Jump to content

Dogsleds on trail


teener

Recommended Posts

We ran into a traffic jam of dog sleds this weekend, literally. At one point there were 4-5 teams on both sides of the trail, stopped and yipping and sniffing at each other. It was very cool but we never quite know what we are supposed to do around them. We typically wait for them to slow and/or stop and/or acknowledge us and then pass very slowly so as not to spook the dogs. Does anybody know if there are any special rules for this? Do the dog drivers prefer to stop their sleds before you pass or do they want to keep their dogs trotting along at their pace while you pass?

post-20259-0-37259900-1361409628_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

our rule is if they are coming towards us we stop and wait for them to pass, if we come up behind them we slow till they stop and wave us around

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty solid rules! We have several on the Bruce and that is what they like!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try comming around a corner and find a horse on the trail !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told once when it comes to dog sleds and other animals people might have on the trail, whatever you do keep your sled running, the animal hears the noise coming and they are ready for it. The sudden quiet can upset them a little, or worse yet your sled could backfire and scare the crap out of the dog or horse.

better yet is a group of cross country skiers that think they own the trail

They are by far the worse people on the trail, for having a false level entitlement.

I have no problem sharing the trail, lots of hikers, dog walkers and others on the trail. I aways slow down long before I get to people, and pass at a walking speed. But cross country skiers, most are side by side blocking the whole trail, don't get out of the way in blind corners even when I'm sure they can hear a sled coming. And always seem to give the stink eye when you go by. With no idea it's our permit dollars grooming that trail your skiing on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wait for the "Fat Bikes" to appear on the trails. Mountian bikes with 4" wide tires for snow. they need a trail so guess what.

RR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told once when it comes to dog sleds and other animals people might have on the trail, whatever you do keep your sled running, the animal hears the noise coming and they are ready for it. The sudden quiet can upset them a little, or worse yet your sled could backfire and scare the crap out of the dog or horse.

They are by far the worse people on the trail, for having a false level entitlement.

I have no problem sharing the trail, lots of hikers, dog walkers and others on the trail. I aways slow down long before I get to people, and pass at a walking speed. But cross country skiers, most are side by side blocking the whole trail, don't get out of the way in blind corners even when I'm sure they can hear a sled coming. And always seem to give the stink eye when you go by. With no idea it's our permit dollars grooming that trail your skiing on.

click click that used to be a favorite sound on the snowmobile trail near the frost center. (chime in any time ceyhoopers)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I see people walking or skiing on snowmobile trails, I sometimes wonder if they might be the landowners.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had to shake my head during Saturday's ride. I was on E108 coming in to Campbellford, in a blind downhill right hand corner, and in the track ahead of me was the 'V' shaped cross country skier tracks, still fresh where a skier had been climbing the hill. Climbing the hill right in the path of on coming traffic. This section of trail is a summer road and the club grooms the whole roadway, so it's wide enought for 2 cars to pass, and this fool had been skiing uphill dead centre the on coming lane.

Had the timing lined up, there most likely been a skier in the hospital, a sledder very shook up, and possably in hospital as well. and a closed sled trail, because its also in a Provincial Park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless the skier was deaf , he or she would of easily heard any snow machine coming especcially one that is supposed to be doing 50 km/hr maximum. Being in a public park on a summer road one has to expect that others might be using trails.

Just giving maybe the skiers point of view.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless the skier was deaf , he or she would of easily heard any snow machine coming especcially one that is supposed to be doing 50 km/hr maximum. Being in a public park on a summer road one has to expect that others might be using trails.

Just giving maybe the skiers point of view.

I am constantly surprised by how quite the new four strokes are. It was an unneccasary risk taken by a skier. Share the trail means them too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me thinks thou doth protest too much ...............you gotta smile when you read hundreds of posts on here of people driving over 50 km/hr ...but that is alright because they know what they are doing, even many threads here stating how many people see fresh snow machine tracks on the wrong side of the trail, ........but one skier has tracks a few feet off centre and lets flog him as self centred trail hog............hmm , if you want your sport to survive you better get along with the public using the same land base especcailly when it is a park . ..and a skier only typically has a toque on and can easily hear any type of engine over the quiet they have been hearing as they ski. Just a suggestion .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me thinks thou doth protest too much ...............you gotta smile when you read hundreds of posts on here of people driving over 50 km/hr ...but that is alright because they know what they are doing, even many threads here stating how many people see fresh snow machine tracks on the wrong side of the trail, ........but one skier has tracks a few feet off centre and lets flog him as self centred trail hog............hmm , if you want your sport to survive you better get along with the public using the same land base especcailly when it is a park . ..and a skier only typically has a toque on and can easily hear any type of engine over the quiet they have been hearing as they ski. Just a suggestion .

What posts are you referring to?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Horses can be pretty bad...forget exactly where it is, but in the

DunAhmic system, someone along the trail owns a pair of Clydesdales

- the big type that haul the Budweiser Beer Wagon. Large horses that

eat a lot and create piles of manure.

I had pulled over to take a picture of them when a group of sleds

roared passed oblivious to what they were about to run into. The

first sled in line sent up a rooster tail of horseshit, which coated

the second sled and so on down the line so that the entire group was

covered in the stuff - except for the lead sled. I resolved right

there and then never to participate in another group ride.

The group moved off, I got my picture of the horses, and then

winked, nodded and waved to the horses' owner as he dumped another

wheelbarrow load of manure on the trail.

Cross country skiiers are bad enough, but what surprises me is that

there are no complaints about sport parachutists. No one knows for

certain how many sky divers, caught in a last minute cross wind, or

simply not caring, drop to a landing right on a trail in front of,

and often with their backs turned to, an unsuspecting snowmobiler.

Blocking the trails while gathering chutes and webbing! It was not

long ago that Slow Touring Guy posted a picture of this very thing

taking place - near to Gravenhurst I think it was.

I mean the description is "multiple use trails" but what the jumpers

are doing is ridiculous! Even having done a few static line jumps

myself, I have no sympathy for these people at all.

Most people won't forget the incident just north of Bancroft a few

years ago, when held up at first by EMS workers lifting a sledder

from a ditch, then being stopped by the OPP at a check stop, and

then yet again being held up by two sleds locked together by the

skiis in a head on collision...sledders understandably lost

patience, forgot that they had put their signatures on trail pass

documents acknowledging among other things the "multi-use" aspect

of the sled trails...and totally neglected the plight of a

parachutist caught in a tree and hanging helpless about 30 feet

above the trail. He was forced to urinate on sledders passing below

to try and get someone's attention.

Eventually, he was aided by someone on horse back riding the trail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me thinks thou doth protest too much ...............you gotta smile when you read hundreds of posts on here of people driving over 50 km/hr ...but that is alright because they know what they are doing, even many threads here stating how many people see fresh snow machine tracks on the wrong side of the trail, ........but one skier has tracks a few feet off centre and lets flog him as self centred trail hog............hmm , if you want your sport to survive you better get along with the public using the same land base especcailly when it is a park . ..and a skier only typically has a toque on and can easily hear any type of engine over the quiet they have been hearing as they ski. Just a suggestion .

Actually I was running under the 50km/h limit, because I know this area is heavy in no sled traffic.

But this one is just plain stupid, stupid like riding the wrong side of the trail, or running double the limit in an area you do not know or crossing ice in Novemeber. Super stupid might be the class to out this on in. I'll have to see if I can pull an image from my GoPro, this area is not a two track sled trail. It's a full out 2 lane road, wide enought to alow a pair of travel trailers to pass each other, the trail is 40 feet wide or more. And the skier hadn't just gotten a little off track. From the marks in the snow, his ski tips where cutting right to the edge of the trail. He was out of position 20 feet or more. Totally uncalled for whether a skier, walker or sledder to be where he was.

As far as skiers hearing a sled coming, doubt it.... Most I have seen this year have ear buds in listening to music or something. I came up behind a pair Friday and they had no idea was even there until I passed them, because they both jumped as I went by.

It just comes down to a little more comment sence needed by all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll have to see if I can pull an image from my GoPro showing what I'm talking about. This area is not a two track sled trail, it's a full out 2 lane road, wide enought to alow a pair of travel trailers to pass each other, the trail is 40 feet wide or more. And the skier hadn't just gotten a little off track. From the marks in the snow, his ski tips where cutting right to the edge of the trail. He was out of position 20 feet or more. Totally uncalled for whether a skier, walker or sledder to be where he was.

As far as skiers hearing a sled coming, doubt it.... Most I have seen this year have ear buds in listening to music or something. I came up behind a pair Friday and they had no idea was even there until I passed them, because they both jumped as I went by.

It just comes down to a little more comment sence needed by all.

Thats the truth!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless the skier was deaf , he or she would of easily heard any snow machine coming especcially one that is supposed to be doing 50 km/hr maximum. Being in a public park on a summer road one has to expect that others might be using trails.

Just giving maybe the skiers point of view.

In this plugged in age I am not sure they would hear you. I have seen a couple of cross country skiers out and they had ear buds under their touques. Who knows how loud the music they were listening to was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try comming around a corner and find a horse on the trail !!

Use to happen crossing MR 15, the trail goes through a property with horses

just slow down and ride by

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wait for the "Fat Bikes" to appear on the trails. Mountian bikes with 4" wide tires for snow. they need a trail so guess what.

RR

ran into mtn bikes before

same thing go by slow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Btw anyone come up to a group of pigs on the trails???

I have a few times but there were signs warning ya :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Btw anyone come up to a group of pigs on the trails???

I have a few times but there were signs warning ya :D

im not drunk enough to comment on that yet

as far as the doggies go,,,,,,,,,,,maybe the snirt,,,,, is sh7t

gg

gf

gh

s

or in all our cases stoop and scoop

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Btw anyone come up to a group of pigs on the trails???

I have a few times but there were signs warning ya :D

Don't they have radar guns?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't we all just get along?

:D

Pic from last week (in my RAP tour report). It was actually refreshing, seeing the various groups interact on the trail.

IMG_2111_zps5e43321f.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...