CARIBOU, Maine – Despite unusual weather and a last-minute venue change, organizers of the SnowBowl are still aiming to host next year’s events in late winter.
Aroostook county’s snowmobile season apparently ended last week after temperatures reached the 50s and rain melted snow, forcing clubs to close regional trails. Most tourists canceled their hotel reservations and left businesses making little revenue during a usually packed season.
As businesses had to adapt, so did Troy Haney and Jim Gamage, co-owners of Spud Speedway in Caribou, which hosted a hugely successful first SnowBowl last year. Just two days before this year’s races started, Haney and Gamage moved the SnowBowl to the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle after speedway grounds became too muddy.
But as they start planning for next year, Haney and Gamage have still set the SnowBowl to take place the last week in February and first weekend in March.
“By March, the trails in southern Maine have closed and people tend to migrate north to get their riding in,” Haney said. “So it’s important that we keep the same weekend.”
Whether all or most SnowBowl events will go back to Spud Speedway remains to be seen, Haney noted.
Though fewer people attended at the mall – around 2,000 compared to at least 8,000 last year – Haney attributed that number to the region’s closed snowmobile trails and little time that he and Gamage had to promote the new location.
Haney said he and Gamage will evaluate whether Spud Speedway, the mall or another location might be best suited for future SnowBowls.
“The idea behind the SnowBowl was to turn it into a multi-community event and a week for snowmobiling in Aroostook,” Haney said.
With trails still closed, the SnowBowl Brian’s Ride has been canceled but a hill climb race, originally scheduled for Feb. 28., will likely occur at Big Rock in Mars Hill after the ski slopes close for the season, Haney said. He and Gamage still want to partner with organizers of the Can-Am dog sled races, also canceled after a lack of snow, to promote both events next winter.
Overall, people who attended last weekend’s events offered positive feedback, Haney said, giving he and Gamage confidence to take on whatever next winter brings.
“In 2010, when I tried to hold snowmobile races at Spud Speedway, we had no snow. I mean, ‘rake your lawn’ no snow. Last year we had 50 inches of snow on the ground,” Haney said. “So we certainly feel that this year is an anomaly.”
