Blackstar

I got in a run yesterday. A lot of sleds out for a Wednesday. Fields are best, some bush trails are ok, some are passable. Snow gets better above Conestogo Lake. Brussels area is very good. Gets thin around Teviotdale and down to Arthur. Plowed fields are hit and miss. A lot of the trails I rode hadn't seen a groomer since the new snow. Arthur club had groomed and the trails were getting chewed up by the afternoon. The trails around Bridgeport and Maryhill have opened so I may take a ride from home just to say I did it. Its been a while since the last time. Bit of snow coming Monday maybe. Probably take a decent ride again mid next week. I keep looking at the TWN 14 forecast looking for that +6 and rain that has been the norm for the last 6-8 years.....lol

Great story and picture.

Thanks PLC.

How is anyone to know that? There is no distinction on the map to tell you whether it's closed due to a PHU or its closed because there is landowner problem. For those who have ridden, "What is there at these closed sections? Does the grooming stop? Is there signage to tell you its closed? I assume there is nothing there, its groomed and people are riding right through it. I may look at the trail guide before I leave my house but I don't pull it out when I'm riding unless I'm lost or looking for fuel. I haven't been out since all this started. Wondering this myself. I'm looking to ride Wednesday.

You can't ride north from anywhere south of Mount Forest right now, unless you go through a closed trail. At least as far as I can see. Its like playing one of those maze games. Every time you think you found a way out they throw in a little piece of closure to block your way. Look at the town of Lucknow. Why is that little piece red? lol

I've never parked in Neustadt. By the map, the arena there looks close. The trail used to run passed the Top End Restaurant, which is now an empty lot, but the trail has been moved a bit out of town. Not sure what the scratch to the trail would be like. Walkerton isn't far away and they brought a trail in to the new Best Western Hotel a few years ago. Easy Parking at Mount Forest.

Thanks for the report. In Chesley I usually park at the high school beside the trail on the weekends. I unload and reload at the gas station across the road. I have also parked in the township yard during the week if someone is around and says its ok.

I believe North Bay OPP released a statement saying they were already getting complaints about sleds on the trail. If caught it would be a $180 fine for Trespass and $880 for defying a the rules of the COVID -19 Act (or something like that). I’d have to go looking for it.

Ok, best map I could find was from 2015. So the closed piece of trail is actually closed,,,,lol Edit: Nope the map is showing Health Regions, not Health Units. My comments surrounding Teviotdale are still correct though.

There was a post on Facebook today that said the same, "District 5 would have trails available by the weekend. I've spent hours going back and forth between club trails and PHU boundaries. Its going to be interesting as to how they are going to close these borders. Currently those B&W trails that are open don't connect to the Maitland trails due to a border between Perth Health Unit and Huron as you can see if you check the map currently. But Maitland's trail actually extends into Huron and B&W grooms into Perth north of Monkton and Brodhagen. Teviotdale is surrounded on 3 sides by Waterloo-Dufferin-Guelph HU but if you go towards Palmerston or Gowanstown then your in Perth HU. Go north of Palmerton or towards Conestogo Lake/Drayton and its Waterloo-Dufferin-Guelph again. St Clements and Elmira club are not supposed to connect to Lake Conestogo's trails like they did when they opened a couple weekends ago.since Elmira and St Clements are Region of Waterloo HU and Conestogo is Waterloo-Dufferin-Guelph HU. Crazy.

Agreed. The most they got was a sour look. Impossible to hire even mediocre employees these days.

We got 3-4 inches of fluff in KW area yesterday morning. They must have gotten more north of us because I see B&W club has open trails today.

Anyone going to the protest? Details Event by Matt Oreilly North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit Saturday at 10 AM EST -20–-14°C Mostly Sunny Price: Free Public · Anyone on or off Facebook As everyone is aware, The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is requiring all Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs’ (OFSC) trails and trails utilizing Crown Land in the health unit district to close Thursday for the duration of the province’s stay-at-home order. They are doing this while flights are still arriving at the airports, Costco and Walmart are still open for in store shopping of non - essential goods, and the situation in long term care homes aren't any better. Somehow the government officials believe that if they keep taking away more and more of our rights then the COVID cases will go down. This isn't right! There is no evidence that shutting down trails will have any affect on COVID cases. As a reference, there are a total of 7 active COVID-19 cases in this health district. If anything, shutting down the trails that are well regulated will cause more problems. People will now end up riding off trails and on unsafe lakes, causing more ice deaths and emergency crews to respond. Sledding is one of the most socially distanced outdoor activities that one can do, and I believe a lot of us agree. A protest should be staged against these measures. If enough sledders shown up hopefully we can make a difference! If we don't, I believe the entire OFSC Trail network is in jeopardy in the coming days. Tentative plan: If you have a trailer: Meet at the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit in North Bay (sleds and trailers), then drive North of Highway 11 to Sand Dam Road parking lot to unload. A ride on snowmobiles will then take place, heading towards Mattawa and back (or as far as you'd like to go). Remember to be socially distanced, wear masks when you're not wearing your helmet and be smart. We don't want the news to paint us as anti makers! We are anti trail closures! See Less

I wasn't able to make Tuesday's club meeting but I'm told that the wing night for February is cancelled and most likely March will be too unless something changes.

It will be interesting to see if Smooth Rock now has "enough snow" since they know the southerners can't come up now. I see the A is open limited on either side of town.

I don't see where they have any other option. Grooming can't be considered essential and without grooming they have no control over the conditions.

This was the fear I had when they did the closed trails between PHU's. They can leave trails open and campaign their "don't travel between PHU's" plan. No pay out for permit buyers. Everything is politics and dollars these days. Hope the OFSC doesn't prove me right.

You can have the fuel money I didn't spend this weekend.

I think so too. I don't believe the risk of injury had anything to do with the closings. It was the socializing at the ski hills that killed it. That first weekend that Mount St Louis and Blue opened, all the Toronto skiers ran to the hills. Pictures all over Facebook showed large groups gathering at the bottom of the hills, no social distancing, no masks even though they were told to. There was no policing being provided by the ski hill staff.

Apparently Elmira, St Clements and Lake Conestogo all ,opened trails today.

No kidding. That has been mentioned for years that the penalty needs to be increased but it never happens. Your odds of getting caught are slim as well. 3 Trespassing fines to equal a season pass. They make it worth the gamble.

I agree, but there is no reason to be closing trails. The Province has made a recommendation to not travel between PHU"s. The OFSC has made the same recommendation. It should end there. The OFSC should not be closing trails other than due to conditions. The province has put no barriers in place to restrict travel. Why should the OFSC? All they had to do was add a dividing line on their map to let viewers know where the PHU changes were.

That stretch of trail was moved to the road several years ago because the water got too deep from trucks and atv's. They only put it back in the trail system for the last few years. Until they get major cold and snow its a mess. There are a couple of creeks to cross in that stretch too. If it's red I don't go....lol Did I pass you? I seen several new Polaris' yesterday.

No, I didn't. I looped around Durham's west side, across the top and then down the east side into Varney. I figured there would be a lot more traffic on the B111.

I looped around Durham today. East side has more snow than the west. Don't take the trail that runs through Varney on the east side. Its all mud and ruts. I was surprised how well the road sections are holding up. I'm done until they get more snow. I don't understand why the OFSC wants to worry about the travel between PHU's. They have made a statement saying to abide by the recommendations of the Province. If the province wants to enforce the "recommendation" let them do it themselves. The OFSC's main focus should be providing trails to its permit buyers. just my opinion.