The 18th annual Snirt Run is this Saturday

Julie Abbass, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Updated ·4 min read

Apr. 17—LOWVILLE — The final countdown for the Barnes Corners Sno-Pals' 18th annual Snirt Run is on this week.

The popular event scheduled for Saturday attracts thousands of riders from almost a dozen states, causing hotels and other accommodation to be booked up to a year in advance with participants making their reservations for the following year as they check out.

The boon to north country businesses, especially in Lewis County, keeps many of the small, locally-owned and operated establishments flush from year to year, especially for the "in-between" season when snowmobile trails close and ATV trails open.

"It's amazing how many people will come up for an event — rain, shine, any type of weather. They absolutely love it and many are from states away," said Sno-Pals President James C. Hearne.

Part of the fun is the chance to win a Polaris Sportsman 450 donated by Waite Polaris and Polaris Corp. or one of the three cash prizes for the top poker "hands."

Some riders look most forward to the "-irt" part of the snow-dirt combination on the seasonal roads that gives the event its name, spending most of their time playing in mud pits if conditions are right.

Most, however, follow the map provided to go from business to business, collecting "stamps" from at least five locations with a maximum of seven to draw that number of cards for a poker hand at the end of the day.

Participating businesses this year include: — Liberty Fuels — formerly Colleen's Creekside — 279 Route 177, Pinckney — Tuggers Grill & Campground, 544 Route 177, Pinckney — Valley Snow Travellers Groomer Barn, 3642 Rector Road, Martinsburg — Timberview Resort, 5265 Carpenter Road, Turin — High Market Sports, 4441 Highmarket Road, Constableville — High Market Inn, 4441 Highmarket Road, Constableville — Barrow's Performance, 4380 Michigan Mills Road, Constableville — Towpath Restaurant & Lodge, 4217 West Road, Turin — Tug Hill Lodging, Corey Road, Barnes Corners — Sno-Pals Groomer Barn, 8055 Seven by Nine Road, Barnes Corners — Montague Inn, 6765 Sears Pond Road, Montague — Flat Rock Inn, 4100 Flat Rock Road, Martinsburg — Whiskey Jacks, 5454 Plummer Road, Constableville — GSE Performance, 7580 McDonalds Road, Barnes Corners — Keitha's Kafe, 20693 County Route 93, Lorraine

Poker Run stamps

Participants will meet at the Sno-Pals barn or the Timberview to draw their poker hands at 6 p.m.

For the first time, this year there will be private security officers manning barriers at the town of Montague's request to prevent riders, except for local traffic, from accessing them.

"It was jumping through a lot of hoops this year and it's more expensive this year than it's ever been because of requirements that weren't requirements in the past," Mr. Hearne said. "But safety is the main thing with all of this and now that we have all the towns on board and all the attorneys finally smiling, it's amazing how many things weren't changed."

He added that the club anticipates more law enforcement along the event route from state police, Lewis and Jefferson county sheriff's offices and state forest rangers and that the club will be going out to assess the road conditions as close to the event as possible.

Because this is an all-road event, a Lewis County ATV trail permit is not required but only all-terrain vehicles are allowed on event day. Those registered will be given a sticker to put on their vehicles "to let law enforcement know that you are a participant in the event."

To expedite the registration process, the Sno-Pals have made the waiver all participants must sign downloadable from the group's website, www.sno-pals.com, to be printed and brought with riders to registration either on Friday between 3 and 9 p.m. at the Sno-Pals Groomer Barn, or from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Timberview Resort.

On Saturday, registration will be from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Groomer Barn, Timberview, Barrows Performance and Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin.

Also for the first time, the waiver indicates anyone signing agrees not to drink alcohol or take drugs that influence a person's ability to drive during the event.

Registrants at Snow Ridge and Snirt Run participants staying at the Ridge View Lodge in the town of Lowville will get stamps for their poker runs.

Ridge View will not be part of the run because the town board voted to close town roads to the Snirt Run.

The cost to register for the event is $25.