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I agree sledding has priced itself into the "exclusive" sport category. Gear and accessories alone can add up quickly.  However, we have a few sleds that run around private farm lands  and ditches and got used alot this year by friends and family that have never taken an interest in the sport previously. They got rolled over and stuck all winter and the riders had a ball. Three of them now have newer used sleds from those experiences. The heavy snowfall this year made it possible for them to have some fun they didnt know they were missing. The sleds are older but not eligible for classic passes so none were registered or insured for trail riding. As ofsc trails cross some of these properties I can neither confirm or deny that they may have seen abit of trail running in the hands of a couple folks, but either way, it brought them into the sport as legitimate riders.  I think that if classic permits were based on 15 year old sleds again, we might see more people riding something more affordable just to have the experience. Once on the trails, there's the natural progression that comes with that experience. No different than fast cars or boats. It's addictive. Not all of us, but alot of us became addicts the first time we had the experience. The opportunity just had to present itself.  Just the opinion of a hopeless addict with a tolerant wife. 😁 

The OFSC has tried to make it appealing and affordable, I’m afraid it hasn’t worked for reasons they cannot control.  The reality that most can agree on is the sport is expensive, permit being one of the cheapest today is the point, that’s not changing, so come to terms with that and move on.  stop trying to pretend it should be an inclusive sport, it no longer is.  sorry, but that’s the reality IMO. 

Unfortunately not all trail permit buyers are snowmobile fanatics who read snowmobile forums 12 months of the year and will pay anything to ride.  Or buy $25,000 snowmobiles every couple years.   There has to be a balance in order to get the local when convenient to ride from home sledders to buy when they might ride the trails a few times a year.  For them maybe there is a monetary tipping point.     Last thing anyone on here should do is post up negative comments and make judgement on another person based on financial decisions to buy a permit.     Maybe it is a big decision in a retired guys life to buy a trail permit when he can ride 10 year old sled down a road allowance to the lake and fish and he can be happy with that.  Not everyone is as financially secure as most of the guys reading and commenting on this forum.   Part of the problem with this sport is the cost and making it an affordable package to attract the new and hold the old riders     In my mind to survive the trail system needs the revenues from the on the fence to buy permit riders buying also.    

Just ride with 900 dolllars in your pocket. 😆 you don't have to spend 400 then 😆 wonder why Ontario don't have that option 😆

Yep, agreed….shut Er down.