Snowmobile riders throughout McHenry County have had quite a run this season.

Feeling cooped up because of the pandemic, fans of the outdoor sport have taken full advantage of heavy snows. Sales of snowmobiles are up, and more people have hit the trails.

Those involved with the McHenry County Snowmobile Association are hoping the industry boost draws more club members. They’ve also strived to raise awareness of safety measures.

Working with the county’s eight snowmobile clubs and the McHenry County Conservation District, as well as the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, the association coordinates and maintains trails and promotes safety training.

“This winter has been phenomenal,” said Sue Giese, the secretary for the McHenry County Snowmobile Association, as well as the Sno-Grovers Snowmobile Club in Spring Grove. “We’re seeing lots more people.

“We’re hoping that while they’re out riding, they maybe are thinking or considering joining a club because we could use the help. … We put in an awful lot of work.”

Although a rise in temperature this week has shut down McHenry County’s trails for now, snowmobile riders have enjoyed an unusually active season so far.

The McHenry County Conservation District offers more than 17 miles of snowmobile trails in Glacial Park and along the Prairie Trail that connect with numerous county trails. Trails opened Dec. 10 and remain open when there is at least 4 inches of snowfall on frozen ground or 6 inches of snow on unfrozen ground.

The McHenry County snowmobile hotline, 815-334-SNOW, provides information on trail updates and classes.

“We are closing them, so people stay off them and allow the packed snow to stay nice and packed,” Giese said of the trails. “If we get cooler nights and the temperature drops a little more, then we will more than likely try to open them one more time, which is phenomenal.

“They’re closed, but stay tuned.”

During a typical season, many Illinois riders travel north to take advantage of snow-covered trails.

But this year, the area’s trails remained snow-covered for longer than usual, even drawing riders from Wisconsin and other northern states, where the snow came late.

“This year, we’re getting some really great snow,” said Ron Lang, the trail coordinator for the Riverbend Benders Snowmobile Club based in Island Lake and Cary. “The snow is really packing well, and it’s sticking around. The trails are in wonderful condition.”

Lang said he and his wife rode nearly 30 miles on their snowmobiles this past weekend, stopping for lunch at the Broken Oar in McHenry, where numerous other riders had gathered.

“We just love the outdoors,” Lang said. “The animals you see and the nature and the beautiful views are just spectacular. … Snowmobilers are a whole separate group of people. It’s people who love the outdoors and love nature and love being out in the fresh air.”

As trail coordinator, Lang often works with private property owners, as well as the Lake County Forest Preserves, to prepare trails for the season. Often drawing McHenry County riders, the Lake County Forest Preserves at www.lcfpd.org offer 21 miles of designated snowmobile trails, many of which connect to other snowmobile trails.

In McHenry County, riders are encouraged to obtain trail maps available from the McHenry County Conservation District at www.mccdistrict.org and area businesses. More information and a list of those businesses can be found through the McHenry County Snowmobiler Association’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/snowmobilemchenrycounty/.

Riders not registered in Illinois are required to buy Illinois trail passes to take their sleds on Illinois’ trails.

“This year, the phone is off the hook. It’s ‘How can I buy a trail pass?’ We had a ton of sales going on,” Giese said.

Aside from a few accidents this past weekend, the snowmobiling season has been relatively smooth in McHenry County.

The McHenry County Township Fire Protection District responded to three snowmobile accident in the span of three hours Saturday, one involving an injury. Two of the calls were for snowmobiles through the ice on the Fox River in Johnsburg, while the third involved a rollover accident in McHenry.

West of McHenry County in rural Ogle County, a longtime snowmobiler was killed earlier this month when his snowmobile hit a tree near a trail during snowy, low-visibility conditions, the Illinois Conservation Police said.

As a safety education partner, Giese partners with theMcHenry County Sheriff’s Office. She sees snowmobiling as a family sport, as long as it’s done safely. That means sticking to the trails, she said, and following the laws.

“We get those who buy a sled and think they can ride, and they don’t follow the rules,” she said. “They go off the trail and they end up losing a life over it or seriously hurting someone. It’s a shame because we work very hard at putting out safe trails. If you stay on the trails, you’ll be safe.”

Involved in snowmobiling for nearly 35 years, the Johnsburg native has served in various roles in the Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs and the Midwest chapter of the American Council of Snowmobile Associations through the years.

Like many fans of the sport, Giese sees snowmobiling as her passion. Originally from Minnesota, she loves the winter and raised her children on the trails in McHenry County and Wisconsin. The family’s vacations revolved around snowmobiling.

“We’re not just riding along the ditch on the side of the road. We’re going into the woods. We are looking at nature from a whole different view,” she said. “We see foxes running. We see deer. We see nature.”