The Oregon Sno-Blazers is a snowmobile club located in the Southwest Quadrant of Dane county that was started in 1970. By 1973 our club had grown to the 3rd largest club in the State of Wisconsin with a membership of 213 people. Meetings were held year round at many locations around the Oregon area. In 1974, some club members along with other skilled workers and equipment from different areas around Dane County came together to build the Dayton Bridge. Once the bridge was completed, they held a picnic at the bridge site where about 170 people came together to help celebrate the occasion.
Since 1974, our club has hosted a annual dance, as well as a land owner appreciation picnic each year. The land owner picnics are our way of showing appreciation for letting us use their land to route our trails across. Without the land owners, we wouldn’t have the trail system that we all enjoy today. We currently have about 40 land owners that we work with each year to organize and plan trail routes.
Since the beginning of our club, we have helped raise money for several non-profit organizations, including Easter Seals, and The March of Dimes, by planning and hosting annual events to help fund these organizations.
We also attend various senate meetings when there are Bills or Laws that may affect snowmobiling. An example of this is in 1973 Senate bill 350 was presented. This was a bill that would have prohibited snowmobiling after dark. The Bill was not passed due to the strong support of snowmobilers showing up at the capitol as well as letters sent opposing this bill. As the years have gone by, there have been other issues that snowmobilers have opposed and supported, some successfully and some not so successful.
Some things have changed over the years but many things have not, we continue to hold fund raisers for various charities, hold the land owners picnics, plan club trips, etc. In 2014 we discontinued our Annual Dance and Raffle and teamed up with the Brooklyn Sno-Hornets and began hosting a Labor Day Truck and Tractor pull.
We hold monthly meetings October through March which are usually held at one location with the exception of our December meeting which coincides with our Christmas party and the February meeting which is held at our winter picnic where fun can be had by members of all ages.
We currently have about 90 members, but we are always looking for more. If you enjoy the trails and do not currently belong to a club, please consider joining ours to join in all fun
Snowmobiling in Wisconsin is wonderful! We have the finest trail system in the country with over 25,000 miles through the volunteer efforts of snowmobilers who have organized into clubs to establish and maintain portions of the Wisconsin trail system. It is the responsibility of the snowmobile clubs to provide for trail easements, signing, brushing, grooming and other maintenance. Wisconsin Snowmobile trails are built solely by volunteer workers. If the trails are good, thank them. If the trails are bad, volunteer!
Do snowmobile clubs only work on snowmobile trails? By no means! They have fun. They snowmobile, they socialize, they raise money for charities, they take trips, go camping, hold fund raisers, and help with community projects. A snowmobile club has something for everyone.
By belonging to a snowmobile club, you are helping to keep the sport as strong as it is by providing good trails and you are having fun by being with people who enjoy and understand the fun and fellowship of snowmobiling.
Join your local snowmobile club.
“United we trail…..Divided we fall!”
