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It's a problem for me if you're not done riding, and I'm on the same trails at the same time as you. I just don't think it's right. We've (almost) all had our youthful silly moments of drinking then driving when we were younger, myself included. I remember a late afternoon/evening ride that a friend of mine and I went on from KL to Sesekinika Resort, had a bowl of chili and a beer. Just one. I very much disliked the feeling of riding a sled after having only one, I could feel I wasn't myself and didn't enjoy it a bit. I haven't had a drink before sledding since. I'll think nothing of having a couple of glasses of wine during/after supper, then driving 3 blocks to the house (after a 2 hour stay after supper), because the sensations aren't the same as on a sled. It's difficult to explain.

I don't have a problem with riders having a beer at lunch but the reality here is that people throwing empties on the trail are in all likelihood breaking at least 2 laws, creating more opportunity for hurting others and themselves plus jeopardizing our trail systems' future. Proper on trail enforcement by the police would curtail some of this issue but at present most of these guys realize the chances of them getting caught is minimal and they just don't care about other riders on the trails or the trails future JMHO.

I agree with both of you. My feeling is that things can happen too fast on the trails with unwanted results, without anything to dampen reaction time. I might be a 'lightweight' when it comes to drinking, but I feel that any impairment is too much on the trails, or roads for that matter. My feeling is that someone drinking on the trails does not only affect them, it also affects me. Either by jeopardizing my safety, or, God forbid, by ruining my trip by having to deal with the consequences after the fact. JMO.

On my last Canyon trip I wasn't in a rush, so I stopped and puck up every empty beer can I saw on trail, by the end of my day I have 37 cans in my bag. What's a shame! I'm pretty sure no people on this forum who ever left garbage on trail. Let's keep our land clean!!!

On the other hand, the reflection of the discarded beer cans helps mark the trail at night!

The land owner that shut us off this spring commented on the empty beer cans on his property, It leaves a bad representation of what sledding is about when peeps leave trash Im ok with a pint at lunch but take your trash with you, It makes us all look like a bunch of boozing idiots

Maybe it's just me but when I am out sledding I have no desire to have a beer while out riding, once back at the hotel, different story lol, To each their own I guess, It is frustrating to see empty cans all over on the trails though.

The considerate drinkers will at least leave their empties in the warm-up shacks, where it's easy for the volunteers to collect and return for refund. It's called "fundraising"....

Oh. Please don't!

My neighbor has a warming hut on the trail . Stove is always lit when trails are open, and all the locals know it as well. The chimney goes through a heated washroom on the back of the shed. He uses that money to cover things such as toilet paper, and other small essentials the the hut uses throughout the winter.

I live on a dirt road in a rural area. One of my neighbors must be an alcoholic. Near the highway there are beer cans tossed out onto the side of the road every day. Pretty sure I know which guy does it. While sitting on my next door neighbor.s porch another guy pulled in to say high, my neighbor offered him a beer and he said no as he raised the one he was drinking. Same brand and a guy that drives with open beers pretty much tells the tale. I just hope he does not kill anyone before he is caught.

The nanny state we live in shines bright in this forum. Excessive drinking trailside is ridiculous I agree with that. But a beer or 2 at lunch or later in the day is harmless. Then at the hotel or at camp after a good ride I'll have as many as I wish.

I have never understood people who can carry full beers but can't carry home an empty. Perhaps they are afraid of them being found if they are stopped by the OPP, but otherwise its just pure laziness. I pickup a bunch on my cottage road every fall after hunting season. I really don't care if you have a beer for lunch, but what makes you think its OK to litter.

I see both your points but I see it as no different then having a beer at lunch, or having a beer at dinner then hoping on a sled. I personally don't do it, but I have stopped at a beautiful, quiet section of trail to admire the view before and thought it would be nice to have a drink. Much different then packing yourself a six pack and drinking at every stop.

aubrey falls trading has opened, closed several times in the last several years. now black creek outfitters. tough row to hoe. remote area with LOTS OF DOWN TIME. a few weeks of sledding, a few weeks of hunting, a few weeks of fishing clients... the rest is up keep, and paying overhead. if you were buying it as a living place, and make a bit of money with gas and lodging and didnt mind the service hours or return on time and investment... it MIGHT be worth it. it sucks for those needing services to ride sleds atvs ect... in the area because without them, no more elliot lake to halfway, without alot of fuel, or a HUGE DETOUR toward the soo, heyden, goulais river for fuel before treking north toward wawa. with the troubles saw this year, it wouldnt surprise me if halfway haven closes in winter again. lots of hurdles are going to pop up in district 13 this year. LOTS! ski

On our trip into Quebec this year on the free weekend, we followed a group from Ontario, and AT EVERY possible stop they were drinking like fish. We even seen them one morning drinking at 10am. Just another disregard for others safety, and disrespect for landowners etc.. Such a shame..

great place and the price is reasonable, might get in the way of sledding though. To only be 30 years younger....

On trail enforcement might help, but until we, as the responsible snowmobiling community AND the clubs make our concerns known, the OPP will likely be unaware that there IS a problem. They're already slammed because of their enforcement of the speed limits on the trails, for crying out loud. I think a RIDE checkpoint somewhere on the Abitibi Canyon would go over like a lead balloon. Most of these idiots have deep pockets.....pool their $$$ to pay the speeding fine of the first guy in line who gets nailed. Or hand over $1000 in cash to the rider whose sled you've clipped when you missed that corner....to keep it from being reported to the cops. Every year I find new reasons to give up riding AND volunteering.