Powerboaters Snowmobile Rally Right Around The Corner With A Few Spots Left
Let’s start with some good news. There are still a couple of spots open for the annual Powerboaters Snowmobile Rally hosted by the one-and-only Michael “Doc” Janssen and his incredible, steadfast team at Saratoga Hot Springs Resort in Saratoga, Wy.
You never know which offshore racers will be in town for the Powerboaters Snowmobile Rally coming up in Saratoga, Wy., later this month. Photos courtesy Doc Janssen
The bad news is that it starts in about two weeks so if you’re interested, time is running out to attend the entertaining and adventurous event in Wyoming’s magnificent Snowy Range from Thursday, January 23 to Sunday, January 26. To make it easy for those who don’t need to read any further and want to sign up now, contact the courteous and organized Cheena Parsons—my favorite person at the rustic resort—by calling 307-326-5261 or emailing [email protected] and she’ll take great care of you.
One of my other favorite people is primary event organizer Mike Kustic, who manages the on-site Wyoming Outdoor Adventures. Not only is Kustic an expert local guide, his personality brings out the best in those around him thanks to his fun spirit but calm demeanor.
Kustic’s demeanor is slightly calmer nowadays as he said his guide workload (and anxiety levels) have changed thanks to the advent of built-in GPS technology in the rentals—snowmobiles in the winter and UTVs in the summer—his team maintains.
“As the machines have developed and gotten smarter, they all come with GPS screens now that allow them to see each other, which gives our customers a lot of peace of mind,” Rustic said, adding that the guides also get the peace of mind locating everyone on one screen. “We still do plenty of the guiding, but we’re starting to see more guests go at it alone.”
What GPS doesn’t do is keep snowmobilers out of trouble, which is where Rustic and company really shine. Especially when they have the powerboating crew—a group known to find the deepest snow and the most-challenging hill climbs—in town. Kidding aside, Kustic said he really enjoys riding with the boaters and that they are, for the most part, very capable of getting themselves out of precarious situations.
“Our main goal is to make the event as fun as we can for everybody without making it the same old, same old,” Kustic said. “It’s always a challenge to mix it up. The conditions may change from year to year, but there are only so many routes we can take or places to explore, which is why Doc puts so much emphasis on the customer service, the dinners and the theme parties. The costume parties are always a blast and we’re certain the ‘Superheroes and Villains’ theme for Friday night’s party is going to be a hit.
“For me, it’s been fun to get to know some of the boaters,” he continued. “I was fortunate enough to attend the boat races in Marathon (Fla.) in 2023 with Billy Mauff (of WHM Motorsports). So I got to hang out with him, Lenny and the boys, and see those guys in their element. Of course I recognized a lot of people who have come to the snowmobile rally throughout the years. I really enjoyed watching them at their craft. I could see why the boaters are such a big family.”
Check out the slideshow above for more images from Wyoming.
That big family is what is bringing several offshore racers back to the event this year, as well as pleasure boaters such as Michigan’s John Tokar, whom I had the pleasure of getting to meet for the first time at the snowmobile rally several years ago.
To Tokar, Janssen and everyone else heading to the event later this month—have a safe and fun time. As mentioned, there is still time to sign up. Or, if the timing doesn’t work this year, Saratoga Hot Springs Resort offers a Valentine’s Day Weekend Invitational Snowmobile Poker Run (February 13-16) and a St. Patrick’s Day Sled & Soak Celebration (March 13-16). Kustic and Parsons also will be there to take care of you at both of those events. Trust me, the resort—with its hot springs, spa, brewery and more—is worth the trip.
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