sinc71

I've got a room booked for Cochrane this week Jan 30- Feb 3 but with conditions deteriorating and more warm weather forecast for the week again, I think I'm going to cancel the room and try again in a week or two. Sucks cause I haven't been out yet this year but no point travelling all that way to fight poor conditions and more warm weather.

Looks like the Smooth Rock side has now opened to the top now too. Loop is fully open now.

I saw that too, here’s the pic someone put on Fbook. Looks like the tongue broke off under the trailer and was still hitched to the truck. Yikes.

Looks like Smooth Rock side just opened up as far as probably the warm up shack this morning.

Has anyone heard of when functioning DESS parts may become available for our new sleds that didn’t come with them? Any chance of happening during this riding season?

Wasn’t this in the privately owned Halliburton Forest Reserve, not on the OFSC trails that aren’t open yet? Why are the OPP policing private property now?

Several inches of fresh snow in Cochrane this morning 👍

I don’t begrudge them either. High expenses and a short season, not too mention the shut downs and the resulting even shorter season last year. I usually pass through there once a year doing the loop and have no issue with buying some high priced fuel from there. But I know what I’m in for beforehand because I’ve been there before. I do think however that the price should be posted on their website so people know what it costs ahead of time. I think the main issue that upsets people is the sticker shock, especially for first timers on the loop, when they get up there and only then find out what it costs. That loop and the Base Camp are heavily promoted on every media out there but no mention is ever made of what it actually costs when you get all the way up there and find yourself with little choice at that point but to pay it. If people know beforehand, then they can decide if the trip is for them and at that point they have nothing to complain about.

Just got the call, my Renegade X 900R with Ice Ripper is in and ready to pickup. Just missing DESS.

Love seeing the pics and itineraries of the trips out there. Looking to make a trip there this year for the first time, we always do at least 2 a year to Cochrane/ Northern Corridor but would like to do 1 somewhere different this year.

Just ordered my gift card as I don't yet have a VIN. Now just waiting for my new sled to come in so I have something to put it on 😂

I don’t think it would really apply to snowmobiling, a bit too cold to be riding without one anyways.

Black Renegade X 900T R with the base gauge and 1.25 Ice Ripper. Kinda wanted the new gauge but with mixed reviews on how it works and still no Ontario maps available on it, I’ll stick to the base gauge and my Garmin for this sled. Hopefully this market holds for at least a little longer as my Blizzard 800 now needs a new home.

Just rode from Cochrane to Kap, good ride all the way. Left Cochrane this morning in a whiteout, cleared up a bit by smoth rock. Passed the Cochrane groomer that was heading to the canyon, Smooth Rock was grooming East to Greenwater. OPP had Hwy 11 closed at Smooth Rock when we went through at noon, trucks backed up as far as you could see.

Some snow in coming down Cochrane right now, forecast says 1-2 inches today.

Anyone know of a good location in Kap to park if we trailer over there for the day?

Just got into Cochrane, pouring rain not looking great. Supposed to get colder tomorrow afternoon hopefully we can salvage this trip by Friday and Saturday.

Smoothy's Fbook page says they're now open Friday-Sunday's 11AM-7PM now.

Cochrane bound tomorrow as well to ride Thursday-Saturday, with such a wide range of weather showing in the different forecasts hopefully it’s more snow than rain.

I’m about to order a new Doo Renegade X Turbo, inquired at 2 dealers, one of which I bought my last one at. Got the same price from both, about $500 off MSRP but then added that much back on for freight or pdi, so basically back to msrp price plus taxes. Is that in the ballpark of what to expect this year? Not to mention Doo cut back the spring order warranty to 3 years from the usual 4 years you used to get.

It’s about 150Km from Cochrane to Base camp and about another 80km back down the other side to Smooth Rock Falls. We made it (barely) the whole 230km once on hard packed trails on 800 Etec’s cause we were carrying our gas cans as a backup but didn’t need them. Softer trails we would definitely need a bit more fuel to make the full loop. We always gas up at the top now regardless of the price just to support them anyways. Getting up either side on a tank should be no problem for most sleds.

I'm still waiting for the free ones you get with your OFSC permit. I check the box every year but for some reason this year- nothing yet.

Yes, common sense would say continue with trail prep work however I don’t have much faith that any common sense will prevail in any of tomorrow’s government and subsequent OFSC announcements. I suspect the OFSC will prohibit clubs and their volunteers from doing any trail work during the lockdown period.

OFSC will likely close all trails and cease all grooming during this lockdown just like they did back in March. Especially bad at this time as Northern clubs are packing trails and flooding river crossings in preparation for the season. Hopefully this doesn’t set back trails from opening beyond the end the the lockdown, assuming it will ever end. But hey, at least we’ll get that $50 off next years permit.....