Manitoulin trails not open yet
ONTARIO—The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) are warning snowmobilers to remain off Ontario snowmobile trails as they are not yet safe to travel on—this includes trails on Manitoulin Island.
“No, our trails are not open as of today,” said Kathy McDonald, secretary of the Snowdusters on Monday.
“Our trails are not opened yet, we need some snow,” Doran McVey, president of the Manitoulin Snowdusters, confirmed on Monday. “The little (snow) we have is not enough.”
“If we had five or six more inches of snow we would be off and going,” said Mr. McVey. He explained the club had put new tracks on the clubs groomers the week before Christmas and is ready to get the trails in shape once sufficient snow is on the ground.
“The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) welcomes Ontario’s first major winter storm of the season,” an OFSC release on December 29 stated. “After almost 50 years of operating snowmobile trails in Ontario and experiencing many different starts to the snowmobiling season, the OFSC remains confident in providing many trail riding opportunities throughout the coming winter.”
“However, today the OFSC cautions snowmobilers that there are no safe riding opportunities yet in most parts of Ontario, including all OFSC snowmobile trails,” the release notes. “OFSC snowmobile clubs and volunteers are working hard to get trails ready, but only with the continuing cooperation of Old Man Winter and Mother Nature can the start of the 2016 provincial trail riding season get officially underway.”
“So, tempting as it may be to go for that first ride with fresh snow on the ground in many areas, snowmobilers are reminded again that no base has yet been formed to protect riders and sleds from hidden obstacles or underlying terrain irregularities,” the OFSC release explains. “More important, with temperatures not consistently cold enough to date, the pre-requisite freeze up for safe riding anywhere is late and incomplete, so no ice conditions should be considered safe to support any weight at this time or to ride over on a sled.”
“Meanwhile, snowmobilers are advised to go online at www.ofsc.on.ca to check the status of local snowmobile trails and for safety’s sake, to stay off all trails that show as red (unavailable). Trails that show yellow indicate limited availability, while trails that show green indicate available to ride. Wherever trails show red at this time, the OFSC strongly recommends that riders keep their sleds parked and avoid riding anywhere.”
“We are hoping for the right weather and our machines are ready to groom the trails,” said Ms. McDonald. “We are as anxious to get out as everyone else and will work on the trails as soon as we get enough snow.”
