Zig-zagging across New York state are more than 11,000 miles of snowmobile trails.

As the snow has hit the ground, the thousands of registered riders across the state have been eager to hit the winter trails.

Randy Coleman, Cayuga County district director for the New York State Snowmobile Association, said that in central New York, including Cayuga County, there are literally hundreds of miles of trials, interconnecting with other trails that make it possible for riders to travel as far as Canada and Pennsylvania if they wished.

With seven clubs in the Cayuga County area, Coleman estimated there are approximately 5,000 riders within the area, using these trails on a regular basis throughout the season.

With so many riders and so many miles of trails, safety is an issue of the utmost importance when out riding in the winter.

This emphasis on safety encompasses every detail of the sport, starting with when the trails officially open for the season.

“The trails officially opened Dec. 17,” Coleman said. “That was the last day of deer hunting season. We want to make sure we keep everybody safe while they are out there riding.” This was one of the earlier openings in the state, others opened Saturday, Dec. 20.

While it may seem that safety is an issue that is gaining increasing importance, it is something that has long been a focus of many clubs in the Cayuga County area.

“Really there have been safety courses and things around now for years,” Coleman said. “I know in Cato for example that they have been doing this for many years, probably at least 30 years. They have always had a safety course at the firehouse. I think things like that have always helped.”

While on a local level there has been a long-standing emphasis put on safety, on the state level there has been an ever increasing stress put on the idea of keeping riders of all ages safe.

Presently any rider under the age of 18 must complete and have certification of having completed a safety course before they can ride the trails alone.

While this is state mandated, Coleman said many area clubs have taken it upon themselves to host these courses, free of charge, throughout the season.

Bass Pro Shops also hosts a course once a year. Its next session will be held Sunday.

Coleman said that these courses are much like the safety courses that drivers must take before going on their road test or boating safety courses, touching on all the major concepts of staying safe while out enjoying the trails.

Areas covered include education on the sings posted along trails, what they mean and how to abide by them, as well as topics like basic mechanical safety and fundamentals such as the importance of wearing a helmet and other protective gear.

Coleman said that one of the biggest issues for riders of any age is to make sure their snowmobiles are in proper working order.

“They should always do a quick check,” Coleman said. “They should check the throttle a turn it a few times and make sure it hasn't frozen up. All it takes is a little bit of condensation to get in there and freeze. But really the biggest thing is just to slow down and enjoy it out there while they are riding. That is probably the biggest thing to staying safe.”

Coleman also said that he has heard feedback from parents who attend these courses that it has been beneficial for adults as well and he encourages adults to consider taking the time to brush up on the regulations and take a safety course.

On a state wide level, Coleman said legislation like the Snowmobilers Rights and Responsibilities Act have been put in place.

This act regulates signage on trails and mandates that a speed limit of 55 must be adhered to on state owned trails.

Locally the seven clubs of Cayuga County have been hard at work preparing for the season.

This includes work such as clearing and marking trails with signage and once the season gets started the work certainly does not stop.

Darrin Williams, president of the Cayuga County Snowmobile Association said that many clubs spend a great deal of time and money on a volunteer basis maintaining trails.

To ensure riders safety, Williams said that groomers are used along all the trails throughout the season to make sure they are in good riding shape.

“The clubs are willing to spend the money and the time,” Williams said. “Clubs are putting in the work to keep the trails in good shape and to make sure they are safe to ride.”

Williams also said that it is important to be mindful of and stick to the trails when riding for numerous reasons.

“Some of these trails are on private property,” Williams said. “I think that it is important that everyone respects that. We want everyone to be able to go out and enjoy the trails and a lot of people are great to let us use their property. To keep everyone safe we want everyone to stick to the marked trails.”

Williams and Coleman both said that it is also important to be mindful of conditions and temperature.

While many riders are anxious to hit the trails, it is important to keep in mind the amount of snow and the temperature.

Slush and melting snow can make for muddy hazardous conditions.

Williams also reminds riders to be mindful of bodies of water.

“You have to keep in mind where you are all the time,” Williams said. “If you get off the trails, you might end up on a pond or something and if it isn't cold enough the ice might break. It is important to remember where you are all the time and stick to the trails.”

Coleman and Williams have both seen the increased efforts on safety pay off with fewer accidents reported year after year.

“It is a lot of fun,” Williams said. “It is a great family activity and I think as long as everybody plays by the rules and stays safe it can be a lot of fun for everybody.”