Mr. Barker, of the snowmobile club, added that many remained angry about forest wilderness designations made in the 1980s, which reduced snowmobiling terrain by half.

He also said he did not like the idea that the guide would be a commercial outfitter; his group is arguing to allow guides who are members of snowmobile clubs.

The Mountain Tamers are members of the local snowmobile club, the organization responsible for creating and maintaining trails in my town.

But elsewhere, snowmobile clubs are seeing memberships decline, meaning a drop in the dues used for trail maintenance.

The company that wrote insurance policies for snowmobile clubs declined to renew many liability policies early this season, prompting some clubs to shut down trails in New York's 9,000-mile network.

"When you have fatalities, it is usually someone who is not a member of a snowmobile club," she said.

The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association is an association of independently incorporated snowmobile clubs.

But lately, snowmobile clubs have bought fully tracked vehicles, commonly called snowcats, to do the grooming.

But the new snowmobile plan would let members of snowmobile clubs operate tracked groomers on certain trails on a regular basis.

Mr. Bissell and other local officials, along with snowmobile clubs, would like to see the area opened to more than just hikers and canoeists.