tricky

As Winder advised, I think 185 km will get you to HH. There is an option that I and others have described on the forum, whereby you can shave about 30 km off that ride. It involves riding the side if Ranger Lake Road and the Domtar Road for about 15 KM that is not OFSC trail. This time of year there may not be any snow to ride on, or you could get lucky and have lots. If you want more detail on that bypass, let us know. Many have used it.

Sorry I failed to get back to you. About the time you asked, I got the call that we were finalized at five riders and heading to Timmins "now" and riding the loop counter clockwise. I wasn't finished packing yet and we had only Tuesday night booked in Timmins (Ramada). I got on the phone and booked Hearst, Wawa and Chapleau. Was still on the phone when my ride arrived. Hope you had a good week of sledding. I know that weather wise you had everything. We left Timmins Wednesday AM at -15C and sunny. Had a great day in great conditions to Hearst via the C to A at SRF. Temp got up to about 0 C. That afternoon was our only time on the corridor. Thursday AM there was a fresh inch+ of wet snow on the ground at -1C in Hearst. Stayed cloudy all day - dry until after lunch at Hornepayne. The ride to Wawa was in the rain which got heavy in the late afternoon, but we still enjoyed the ride and good trail conditions for the most part. Temp got to +4 or 5C. Friday was a real change and quite a treat. Thursday's rain changed to wet snow overnight, with 2-3 inches in the AM. About halfway to Halfway Haven the wind really kicked up, with falling snow, blowing snow, very poor visibility, 6-9 inches of new snow on the ground and the odd tree down across the trail. Snow let up some after we turned off the D onto the 101 to Chapleau, but there was always at least 4 inches of new snow. Saturday was the nicest weather day we had as we blitzed back to the truck in Timmins, loaded up and drove home. Got home by midnight. Overall , an A+ ride around the loop. The places we stayed were places that I have thanked before and will keeping revisiting, except I have to mention one new-to-me motel. The Outdoorsman in Wawa changed hands two years ago, has been nicely renovated, has good rates and is operated by great people. They were quick to recognize our wet head to toe gear and offer their industrial dryer. We didn't want to go back out into the rain for Friday supper and our hosts offered perfect advice on ordering food in. A great stay. I will return, winter and summer.

There is gas at Black Creek Outfitters (where the F trail meets hwy 129). This time of year you should call ahead to make sure they will be open. Great people and light snack available.

08 REV XP sleds were the worst handling Skidoo in this century. That was the first year of the XP and spring and/or shock calibrations weren't compatible with the chassis or something, because those sleds were very hard to dial in if you in fact care about steering. The 800 power tek is not a great used sled engine. And as others have said the mileage is very scary. If the sled looks new underneath, which it should at that mileage, then maybe its legit and the sled might make a decent mount. I would be looking at other brands and models though. A Yamaha of that vintage is generally okay, or a Skidoo REV 600 SDI. Remember also that opinions, including mine, are like butt holes - everyone has one.

Will do. We are the Blizzard, a '15 red Skidoo GSX 900, and hopefully a '16 TNT 900 and '12 1200 TNT. Besides the T-Doo, what am I looking for?

He has a proctologist's appointment!

Thanks for the heads up PLC. I have only booked tomorrow night in Timmins. Better get on at least Wednesday night. Hard to book when I can't get the number riders or how long we are way for. Got a group that I compared to old ladies, and rounding them up is like herding cats.

Think I have found a nearly virgin 2017 TNT(129) 900. Not saying any more until I own it.

Dan and AC+YA, thanks for the info. I have have more local knowledge than most easterners visiting Elliot Lake and beyond, but can always use more. I have admired the spirit of both your trip reports, and Dan's vdeos for a few years now. You talked me into some good trips like out to Marathon, and not to worry about the 201washout a couple of years ago. Have ridden the F/D201F/D from Elliot lake to Hearst and the rest of the Big Loop for years. Recent years have run out of Driftwood north to Wawa on the D. It was only the specifics of the trails from DL to Driftwood that I could not assure my fellow riders I had under control. Two years ago, when one of our riders wouldn't ride thru the water (after we saw the totalled Skidoo), I scoped out and partially cleared the detour of the 201 washout that seems to have become the official trail. Three weeks ago we noted that it wouldn't take much rain or sun to compromise the F road trail just east of Black Creek, especially the high bits exposed to the south sun. Fears of what this week's weather might do to the trails in the area, have caused us to bail and are now heading to Timmins tomorrow. May do 'the Loop' from there or may ride out to Longlac. These guys nearly need a money back guarantee that they wont hear their SnowTrackers grinding over rocks or roadbeds. As we have learned, boys will be girls, and senior men can become ol' ladies. Thanks again for the current info and years of great reports.

I am part of a group booked to ride the Northern Corridor Wednesday thru Friday. You are likely correct about more weekend riders, but that is why we go midweek.

When Cat goes, will Yamaha get out of sleds, or back into them?

I thought you retired! What are you doing snowmobiling on weekends? I'll be driving home Saturday.

Thanks Mark. The weather forecast for this week is causing us to look further north for our Wed -Sat trip. Might drive to the Northern Corridor to avoid messy weather.

Thanks for that up to date report. How timely! Our group had tentatively planned a trip this week out of the Elliot Lake/Searchmont area. The weather is pushing us north and I was thinking of launching from the Bon Air.

Thanks guys. D trail is not in the plan until right at the end at Searchmont. Still hoping someone has some recent knowledge of conditions on EL3, D134 and D106. I try to use the "if you don't know, don't go" rule for trail conditions. Maybe that's why I haven't ridden in southern District 13.

I have snowmobiled north on the F out of Elliot Lake and north out of Searchmont on the D many times. Looking to change things up and travel from Dunlop Lake to Searchmont and then head north. I have only sledded once anywhere in that area and that was almost 20 years ago. Are EL3, D134, BM2 and D106 good trails that are likely to survive this meltdown well? Are these tight trails similar to the F just north of Elliot Lake before it becomes a wide open highway? Or are they more like Whitman Dam Road and Domtar Road sections of the D trail? Is there still gas at Echo Bay, Bruce Mines? Have some people with me who will kill me if we are scraping down bare roads with our sleds. The back up plans involve driving further which I am trying to avoid. Any trail knowledge that could be shared would be greatly appreciated. I know the places that I would like to stay if the trails are good. Thanks in advance.

Great to here. I wish him well. Its a tough gig to thrive at. May they thrive!

An option to the "big 4" in NL is the Auberge Inn, directly across hwy 11 from Gilli's and the Econolodge. When we stayed there in February, on an OCer's recommendation (thank you), we had a good clean, renovated room with great new beds and good shower. Rates were very reasonable and I believe the place to be independently owned, but I could be wrong. Truck/trailer parking was not plentiful, but there was space out back for at least 4 combos. As has been witnessed on the site this winter, not all of us are looking for the same thing in lodgings while we sled. Because of that, I am hesitant to make recommendations unless I know your 'style'. Nonetheless, I would like to give s big thumbs up the the following hosts who met or exceeded my expectations this winter: Mattawa Golf & Ski, Morning Mist Resort, The Dinner Bell, The Sands on Golden Lake, Madawaska Lodge, Timmins Super 8, Auberge McDonald (Iroquois Falls), Tata Chika Pika (Gogama), Gowganda Lake Lodge, Dunlop Lake Loge, Windy Lake Motel, Valentine's B&B (Chapleau) and the aforementioned Auberge Inn. The people who own and/or operate these business are some of the best people you will ever meet and make serious contributions to our sport/recreation, not all of which are obvious. I still hope to get out one or more times, but if my season ends now, I can thank these people for a most enjoyable winter of sledding.

I'm loving this thread. I think the ambassadors are providing a worthwhile function in terms of feedback to their manufacturers and in terms of spreading the gospel to fellow enthusiasts. I am a little concerned that so many sledders/consumers can call a product a great product when they feel obliged to buy a new one every year or two. Surely any company should be able to build a sled that remains reliable and 'current' in terms of comfort and handling for more than one year. I am a serious trail sledder, who for two years has wanted to replace my 2017 sled, but I haven't because no one builds what I want. I want a 129" skid coupled with a BRP 900 ACE motor. And oh, I would like X package suspension. Such a machine is not even on Skidoo's radar as they struggle to come up with even more deep snow models. My sled is considered by the masses to be a 'girl's or old geezer's sled'. I fit nicely into that group, but I notice that very, very few riders on more powerful machines ever pass me on the trail. My propulsion costs are half that of the average two stroke sled. I can afford $70 a jug 2T oil, but I can't see why I would want to burn through that and extra premium gas to foul the air. If Polaris or Yamaha put their mind to it, they could produce an 800-900 cc four stroke trail sled that people including myself would buy, but they likely feel there is no market to support such a sled. They may be correct, but only because all manufacturers have worked so hard for the past ten years creating and nurturing the demand for high performance off-trail and "crossover" sleds.They have been successful! There are thousands of people riding mostly on-trail, on sleds that don't turn well at speed because they have too much track and uncoupled suspensions. Marketing has triumphed over reality. End of rant! My mini rant would be that Skidoo, in their wisdom, made the fuel tank 4 litres smaller in 2019 and stopped offering a 900 in a 129 skid. With 19000 trouble free km on my sled, I am going to retire it to backup status, and find a lightly used 2017 or 2018 XS chassis 900 ACE to buy. Shame on Skidoo for putting me in this position. BTW, just try to buy a good late model used 900! Now back to the topic of this thread. Polaris, a year from now or sooner, please introduce a flatlander's 4T sled, preferably with 100 HP. It will outhandle the competition, and therefore sell, I'm sure.

Thanks for the report and great pics. Those are real teaser shots of the tree inspections that seem to have taken place. Are you waiting for the culprit to explain his/her self?

Thanks, gotcha.

Gotta ask why the Assault over a 137 VR1? Do you ride more off trail than on trail?

Skidoo is #1.Yamacat or Catayam are 3, 4. Who cares the order? How much longer will they both stay in the game?

Polaris is currently #2 in a weak 4 horse field. If they are serious about market share they need a 4 stroke presence. Last Thursday at a full Tata Chika Pika Lodge (Gogama), there were 12 sleds there: our two 900 Aces and 10 900 Ace Turbos from Vermont. All different models, but all 900 4-T. Four strokes aren't for everybody, but an increasing number of riders are heading there. Adapt or die!

Can't believe I missed your thread when started. In the Sudbury (west) area it is tough to beat Windy Lake Motel. We have launched twice there this season. Not fancy, but restaurant on site, great people and great trails right there. Have headed west from there to Dunlop Lake and northeast to Timmins. Trail conditions have been primo both trips. Recent detour to accommodate the railway is a minor PITA.