Consolidation of Midwest offices complete for Yamaha

Yamaha’s move into new office space in Pleasant Prairie, Wisc., is now complete.
The transfer of the Snowmobile Sales And Marketing Regional Sales Office from Moundsview, Minn., to Pleasant Prairie in the second week of July completed the move, which began in mid-June, said Yamaha’s
Carolyn Case.
The newly-built facility incorporates the Regional Sales Office, Parts Center and Service, formerly of Cudahy, Wis., into a 164,000 square-foot Midwest Regional Headquarters.
In addition to housing the snowmobile marketing department, the new site will include a parts warehouse for all Yamaha motorsports lines, as well as sales support, service support and dealer training.
The address of the office is: 10801 88th Ave., Pleasant Prairie, Wisc. 53458. The new switchboard line is 262/947-6100.
suit on voyageurs’ Bays rejected
A lawsuit filed to close certain bays to snowmobiling in Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota was rejected in early July by a federal judge. The suit, filed by the Voyageurs Region National Park Association and other groups, claimed the National Park Service harmed grey wolf and bald eagle populations in the park when 11 bays reopened to snowmobile use in 2001. The bays had been off-limits since 1992.
The park service opened six bays in 1996 and the remainder in 2001 after research showed the bays were not critical to the species’ survival. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank sided with the National Park Service, saying it was justified in its decision to open the bays.
yellowstone reservations set
Yellowstone National Park announced its new system for snowmobile reservations on July 10. As of July 23, reservations were scheduled to be accepted through Xanterra Parks And Resorts, the Aurora, Colo.-based concession manager for Yellowstone. Xanterra will give reservations only for Yellowstone. Both commercial and private parties need to make reservations through Xanterra to enter the park.
For this winter, 80% of snowmobiles must be commercially guided. For the 2004-05 season, all trips must be guided. There is no service charge to make the reservations, and currently the price of a permit is $20 for a week. Xanterra will begin accepting reservations for snowmobile tours in the park when the National Park Service finishes its final plans for the park, currently scheduled for July 23. Xanterra’s reservation line is 307/344-7901, www.xanterra.com or www.travelyellowstone.com.
Utah Groups Join Forces with BlueRibbon Coalition
Pocatello, Idaho-based BlueRibbon Coalition and the Payson, Utah-based Utah Shared Access Alliance will work with the Top of Utah Snowmobile Association, Logan, Utah, to challenge a new Wasatch Cache National Forest Plan.
In the new plan, access to the Mount Naomi Wilderness and roadless area will change from two-thirds off-limits to 80% off-limits to motorized recreation. The new closures are popular snowmobile destinations, said Brian Hawthorne of the Utah Shared Access Alliance.
“We support reasonable regulation of all forms of recreational access, but two-thirds of the treasured snowmobile areas near Mount Naomi have been closed by prior decisions,” said Garth Barker, of the Top of Utah Snowmobile Association. “The Forest Service needs to recognize that further closures are not the answer.”
In addition, the groups believe that the new plan, signed into effect on March 19, 2003, doesn’t include justification nor scientific analysis to support the closures. They also feel the plan will not allow forest managers to properly manage for diverse and healthy forest, does not properly provide or plan for increase in all forms of recreation, and fails to consider the needs and concerns of local communities.
Blair Morgan Up For ESPY Award
Ski-Doo snocross racer Blair Morgan was one of four nominees for the ESPY Awards on ESPN. Morgan was nominated in the “best action athlete” category, long with freestyle skier Aleisha Cline, surfer Andy Irons and snowboarder Shaun White .
The ESPY awards are given for excellence in sports performance and were created by ESPN in 1993. This year’s awards program aired on July 16.