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First Open Trails


chandos_jon

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29 minutes ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

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.......

Sorry but your just plain ignorant to a lot of facts based on your comment. The ofsc and volunteers want to open the trails as soon as they possibly can, but between snow conditions and labour it can take longer. You can't just magically levitate a groomer to take care of a small 30km long club trail. Even if you could, it would get beat up so quick as there's thousands of permit buyers versus the limited number of spots available to ride in hali. 

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33 minutes ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

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.......

I believe Haliburton Forest has their own portable snow making ability which may be part of the reason they can open early.

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7 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

I believe Haliburton Forest has their own portable snow making ability which may be part of the reason they can open early.

I don't think that happens,  but always suggested.

 

Their main trail system are access roads, so didn't require much snow and they "open" them,  there secondary feeder trails take more time, snow and frost as they are similar to most ofsc trails with the many roadblocks. 

 

The forest is nice to scratch the itch or for a person new to the sport and wants to try it out as they have trails, rentals and lodging, but I couldn't imagine that being my only choice to ride all year.....but to each their own.

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Just now, stoney said:

I don't think that happens,  but always suggested.

 

Their main trail system are access roads, so didn't require much snow and they "open" them,  there secondary feeder trails take more time, snow and frost as they are similar to most ofsc trails with the many roadblocks. 

 

The forest is nice to scratch the itch or for a person new to the sport and wants to try it out as they have trails, rentals and lodging, but I couldn't imagine that being my only choice to ride all year.....but to each their own.

They must have quit using it then. I saw pictures of it a few years ago on this forum i think. It looked like a ski hill gun on skis + a water tank on skis. At the time it was mentioned that they used it to build up areas that got thin of snow.

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5 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

They must have quit using it then. I saw pictures of it a few years ago on this forum i think. It looked like a ski hill gun on skis + a water tank on skis. At the time it was mentioned that they used it to build up areas that got thin of snow.

I used to frequent the forest for the early season rides and never saw this.

The only place that I think they might have used it is at base camp or that starting stretch of trail out of base camp that tended to get beat. 

Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the forest can comment.

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Kaboom, where I am in D1 we have 2 abandoned rail lines. I know that they are signed and cleared but still closed because we have 5cm of snow and that is being generous. A sled went by my place yesterday afternoon, Sure looked and sounded like good times, not.

 

I have over 30 km of trail of which I am responsible for to clear and sign, with some help of course, and have helped my club with other projects. I have seen these trails every fall when clearing for over 20 years and have been grooming for the last 6-7 years. I know what snow we require here. The railway will be different obviously, but still not enough snow here and long range looking like a green Christmas.

 

Ps, I am not calling you out or anything like that, nor am I bragging about what I am able to do for my club and the sport. 

But I wish everyone who rides had a chance to see the terrain before the snow, it's an eye opener. 

Start doing the snow dance please.

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1 hour ago, Kaboomsizzle420 said:

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.......

There is a focus on early season easy to open trails. The OFSC identified and referenced these as something like Priority Trails or Early Season Priority Trails or something like that a few years ago. There is the other word that you just used. VOLUNTEER. I don't know of a single club that couldn't use MORE VOLUNTEERS to get those trails open. Many of those long flat sections you refer to have downed trees to contend with and may well have standing water deterring access to those long flat sections. I have seen recent pictures of the very long flat Seguin trail with lots of standing water. Not just short small puddles. So back to being a volunteer.  You said if I was rich or didn’t have a full time job, or live in the Toronto area, I WOULD GLADLY VOLUNTEER. I'm not so sure those are disqualifiers from being a volunteer. I'm not rich, had a full time job, just recently semi retired and live in Toronto. I volunteer with my club and have done for many years even when I had that full time job. I'm the club Secretary/Treasurer and Trail Patrol Director. Our current President has a full time job and lives in the GTA. He also does signage. Our former Vice President lives in the GTA as well as our former Treasurer and signage husband and wife team. We have had many volunteers who have had full time jobs and lived in the GTA. Oh and they weren't rich either. If you can find the time to make the drive north and ride why wouldn't you be able to take even as little as one day to make the drive and spend the day brushing and clearing downed trees with one of the clubs work crews. I know of a few clubs who have posted requests for volunteers to come out on specific days and be part of a work crew. I am sure they would welcome the help.

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6 minutes ago, Crow said:

Kaboom, where I am in D1 we have 2 abandoned rail lines. I know that they are signed and cleared but still closed because we have 5cm of snow and that is being generous. A sled went by my place yesterday afternoon, Sure looked and sounded like good times, not.

 

I have over 30 km of trail of which I am responsible for to clear and sign, with some help of course, and have helped my club with other projects. I have seen these trails every fall when clearing for over 20 years and have been grooming for the last 6-7 years. I know what snow we require here. The railway will be different obviously, but still not enough snow here and long range looking like a green Christmas.

 

Ps, I am not calling you out or anything like that, nor am I bragging about what I am able to do for my club and the sport. 

But I wish everyone who rides had a chance to see the terrain before the snow, it's an eye opener. 

Start doing the snow dance please.

Seeing our snowmobile trails in the off season would surely make many see what these trails look like before they are prepped for open or limited status!

I'm sure many wouldn't even recognize the trails they ride on!!!!

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15 minutes ago, stoney said:

Seeing our snowmobile trails in the off season would surely make many see what these trails look like before they are prepped for open or limited status!

I'm sure many wouldn't even recognize the trails they ride on!!!!

I saw one of our trails mid summer this year for the first time by ATV. There were many sections with deep ruts and water. I was surprised at how deep the ruts were and surprised to some extent that the ATV's didn't get hung up. It was an eye opener.

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Anyone know of a good place to stage around this area?  I bought a new sled on March 28 last year and didn't get a chance to ride it.

I may head up there to try it out tomorrow morning.

 

Shawn

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5 minutes ago, Shawnd2 said:

Anyone know of a good place to stage around this area?  I bought a new sled on March 28 last year and didn't get a chance to ride it.

I may head up there to try it out tomorrow morning.

 

Shawn

It's a bit of a long drive for the approximate 20 or so km that have limited availability. All other trails are still closed.

 

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Agreed, but it still maybe worth it for me to just try it out.  

My father and my last run in Quebec was cut short last season.

Fire2.jpg

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11 minutes ago, Shawnd2 said:

Agreed, but it still maybe worth it for me to just try it out.  

My father and my last run in Quebec was cut short last season.

Fire2.jpg

Ouch... you may be better off trying the Haliburton Forest for an early season shake down.

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8 hours ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

They must have quit using it then. I saw pictures of it a few years ago on this forum i think. It looked like a ski hill gun on skis + a water tank on skis. At the time it was mentioned that they used it to build up areas that got thin of snow.

 

PLC, I think it was before OC was around (maybe even the 'net) LOL. I seem to recall as well a pic in OSM of their portable snow gun years ago. 

 

(we're probably dating ourselves)

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34 minutes ago, revrnd said:

 

PLC, I think it was before OC was around (maybe even the 'net) LOL. I seem to recall as well a pic in OSM of their portable snow gun years ago. 

 

(we're probably dating ourselves)

Could be Revrnd. The millennium seems like only a few years ago now. 

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12 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Could be Revrnd. The millennium seems like only a few years ago now. 

Damn... come to think of it you're right.... Y2K doesn't seem like a long time ago. Andy Rooney said it well. Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The older it gets the faster it goes.

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We got out to Haliburton forest today. Left the house at 6am. Got there at 9:30. Was surprised to see so many guys there. Trails were were quite good. We only managed to put on 82kms, but it’s the GFs first time on her new ride. Was definitely a good day and well worth the 7hr round trip drive. Call me crazy, but we’ve been waiting since March lol. I tried feeding the chicadees but it didn’t work. Red was spying on me in the trees. I finally feel relaxed now...

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I remember asking HF about their snowmaking ability back around '08 and they admitted that they no longer had it (even though it was still mentioned on their website at that time)

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Here we go, I see first green one:icon_dance-cpatch:

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Hopefully get some riding in tomorrow. Checking a beaver pond for the club & then over to Bancroft to ride up to LSP. Talking to a few riders @ the Birds Creek parking lot. 3 rigs parked there & several at Millenium Park in Bancroft.

 

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Trails are crap from bancroft north to lsp.

North from lsp not bad.

I trailed from birds creek to McKenzie. 

And glad I did.

Not the clubs fault.  Not enough snow and idiots trying to turn the track with no base.

Not worth the drive unless you dont care. 

Don't think you would be happy with that conditions..

 

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9 minutes ago, Rich Saul said:

Trails are crap from bancroft north to lsp.

North from lsp not bad.

I trailed from birds creek to McKenzie. 

And glad I did.

Not the clubs fault.  Not enough snow and idiots trying to turn the track with no base.

Not worth the drive unless you dont care. 

Don't think you would be happy with that conditions..

 

 

Thanks.

 

Saves me unloading & loading west of Cardiff & heading over to Bancroft & do it all over again for a 15 minute ride. Which is what it sounds like what the guys did that I was talking to.

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With all the brush cleanup that clubs do in the winter, would it not be easier to maintain the trails all year? Not sure if it’s allowed or what. 

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