This is the season to get out there and have some serious fun! I laugh when I hear people grumble about the cooler temperatures and impending snow. You can tell that they are the ones who choose to sit inside from December to March and wait out winter. Not us! With the snow comes an unlimited list of things to do not only for children, but for adults too! I doesn’t matter what your age is.Did you run to the toboggan hill when you were a child? Well now the sleds are a little more advanced. I still enjoy a day at the hill with the little ones. The fresh air and great work-out make for a good nights sleep! I have to admit though, few rides down a hill compare to the rush you get as you power through the fresh powder aboard a snowmobile.
Still think that snowmobiling is reserved for young guys in the mountains? Think again! Folks of all ages can select a machine that is perfect for their physical abilities and get out on one of Ontario’s 39.700 klms of trail. There are 250 snowmobile clubs in Ontario. They are made up of volunteers that have committed untold hours of dedication in order to develop and maintain the province’s trail systems. The clubs are represented by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC). The organization supplies riders with trail passes that entitle them to use any trail, any time, anywhere in the province of Ontario. For the 2008-2009 snowmobile season, the cost of the pass is offered at a reduced rate of $180.00 when purchased prior to December 1, 2008 and $240.00 when bought after the December 1st deadline.
Snowmobiling is a unique activity primarily because it can be done by almost anyone from 12 years of age and up (Snowmobile operators permits are required for youth riders). Younger children get to experience the sport by riding as a passenger on the sled or behind it in a specially designed sleigh. Unlike skiing, snowmobiling is available to those with concerns about stress on joints such as knees, hips, elbows etc. Mature riders will find today’s snowmobiles to be quite comfortable as the suspension, seating positions and controls have been updated with new technology and equipment. Riding gear is better than ever. Lightweight materials are used in snow suits, boots & helmets. Heated visors, handlebars and foot warmers make riders forget that they are out in sub zero temperatures.
The ultimate reason to embrace winter and hop on a snow machine is simply to see nature like never before. You have a chance to see places that you could never see otherwise. You can cross frozen swamps and bogs allowing access to places that no other vehicle can take you. Natural streams, valleys and hills offer riders a chance to appreciate nature’s magnificent beauty from a perspective that you just can’t get by driving by in a car, walking a trail or even flying above. Those that have taken the opportunity to meet the land this way will regularly leave with a new respect for our environment and the importance of protecting it.
Share your favorite winter activity with us. See you on the trails!
