Riding snowmobiles ‘a good rush’

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This article was published 12/01/2023 (613 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Snowmobile sales across Canada last year were the highest in more than two decades, which is reflected in the number of riders buying passes to ride the trails in Manitoba, according to local organizations.

The increase in sales comes as no surprise to those who love to ride, like Luke McNabb from Minnedosa. He said he sees “a lot of riders out there,” and has been snowmobiling for as long as he can remember. When he saved up enough for his first machine, he bought a 1996 Polaris Indy 500.

“It’s a good rush and lots of fun being able to mess around and go for spins. I enjoy going fast, and when conditions are right, doing catwalks.”

In 2022, there were more than 50,000 new snowmobiles sold in Canada, which was a 16 per cent increase from the year before and the highest since 2000, according to Yvonne Rideout, the executive director of Snoman (Snowmobilers of Manitoba) Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes snowmobiling and its club members.

Manitoba is the perfect playground for snowmobilers, with the average winter snowfall in the southwest corner of the province between 113 and 145 centimetres, giving sledders a good base. They can ride through forests, over wide-open spaces, including frozen lakes, and easy terrain with a hill or two thrown in for a good challenge.

The snowiest months in Manitoba are November and December, with an average of 26 centimetres each month. McNabb said he’s always ready for that next dump of snow.

“If you can find some deep snow, the best is to get on one side, tip it, pin it and you can do some pretty tight turns,” he said.

A powersports business owner in Brandon said snowmobiles are spoken for months in advance. According to Curt Amey with Action Power, there is a limited number of machines that his supplier will send, depending on customer demand.

“Our allocation was 72, and we were sold out in two weeks,” he said.

It’s a similar story at S.A.R. Sport and Recreation in Brandon. Sales manager Rod Fast said they are sold out of new machines but were able to get their hands on about a dozen used sleds from their parent company in Steinbach. Sales aside, he said, it’s fun seeing people happy with their purchase.

“I sold a late-model sled to an older gentleman who wanted something for going on the trails with his brother, to hit the groomed trails and enjoy the ride,” Fast said.

Snoman, the organization that represents 53 snowmobiling clubs in the province, also makes sure that the more than 13,000 kilometres of trails in Manitoba are groomed and maintained.

There is a cost to explore and ride the groomed trails. All riders must have an orange Snopass licence plate, which comes with the purchase of a Snopass. The $150 pass is available from any Autopac agent or Manitoba Public Insurance service centre. Anyone who is stopped on a groomed trail without a Snopass is fined $486.

It’s a well-oiled, pay-to-play system that is a big benefit to riders and their clubs, Rideout said. Money collected through the licences is then allocated to the clubs for maintenance of the trail system.

Snopass sales increased in the last three years as well, with an additional 1,000 new passes each year. The organization sold 22,000 in 2022 alone. Rideout said the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the biggest reasons why.

“More people are taking to the snow,” Rideout said. “With the restrictions, staycation was the only choice, so people got into snowmobiling for the first time, and snowbirds were forced to come back home and start up their machines.”

The 53 snowmobiling clubs in the province are divided into five regions, and each club is responsible for grooming the trails in their own area.

The Spruce Woods Snowdrifters club is in the west region, where Darcy Wyborn has ridden hundreds of kilometres in one day on trails from Brandon through Wawanesa, Glenboro, the Sand Hills, up to Carberry and back to Brandon. He enjoys sledding because of the disconnect he gets from his phone.

“You see areas of the province you would never see; you see wildlife interacting differently. I like the quiet, and time almost stands still,” Wyborn said.

Heading into the second weekend of January, most trails in the southwest are open. However, some, such as those from Brandon north to Rapid City, to Gladstone and east to the south tip of Lake Manitoba, are closed and suffering from lack of snow.

All snowmobilers, Wyborn said, become weather watchers who constantly check every forecast app and media outlet, hoping for word about that next big snowfall.

“We need at least six inches of good snow, which has a little moisture so that it compacts,” Wyborn said. “It can’t be fluffy, but the perfect mix of wet and heavy.”

Riding in new snow and lots of it is what snowmobilers live for, but it’s important to check the weather forecast before heading out. Snoman advises: always be prepared.

Snowmobile operators are required to follow the regular rules of the road, such as riding on the right, staying on trails and respecting private lands.

Alcohol and cannabis are prohibited on the trails and in warming shelters.

“I think safety is number one on our trail system. If someone is caught consuming alcohol or cannabis, the fine is $673,” Rideout said.

For Wyborn, having safe trails to ride is a priority, because snowmobiling has always been a family sport.

“We’ve pulled sleighs that the kids can ride in,” Wyborn said.

“We’ve had three generations out on snowmobiles riding trails and loving it.”

Snoman is promoting snowmobile safety ahead of International Snowmobile Safety Week Jan. 13-19, with a link to an online snowmobile safety course on its website. The course is not mandatory but anyone under the age of 18 who takes the course, can send the organization the certificate of completion and the $15 fee will be returned.

The online snowmobile safety course, current Manitoba trail conditions and a map of the trails can be found at snoman.mb.ca.

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