Halfway Haven

[Canuck]

What's the word on Halfway Haven and trails in that area.

If Halfway Haven doesn't open, what's the 'north-south' route?

(As I'm writing this, it has occurred to me that one viable option might be to take the train north, and then a south east route via Dubreaulville, across to Chapleau and south to Elliot Lake, before heading back west to Sault Ste. Marie. I digress, however, and any input into a more direct route would be appreciated)

[AC+YA]

What's the word on Halfway Haven and trails in that area.

If Halfway Haven doesn't open, what's the 'north-south' route?

(As I'm writing this, it has occurred to me that one viable option might be to take the train north, and then a south east route via Dubreaulville, across to Chapleau and south to Elliot Lake, before heading back west to Sault Ste. Marie. I digress, however, and any input into a more direct route would be appreciated)

The Chapleau then south route is always a ? anyway, but what about the gas situation at Aubrey Falls? Will anyone be open there?

We need to hear from the Trailblazers in the Soo and from Wawa as to if the the trail will be opened?????

[skidooboy]

F trail south of chapleau to aubrey falls is always a crap shoot. alot depends on the snow, the clubs and the district.

halfway haven will not be opened this year. i am unsure if the soo club or wawa club will even groom, knowing there is no fuel for about 170 miles. too much can go wrong, and the liability of this trail being opened with no fuel, will certainly have consequences for those unprepared to travel that kind of distance, with no services whatsoever.

personally i wouldnt plan on ANYTHING up there. i would suggest trailer or riding the train to wawa/hawk junction from the sault to ride wawa, dub, white river, hornepayne, hearst and train/trailer back to the soo, early in the season.

later when things shake out and settle, you may be able to loop around to cochrane, timmins, then chapleau, and elliot lake, or the soo... IF AUBREY FALLS IS OPENED FOR FUEL. last update i heard was, they were closed for remodel but, i am unsure if they have reopened. without these critical fuel stops, it will be almost impossible for the "average sledder" to safely travel these areas.

whatever you do, reasearch the trails and fuel availability for this region. you could be left out in the cold LITERALLY!

ski

[sledneck96]

From what I heard last season, Aubrey Falls closed to remodel due to the trail not being open. At that time they intended to be open this season. We'll see what happens.

[AC+YA]

Remember that Black Creek Outfitters also closed. That was the other gas station at Aubrey Falls. There needs to be one source of gas to get to Eliot Lake, or to turn north and get up to Flame Lake or Chapleau from the Soo. You can go along the lake to get to Eliot Lake if there is no gas, but to get to Chapleau will not work for most.

Hope they both open back up!

[skidooboy]

too bad there is no connector trail from trail 6, from the warncliff area to d106a. tunnel lake trading post has fuel. unsure if they are open year round or not. they are on a one way dead end trail, north out of warncliff. if there was a connector, you could feasibly get from there to flame lake, on fuel.

if the F trail were ever to open. gotta face it guys, we have to adapt our starting, stopping, and looping to adapt with the availability of fuel, food, and shelter. ski

[Wildman]

F trail south of chapleau to aubrey falls is always a crap shoot. alot depends on the snow, the clubs and the district.

halfway haven will not be opened this year. i am unsure if the soo club or wawa club will even groom, knowing there is no fuel for about 170 miles. too much can go wrong, and the liability of this trail being opened with no fuel, will certainly have consequences for those unprepared to travel that kind of distance, with no services whatsoever.

ski

I don't even know why a groomer operator would want to groom that trail with Halfway being closed. That is allot of hours for either clubs groomer. I know it was done in the past, but they where building up to something, now things are spiraling downward at an uncontrollable rate.

The way things are going, I think we have already rode the hayday of this sport, there are going to be less and less choices and more of the same ol, same ol. Time to get a long track.

[Canuck]

Groomer Guy and Big Reg,

Do you recall those guys we spoke with from the south end of your District? They mentioned heading diagonally from Elliot Lake to Aubrey Falls, then south to Elliot Lake. I 'complained' about the trail one year through Bruce Mine, Thesallon, etc. and they said 'should've gone north - we've invested a lot of resources into that trail".

Hope to see them at the sled show, with map in hand, but just in case - if you're speaking to them, what trail did they mean?

[AC+YA]

It will not be worth the groomer fuel for the few of us who would ride it, but then the Soo will be disconected from the North. I can go straight through to Chapleau which I have been doing for years now. It will be a drive to Wawa or a cut through to Chapleau when I go North. Most will not and should not try the cut through!

No gas at Aubrey Falls would really mess up back road day loops and the quickest way to Elliot Lake from the Searchmont unless you carry extra fuel which will be needed. When the weather permits, running straight East from the Soo is great trail riding all along the North Channel.

[Canuck]

When the weather permits, running straight East from the Soo is great trail riding all along the North Channel.

Agreed. But when there's a lack of snow cover, one of the guys Reg and Luc were speaking to suggested that there's a newer, wider trail to the north.

[AC+YA]

Canuck,

The F trail runs down from Chapleau through Aubrey Falls and turns south-east to Elliot Lake and then down to run along the Lake. We go to Manitoulin Island across the ice bridge when open or run the north edge of the lake from Spanish to the east. Or you can just run the trail east. Massey to the southeast is really great too. Then Sudbury and north all the way back to the northern corridor is great.

Problem is that F from Chapleau to Aubrey is open about 1 of every three years lately due to conditions and now we need to see gas back at Aubrey Falls. The trail from Elliot is usually opened, but if no gas who knows if they will groom that? No gas at Halfway, no D Trail. No gas at Aubrey, no F Trail.

[Canuck]

Dang.

Fingers crossed that a solution is found.

Definitely something to follow up on at the District booth.

[skidooboy]

canuck, the trail the guy was probably talking about was the d106. you pick it up northeast of echo bay, east of searchmont. that takes you northeast to aubrey falls. then the F trail takes you diagonally south east to elliot lake.

if there was a connector from ib6 (iron bridge north trail) to d106 at one time, and if it could be reinstated, you may have enough fuel to get to flame lake without aubrey falls, at that point.

the clubs, businesses, districts, and the ofsc should be on top of this, getting the info about grooming, fuel availablity and if these trails will be open or not if the weather permits, AND PUBLISHING THIS INFO TO THE MASSES ASAP...

like ac+ya says, if there is no fuel, and no grooming, you should not try this without alot of help, and back up plans. this area is wide, rugged, and unforgiving. it gets ALOT of blown down trees, to stop your forward progress. some days we might spend 8-12 hours jumping and cutting trees to get only 25-30 miles.

this years mantra for trail riders will be, "KNOW, BEFORE YOU GO!" meaning, to check with clubs, fuel stops, and lodging if these trails are open, SAFE AND PASSABLE.... AND THERE IS SUFFICIANT FUEL AVAILBLE TO GET FROM A TO B.

dont assume anything this year. be safe out there. ski

[Canuck]

thanks guys. good info

[Rev_Rider]

Stopped in at Aubrey Falls in July, from the conversation that I had with the guy working they were definitely planning on being open this winter. A friend talked with the new owner at Black Creek last week, the owner said that they would be closed this winter, but planned on being open the following winter. Ski, you are correct the trail is the D106, we use it almost every trip when we would leave from Northern Michigan and catch the ice bridge from Drummond to either Echo Bay or Bruce Mines. Great trial. Might even get to see some Lynx.

[skidooboy]

RR i have been on the d106 several times. before the new routing around the lakes, and the new current route. we have some great memories there. i wish that the F trail was easy to open, and easier to groom for the clubs and districts. it is one of my favorite trails. there is just ALOT of real estate in there for one or two clubs to take care of. and not enough riders to warrant the man hours to keep it open at this time. ski

[AC+YA]

Great to hear REV,

If Aubrey Falls has gas and they open the F Trail, it will be used a lot since Halfway is going to be closed which means D Trail is most likely closed.

Great to hear that they plan to stay open and keep gas available for running east to Elliot Lake and north to Chapleau if the trail opens!

[Blackstar]

too bad there is no connector trail from trail 6, from the warncliff area to d106a. tunnel lake trading post has fuel. unsure if they are open year round or not. they are on a one way dead end trail, north out of warncliff. if there was a connector, you could feasibly get from there to flame lake, on fuel.

if the F trail were ever to open. gotta face it guys, we have to adapt our starting, stopping, and looping to adapt with the availability of fuel, food, and shelter. ski

Its been 8 years since I've ridden it but there is a trail from Tunnel Lake to Black Creek Outfitters. It follows the hydro easement. Its not groomed but its marked. Did it with my 10 year old in tow.

Edit: I just looked at the District 13 Interactive map. Find the Hydro line marked on the map running from The F trail just east of Highway 129. There is a trail there that runs down to Wakomata Lake. (there is a resort there is/was a resort there that had food and fuel at the time, not sure now). The trail was staked across the lake and took you right down to the gas station at Tunnel Lake where you got back on to IB3.

[The Groomer Guy]

I will have more information on this at the show, I will get all the info and update you guys. I dont think the D trail will be groomed (wawa to Sault ste marie) The best route will be via the F trail.

[AC+YA]

I will have more information on this at the show, I will get all the info and update you guys. I dont think the D trail will be groomed (wawa to Sault ste marie) The best route will be via the F trail.

Thanks Luc,

Keep us updated as to what you hear on the D trail from the Soo to Wawa. I would love to see F open from Aubrey Falls to Chapleau if conditions permit too.

[The Groomer Guy]

Thanks Luc,

Keep us updated as to what you hear on the D trail from the Soo to Wawa. I would love to see F open from Aubrey Falls to Chapleau if conditions permit too.

I would like it open too, we will work hard on it. Il know more in the next few weeks.

[gtserider]

Luc

I talked to Lou Kirby on Sunday. He said they are trying to some kinda gas drop at or near Half way. He also said the Aubury falls guy says Gas is good to go.

If they can get a bridge fixed.and if the trail can be opened.

He said the OFSC is very aware of the problems of the North. But untill we get all the south clubs on board at AGM your not going to have a Provincial system.

I,m just south of the'bridges' that may or not open this year.I also well have a bridge or two that well come under MTO scrutiny with 4 Laning--at less than 100 permits a year. Ya right.

I was at Quickie Mart a few years ago,---staying at Mo`s in wawa.

I,m 1é2 way between between mag river and Pte au Baril on the right. Good pee stop, no jello shooters,pop is on me.

Les Alouettes Rock

Tim

[The Groomer Guy]

Luc

I talked to Lou Kirby on Sunday. He said they are trying to some kinda gas drop at or near Half way. He also said the Aubury falls guy says Gas is good to go.

If they can get a bridge fixed.and if the trail can be opened.

He said the OFSC is very aware of the problems of the North. But untill we get all the south clubs on board at AGM your not going to have a Provincial system.

I,m just south of the'bridges' that may or not open this year.I also well have a bridge or two that well come under MTO scrutiny with 4 Laning--at less than 100 permits a year. Ya right.

I was at Quickie Mart a few years ago,---staying at Mo`s in wawa.

I,m 1é2 way between between mag river and Pte au Baril on the right. Good pee stop, no jello shooters,pop is on me.

Les Alouettes Rock

Tim

Thats good to hear, they use to have a gas drop in the 90s it was done by the bristol Motel. PM me your info Tim and Il see what I can do. R U going to the sled show?