jcerget1 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Does anybody know if this trail is going to be groomed? I would like to hook up to the Greenstone loop from Hearst and this would be the most direct route. I have also hear the trail is sweet to ride, but I see that this trail is closed per the OFSC. Any feedback is appreciated, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZR1BANDIT Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 talked to people at klotz lake camp and they said it was scheduled to be groomed this week they thought----hope their right, would love to go that way again, did it a couple years back and it was nice and fast--------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcerget1 Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 That would be sweet if they groom it, otherwise we are going to be breaking some pow. We'll see, it might be tough if there is a foot of pow to break. I think that is about 130 miles from Hearst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 It's 40 miles or 64 klicks from Longlac to Klotz Lake and 95 miles or 153 klicks from Klotz Lake to Hearst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcerget1 Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 I thought it was 95 miles from Klotz camp to Mooseland and then an addition 35 miles to Hearst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 The mileages I posted were what someone got w/ their GPS & posted elsewhere. According to my records it's 55 miles from Hearst to Mooseland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidooboy Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 from my mileage chart when we did the big loop, klotz lake to bambinos (mooseland) was 70 miles. from klotz lake to longlac was 37 miles. bambinos to hearst was 55 miles but that was when the trail went down the rail grade and back looped to hearst. with the new trail next to hwy 11 (boring) i think it is like 40 miles from bambinos to hearst. if you have to break any trail from bambinos (this is where the 107a that may or may not be groomed) to klotz you will either be on vapors or run out of fuel before you get there. plan ahead. i think klotz lake has a deal worked out with the fuel stations at hearst to have fuel at bambinos (check before commiting). also there is fuel in calstock (have to ride the road into the reservation). and fuel should be available at eagles earth (new place on the river) just west of hearst. there are options you just have to plan and be smart with the right thumb. ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have been working on this very issue for about the past week. It is my understanding that A107A will be groomed this year. I learned anout 2 weeks ago that it might not be and contacted OFSC, they assured me that it would be. I received a message from the Hearst club indicating that they were out packing that trail today. It is their responsibility to groom to the Pagawa River. The club in Longlac will groom the other way, that has not yet been done. I also reveived a message from the Greenstone committee chairman indicating that they would begin grooming soon. There are still some wet areas that they need to contend with. I also understand that the gentleman in charge of grooming from Longlac is anxious to get this trail open this year to help improve traffic from the east. Regarding some of the mileages: We did the run last year, I can't recall the distance from Bambino's, but I tell you this: from Hearst to Calstock it is 30 miles. Gas is avialable there, you will need to hop off the trail and run the side of the road into Calstock for about 4km to the General Store. The road for Calstock is clearly marked on the highway. Calstock to Klotz Lake is 110 miles, we all made it last year; 1 Apex, 1 Jag and an F1000. I recommend a stay at Klotz, call ahead and they'll have your favorite beverage ready for you and the food is awesome. As I find out more about the grooming of A107A I will post in this thread. AO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I also understand that the gentleman in charge of grooming from Longlac is anxious to get this trail open this year to help improve traffic from the east. The OFSC should realize that if A107A was open that more people would probably do a loop from the east or south stopping in the Greenstone area. I'd rather loop thru an area rather than have to turn around & return on the same trail. The more riding opportunities, the more riders will want to go to an area . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobeit Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I also understand that the gentleman in charge of grooming from Longlac is anxious to get this trail open this year to help improve traffic from the east. The OFSC should realize that if A107A was open that more people would probably do a loop from the east or south stopping in the Greenstone area. I'd rather loop thru an area rather than have to turn around & return on the same trail. The more riding opportunities, the more riders will want to go to an area . By "OFSC" you mean District 16 clubs......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Folks planning a trip from Longlac or Hearst may find Eagle's Earth http://www.eaglesearth.com/snowmobile-vacation.htm a useful gas stop. From their description (I've emailed them for their GPS co-ordinates) and looking at top maps, it would appear that they're in the vicinity of Mooseland. Also, about 2 klicks west of Moosleand @ the Nagagami River crossing, when you look @ Google Earth & the top maps, there are several buildings. What is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Last year when we rode A107A we went from Klotz Lake to Cochrane. 330 mile day. The first 110 miles was rough wasn't sure we would want to run through to Cochrane. Anyone that has made the trip from Hearst to Cochrane knows how fast that ride can be. Imagine if A107A was made to be a similar experience. With gas available at Eagle's Earth, it would allow for a much easier trip from the east to the west and vice versa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowberg Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 It sounds like there is more one person wanting to head west from Hearst and they have the same concern,"will A107A be groomed"? It sounds like it's a questionable trail. If thats the case there may be alot of sleds staying East. Thats to bad, it seems to me that the best trails attract the most riders. If Longlac does a good gob on the trail, they will come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Groomer Guy Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I was told that it will be open and it will allways be open every year. It's just that its alot of work to open that trail, Very long distance and there is water in some area, and I can imagine the trees they have to cut and push every year. That trail is in the middle of nowhere guys. As a groomer op I look at that trail every time I go down Hwy 11 and it must a hell of a trail to open up for the first time every year. It must be a long process that take a few days to do. My Hats off to those clubs for dowing that every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Good point GG. That is a long stretch of pipeline to groom. 2 clubs share the grooming responsibility for it. I'm sure we all don't appreciate all of the hard work that goes into keeping all of Ontario groomed for the season. There are similar stretches here and there throughout Ontario. I too would like to thank all of the groomer operators, including you GG, you all do a great job. I had the pleasure to meet Serg in Hillsport last year, he's a "GG" in the Longlac area. What a hard working guy, he arrived in Hillsport late, and started off to Longlac early. For those interested in obtaining more information about A107A, I suggest you contact the following and let them know your intentions:'corridor@nt.net' and 'nossa@shawcable.com', they are very responsive. I also suggest you copy 'contactinfo@ofsc.on.ca' on any of those emails; they helped mediate with some of the correspondences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Akron, yes the operators in southern Ontario shouldn't complain when you look @ the distances, terrain the guys in northern Ontario have to contend w/. Bro & I will definately email the contacts you listed. We're hoping to go that way next winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowberg Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I still have my doubts that it will be open this year but I'll give it another try this season and hope for the best. With all the responses that AO received I'll keep my hopes up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macpat Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 We have made a number of phone calls and sent a number of emails trying to get confirmation that the A107A trail will be open. We contacted the OFSC, District 16, Town Councils, the Snowmobile clubs etc. For snowmobiling in our area this is an essential trail to get snowmobilers up to Greenstone. I have not heard yet whether we have been successful or not. Last I heard Longlac was waiting for a few creek crossing to freeze up. We had a week of really cold weather so hopefully that will help. I heard Hearst was also on their way. I will try to track down more information and post it here and also check: http://www.snowmobiling.greenstone.ca, I update this site as soon as new trail information is emailed to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've sent the following email to the OFSC along w/ CCs to the listed email addresses along w/ some others. If anyone wants to use it as a guide for their own email, you're more than welcome to. Dear Sir/Madam:My brother and I have been thinking about our trip next winter, since we're finished planning our snowmobile vacation for this year. I've been taking a week long trip every winter since 2000, but haven't snowmobiled west of Hornepayne and Dubreuilville. After reading the recent article in Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine, we thought we might head towards the Hillsport/Longlac area. We've checked out the Greenstone Snowmobiling website and found it quite helpful. However, one thing that deters us is that fact that we (and other snowmobilers) don't seem to know in advance when planning a trip whether or not A107A will be groomed during the upcoming season. Some years we see reports on the internet from other sledders that the trail was open and groomed and other years folks are breaking trail, dealing with obstacles midseason and spotty signage. If A107A was open with certainty (along with TOP A, a loop is created from the east), more snowmobilers would be apt to travel to the area. People are less likely to travel to a locale if there is only one route to and from it. I think the Greenstone area realizes that "if you build it, they will come" and welcomes snowmobilers. Has the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs contacted Fednor or the Ministry of Tourism about assistance in maintaining the A107A trail on a regular basis? I realize that with the small trail permit base in this area, the financial resources for this trail is limited. If more snowmobilers travelled to the area, tourist-based businesses would see increased business in what is probably a very slow part of their year. Thank you for your time, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macpat Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Well said revrnd. I agree with you 100%. Hopefully good things will come out from all the emails and phone calls etc. I will keep you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowberg Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Great e-mail Revrnd, I hope that the powers to be take these e-mails seriously and wake up to the fact that there are people, money and future business out there for the taking. AkronOrange has been pushing hard this season for our group and we are only one. We've made repeated attempts to get answers about A107A and we're slowly starting to see them. The more inquiries the better. We are planning a 1500 mile trip through that area in late February. We went through last winter with limited to poor conditions on that trail. That was the only bad section of our trip last year, so it can't be blamed entirely on the weather conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Revrnd, Great Post! We rode A107A last year, the snowfall did not cooperate for grooming operations. But under the poorly groomed trails, poor signage, and lack of available fuel, lies a wonderful trail that could be a valuable link from the east. I would say that it works both ways, but the east has most of the traffic. Think about it: What's in it for Hearst and Hornepayne to keep the trail open? Not nearly as much that should be in it for Longlac. Right? It has the potential to be almost as nice a trail as "A" from Cochrane to Hearst, some people might just skip Hearst as a stop and head right to Longlac. I am in complete agreement with Revrnd on all counts, if you build it we will come and the OFSC and the Government should find a way to get the area more $$$ for grooming and maintenance. (BTW-our group is in NY, we bought our permits from district 16). I also should comment that all of the people responsible for grooming are very responsive. Send an email with a question to 15, 16 or OFSC and you will receive a response. Call OFSC and you will receive a call back. I believe that it is vitally important to keep all trails open and make it as easy for us to spend our money in these small towns that need it most. Honestly - for me AO in Western New York I can come up for a week and spend $1500 (doesn't matter anymore CD or USD) or I can fly to South Carolina and golf for the same week for the same or less $$$. I still prefer the trip to Ontario, but too many obstacles might make me believe that Ontario isn't interested in me. Just my $.02 AO PS - We're scheduled to ride A107A at the end of Feb this year. I will post a full report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Update: I heard from the Hearst club last week indicating that they were going to be grooming to the steel bridge (Pagawa River) this week. I received this message today from the other side: I just wanted to let you know the groomer left here this morning (8:00 am) heading east for the steel bridge! Yeah! They’re taking the pipeline, so it will be a little bit different “route†than last year, but hopefully a good one. Just thought I’d pass along some good news for a change. I’ll send you a note after we talk with them to see how things went. I will follow up here with another post as I receive information. Can anyone confirm if "Eagle's Earth" is in fact open and accessible from the trail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcerget1 Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 I had talked to a person from Eagle's Earth last week, but they don't have gas available. I was in Hearst on Sunday and found the Eagle's Earth right next to the trail, but with no gas it has no value to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macpat Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The Longlac Groomer left Longlac on the 24th and started grooming toward Pagwa River (the Steel Bridge). Klotz Lake said that the groomer passed up their cabins. Should hear updates soon on how far they got. Check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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