>> THIS TIME ON "POINTS NORTH," TRAVEL THROUGH THE SNOW IN A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH, AND THEN THE HISTORY OF DOG SLEDDING IN OUR REGION, AND EXPLORE VERMONT BY SNOWMOBILE.

>> WELCOME TO "POINTS NORTH."

I'M FRAN STODDARD.

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW.

IT'S WHAT MAKES A WINTER WONDERLAND.

MANY PEOPLE, HOWEVER, HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS WHITE STUFF BECAUSE IT FALLS ON JUST A THIRD OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE, BUT IT'S NO STRANGER TO THE NORTH COUNTRY, AND MOST WINNERS WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE OF THESE SHIMMERING WHITE CRYSTALS.

AND THAT CAN MAKE TRAVELING ABOUT DIFFICULT, BEFORE AUTOMOBILES, PEOPLE RELIED ON ANIMALS TO HELP THEM TO HUFF IT OVER SNOW TRAILS.

HORSE-DRAWN SLEIGHS WERE A COMMON SIGHT, AND JOINING LING BELLS ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE THE COUNTRY SIDE.

ALTHOUGH THIS FORM OF TRAVEL HAS SLID OFF THE HIGHWAYS, EACH WINTER THOUSANDS FLOCK TO VERMONT TO FIND OUT, WELL, OH, WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH.

>> WELL, IT'S YOUR TURN TO WORK TODAY.

ARE YOU IN A GOOD MOOD?

HUH?

GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP?

THIS WILL BE AN EASY DAY FOR YOU, CHARLIE.

GOT GOOD CONDITIONS OUT THERE.

GOT INTO THIS BUSINESS AROUND 13 YEARS AGO.

WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN DRIVING HORSES.

IT'S BEEN IN MY FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS WORKING WITH HORSES.

ENDED UP BUYING A SMALL HORSE, AND THE HORSE TALKING ME MOST OF MY DRIVING EXPERIENCES.

HE WAS A LOT SMARTER THAN I WAS.

I DID TAKE SOME CLASSES, GOT INTO IT MORE AND MORE, AND I FINALLY GOT TO A POINT THAT I FELT COMFORTABLE AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY IN THE WINTERTIME.

I ENDED UP WORKING WITH A LOCAL COMPANY HERE IN STOWE FOR THE FIRST WINTER, AND THEN DECIDED MAYBE I MIGHT DO THIS ON MY OWN, AND THIS WOULD BE THE LOCATION THAT WOULD WORK OUT THE BEST.

NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING IT THERE SO I DECIDED TO TRY IT.

>> BACK UP, CHARLIE.

BACK.

COME ON BACK.

GOT IT?

>> YEP.

>> CHARLIE WAS THE FIRST DRIVING HORSE THAT I GOT FOR THE BUSINESS.

VERY RAMBUNCTIOUS.

A LITTLE TOO MUCH FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS.

SO, I ENDED UP SELLING HIM AND GETTING ANOTHER HORSE MUCH QUIETER AND EASIER TO HANDLE.

THE NEW CHARLIE, WHICH IS A BELGIUM DRAFT HORSE, CAME OUT OF OHIO, AND HE DESERVES THE NAME AND HAS WORKED THE BEST.

>> WELCOME DO CHARLIE HORSE!

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

WE LOOK FOR A GOOD ATTITUDE IN A HORSE.

ONE THAT'S QUIET.

ONE THAT'S PEPE.

I HAVE HAD THE SAME HORSES FOR YEARS.

CHARLIE HAS BEEN DOING RIDES FOR NINE OR TEN YEARS NOW, AND CHIEF HAS ALSO BEEN HERE FOR AT LEAST THAT TIME.

I HAVE NOT HAD TO REPLACE TOO MANY.

IT HAS BEEN A GOOD THING.

WE DON'T WORK THEM TO THAT POINT.

>> COME ON, CHARLIE, LET'S GO.

>> I CAN REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN I WAS PROBABLY SIX OR FIVE YEARS OLD, I FORGET, WHERE WE WENT TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S FOR THANKSGIVING AND THERE WAS A SITUATION WHERE IS THE ROAD WAS NOT PLOWED, AND THEY CAME AND GOT US WITH A SLEIGH AND BARE HORSES, AND THAT WAS INTERESTING.

SO IT'S BEEN IN MY BACKGROUND.

>> COME ON, CHARLIE, LET'S GO.

THIS IS THE WEST BRANCH.

HEADS INTO THE VILLAGE.

HANGS A RIGHT.

AND GOES SOUTH.

COME ON, CHARLIE.

THEY USED TO GRADE OR GROOM THE ROADS FOR THE SLEIGHS TO TRAVEL ON BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN SLEIGHS WERE QUITE POPULAR TO USE FOR TRANSPORTATION.

SLEIGHS AND HORSES WERE USED AS TRANSPORTATION EVEN AS LATE AS THE LATE 1930s UP TO THE 1940s IN CERTAIN AREAS.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER WITH A HORSE AND A SLEIGH, AND WE TRY TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THOSE DAYS AND THAT YOU DID NOT JUST TURN THE KEY AND GO IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

YOU COULD IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, IN CERTAIN YOU COULDN'T.

YOU KNOW WHY THEY HAD BELLS ON THE SLEIGHS?

>> NO.

>> IT'S A WARNING DEVICE LIKE THEY DID NOT HAVE CAR HORNS SO THEY HAD A BELL.

ALSO SCARED AWAY PREDATORS FROM THE HORSES.

WE TAKE A REALLY DARK, DARK NIGHT WITH HARDLY ANY VISIBILITY, YOU COULD HEAR ANOTHER SLEIGH COMING IN AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS ONLY ROOM FOR ONE TO PASS.

COME ON THERE, CHARLIE!

THIS IS MY KIND OF DAY TO DRIVE.

IT'S NOT TOO COLD.

NOT GETTING SOAK AND WET FROM THE BIG FLAKES OF WET SNOW.

>> IT'S NOT WINDY.

>> NOT WINDY, NO.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

WE'RE JUST GETTING A LITTLE HISTORY AND FLAVOR OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DREAM OF THIS WHOLE IDEA OF TAKING A SLEIGH RIDE, AND THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HERE, SO IT'S BEEN A REAL FUN TREAT FOR US TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM THAT EXPERIENCE.

>> IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THEM COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WE WILL GET THE SAME PEOPLE THAT COME BACK FOR THIS ANNUAL EVENT.

THTHEIR ONCE A YEAR SLEIGH RIDE.

YOU KNOW WHY THEY BUILT COVERED BRIDGES?

>> NO.

>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS.

ONE IS YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A BARN.

AS YOU COME INTO IT, THAT KEPT THE HORSES FROM SHYING AWAY FROM AREAS THAT THEY HAD TO GO OVER.

>> OH, REALLY?

>> THE MORE ENCLOSED THEY WERE, THE HIGHER-UP OFF THE WATER.

THEY WERE ALSO BUILT TO KEEP THE BRIDGES FROM ROTTING.

>> EVERY DAY IS A NEW EXPERIENCE, IT SEEMS LIKE.

THE WEATHER IS DIFFERENT.

MOST OF THE TIME.

EACH DAY LIKE TODAY.

FROM YESTERDAY, AND I MEAN YESTERDAY WAS A BRIGHT, CLEAR, COLD DAY.

TODAY IT'S SNOWING LIKE CRAZY.

SO EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT.

>> I CAN'T GET BORED WITH IT.

>> SO YOU FOLKS ARE FROM VIRGINIA?

>> YEAH.

>> WHEREABOUTS IN VIRGINIA?

>> ARLINGTON.

>> ARLINGTON.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME HERE?

>> YES.

>> WELL, WELCOME.

>> OUR DAY STARTS AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING AND GENERALLY STOPS ABOUT 8:00 OR 9:00 AT NIGHT, DEPENDING ON -- IF IT'S A HOLIDAY OR NOT AND SEVEN DAYS A WEEK UNTIL SPRING, AND WE START USUALLY AT THANKSGIVING OR AS SOON AS WE GET SNOW ON THE GROUND.

THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN YOU WON'T OPEN SO YOU GENERALLY GET A DAY OFF IN BETWEEN LIKE THE PAST WEEK WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST FOUR DAYS OFF IN A ROW BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TOO COLD, AND I WON'T WORK THE HORSES IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES.

>> WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

THIS IS WHAT -- THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ARE SO BUSY TODAY IS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAD THIS IDEA OF A SLEIGH RIDE SHOULD BE DONE WHEN IT'S SNOWING.

AND IT'S SNOWING.

I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM IN THE MORNING, AND I THINK THEY LOOK FORWARD TO ME, TOO.

IT'S FEEDING TIME, AND THEY ARE LIKE A LARGE DOG TO ME.

THEY HAVE THE ATTITUDE YOU ARE THE BOSS, ALTHOUGH I TREAT THEM LIKE THEY ARE THE BOSS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT I WORK FOR.

>> GOOD BOY, CHARLIE.

COME AROUND.

>> I LOVE MY JOB.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT JOB.

A LOT OF DAYS I WOULD LIKE TO QUIT WHEN THE WEATHER IS NOT COOPERATING OR CERTAIN ELEMENTS ARE NOT THERE TO MAKE IT AN ENJOYABLE DAY, BUT I DO ENJOY IT, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL KEEP GOING AS LONG AS THERE IS THIS ATTITUDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SLEIGH RIDE.

♪ ♪ >> IN THE COUNTRIES OF THE FAR NORTH WHERE SNOW AND ICE COVER THE GROUND FOR MANY MONTHS OF THE YEAR, SLEDS PULLED BY TEAMS OF DOGS PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE AND GOODS.

BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE AND AGILITY, DOGS HARNESS TO A SLED CAN MOVE OVER A FROZEN TERRAIN WITH EASE.

ONE OF THE FIRST NEW ENGLAND DOG SLED TEAMS SPROUTED UP IN A NEW SMALL TOWN, AND IT'S HERE OUR FRIENDS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC TELEVISION HAVE TRACED THE LOCAL ROOTS OF DOG SLED RACING.

>> THERE IS A STORY HERE IN THIS SMALL NORTH COUNTRY TOWN, BUT YOU WON'T FIND IT BY DRIVING THROUGH.

IT'S HERE, BUT YOU FIND IT IN SMALL CLUES AS YOU DRIVE ALONG ROUTE 113-A.

LIKE THIS TRAIL.

AND THESE MONUMENTS A LITTLE FARTHER UP THE ROAD.

THE FARM.

AND THIS CHURCH HERE IN WONALANCET.

AND THIS GRAVE ALONGSIDE THE CHURCH.

THIS IS WHERE THE STORY BEGINS, FOR BURIED HERE IS ONE ARTHUR WALDIN.

>> WE HAD TO COME DOWN TO IT, WE'VE BEEN DOG RACING FOR YEARS.

>> NANCY COWAN IS A NEW HAMPSHIRE WRITER AND DOG RACER HISTORIAN WHO WRITES FOR A TEAM AND TRAIL MAGAZINE CALLED, THE MUSHER'S MONTHLY.

>> IT BEGAN IN WONALANCET ABOUT 1910.

ARTHUR WALIN, HE CAME BACK AFTER TWO TRIPS TO THE YUKON AND HAD GOTTEN INTRODUCED TO DRIVING DOG SLEDS.

HE WAS ANIMAL TRAINER.

HE NEVER WALKED IF WE COULD DRIVE, AND WHAT HE LIKED TO DRIVE BEST WAS DOGS.

SO WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THE YUKON, AND HE HAD BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY SIDE AND GORGEOUS SNOW.

GUEST THAT IS WANTED A DIVERSION, IT WAS A NATURAL THAT HE WAS GOING TO START DOG SLEDDING, AND HE DID.

HE GOT FOUR HUGE HALF ST.

BERNARD MONGRELS, TECHNICALLY, THE FIRST DOG TEAM IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES, I SUPPOSE, RECOGNIZED AS SUCH.

>> ARTHUR WALD-IN CONTINUED PROMOTE SLED DOG TEAMS, AND BECAME QUITE A HIT AT THE MANY WINTER CARNIVALS AROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE IN THOSE DAYS, BUT AFTER A WHILE HE BEGAN TO BREED DOGS.

IT WAS ARTHUR WALDIN WHO FIRST BRED THE DOGS WHICH BECAME KNOWN AS THE CHINOOK DOGS.

EVEN THOUGH, 000 AND HIS CHINOOE DOGS, IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE HE WANTED TO ADD SOME EXCITEMENT.

>> HE BEGAN TO EMULATE THE SLED DOG RACING HE HAD SEEN OR HEARD ABOUT TAKING PLACE IN ALASKA AND ACTUALLY STARTED SLED DOG RACE ANYTHING NEW ENGLAND.

IN 1922 HE CONVINCED THE BROWN PAPER COMPANY TO FUND AND SUSPENSER THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL DOG SLED RACE, AND THAT HAD TWO CANADIANS AND TWO AMERICANS, ONE OF WHICH WAS WALDIN, AND THEY WERE GOING POINT-TO-POINT, FROM TOWN-TO-TOWN FROM LANCASTER AND BERLIN, I THINK.

OF COURSE, ARTHUR WON THE RACE.

>> THE YEAR AFTER HE FOUNDED THE SLED DOG CLUB, STILL THE LARGEST AND OLDEST CONTINUOUS CLUB IN EXISTENCE.

THE COUNTRY WENT SLED DOG CRAZY LISTENINGON THEIR RADIOS TO A REAL-LIFE DRAMA GOING ON IN ALASKA.

THE CITIZENS OF NOME, ALASKA WERE IN NEED OF THIS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE SERUM TO GNOME WAS BY DOG SLED.

SO TEAMS OF DOG SLED DRIVERS RELAYED THE SERUM OVER THE IDITAROD TRAIL AND SAVED THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF GNOME.

THE COUNTRY WAS ENTHRALLED, AND THE IDITAROD RACE IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS DOG SLED RACES IN THE WORLD.

THIS INSPIRED WALDIN TO INVITE ONE OF THE IDITAROD DRIVERS TO WONALANCET FOR A RACE.

HIS NAME WAS LEONARD SEPALA.

WALDIN CONTINUED TO MAKE DOG SLED HISTORY IN WONALANCET.

IN 1928, HE WENT TO BOSTON AND TALKED THE COMMANDER INTO LETTING HIM TRAIN THE DOGS AND DRIVERS FOR HIS FIRST ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

HE WENT ON THAT EXPEDITION IN 1928, AND THEREAFTER WONALANCET BECAME THE DOG SLED TRAINING CENTER FOR THREE MORE U.S.

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.

IT WAS DURING WALDIN'S WELCOME HOME CEREMONY IN 1931 THAT THE HIGHWAY THROUGH THE TOWN WAS NAMED, THE CHINOOK TRAIL.

OF COURSE, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT WALDIN HAD INSPIRED A WHOLE BUNCH OF ENTHUSIASTIC DOG SLED DRIVERS AROUND WONALANCET.

MANY OF WHOM BECAME MAJOR FIGURES IN THE SPORT.

LIKE WALDIN, THE SELES WERE A BIG PART OF THE BREEDING HISTORY IN WONALANCET AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

THEIR KENNELS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE BEST SLED DOG RACING LINES IN THE WORLD.

AND SHORT SELE HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY WOMAN TO RUN IN THE 1932 LAKE PLACID SLED DOG RACE.

SHE LOST BUT IT WAS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT, NONETHELESS.

>> I USED TO SEE THE SELES PERIODICALLY GOING LONG, AND THEY WOULD STOP WHEN YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WOULD SEE ME, AND FINALLY MR.

SELE WENT TO MY PARENTS AND SAID, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DICK COME OVER AND WORK FOR US THIS SUMMER IF IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU.

AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 1934.

>> THROUGH THE SELES INFLUENCE, DICK ENDED UP GOING ON THE THIRD EC-- ON THIRD EXPEDITION IN 193.

THEN BEFORE HE WENT ON TO BECOME A CHAMPION SLED DOG RACER HE BECAME INVOLVED IN THE ARMY TRAINING AT THE CHINOOK KENNELS IN THE EARLY 1940s.

THIS WAS AN ARMY PROGRAM ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO TRAIN DOG SLED ATTACK TEAMS, BUT AFTER THEY REALIZED THE DOGS WERE TOO NOISY, THEY SWITCHED TO A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION.

>> REMEMBER THIS IS THE CRADLE OF THE BLOODLINES OF THE ALASKAN MALAMUTE AND SIBERIAN HUSKIES, THE MOST IMPORTANT BLOODLINES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP DOGS AROUND THE WORLD COME RIGHT BACK TO THIS TINY TOWN.

>> THE VERMONT ASSOCIATION OF SNOW TRAVELERS, OR VAST, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST SNOWMOBILING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

VAST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 5,000 MILES OF INTERCONNECTING TRAILS THAT CREATE A SNOWMOBILER'S PARADISE.

AND REVS UP BUSINESS FOR THE GAS STATIONS, RESTAURANTS, AND HOTELS ALONG HER WAY.

THE PRODUCER WENT TRAIL SIDE TO EXPLORE THE PLACES AND THE FACES OF THIS VAST WINTER HIGHWAY.

>> THE VAST SYSTEM IS 4,500 MILES WITH A CORRIDOR TRAIL, AND 1500 MILES FOR THE SECONDARY TRAVELS THAT ARE INTERCONNECTING, WHICH IS UNIQUE IN ALL OF THE 27 STATES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE SNOWMOBILE SYSTEMS IN THAT YOU CAN GO NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE.

YOU CAN GO FROM BENNINGTON COUNTY TO ORLEANS COUNTY, ESSEX COUNTY, AND YOU CAN GO FROM ESSEX COUNTY OVER TO CHITTENDEN COUNTY.

IT INTERCONNECTS SO YOU CANNOT -- SO YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.

>> THE VAST TRAIL SYSTEM HAS SERVICES SUCH AS HOTELS, GAS STATIONS, RESTAURANTS AND REPAIR SHOPS.

BECAUSE OF THE FEEDER TRAILS AND THE POPULARITY OF SNOWMOBILING, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> VAST IS DOING A -- AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY THIS YEAR.

WE DID ONE FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THAT WAS A 240 MILLION A YEAR IMPACT TO THE STATE OF VERMONT.

WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE IN EXCESS OF 300 MILLION WHEN WE GO DONE WITH THE IMPACT STUDY THIS YEAR.

>> WHEN THE SNOWMOBILERS ARE HERE, MY BUSINESS INCREASES.

THEY COME RIGHT UP TO THE SIDE DOOR, THEY GAS UP, THEY COME IN AND BUY COFFEE, THEY BUY SANDWICHES, AND LOTS OF GAS.

SNOWMOBILE PRODUCTS.

IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THEM IN THE AREA.

>> IT'S NOT JUST VERMONTERS WHO ARE SPENDING ALL THAT MONEY.

THE 32,000 MEMBERS OF VAST, 12,000 ARE FROM OUT OF STATE COMING TO SNOWMOBILE IN VERMONT ON THEIR VACATION.

>> DURING THE WINTERTIME WE CATER TO THE SNOWMOBILE BUSINESS TRADE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE TRAVELING FROM CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS, PRETTY MUCH ALL OVER NEW ENGLAND THAT WILL COME UP TO THIS AREA SPECIFICALLY TO GO ON THE VAST SYSTEM.

WE HAVE BUILT A TRAIL THAT HOOKS INTO THE PRIMARY CORRIDOR.

IT ALLOWS THE GUESTS TO COME IN AND TAKE THEIR SNOWMOBILES OFF THE TRAILERS, AND PARK THEM RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF THE INN OR THEIR CABIN AND NOT HAVE TO PUT THEM BACK ON THE TRAILERS UNTIL THEY END UP GOING HOME.

>> THE LURE OF SNOWMOBILING FOR TOURISTS HASN'T BEEN LOST ON THE SKI INDUSTRY, EITHER AS THEY LOOK FOR WAYS TO MAKE THE STAY MORE ENJOYABLE FOR THEIR GUESTS.

>> PEOPLE THINK ABOUT VERMONT, THEY THINK ABOUT WINTER SPORTS AND SNOWMOBILING IS A NICE KIND OF SOFT ADVENTURE COMPONENT THAT SO MANY OF OUR GUESTS ARE LOOKING FOR, AND ANY TIME THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE OUR GUESTS MORE TO DO, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

>> OUR CLIENTS COME FROM SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, AND NEW JERSEY, AND THEY HAVE NOT RIDDEN U.S.

OPEN MOBILES BEFORE.

THEY DON'T GET MUCH SNOWFALL DOWN THERE, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE WINTER ACTIVITY OTHER THAN SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING.

WE DO NIGHTLY TOURS THROUGH THE NOTCH.

STARTING AT THE SMUGGLER'S NOTCH SKI RESORT.

95% OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, AND THEY ARE NEW TO THE SPORT.

WE ARE TRYING TO INTRODUCE MORE PEOPLE INTO IT, AND SO FAR, EVERYBODY WHO HAS GONE, THE MAJORITY HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.

>> HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME IS WHAT SNOWMOBILING IS ALL ABOUT, AND THE LOCAL CLUBS HOLD SOCIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.

>> VAST IS MADE UP OF 14 COUNTY CLUBS AND 148 LOCAL CLUBS, AND THERE ARE COMMUNITY CLUBS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THEY ARE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP.

ME, I AM THE STATEWIDE TRAILS COORDINATOR.

IT CAN BE A GENTLEMAN FROM IBM, IT CAN BE A LAWYER, JUST IN IT FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPORT.

>> THERE IS NOTHING ANY MORE FUN THAN GETTING A WHOLE GROUP, 10 OR 12 MACHINES TOGETHER AND TRAVELING INTO THE WOODS, AND OFTENTIMES, YOU CAN STOP AT THE TOP OF A RIDGE AND YOU CAN SEE FOR MILES, ABSOLUTE MILES.

WE CAN TRAVEL TO PLACES WHERE YOU CANNOT GET TO ANY OTHER WAY.

WE SEE A LOT OF WILDLIFE WHEN WE ARE OUT, AND SOMETIMES WE WILL PACK HOT DOGS AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND WE WILL TRAVEL OUT AS FAR AS WE CAN, AND WE WILL STOP SOME PLACE, AND WE WILL START A CAMPFIRE AND THE KIDS CAN ROAST HOT DOGS, AND WE HAVE CHIPS AND SODA.

WE MAKE A DAY OF IT AND HAVE A PICNIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS.

IT MAKES A LOT OF FUN.

>> IN ADDITION TO SOCIAL OUTINGS AND FUNDRAISING EVENTS WHICH RAISE MONEY FOR TRAIL BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE, IT IS VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE CLUBS WHO PLAN, BUILD, AND MAINTAIN THE TRAILS.

>> TRAILING THROUGH, YOU NEED THE LANDOWNER'S PERMISSION.

IF IT'S IN A WOODED AREA, CUTTING OUT THE TRAIL, BUILDING BRIDGES.

PUTTING IN CULVERTS AND THE SIGNS UP SO THAT THE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, HOW QUICKLY THEY SHOULD BE GOING.

IT MEANS GROOMING THE TRAIL.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

GROOMING MACHINES GO AT AN AVERAGE OF 5 MILES PER HOUR.

LAST YEAR, IN 1997, 1998, THE VAST GROOMERS TRAVELED 95,000 MILES.

19,000 HOURS.

OF VOLUNTEERS.

OPERATING EQUIPMENT TO MAKE A TRAIL.

SOME OF US ENJOY IT, FRANKLY, AS MUCH AS RIDING A SNOWMOBILE.

YOU GET A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM.

YOU SEE MORE.

YOU ARE OUT THERE AT TIMES WHEN THE WILDLIFE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IF YOU ARE IN A REMOTE AREA, YOU COME UP OVER, AND THE STARS ARE OUT AT NIGHT, FULL MOON.

IT'S GOD'S COUNTRY.

IT REALLY IS.

IT IS SO PEACEFUL.

YOU CAN SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTERTIME LIKE YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM IN THE SUMMERTIME.

IT'S SO CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT YOU WILL SEE THINGS YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

A LOT OF REASON WHY I LIKE TO GROOM.

>> IT'S NOT JUST THE HARD WORK OF THE VAST VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE THE TRAIL SYSTEM GREAT.

WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF VERMONTERS EVERYWHERE THE% INTEGRATED VAST TRAIL SYSTEM WOULD NOT EXIST.

>> PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO BEST IS, ACTUALLY, THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LANDOWNERS.

IT'S PROBABLY THE SINGLE THING THAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT.

THE VAST TRAIL SYSTEM CROSSES IN EXCESS OF 9,000 PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.

WITHOUT THEM, THAT TRAIL GOES NOWHERE.

WHAT WE WOULD HAVE IS A BUNCH OF HACKED UP TEN-MILE SEGMENTS.

NOT THE INTERCONNECTING TRAIL SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.

>> WE HAVE A REALLY NICE TRAILS IN THE STATE.

THE BEST PART IS THE SOLITUDE.

WHEN YOU GET OUT ON AN EVENING LIKE RIGHT NOW, IT'S QUIET.

LIGHT SNOW FALLING.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY PRETTY OUT HERE RIGHT NOW.

IF WE CAN HAVE A LONG WINTER IN VERMONT, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS.

IT DOES HELP TO SHORTEN THAT TIME.

IT SEEMS TO, ANYWAY.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, AFTER YOU'VE BEEN INTO SNOWMOBILING A WHILE YOU HOPE THE WINTERS ARE LONGER SO YOU CAN ENJOY IT MORE OUT HERE.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO ENJOY THE WINTER.

GET OUTSIDE AND EXPLORE A FEW.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

AS ALWAYS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, SO WRITE TO US AT "POINTS NORTH," VERMONT PUBLIC TWEFL, 05446, OUR, AND JOIN US NEXT TIE WHEN WE MEET A GUY WHO PAINTS ROMANCE COVERS FOR A LIVING, AND LOOK AT THE REVIVAL OF VERMONT'S GLASS-BLOWING INDUSTRY AND WITNESSED THE ARTISTIC RESURRECTION OF WEST RUTLAND.

UNTIL THEN, FOR ALL OF US AT "POINTS NORTH," I'M FRAN STODDARD.

SAFE TRAVELS.

>> ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE.

EASY.

COME ON BACK.

COME ON BACK, CHARLIE BOY, COME ON BACK.

COME ON BACK.

COME ON BACK.

GOOD BOY!

EASY DOES IT!

GOOD BOY, CHARLIE.

HE'S SUCH A PROFESSIONAL AT T THIS.

YOU THINK YOU WANTED CHARLIE TO BACK UP FOR A MILE, HE WOULD DO IT FOR YOU.

OKAY, CHARLIE.

UP.

LET'S GO.

YOU ARE SPEEDING, CHARLIE.

THEY ARE TRYING TO CATCH YOU.

[LAUGHTER] >> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG/FROMTHEARCHIVES.