Lack of snow leading to lack of usable snowmobile trails in Algoma District

Local and regional organizations dedicated to snowmobiling have yet to receive any sort of direction from Algoma Public Health to shut down snowmobile trails within the public health region. 

But it’s not advice from the public health unit or the provincial stay-at-home order that’s thwarting trail riders from riding the trails this sledding season - it’s a complete and utter lack of snow. 

“At the current time there are no trails open in the Algoma Public Health region due to the lack of snow and the long range forecast doesn’t show any real accumulations of snow,” said Tood Stencill district manager for the Algoma Sno-Plan Affiliation. “We have not seen a year like this for awhile.”  

On Monday, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (NBPSDHU) ordered trails sanctioned by Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) and trails utilizing Crown Land in the district to close for the duration of the stay-at-home order. The trail closure goes into effect Jan. 21.  

But it’s a different situation for the Algoma Public Health region, says Darrell Maahs of Sault Trailblazers, the local organization responsible for the grooming of more than 500 kilometres of OFSC snowmobile trails in District 13.  

“We have not received any direction from Algoma Public Health to keep our trails closed, and to date the only OFSC trails that have been closed across the province are within the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit [region], which typically see many more snowmobilers particularly from southern Ontario, unlike the Algoma District,” said Maahs in an email to SooToday. “We believe that snowmobiling provides for a safe social distancing recreational activity which is recognized as a permitted outdoor activity under the provincial stay-at-home order.”

Maahs says that milder weather, combined with a lack of snow so far this winter has hampered the organization’s ability to prepare and safely open any portion of the trail system. 

But with periods of heavy snowfall anticipated over the next 24 hours, there's a hope that Sault Trailblazers could potentially begin preparing trails within the next week. 

“Due to the topography of many of our trails, we need cold temperatures to freeze up the many creeks we cross along with sufficient snow to fill in the trail hazards to form a good base for the sledders,” said Maahs. “With the recent change in the weather conditions, we are hopeful we can begin packing our trails soon in hopes we can start opening trails within the next week or so for the enjoyment of our riders.” 

On Wednesday, OFSC issued a news release urging snowmobilers to abstain from travelling outside their public health regions for snowmobiling opportunities, and to stick to snowmobile trails listed as available on the OFSC’s online interactive trail guide.