About our Club
A little Lake Effect history
In 2001, The Lake Effect Trailbreakers snowmobile Club was formed by a group of local riders with the goal to increase snowmobile trail grooming in our area and to create/build a big bridge in the Town of Gerry, NY. The bridge was needed to be able to avoid having to travel some 500 feet on the edge of busy Rte 60, due to a large creek. At the same time, the newly formed club purchased a 1996 Tucker Sno-Cat 1000 with a Mogul Master drag, which was financed by a member on behalf of the club.
Thanks to the efforts, ideas and hard work of many snowmobilers and community members, the club was able to raise funds to pay for that first groomer, plus a second one, within two years, by hosting an annual Sno-Cross race at the Gerry Rodeo Grounds. The kindess and assistance from more than just snowmobilers, really the entire community, helped the fledgling club to accomplish this astonishing feat in a short amount of time.
We owe great deal of thanks to the other clubs in our area who provided advice and donations, as well as to many public officials and entities who provided guidance and assistance to the new club's officers. Because, very quickly, the club's newly installed trails in our area were converted into funded corridor trails as part of the NYS snowmobile trail system and the club was then able to apply for Trail Maintenance Entity grant funding from the snowmobile registration fees collected by the NYS Dept of Parks via the NYS Departments of Motor Vehicles.
So, there was a lot going on the first few years of the club's existence. Groomers, trail installations, bridge building, etc. all happening at once.
Later on, the club went through the lengthy process to be incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in order to be eligible for potential federal Recreational Trail Program (RTP) grants.
RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from nonhighway recreational fuel use: fuel used for off-highway recreation by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and off-highway light trucks.
Thanks to the wonderful (and patient) grant writing talents of one of the Lake Effect Trailbreaker's club members, along with many hours put in the club's officers, the Lake Effect Trailbreakers were awarded an RTP grant in 2015, to help purchase a brand new Tucker 2000 groomer and Sno-Paver drag.
Now, our club runs two Tucker Sno-Cat 2000 groomers and leases, during the winter, a John Deere Tractor with tracks and all the groomers pull Sno-Paver drags. Our club members continue to work hard to improve the trails in our area.

Brand new, in 2015, Tucker Sno-Cat 2000