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Sac State professors combine research and fun in the snow

For some, there’s no better way to experience the Sierra than slicing through fresh snow on a snowmobile, going where no other motorized vehicles are allowed. 

The hundreds of miles of Sierra trails are a popular destination for snowmobilers, and California State Parks will soon get a better idea of just who makes up this growing segment of outdoor enthusiasts.  
   
David Rolloff and Beth Erickson, professors in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration, received a $50,000 contract from the State Parks Off-Highway Motorized Vehicle Division to conduct the first snowmobile visitor survey. Erickson says the results will help the state “better serve the customer and take care of our environment.”    
     
The team is using student researchers and partnerships with volunteer snowmobile clubs to collect questionnaires of visitors at 23 trailheads throughout the Sierra Nevada. 
     
The survey covers demographics, the experience level of the snowmobilers, the horsepower of their snowmobiles and even their preference for groomed snow. It also examines potential problems such as excessive speed and noise on the trails, as well as trespassing in areas closed to snowmobiles.   
     
Rolloff says snowmobilers are a passionate crowd that cares about the environment, and Erickson says the feedback has been nothing but positive. “People are excited that we’re getting this information. They feel strongly about their trails.”    
   
 This isn’t the first time the two professors have been awarded a significant contract from California State Parks. “We’re just completing work on a major visitor survey conducted in 26 park units where students conducted almost 10,000 interviews with park visitors,” Rolloff says. “The state needs to know who their visitors are, like any business.”