NEW ULM - Thanks or no thanks to the lack of appearances of Old Man Winter this season, there will be no River Valley Dutchmen snowmobile hill climb this winter.
While warmer than normal temperatures have allowed us to move about nearly at will in 2012 so far, it's created a void for snowmobilers.
"It's been an interesting winter to be a snowmobile club member...Maybe we used up all our snow the last two winters...It's unusual for us to have to cancel the radar run and hill climb in the same year," said Jack Grausam of the River Valley Dutchmen snowmobile club.
The radar run, a series of drag races across frozen Lake Hanska set for Jan. 22, 2012, were cancelled due to poor ice conditions.
The hill climb, set for Sunday, Feb. 12 at Golden Gate campground in the Minnesota River valley, northeast of Sleepy Eye, was cancelled due to lack of snow.
All is not lost. Grausam said the snowmobile club's annual raffle that includes a new snowmobile, usually held during the hill climb, will go on as usual with drawings Feb. 12. Raffle tickets are available.
"We encourage people to keep on buying raffle tickets. They help us do things like build bridges and other trail improvements," Grausam added.
He said the club had lots of expenses including buying signs, equipment and building improvements but can survive a "brown winter" with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grants generated from snowmobile registration fees.
"We have a very strong club. We'll survive," Grausam said.
Meanwhile, the winter snowmobile racing season is hit and miss. Some upper midwest races are being held on ice, others are cancelled, according to Grausam.
Meanwhile, the Flying Dutchmen Motorcycle Club, which includes a number of snowmobile club members, is hosting a free cultural event beginning at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4 at the clubhouse (barn), at 20513 110th Avenue, southeast of New Ulm, north of State Highway 68.
The Organic Cowboys of Mankato, who appeared July 9, 2011 at the Grand Kabaret in downtown New Ulm, take stage in the upper level of the barn. Band members Dave Ross, Dennis Splinter, Dean Bixenmann, Jason and Tony Helder perform a variety of music including folk, rock, punk, and zydeco.
Food and beverages will be available.
The motorcycle club hosts a swap meet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3 at the clubhouse.
The Sleepy Eye Sportsmans Club 30th Annual Fishing Derby will be held from noon to 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 5 in designated areas, on the north side of the lake, near Sportsmans Park.
No cars or trucks will be allowed on the lake but all-terrain-vehicles are allowed. Sportsmans Club members said ice on the south side of the lake is unsafe and nobody is allowed on it.
A large raffle plus food and refreshments will be available on the park shoreline. Proceeds fund area projects and organizations.
The New Ulm Area Sportfishermen annual ice fishing contest will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, March 12 at Clear Lake, south of New Ulm. Participants will be shuttled on ATVs to ice fishing spots on the lake, if necessary. Raffle drawings and food and beverages will be available, regardless.
For more information, visit flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com/
Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.