Vermont’s Snowmobile Season Is Officially Open

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont's 2016-2017 snowmobile season is now officially open.

The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, which oversees the state's trails, says there is snow on a majority of the system and the grooming fleet is out "making up time for last season."

The VAST website says trail gates are being opened and trails are being packed down in hopes that a hard, frozen base can be formed. Trails at higher altitude have significantly more snow than those in the valleys.

Riders should check local conditions before venturing out and early season riders should use extreme caution.

Vermont has nearly 5,000 miles of groomed corridor trails and 1,500 miles of less-well maintained feeder trails.

The snowmobile season runs from Dec. 16 through mid-April, depending on snow conditions.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]