It only takes one careless act to jeopardize access for everyone.
Snowmobilers know it. Landowners know it. And this winter ice anglers on Sebago Lake were reminded just how quickly long-standing outdoor privileges can be threatened when someone ignores the rules.
The same lesson played out recently on a snowmobile trail closer to my home.
It was just around dusk on Feb. 25 when I started up my snowmobile on our farm in Cumberland. We motored across the pasture as our horses watched quizzically, then accessed the club trail along the powerlines and rode out on freshly groomed snow.
This year was a boon for southern Maine snowmobilers, with frequent storms and cold temperatures. Our club, the Moonlite Sno-Skimmers, grooms more than 30 miles of trails in Cumberland and North Yarmouth.
On this particular evening about 20 of us rode through Cumberland into Falmouth to meet the Falmouth Sno-Voyagers for a bonfire and cookout at their trailside location.
Like many snowmobile clubs across Maine, our trails cross numerous parcels of private land. Clubs spend years building relationships with landowners and obtaining permission to maintain those trails.
Sometimes that permission changes quickly. Properties change hands and new owners may not realize a trail crosses their land until they hear the buzz of machines or see headlights crossing their fields.
Even worse is when riders leave the trail and damage property by running over septic vents, fencing or other structures buried beneath the snow. Incidents like that can quickly lead to trail closures, which is why clubs work hard to deter rogue riders and repair the damage.
In some cases it’s not even snowmobiles causing the problem, but trucks or other vehicles driving on groomed trails where they don’t belong.
Not long after that ride, our trail master, Shaun Breton, encountered the consequences firsthand.
Breton was riding the trails on a Friday afternoon when he noticed tire tracks from a UTV. Groomed snowmobile trails are intended for snowmobiles and tracked ATVs only.
He followed the tracks several hundred yards and soon found the culprit. The UTV driver had not only driven on the trail but had slid off a bridge, breaking railings and signposts and becoming stuck alongside it.
To make matters worse, the rider was belligerent when Breton confronted him. Eventually a friend arrived with a tractor and chains to pull the UTV free, rutting the trail badly in the process.
Breton spends countless hours grooming our club’s trails after every storm and takes great pride in their condition. Seeing the trail damaged so quickly by an inconsiderate act was disheartening.
He posted a warning to club members about the incident. A local police sergeant saw the post, recognized the rider and contacted him. An incident report was filed and the club also notified the Maine Warden Service.
It was an unfortunate example of how one bad actor can undo the hard work of many volunteers.
That same week, a similar situation nearly cost anglers access to Sebago Lake.
Longtime guide and friend Butch DeSanctis of Durham and several other ice anglers returned to their trucks at the Sebago Lake State Park boat launch to find notes left by a park ranger. The notes warned that snowmobiles were not allowed in the park and that riders could be ticketed if they returned.
Anglers knew snowmobiles were prohibited on the park’s trail system. But for years they had been allowed to launch from the boat ramp parking area and go directly onto the ice.
When DeSanctis questioned the ranger, he learned that someone had recently ridden a snowmobile on trails reserved for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing within the park. Sebago Lake State Park maintains more than 11 miles of winter trails for those uses.
DeSanctis pleaded with the ranger, suggesting it was likely a recreational sledder, not an angler, but the ranger wouldn’t budge.
Rather than accept the decision, DeSanctis contacted Gary Best, regional manager for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. He explained that anglers had long used the launch area to access the lake without using the park’s trail system.
Best agreed the practice had been allowed for years. With Sebago Lake finally freezing solid this winter after several mild seasons, the park was seeing more activity than usual.
After discussing the issue with park staff, Best approved a compromise.
The parking lot just beyond the boat launch was designated for anglers who wanted to ride snowmobiles directly onto the lake. Signs now direct anglers where to park and remind them to stay off the park’s trail system.
For ice anglers it was a welcome solution. The “I Fish on Sebago Lake” Facebook page quickly filled with posts celebrating the restored access.
Access to Maine’s outdoors depends on mutual respect and responsible behavior. When someone ignores the rules or damages property, the consequences can affect everyone.
This time, a conversation and a little cooperation helped preserve access before it was lost.
