Timberline Cruisers in Tulameen, B.C.

The Timberline Cruisers is a vibrant snowmobile club located in Tulameen, B.C., approximately 180 kilometres northeast of Vancouver at an elevation of 2700 feet. Tulameen’s population in the winter months is approximately 250, but this number quadruples in the summer, when weekenders invade this charming lakeside town on the lee side of the Cascade mountain range. The vibe in this hospitable burg is fun, friendly and generous.

Our season starts just about when the autumn leaves are turning. Weekends are packed as we prepare for our club's fundraisers. Last November long weekend local supporters raised $14,000 for our club. Besides selling memberships, an enormously generous volunteer crew split and sold firewood and planned a silent auction and dance.

We tune up the groomer, plan routes for our annual poker run, clear trails of windfall, and plan winter events at our local clubhouse, the Rabbit’s Den. It's a customized semi-trailer, with a stove, windows, benches, survival gear and lights. It's our gathering place, and headquarters for many of our activities that revolve around family fun.

Our club's goals have been robust over the last few years: proposing, negotiating and honouring a trail management agreement; fundraising to upgrade our groomer; avalanche and trail safety training. We have created a social media presence via Twitter, Facebook and our website, allowing for a very immediate flow of information. Email blasts help to keep everyone on the same page regarding events, training and avalanche safety.

This club was started by tireless, giving and innovative locals in 1997. During those years Tulameen hosted several sanctioned sno-cross races, which were incredible for the sport of snowmobiling. As the race events ended we needed to evolve and build a fresh team of vigorous volunteers and active members. Reichert’s Sales and Service (established 1969) is the local Skidoo dealer and has always found ways to support Tulameen; by far, Ed and Marg Reichert have been some of the Timberline Cruisers' largest supporters, and we thank them.

Tulameen welcomes Weekend Warriors (locals call them Flat Landers) as they roll in Friday nights, loaded with big iron, pumped up and ready to rip up the local hills. The Timberline Cruisers are on call for any mishaps or stranded snowmobilers, sometimes being hauled out of bed at 1:00 a.m. to go search and rescue.

Our faithful groomer crew usually heads out on the road around midnight on Thursday nights to groom our trails for members and (mostly) non-members. They are happy to report that with the new groomer, they haven’t often had to do the “walk of shame” home due to groomer breakdowns. Yep, that’s right—no cell service!

We look forward to growing the club over the next few years and increasing membership and volunteers. Last year there were about 125 members, and the Timberline Cruisers' executive board consists of a bunch of local snowmobile enthusiasts: