Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sled Heads Rejoice
Winter brings a gleam of delight to the eye of the snowmobiler. Like all the Muskoka Snowmobile region clubs, our local club, Algonquin Snowmobile Club, has been working very hard indeed on getting trails ready this year. We have a land link to their trails, right from the Resort.
While most of our snowmobilers that stay at the resort come with their own machines, there are always some who inquire about snowmobile rentals.
That just got a whole lot easier, with Haliburton Snowmobile Rentals setting up for the winter at the S.S. Beacon and Yamaha dealership at the junction of Hwy 35 and 60. This location is directly on one of the main trails, so you can rent from them and go directly onto the trails. Or, Mark assures us they will cheerily deliver the sleds to the resort for your use. They can even provide you with a nice warm suit so you look fashionable. They'll fill you in on the details, like trail permits, trail rules, maps and recommendations. They'll even give you a tutorial on how to drive the things...
Just one thing... do everyone a favour, including yourself. Never go onto the ice unless YOU know it is safe, unless YOU have checked it and know what you are about. Yes, the lakes are great place to ride sleds, later in the winter, when there are some established trails and great ice conditions, but every year someone confuses a white surface with a depth of ice, with tragic results.
There's a little ditty to help you if you are cutting a hole to check the ice depth -- but remember it applies only to hard, clear lake ice. Stay well away from rivers, or any area with a current, beaver ponds, swamps and the like, where ice conditions will be less favourable. Remember also that the little mnemonic is for people -- skaters, skiers, snowshoers... and doesn't factor in the weight of a snowmobile. Which is considerable... Always err on the side of safety.
One inch, stay away Two inches, one person may Three inches for small groups Four inches, okay!
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