” where riders can go as fast as 120 miles per hour, as well as other activities like snowmobile rides, drag races and hill climbs. Turbo and nitrous sleds “will be the norm,” Kahlhamer says. There is no set schedule for the events, as most of the races are impromptu, he adds. Friday usually is the “gathering and catching up day,” and most of the shootouts are held on Saturday, with Sunday being a “packing up” day. Kahlhamer says he originally selected Sanpete County for its central location, “people come from all over the mid-west and even Canada.” It also was chosen for its great terrain and “lots of parking places.” “It really has worked out as the ideal location. For more information on the event, contact Kahlhamer at (801) 393-1010. More information about PSI is available online at: http://www.psipowerinc.com/ # # # |
| For more information Contact:
Monte Bona |
Snowmobilers to ‘Shootout’ at Fairview Canyon March 30 – April 1
| DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Snowmobilers to ‘Shootout’ at Fairview Canyon March 30 – April 1 |
| Some 600 to 800 snowmobiling enthusiasts from the United States and Canada will gather in Fairview March 30 to April 1 for the 10th annual Skyline Snowmobile Shootout
“People come from all over to attend this event,” says organizer Bruce Kahlhamer, who owns PSI in Ogden. “We get riders from Wisconsin, Minnesota and even from Canada. Sometimes they drive eight to 20 hours straight to get here.” The popular weekend event is held at the top of Fairview Canyon at the end of Skyline Drive. It includes plenty of “shootouts,” where snowmobilers travel at a high rate of speed and race each other up hills. “People tend to race against those who have similar makes of snowmobiles, so everyone gets a chance and there is something for everyone. So bring your sleds and enjoy a couple of days,” Kahlhamer says. There is no set schedule for the events, as most of the races are impromptu, he adds. People tend to start gathering around mid-morning and stay throughout the day. Kahlhamer says the shootout started casually about a decade ago. “Friends and customers would get together for some fun and for some racing, and every year, it got more and more competitive. Pretty soon, it became a full-blown, annual event where people started coming out with their high-performance snowmobiles.” In addition to races and other activities, producers such as Yamaha will be on hand to display the latest sleds and equipments. For more information on the event, contact Kahlhamer at (801) 393-1010. # # # |
| For more information Contact:
Monte Bona |
Fairview, Ephraim Gearing up for Snowmobile ‘State Ride’
| DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Fairview, Ephraim Gearing up for Snowmobile ‘State Ride’ |
| Brian Howarth loves snowmobiling. He also enjoys helping to make a difference in people’s lives, especially children. On February 23 & 24, he will get the opportunity to combine his two loves by taking part in the Utah Snowmobile Association State Ride and Winter Festival being held in Ephraim and Fairview.“This is a great opportunity for the snowmobile community and our community to work together for a great cause,” says Howarth, president of the Skyline Sno-Riders, which is helping put on the event. The local club has twice been named “Snowmobile Club of the Year” by the Utah Snowmobiling Association and was awarded this honor for a third time again this year. In 2006 the Skyline Sno-Riders was the second-largest club in the state.He added that people do not need to be a member of any snowmobiling club to attend the two-day event.
Highlights include an Ephraim Canyon Charity Fund Raising Ride and Poker Run Friday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. All proceeds raised will be given to the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation. Later that evening there will be a dinner and games at the Fairview Senior Citizen Hall. On Saturday, Feb. 24, there will be snowmobile drag races starting at 8 a.m. near the Rodeo Grounds. The Fairview Canyon ride will begin at 9 a.m. at the canyon’s trail head. In addition, Fairview city will host vendors of outdoor equipment and an OHV Training class for 8 to 16 year olds Saturday afternoon. There will also be chilli “cook off” that afternoon and a Dutch Oven dinner and live entertainment open to the public at the Fairview Dance Hall that night. In addition, the Skyline Sno-Riders Club will continue its “Operation Care Bear” tradition of collecting new stuffed bears to give to law enforcement agencies to pass on to children after an accident or other incident. Donations may be dropped off at local hospitals, city offices, sheriff’s office or county building. Last year 900 bears were given out to needy children. The state ride and winter fest are expected to attract people from all over Utah and the inter mountain west. This is the third straight year that the Utah Snowmobiling Association has chosen to hold its “State Ride” in Fairview. “Simply put, it has some of the best riding in the entire country,” as stated in a recent four page article in “SnoWest” magazine, Howarth says. Fairview also has a paved canyon road that leads to a trail head that provides access to more than 50 miles of trails to the north at Skyline Drive and some 30 miles to the south to Joe’s Valley. There is also a paved parking lot and warming shelters. The great access, coupled with the great snow and diversity in the riding terrain made it a prime choice, Howarth says. Howarth moved to Fairview from Utah County a few years ago and his entire family got involved in the Skyline Sno-Riders. The family also started several charity events tied to snowmobiling that have raised food and funds for the local food bank. Howarth, his wife, Miko, his mother Darlene, and father, Clyde Mortensen, were also named the state’s top snowmobiling family of the year in 2004. The Sno-Riders worked to establish a trailhead up Fairview Canyon; including putting in a paved parking lot, as well as a warming shelter located about 15 miles away from the trail entrance that is kept well-stocked throughout the season, which typically runs from December through April. During the off-season, the Sno-Riders also sponsors other events such as trail clean ups, an “adopt a highway” program and are also involved in working with the Forest Service to create another paved parking lot at the area know as “Big Drift” as well as enlarging the Skyline North parking lot next spring. For information on the Feb. 23 & 24 rides, call Barbara Collard: 801-568-7000 (cell) or 801-254-6580. Reservations are required for the Saturday evening dinner at the Fairview Dance Hall as seating is limited. Cost is $19 per person. Call 435-427-3353 for reservations. More information is also available online at www.skylinesno-riders.com and the Utah Snowmobile Association website at www.snowut.com or by phoning Brian at 435-427-3620 or by email, bhow@cut.net or bhowarth@utah.gov. http://www.skylinesno-riders.com http://www.snowut.com # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
Snowmobiling State Ride Coming Up, Sanpete’s Great Outdoors Making Headlines, Hitting the ‘Waves’
DATE 01/17/2005 7:15 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.
Snowmobiling State Ride Coming Up, Sanpete’s Great Outdoors Making Headlines, Hitting the ‘Waves’
The Utah Snowmobile Association’s annual “State Ride” is coming up Feb. 24 & 25, and Fairview Canyon is the chosen site for this year’s festivities.
The ride couldn’t come at a better time. Sanpete County’s many outdoor recreation opportunities are making the headlines of national newspapers these days and being broadcast over the airwaves.
The snowmobiling event is expected to attract people from all over the state. It will include back country and groomed trail rides, a “poker ride,’ a special dinner, winter carnival, door prizes and more.
Fairview Canyon will be the gateway to it all.
Brian Howarth, president of the Skyline Sno-Riders, the local snowmobiling organization that has twice been named “Snowmobile Club of the Year” by the Utah Snowmobiling Association, said Fairview was chosen for several reasons. It has some of the best trails in the entire country. It also has a paved canyon road that leads to a trail head that provides access to more than 50 miles of trails to the north at Skyline Drive and some 30 miles to the south to Joe’s Valley. There is also a paved parking lot and warming shelters.
The great access, coupled with the great snow and diversity in the riding terrain made it a prime choice, he said. For information on the state ride, contact Howarth at (435) 427-3620 or Darlene Mortensen at 427-3353. Information is also available on the websitewww.skylinesno-riders.com.
The ride comes on the heels of a story in a national newspaper that focused on the outdoor opportunities of another spot in Sanpete County, Skyline Drive.
Earlier this month, the New York Times printed an article on the sport of “snowkiting,” mentioning that one of the “hot spots” for the increasingly popular sport is Skyline Drive.
In addition, new radio and television advertisements will be drumming up even more enthusiasm for the region. The Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council has teamed up with KUTV outdoors reporter Doug Miller for a new marketing campaign aimed at spreading the word about the outdoor sports opportunities in Sanpete County. The ads focus on the fact that there are year-round options, including snowmobiling and skiing in the winter to boating, horseback riding and golf in the warmer months.
# # #
For more information Contact:
Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502
‘Hood’ Business Taking Snowmobilers to New Heights
| DATE 12/23/2005 1:54 PM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. ‘Hood’ Business Taking Snowmobilers to New Heights |
| This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council about the people and places in Sanpete County and along U.S. Highway 89, the Heritage Highway.
Scott Stevens is an avid snowmobiler who never liked the look, fit or weight of retail snowmobile hoods. He also didn’t like the high price tag. So a few years ago, he decided to take matters into his own hands and design his own. At the time, Stevens was working with his father, Grant, erecting steel buildings. He also previously owned a sporting good and snowmobile store. Every night after work, he and his family would spend time in the garage and basement designing and working on lightweight snowmobile hoods. Stevens’ always felt that if snowmobiles weighed less, they would get more speed, allowing them to go faster and climb higher. He decided the fastest, cheapest and easiest way for a sled to “lose weight” was in the hood. Stevens’ wife, Stephanie, calls his theory “Go Where No Other Snowmobile Has Gone Before.” Indeed, the lightweight hoods Stevens designed allowed him to reach previously unreachable heights and speeds. He never intended for his hood-building hobby to become a business. But people who saw the lightweight hoods would ask Stevens about them, and soon they were requesting that he build one for them. So in 2001, Stevens decided to make it his full-time passion and opened up Diamond S Manufacturing at 450 South 50 East in Ephraim. The company produces snowmobile hoods that weigh about six pounds, significantly lighter than retail hoods that weigh between 18 to 25 pounds. Aluminum tubing is used for the frame, along with a special ballistics material, and fabric called mesh for the covering. The fabrics are heat tolerant, breathable and good-looking, Stevens says, adding they are tested for durability by being baked in an oven, pulled on, run over by a car and washed about 100 times. “The mesh was extremely important because is has to shed the powdery snow and water and allow air flow to keep the clutches and belts cool, which increases machine performance,” he says. Stevens also designs the frames, welds them and creates and sews the fabric patterns. In addition, he designs and manufactures a Titanium Tube Chassis. The weight of an average chassis is about 80 to 100 pounds, but a Titanium Chassis is only about 35 to 40 pounds. This November, the company also started building many other lightweight parts as well as ready- to- ride snowmobiles, some producing up to 300 horsepower. The company also teamed up with Boondocker Inc. of Idaho to build the first-ever side mount turbo kit for the new Yamaha Apex and RX1. Diamond S now has two full-time employees and three part-time employees as well as a lot of family cooperation and help. Stevens says as recently as 10 years ago, the average sled couldn’t make it up a canyon road, depending upon snow conditions. “However, just like most everything else, snowmobiles have become so sophisticated and improved that you can climb some hills you don’t dare come back down,” he says. “There was a time when the Bluebell Ski Run hill up Ephraim Canyon was a BIG hill. Now some sleds go up and over the top without even going full throttle.” Stephanie Stevens jokes these are the riders who are “not very smart.” In fact, she is known to tell out-of-town riders that if want to follow her husband on a snowmobile, it might be hazardous to their health. The Stevens live in Ephraim with their four children: Skyler, 15; Sydney, 14; Shalynn, 10; and Shantel, 9. Snowmobiling is a huge attraction in Sanpete County, and one of the most popular events is the Fairview Shoot Out, which takes place up Fairview Canyon every March or April. Snowmobilers come from all over the United States and Canada to race and hill climb. Stevens and his hand-built custom sled can be found there. For the past two years, he has been the undefeated winner of the longest wheelie ever ridden on a snowmobile. For more information on Diamond S. Manufacturing, contact Stevens at (435) 283-4709. # # # |
| For more information Contact:
Monte Bona |
Fairview Chosen for ‘State Ride,’ Local Snowmobiling Enthusiasts Gearing Up
DATE 11/14/2005 4:29 PMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.
Fairview Chosen for ‘State Ride,’ Local Snowmobiling Enthusiasts Gearing Up
Sanpete County’s Fairview Canyon has been selected as the location for the Utah Snowmobile Association’s annual “State Ride” to be held early next year.
The selection probably comes as no surprise to snowmobiling enthusiasts across the state. Not only does the Fairview region boast some of the best trails in the entire country, but it’s also home to award-winning “snowmobile families”, clubs and dealerships.
Brian Howarth knows a bit about the secrets of the region’s success. He is president of the Skyline Sno-Riders, the local snowmobiling organization that has twice been named “Snowmobile Club of the Year” by the Utah Snowmobiling Association. He also is one of the members of last year’s “Snowmobile Family of the Year,” another annual honor bestowed by the state association, and a long-time outdoors enthusiast.
To Howarth, who has been snowmobiling for more than 20 years, there is no better snowmobiling in the area than what is found in Fairview Canyon. “I think it’s because there is such diversity in the riding terrain. There are a lot of groomed trails, plus there is plenty of back country to explore,” he says.
Snowmobiling enthusiasts will get a good chance to experience both types of terrain during the annual Utah Snowmobile Association’s State Ride Feb. 24 and 25th. The event will also include a “poker ride”, special dinner, winter carnival and more, and Fairview Canyon will be the gateway to it all.
“It’s kind of a hidden secret,” Howarth says of the offerings provided by Fairview Canyon.
A paved canyon road leads to a trail head that provides access to more than 50 miles of trails to the north at Skyline Drive and some 30 miles to the south to Joe’s Valley. The combination of fresh snow and access to fabulous routes keep people coming back year after year.
“More and more people are finding out about it,” says Howarth, who moved to Fairview from Utah County about two years ago. His family had a cabin in the canyon and spent years snowmobiling in and around the area. After he married, he and his wife decided they wanted the “small town experience” and moved to the area permanently.
After moving there, Howarth and his entire family got involved in the Skyline Sno-Riders. Eventually, he became president and his mother, Darlene Mortensen, became secretary. Membership and interest has more than quadrupled since then, and the group now has some 130 members. “We are now the second largest club in the state,” Howarth says. “We are very family oriented, we have members of all ages and work hard to teach all of our members how to ride safe and respect the land on which they ride.”
Howarth’s family also started several charity events tied to snowmobiling that have raised food and funds for the local food bank. Last year, they raised 1,000 pounds of food. Their efforts are one of the reasons that Howarth, his wife, Miko, his mother, and dad, Clyde Mortensen, were named the state’s top snowmobiling family of the year in 2004.
Howarth and the Sno-Riders worked to establish a trailhead, including putting in a paved parking lot, as well as a warming shelter located about 15 miles away from the trail entrance that is kept well-stocked throughout the season, which typically runs from December through April.
The entire club also gets involved in community and charity events, such as “Operation Care Bear” that involved collecting stuffed animals to give to sheriff’s officers, fire and ambulance workers to pass on to children. During the off-season, the club sponsors other events such as trail clean ups, an “adopt a highway” program. Members also work with the local forest service, parks and recreation and avalanche control to improve and support the land and trails.
This year’s Snowmobile Family of the Year — Ron and Coreen Linton — are also members of the Skyline Sno-Riders.
In addition, Big Pine Sports, located at the mouth of Fairview Canyon, received last year’s “Dealer of the Year” award from the state organization. Owners Glen and Judy Zumwalt are known throughout Utah as the “unofficial source” for snowmobiling conditions in Utah. People call the store just about daily during the season for updates and conditions. Avid snowmobilers themselves, Glen is the past president of the Utah Snowmobile Association, while Judy handles the group’s public relations.
Indeed, Big Pine Sports, the Skyline Sno-Riders, and Howarth and Mortensen families have done a lot of bring notoriety to the canyon. Snowmobiling also has long been a huge benefit for Sanpete County, contributing by means of snowmobiler’s eating in local restaurants, staying in hotels and bed and breakfasts and visiting stores and shops.
Howarth is inviting all outdoor enthusiasts to see just what makes Fairview Canyon such a draw Feb. 24th and 25th during the annual state ride. It’s expected to attract people from all over the state. The event will include back country and groomed trail rides, a dinner, door prizes and more.
For dinner tickets or information, contact Howarth at (435) 427-3620 or Darlene Mortensen at 427-3353. Information is also available on the website www.skylinesno-riders.com .
# # #
For more information Contact:
Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502
Snowmobiler’s Delight in Sanpete County Offerings – Press Release 11/30/04
| DATE 11/30/2004 6:29 AM |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. Snowmobiler’s Delight in Sanpete County Offerings |
| When the weather outside is frightful, snowmobiler’s know that one thing will soon be delightful: the trails in Sanpete County.The region boasts some of the best trails for snowmobiling in the entire country, and the combination of fresh snow and access to fabulous routes keep people coming back year after year, local sporting enthusiasts say.
Snowmobiling enthusiasts should be sure to visit the county this season and check out the Arapeen trail system. The routes, found primarily in the Manti LaSal national forest, have been carefully marked and mapped to ensure that riders find their way around the 370 miles that make up the trail system. The trail system was recently redesigned and includes bridges, culverts and water bars. Another draw is Fairview Canyon. The paved canyon road leads to a trail head that provides access to more than 60 miles of trails to the north at Skyline Drive and some 30 miles to the south to Joe’s Valley. Snowmobiling has long been a huge benefit for Sanpete County, contributing by means of snowmobiler’s eating in local restaurants, staying in our hotels and bed and breakfasts and visiting our stores and shops. # # # |
| For more information Contact:Monte Bona Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council (435) 462-2502 |
