MARCELLUS -- It's been a brutal winter for snowmobile riders and the businesses that depend on them.
As we approach March, you won't find snowmobile tracks in Southern Onondaga County. The trails in Marcellus and the Town of Onondaga aren't even open.
"For us snowmobilers, it's just been horrible," said Tim Taylor with the Toad Hollow Trailriders Snowmobile Club.
Taylor says at least a foot of snow is ideal for riding. This year, as we approach the middle of the snowmobile season, he says no storm has come close.
Taylor says in a good winter, on a good day, riders will travel hundreds of miles and will have to fill up on fuel a few times a day. So this warmer weather has a chilling ripple effect.
The Express Mart off of Rt. 175 in Marcellus says it's seen a drop in business from snowmobilers. "Daily they come in and get gas," said Manager Chris Mott. "But since there hasn't been any snow we haven't had anybody."
The start of the season, some snowmobile retailers reported sales were already down by two-thirds.
"As riders, we're bummed because we're not doing what we love. But there are a lot of businesses that actually depend on it," said Taylor. "It's been a terrible year for them."
Taylor says he's hopeful mother nature will still have one big snowfall before winter ends.
Up north, some of the state's 10,000 miles of trails in the Northern and Southern region of Adirondack Park and Northern Oneida County have managed to stay open.
