MTB Kingston’s trail network is for members only. This isn’t because we seek to be exclusionary, it’s because every member agrees to a waiver, and therefore the private landowners who have graciously donated their land are protected from liability by way of a substantial insurance policy.
For those who were unaware, here are some helpful tips:
- Trail passes must be visible at all times while snowshoeing, hiking and skiing because they indicate from a distance that you have agreed to this waiver, and are part of this insurance coverage. If you’re not on a bike, wear it on your jacket like a ski lift pass (the reason for it, coincidentally, is the same).
- Everyone on the trails must have a trail pass, not one or two per group, everyone, because again, there’s a waiver and insurance involved.
- You may not bring friends if they are not members just so they can try it out. Tell them how great it is, and how cheap it is to become a member. Try not to openly ridicule them if they continue to object, but reaffirm that they are not welcome unless they are a member.
- You cannot use your buddy’s membership tag; See above, Re. waiver/insurance.
- You can pick up your membership tag, or replace a lost tag from the reception desk at Subaru of Kingston, anytime they’re open for business.
Over the past weeks, we have noticed many skiers and snowshoers with no membership tags. If you’re already a member, please wear your tag. If you’re not yet a member, please consider this: We charge half the regular season rate for those who join during the winter, yet the cost of trail maintenance is exponentially greater than it is in the summer, with all the requirements for grooming. That excellent grooming, almost exclusively whenever it snows, is done by the one individual who gives the most to this club, our primary landowner. It brings him a huge amount of joy to see people enjoying the trails that he created. All he asks is that you provide visible proof that you being on his land doesn’t increase his liability. This isn’t too much to ask.