DRIFTER FACTS

Origin               The Drifters were founded in 1972 as the Baudette Drifters, a social snowmobile organization. After some years of inactivity, the club was reestablished in 1990 as the Lake of the Woods Drifters Snowmobile Club, a non-profit organization.

Function           The Drifters provide for the promotion and enjoyment of snowmobiling as an outdoor winter recreational opportunity in the Lake of the Woods area

Membership    The Drifters consistently maintain a membership of nearly 100 single, family and associate business memberships

                            The Drifters actively promote the enjoyable snowmobile experience of area visitors for the benefit of local associate business and resort club members

Affiliations       The Drifters are members of MnUSA, the Minnesota United Snowmobile Association, representing clubs, businesses and manufacturers in the promotion and maintenance of snowmobiling recreation throughout Minnesota

Trails                  The Drifters support the grooming and maintenance of over 400 miles of land and lake snowmobile trails in Lake of the Woods and Koochiching counties in association with trail groomers TJ Grooming and J & L Hennum Enterprises of Baudette

                             The Drifters were instrumental in the creation and dedication of the 90 mile John Beckel Northern Connection Trail to Big Falls; the longest uninterrupted wilderness trail in Minnesota and a vital link to Baudette and surrounding area

                             The Drifters are also administrators of the 130 mile Big Traverse Trail on Lake of the Woods from Wheelers Point to Oak Island, Warroad and Rocky Point.

Grooming          The Drifters support the cost of snowmobile trail grooming and maintenance on Lake of the Woods county land and lake trails and the trail connection to Big Falls where Minnesota Grant-in-Aid trail funds are not available

Shelters               The Drifters provide and maintain seven fully equipped trail shelters with light, heat, first aid kits and maps.  These can be either emergency shelter from the cold or simply for the enjoyment of riders as a stopping or gathering point.

                               These trail shelters have, on at least one occasion, been credited with life saving overnight shelter from the cold

Safety                   DNR certified Drifter member trainers provide 12 hour DNR Safety Certificate training annually to more than 35 area youth riders, allowing them to legally and safely operate a snowmobile in Minnesota

                               The Drifters provide signage, reflective ice marking stakes, area trail maps and color coded trail markers matching mapped trail colors to assist riders in safely traveling area trails

                               The Drifters promote safe riding habits through an annual radio and print media message campaign of responsible snowmobile operation

                               The Drifters have collaborated with local Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders to provide easier trail location identification in the event of an emergency situation requiring ambulance or rescue response

                               The Drifters have donated an advanced all-terrain ambulance sled to the Lake of the Woods Emergency Responders for safe, comfortable remote rescue

Activities             The Drifters hold monthly meetings, weekly winter trail ride opportunities, Club weekend outings at Minnesota resort destinations, a Progressive Dinner, cookouts, fun runs, radar speed runs, an annual Landowner Recognition Banquet, family benefit dinners and community volunteer activities

Community         In the past 3 ½ years, the Drifters have contributed over $155,000 to area charities, scholarships, community activities and snowmobiling promotion

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