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Free Trail Permit Weekend - Family Day?


Bryan XC700

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I was just checking out the OFSC website checking trail status with this warm up & noticed they have free access to the trail system on the family day weekend. Did they do this last year? Whats your thoughts on it. My aunt was going to buy a classic permit for her sled that weekend when she goes up with us to ride but now it looks like she doesn't have to & the odds are that will be the only weekend she rides the trails.

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yes free permit family day weekend,you still have to go get it from the OFSC to stick on the sled,and don,t forget to get that speedo fixed so your not getting any speeding tickets,or ride behind your aunt LOL.

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There's a separate thread on this topic - folks are divided.

Some question having it on the most popular riding weekend of the season, effectively taking away permit money. Your scenario is a case in point.

It's the first year Ontario is running the program.

Your aunt still has to print a permit and affix it to the snowmobile. I hope you have an awesome Family weekend.

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The odds are it will be the only weekend many people ride. I know that they are trying to encourage new permit buyers, but I think it does the opposite.

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They should line it up with the Quebec free weekend and then maybe the guys with Ontario permits could try out Quebec trails and avoid all the extra traffic in Ontario.

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I'm still surprised at this scenario. That weekend with me my Aunt & now my cousin will be putting a free permit on their sleds. One would have been a classic permit & the other would have been a full priced one or at least a weekend pass. So there is revenue lost for the OFSC. If they can afford to allow access for free to the trail system on the busiest sledding weekend of the year, then maybe they should consider rolling back the prices on permits. The free pass seems counter productive to me.

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Bad idea. Should have picked a different weekend.

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Playing devils advocate...it's one of very few long stretches where a family might be off during the Winter when trails are apt to be prime. You can't count on Christmas/ New Years...nor March break to have decent trails. Since the OFSC is not doing the give it a try ride, this is at least an opportunity to freely ride the system without the cost of a permit.

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I think the idea is to allow families, or other family members, to pull the sleds that are either in mothballs, or only used on lakes, to try the trails when, as FQ said, it is an extended weekend at a time when trails are more likely to be in good shape. The idea is that some of those people may buy permits next year.

Incidentally, a side benefit of requiring registration for the free permit is that is allows some tracking of how many permits were issued and if the users actually do buy permits next year.

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I understand the premise behind the weekend...just like its free family fishing weekend as well that weekend. But me like most people I know the miles riding trails have decreased with the cost of fuel, travel (life etc.). Last year the only time I was on the trails was family day weekend. Now this time next year I may seriously consider not getting a permit for my sleds and plan a ride the family day weekend only & if Mother nature pulls her head out of her ass next year and only buy a weekend pass if I ride again. Don't even bring up the cost of permit versus, insurance...gas....sleds..blah blah blah. Those other reasons are why I still ride a 1998 & a 2002 sled & mileage put on those each year have been a max of 500 miles in the last 4 winters. My thoughts are that permit dollars will be lost because of the free weekend.

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After seeing how our poker run turned out this year...I'd bet a higher number of people would participate on family day weekend, in particular if they don't have to buy a permit to put a sled on the trail for a day of fun. Could be good for clubs planning an event such as this. You could capture some of the locals that strictly use their sled to run out to the ice hut and back home. More revenue to the club. Or...entice somebody to buy a permit the following year.

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Great idea

You ride on what is usually prime conditions most yrs that weekend and if the trails are top notch betcha it will entice a few to buy a permit for the rest of the season or next

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After seeing how our poker run turned out this year...I'd bet a higher number of people would participate on family day weekend, in particular if they don't have to buy a permit to put a sled on the trail for a day of fun. Could be good for clubs

planning an event such as this. You could

capture some of the locals that strictly use their

sled to run out to the ice hut and back home.

More revenue to the club. Or...entice somebody

to buy a permit the following year.

The forest does thier poker run then. Can't compete with them. I was going to go, but dicided it wasn't worth the drive, because of low snow.

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