First Open Trails

[catinental couch]

5 minutes ago, gtserider said:

No,it has not been cold just wet.Nothing is frozen from Parry Sound north to Sudbury.

I got the snowblower stuck in the mud to the top of it's wheels on Thursday. At least now the surface is frozen so you don't lose your boots while walking to the propane tank.

[revrnd]

On 12/8/2018 at 11:32 AM, Rich Saul said:

Groomer came through birds creek yesterday.  Saw it from the kitchen window. 

A few sleds going north on the trail now. 

Might head out to the garage n get out for a look see.

 

You moved to the Bancroft area after selling the lodge?

 

Hopefully the railbed goes yellow this week. Might have to stage over @ the MTO yard in Ormsby & head north.

[Rich Saul]

9 hours ago, revrnd said:

 

You moved to the Bancroft area after selling the lodge?

 

Hopefully the railbed goes yellow this week. Might have to stage over @ the MTO yard in Ormsby & head north.

Yep.  Moved south.

In between birds creek and Bancroft. 

Nice n close to the trail.

Only 40 km to camp at McKenzie lake. 

So far so good.

[Kaboomsizzle420]

Yes it was open, for a whole 1 day, appears closed again from what I see, yet I click on the trail itself and it comes up yellow on the details at bottom. Man, I’m confused. Maybe OFSC should put up a map that’s clear and concise? Is it open? Is it closed again? Went to haliburton forest on Friday, and it was awesome, pretty much the whole park is open. This nonsense continues I think next year I’ll just ride there, forget OFSC, they can’t seem to get it together. For the 5 times a year I ride, may as well just pay $50 each time I want to ride(right now it’s only $30/day pre season) and hit up Quebec for the free weekend in January

[Kaboomsizzle420]

My buddy was saying they won’t open until January because they don’t want people riding on last years passes, I told him that can’t be the case, but I’m starting to think he’s right. Root of all evil.......$

[Dave K]

23 minutes ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

My buddy was saying they won’t open until January because they don’t want people riding on last years passes, I told him that can’t be the case, but I’m starting to think he’s right. Root of all evil.......$

Well that's wrong, cause it says right on the bottom of the pass from last year that it expires on May 31 2018, Just like this years says May 31 2019

[02Sled]

1 hour ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

My buddy was saying they won’t open until January because they don’t want people riding on last years passes, I told him that can’t be the case, but I’m starting to think he’s right. Root of all evil.......$

 The club volunteers desire to have the trails ready to ride is just as keen and maybe even greater than anyone else's. Standing water under the snow. No frost in the ground. Swamps not frozen. Downed trees. Low snow cover, especially once packed down. All reasons the trails aren't ready yet. You want to get the trails open sooner. Contact your club and volunteer to help them get the trails ready.

[Poo Man]

3 hours ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

Yes it was open, for a whole 1 day, appears closed again from what I see, yet I click on the trail itself and it comes up yellow on the details at bottom. Man, I’m confused. Maybe OFSC should put up a map that’s clear and concise? Is it open? Is it closed again? Went to haliburton forest on Friday, and it was awesome, pretty much the whole park is open. This nonsense continues I think next year I’ll just ride there, forget OFSC, they can’t seem to get it together. For the 5 times a year I ride, may as well just pay $50 each time I want to ride(right now it’s only $30/day pre season) and hit up Quebec for the free weekend in January

Why don't you do just that if the ofsc doesn't magically open trails for you? They can't control the weather.

[none]

This is all very confusing guys . It sounds as tho' local clubs can open trails and the "official map" won't indicate this.

How are folks like me to know what's available? I watch for the ITG to tell me where I can ride . 

Apparently, there are trails being ridden with the snow in Bancroft area and ParrySound.    Are they OPEN ?

[02Sled]

3 hours ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

Yes it was open, for a whole 1 day, appears closed again from what I see, yet I click on the trail itself and it comes up yellow on the details at bottom. Man, I’m confused. Maybe OFSC should put up a map that’s clear and concise? Is it open? Is it closed again? Went to haliburton forest on Friday, and it was awesome, pretty much the whole park is open. This nonsense continues I think next year I’ll just ride there, forget OFSC, they can’t seem to get it together. For the 5 times a year I ride, may as well just pay $50 each time I want to ride(right now it’s only $30/day pre season) and hit up Quebec for the free weekend in January

Enjoy Haliburton and Quebec then. The OFSC clubs are volunteers that are working to clear downed trees, make sure the trails are safe, repair the bridges and get the trails ready for you to ride. Haliburton Forest is a private for profit business. Since you only ride 5 times a year, Haliburton only leaves you 4 more trips this year. There will be lots of opportunity for those 4 more trips and the conditions will be far better than one could hope for now.

[02Sled]

6 minutes ago, bucko said:

This is all very confusing guys . It sounds as tho' local clubs can open trails and the "official map" won't indicate this.

How are folks like me to know what's available? I watch for the ITG to tell me where I can ride . 

Apparently, there are trails being ridden with the snow in Bancroft area and ParrySound.    Are they OPEN ?

Once all the prerequisites have been met for showing a trail as available by the club volunteers they will typically contact their district office to have the ITG updated. There are people out riding but the trails aren't open yet. I saw some pictures of trails from the Parry Sound area with lots of standing water, swamps that are still swamps and  trees that have come down as a result of the recent heavy snow.

 

There are also people riding trails that have Trail Closed signs clearly posted. They are riding through the private property farm field planted with winter wheat that only has a scim of snow on it and not staying on the trail. Typically the club ends up paying these farmers for crop damage and in some cases lose the trail because people just can't stay off the trails until they are available.

[none]

I can only hope these boneheads are stuck in a swamp far from help. (no bodily harm of course )

We can only hope we don't lose trails because of these people.

 

[Baylaker]

13 minutes ago, 02Sled said:

Once all the prerequisites have been met for showing a trail as available by the club volunteers they will typically contact their district office to have the ITG updated. There are people out riding but the trails aren't open yet. I saw some pictures of trails from the Parry Sound area with lots of standing water, swamps that are still swamps and  trees that have come down as a result of the recent heavy snow.

 

There are also people riding trails that have Trail Closed signs clearly posted. They are riding through the private property farm field planted with winter wheat that only has a scim of snow on it and not staying on the trail. Typically the club ends up paying these farmers for crop damage and in some cases lose the trail because people just can't stay off the trails until they are available.

That was down in our area. Couldn’t believe it!

 

we are going to Halliburton tomorrow for a little shake down because we just can’t wait any longer Lol

 

to ride the same 300km over and over I would have to think will get extremely boring. 

[02Sled]

8 minutes ago, bucko said:

I can only hope these boneheads are stuck in a swamp far from help. (no bodily harm of course )

We can only hope we don't lose trails because of these people.

 

There were a couple of snowmobilers that were stuck in a swamp late at night last year somewhere in the area south of Collingwood. Thankfully the OPP were able to find them.

[02Sled]

9 minutes ago, Baylaker said:

That was down in our area. Couldn’t believe it!

 

we are going to Halliburton tomorrow for a little shake down because we just can’t wait any longer Lol

 

to ride the same 300km over and over I would have to think will get extremely boring. 

That's why we hook up the trailer from time to time as well. Try riding the reverse direction on the same trail.... looks totally different

[gobills]

1 hour ago, Baylaker said:

That was down in our area. Couldn’t believe it!

 

we are going to Halliburton tomorrow for a little shake down because we just can’t wait any longer Lol

 

to ride the same 300km over and over I would have to think will get extremely boring. 

Can you post some pics and conditions please looking to go next week possibly.  Thanks

[gobills]

1 hour ago, 02Sled said:

Enjoy Haliburton and Quebec then. The OFSC clubs are volunteers that are working to clear downed trees, make sure the trails are safe, repair the bridges and get the trails ready for you to ride. Haliburton Forest is a private for profit business. Since you only ride 5 times a year, Haliburton only leaves you 4 more trips this year. There will be lots of opportunity for those 4 more trips and the conditions will be far better than one could hope for now.

On the bold check out openogo what a disaster their trails are there screaming for help.  They did get a skidder to help but man its a lot of work.

[revrnd]

4 hours ago, Baylaker said:

That was down in our area. Couldn’t believe it!

 

we are going to Halliburton tomorrow for a little shake down because we just can’t wait any longer Lol

 

to ride the same 300km over and over I would have to think will get extremely boring. 

 

^ What he said...

[GrizzlyGriff]

Last few years its been late January for riding here in District 2. I am so thankful to have the time and opportunity to ride Quebec early and late with a trip in the middle.  Praise be to all the clubs and volunteers for helping me make my sledding something I don't want to live without.

[02Sled]

3 hours ago, gobills said:

On the bold check out openogo what a disaster their trails are there screaming for help.  They did get a skidder to help but man its a lot of work.

Don't give me lame.excuses. Just get the trails open. Just kidding but I am sure there are some out there thinking and some saying exactly that. Meanwhile not having a clue of what it takes

[Crow]

I remember seeing in Snow Trax or Snow Goer years ago where they were making snow for the trail system. Is that in the Haliburton Forest? Or are they just blessed with more snowfall?

[Yukon]

3 hours ago, Crow said:

I remember seeing in Snow Trax or Snow Goer years ago where they were making snow for the trail system. Is that in the Haliburton Forest? Or are they just blessed with more snowfall?

They are in the Algonquin highlands, colder and snow when it happens. The Hali forest is mainly on forest access roads with some Bush trails that are maintained all year long. They are for profit and can afford to damage the groomers they have. 300kms of circles....

[Baylaker]

15 hours ago, gobills said:

Can you post some pics and conditions please looking to go next week possibly.  Thanks

You bet! 

[Canuck]

14 hours ago, Crow said:

I remember seeing in Snow Trax or Snow Goer years ago where they were making snow for the trail system. Is that in the Haliburton Forest? Or are they just blessed with more snowfall?

 

It's the elevation. We've left in GTA rain on Boxing Day and entered falling snow as we climbed up to Haliburton Forest. Never observed them make snow, but there are ski hill type hoses as you exit/enter the parking lot area. That area is also used for dogs/sleighs and I suspect that it gets pretty beat up. So,  yes, there's snow making equipment for about 100 metres (that I could see) but a 'football field' of snow making somehow got translated into the myth of 'they make snow on trails'.  Worth going to break in a new sled, introduce a beginner to sledding, get away from inlaws over the holidays (outside voice??) - but HF once every other season is enough.

 

There may be folks on oc.com with a camp there; more local knowledge. That's what I thought the equipment was for.

 

Many nice memories of riding there with Sledjunk and his family. In later years, with my yoots. Food's quite good in the onsite restaurant.

[Kaboomsizzle420]

This is the same old debate every year guys, no need to get uppity. I am patiently waiting, just hard to understand sometimes why OFSC volunteers aren’t focused on all the flat areas/train tracks/logging roads first, the ones that are all in and around Hali Forest, which is open. Most times I’m thinking it’s more to do with “red tape” then actually having enough snow/frozen ground. Why can’t they open these flat sections? The ones without swamp? Looks to me like 90% of the OFSC trails are on land? And of that 90% I wonder what percentage is actually private property? Who cares if we mash crown land? Not me. Also I’m not being negative towards the volunteers, and I do know how much work it takes, and appreciate everyone’s hard work, and yes, if I was rich or didn’t have a full time job, or live in the Toronto area, I WOULD GLADLY VOLUNTEER. So I’m not attacking, in fact I’m grateful for all employees and volunteers @ OFSC, but what I am questioning is some of the red tape crap, and if we don’t question it, it’ll never improve, and so I’m just thinking out loud, not riding closed trails, or private property, and waiting.......