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Parked the sled at cottage. 3100 km for season..so far 😀 I did not go on an overnight ride or travel from home base. Was a great winter for me. The cost of a permit is peanuts if you are able to get out and use it. Planning to get a couple day’s riding in yet in Golden BC before end of month. If I’m lucky get back for a few days of late season play before Easter. Support your local snowmobile club!! Hats off to the many volunteers in all aspects of the organization that make it work. Cheers.

Headed up north for one last ride with my “little guy”. Turning out to be a big 15 year old! trailered to New Liskeard - on trail 11:23 am. the previous red/crossing (currently yellow) frozen over as of now just before Elgenhart, and we stopped for lunch at Tim Hortons. gassed in Matheson. The 650 was on fumes at 188km. not a ton of snow , crossings starting to be lots of gravel - but overall trails really good. made good time (after stopping and helping two guys load a broken sled into back of a truck ) -arrived at the glorious Travel Lodge of chez Cochrane at 5:36 pm at 296.9km. plan to head west and back to Cochrane tomorrow (without bags).

At Rocky's now waiting on a Bison burger. Good going north of Garson. A bit thin around Capreol. C111 c206 are awesome.

Parking lot was full today. STP is still grooming from garson north

Yup..but my best buck was a 154 inch 10 point w a broken drop tine that was shot off crown land at our hunt camp in the north. Sometimes see 8-10 deer a day when in field…Coyotes? Lots of em…nuisance is all they are.

Here is a link to build Ont map of crown land, ( you have to accept terms and then wait for it to load, the colours aren't as vibrant as they should be to help see..) but even north of Sault and east of 17 between the Indian Reserves and Private Land and Parks , see how the leftover crownland is many times deep in bush . ( barely any crownland in Southern Ont) Now add in complex logging rights on crown land, constantly changing hands every few years .......you have a moving target for OFSC to try to make the trails permanent on lands they cannot ever afford to buy , and the existing insurance liabilities to "lease" like now on private. And also not set precedences for permanent use of crown land that other groups would want. ......just being devils advocate of tricky balance act OFSC must do now. https://www.ontario.ca/page/crown-land-use-policy-atlas

Districts 1,5,8 followed closely by 6,7,9. If you want to know the numbers sold, your local club can get you that information.. Back when there was talk of regional permits, it was well thought out. In the end it was decided it wouldn't work. Just for shits and giggles,.myself and a few friends that are Provincial thinkers, tried to come up with regions that would still benefit all. In the end we kept coming back to the Provincial funding model and realised, ourselves that it wouldnt work. Some of our best thoughts while brainstorming came from a shop, with a woodstove and a bbq and a computer. I encourage people like yourself, to keep thinking outside the box. If you aren't with a club now, please consider joining a club meeting and get engaged..

yup you were in great place this year for green trails

You own several farms? have a deer or coyote problem? Looking for a place to hunt my elusive 140"+ buck, I have not shot yet. that is my bucket list item. Ski

Well that’s a wrap been a awesome season three provinces and lots of good friends . Thanks to everyone involved till next year !!

They cut the banks so we could ride on the tops when I was up a couple weeks back. They did it last year also which really helps. I don’t care about a bit of dry road when spring riding as it happens in every town. If you’re not good with it, touring is not possible. I don’t like it, but very little consequence to the machines. Like you said Ox, lots were parking at the bus turnaround.

Make sure you are watching the weather, calling for 18" in 36 hours, starting tomorrow. I would bet, if you aren't in wawa by midnight Thursday, you aren't getting there until late Saturday or Sunday. Understand that storm is going to make fuel mileage on sleds suffer. Not to mention poor or no visibility of the established trails... Be smart, be safe. On our way up now, to beat the mess. Ski

The calm before the storm. Ski

Which districts are they? Do we think those riders only ride in those southern districts and don't travel? I live in district 3 and almost never ride here. Sledding involves a truck and trailer 95% of the time. I'd buy the provincial permit still like many on here would. This is part of the argument keeping permit prices low though I believe. The need to cater to the folks that get a short season. But seems the entire system is short changing itself over a few southern areas. Would be interesting to see the information OFSC has on this. Am I missing part of the equation?

Regional permits would never work in my opinion. Just look at the top 3 districts who sell the most permits for the year. This would have a negative effect on the Provincial trail system. Some good ideas here, and thats how change can happen..

No they dont. And unless we ramp up with lobbyists that cost a lot of money nothing will ever happen

Nice cottage!!

Considering sadly that snowmachines might be around only one or two more generations after us.....trail change talk might be moot !! ......heck we are already seeing younger generations no longer interested in the " car culture" ......forced on us electric self driving cars 20 yrs from now !! .........boy they will need to pry my gas engine cars, boats, snowmachine and Atv , etc from my dead hands ! !

McKenzie Lk a little NE of LSP ..

Amazing pictures

I have one. It works great! It does have to be plugged in to keep the shield clear when colder. I have been able to wear my glasses while using it too. When I start out i leave it open a bit to clear the shield and then I am good to go. I did use it one warmer day and did not plug it in and it worked great too. I am in a XXL and it fits good. When i tried the Oxygen, I would need a XXL. The Contact is very quiet too. I am very happy with it so far. Mine was $270 out the door !

I think the viper is a way better option. The cat handles better and no Turbo.

I don't think regional permits will get the people who are riding with no permits to change what they do. I also don't believe it has been much of an issue in the last few years in our local area from what our club's trail patrollers have seen at least. It may however help retain the permit buyers who are on the cusp of quitting the sport or who are considering riding without a permit purchase.

Just got in from Tall Pines trails. Best I've ever been on. Not a single bump. 115k. No road running was a bonus

But next year even if you ride 1000km, you will regret not buying it! Looks like a sweet sled though - congrats on your soon to be purchase!!

Haven't decided anything yet, except we are driving somewhere tomorrow. Our sleds and trailers are parked just south of Lake Michigan. Right now I'm thinking about going up to MN or NW Wisconsin instead. They got hammered with snow last weekend. Used to ride out of Searchmont once or twice a year but haven't gone since COVID, so I was really looking forward to it. I enjoy northern Ontario a lot more and it's an easier drive to get there, but I'm starting to be concerned about conditions. I see Luc is out grooming all over and that area looks good. If we go Ontario, I'd be leaning towards starting in Searchmont and then staying in Wawa, accessing it from the lake trail, or maybe Dubreuilville, if rooms are available. I really like the trail going out to Marathon, and we've never done the part going up to Manitouwadge, but if the trail is closed we won't mess with it. Could go up towards Hearst after that or the other way out towards Longlac but that looks like it might just be a straight away for most of it (we've done the loop going towards Hearst but haven't gone West on A before). Or could just look for places to play between or around Dubreuilville. We're not too picky and like the adventure and low traffic of Ontario

I think it's important to not forget how good we've had it and for how long - and that is 100% only because of the volunteers. In my opinion, the only thing that matters is the one we can't control - and that is the weather. When winters are winters - and there is an abundance of cold and snow - life is good. When they suck - we all sit and stare at the costs and armchair quarterback how it could be "better". If most or all clubs operate with efforts similar to those of our skeleton crew local club - then I don't know what else anyone could do and/or expect. No easy answer to any of it.

Elliot Lake Weekend Some photos I snapped while in Elliot Lake this past weekend. We did a 14 lake Cross Country run on Saturday. Weather was perfect! It was also the annual Dunlop Lake Lodge fishing derby which made for a good conversational crowd at the lodge.

X2. I have been riding 900 ACE sleds for 7 seasons, now on my second one. I have been passed by less than 20 sleds in that time, and passed hundreds. You can't suck and blow at the same time, so I don't have much sympathy those complaining about ridiculously high prices as they seek out the latest, trickest 850 or turbo 4s. If you are riding deep snow, or lake racing, I get it, but for the bulk of Ontario trail riders 125-130 HP is more than what's required. Sledders, as a lot, have shown the manufacturers how to pick our pockets, and they have gotten good it. Can't complain.

I like the idea of identifying road running which is becoming more prevalent with continued loss of private land owner trails. Especially this winter many of want to avoid the road rash……

Ontario F7 and I launched from Birds Creek today, just north of Bancroft. Rode up trail 175 to Madawaska and stopped for fuel, and we ran into SKSMAN from the forum. Rode across the freshly groomed B trail into Barry’s Bay and had lunch at Balmoral Hotel. After lunch we rode down trail 157 to the lookout point. Rode over to Whitney for more gas and then back down towards Bancroft. Finished the day off with some fun on Baptiste Lake before heading back to the parking lot. It was a beautiful day for my first time riding in 2 years. Thank you OF7 for letting me ride your spare sled. 👍

Revrnd who used to be active on this forum has been manufacturing and selling a small hammer for a number of years made especially for tunnel ice removal. It has some type of hard plastic surfaces that protect the tunnel from damage. If anyone is interested I can get in touch with him.

Having a blast here in Suds. Trails have great snow, have not been south of the big lake yet... Accomodations are great. Our hosts are terrific people. Had a small issue with the sled and they were very helpful. The air bnb is nice and comfy on a lovely property with great trail access.

I’ve been watching marketplace & kijiji, there are plenty of used sleds for a decent price right now and I think your right, there will be plenty more to come. The used market is about to heat up! I’m willing to bet if cats zr9000 is almost $30k you can be sure the Yamaha SRX will be $30k no doubt. I found the Yamahas always were priced a bit higher than cats 7000 & 9000 sleds. you gotta ride that cat more before you upgrade! 🤣 I thought you would have way more kms on your 2015. And yes, a black & gold srx would leave me drooling, I might end up divorced for the second time though haha!

As the title says, I’ve lost my wallet and keys. Parked at the groomer shed on Hwy 10 this morning. Rode to Markdale then to the Homestead for lunch. After lunch I put my truck keys and wallet in my handlebar bag but didn’t close the zipper all the way. we ran north from the Homestead through the east of Durham over to Markdale then down the railbed to the truck without noticing. Sitting here waiting for my son to drive me the backup set from home. if anyone has any information on the wallet, please let me know. Ride was good at least…..lol