OFSC Safe Riding Message For National Snowmobile Environment Month

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Environmentally-Friendly Sledding is Part of Being a Safe Snowmobiler

(Barrie, ON, January 31, 2023) – February is National Snowmobile Environment Month, and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs celebrates by reminding trail riders that snowmobilers have a collective interest in keeping nature beautiful. To do so, riders must snowmobile responsibly to foster a safe environment by protecting and preserving our land, forest and fauna. This proactive behaviour will help ensure that future generations can enjoy recreational riding on OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails for years to come.

National Snowmobiling Environment Month also celebrates the ongoing stewardship accomplishments of our member clubs and volunteers. These ongoing initiatives include effective trail planning to protect sensitive habitats and species, to control erosion, to protect rivers and streams with bridges and culverts, plus activities such as seeding, tree planting, working with provincial ministries and environment groups, and ongoing education and outreach efforts within the snowmobiling community.

“We are stewards of the trails we have the privilege of enjoying each winter”, said Ryan Eickmeier, OFSC CEO. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure we can continue to co-exist with the natural environment in which we ride, and all that inhabit it.”

To snowmobile responsibly, every rider must make a personal commitment to treat Mother Nature respectfully and be sensitive to our surroundings on every ride. Keeping nature beautiful means being responsible to:

Stay On The Trail: The OFSC reminds snowmobilers that the safe environmental choice is to stay on the trail. Trail riding minimizes any impact on the natural setting where we are transient guests, while also not disturbing crops and livestock. OFSC trails exist to provide defined and organized corridors that are safer for riders and for the environment, while minimizing any damage caused by random off trail riding.

Only Ride Available Trails: Shown in Red on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG), unavailable trails are not yet ready for snowmobile travel. The reasons for a trail being unavailable to ride include insufficient frost and snow to protect the ground, swamps, bogs and creeks not being frozen, and clubs still working to complete the required trail preparations for safe and environmentally-friendly sledding.

Respect Sensitive Areas: Snowmobilers should avoid environmentally sensitive or protected habitats by sticking to OFSC trails.

Protect Wildlife: Animals are more vulnerable in winter, so keep your distance and leave them alone.

Leave Tracks, Not Trash: If you had space to bring it in, then respect nature by carrying it out with you.

Embrace Best Available Technology: New advanced technology snowmobiles run more efficiently and effectively, use less fuel and oil, operate with virtually no smoke or smell, and run quieter too.

Maintain Your Sled: A well-tuned snowmobile is more environmentally friendly, reliable and safer to ride.

Leave It Stock: Installing aftermarket pipes on your sled is not only illegal, but also creates unnecessary noise pollution that disturbs wildlife and humans.

OFSC trail riding takes place in an unpredictable and uncontrollable natural environment that we all enjoy and share. Keeping nature beautiful during every ride depends on the personal decisions and smart choices made by each snowmobiler to make OFSC trails as safe as possible for Mother Nature.

 

 

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is a volunteer led, not for profit association that provides the voice for organized snowmobiling in Ontario. OFSC snowmobile trails managed by 200 community based, member clubs generate up to $3.3 billion in economic activity in the province each year.

For questions or to schedule a media interview with the OFSC, please contact Lisa Stackhouse at: [email protected]

OFSC Delivers Important Trail Messages To Snowmobilers For International Snowmobile Safety Week, January 14 – 22

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    1. Only Ride Available Trails 
    2. Stay On The Trail
    3. Ride Responsibly

(Barrie, ON, January 12, 2023) – As the non-profit, volunteer-driven association that oversees organized snowmobile trails in Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is cautioning snowmobilers that the greater majority of its 30,000 kilometres of OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails are currently identified as being “Unavailable” to ride. Most OFSC trails do not typically become Available to ride before mid-January, and although the recent unseasonal weather has impacted overall trail readiness, snowmobile clubs and their volunteers continue to work hard on making as many OFSC trails as possible Available to ride in the near future.

Only Ride Available Trails: For safety week, the OFSC reminds snowmobilers to only ride Available or Limited Availability OFSC trails and avoid riding Unavailable trails at any time during the winter. Snowmobilers can easily find out where there are Available trails to ride by checking Trail Status 24/7 on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) or on the OFSC Go Snowmobiling App. Trail Status shows on the ITG as:

  • GREEN for Available: The identified route is accessible with the understanding that the trail will likely vary considerably in quality, attributes and terrain over its length.
  • YELLOW for Limited Availability: Access to the identified route is limited with marginal riding opportunities, so snowmobilers enter with the understanding that they should ride with extreme care and reduced speed.
  • RED for Unavailable: The identified route is not available at this time, with access prohibited, and entering any Unavailable trail on private property is trespassing.

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OFSC Calls For Snowmobile Safety On Every Trail Ride

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Recreational Trail Riders Encouraged To Make Smart Choices, Ride With Care & Control

International Snowmobile Safety Week, January 15 to 23

Key Points:

  • Ride responsibly for your own safety and for the safety those who share the trails with you.
  • Trail safety message especially important for participants new to organized snowmobiling.
  • Recreational OFSC trails are statistically the safest place to ride a snowmobile.
  • No snowmobile fatalities reported to date this season on OFSC trails.

(Barrie, ON – January 13, 2022): The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) joins the North American snowmobile community and our Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) partners in celebrating the 2022 snowmobile season with International Snowmobile Safety Week, January 15 to 23. The OFSC is the non-profit, volunteer-driven association that oversees organized snowmobile trails in Ontario.

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OFSC Reports End of Season Shut Down of Many Farm Country Trails

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Snowmobilers Warned To Stay Off Closed Trails Until They Re-Open Next Winter

(Barrie, ON: March 11, 2021) – After delivering some of the best trail riding opportunities in recent memory throughout much of Southern Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) reports that snowmobile operations are ending for this winter in many of its southern-most districts.

With the trail base deteriorating rapidly from mild and rainy weather this week, many local snowmobile clubs, especially those in predominantly farm country areas, have now closed almost 10,000 kilometres of trails, many for the season. More are expected to shut down soon if early spring-like conditions continue. Other clubs are asking snowmobilers to stay off their trails this weekend, until groomers can roll again next week, so as not to increase existing damage to the fragile snow base.

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OFSC Urges Trail Riders To Make Smart Choices On Family Day Long Weekend

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Smart Choice #1 For Snowmobiling Is Riding Available OFSC Trails

(Barrie, ON: February 11, 2021) – Snowmobile trails operated by clubs belonging to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) comprise about 40% of our province’s recreational trails, a network that continues to be the smart choice for where to ride your sled. Recent statistics provided by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) show that over 90% of snowmobile fatalities this season have occurred on roads, ice and unmaintained areas, and not on available OFSC trails. That’s one good reason why we’re pleased to welcome smart riders to over 22,000 kilometres of snowmobile trails now available for local riding this Family Day Long Weekend.

We want you to feel safe on our trails and arrive home without incident after every ride. To help, we’ve invited the OPP and other enforcement services to patrol our trails this weekend. You can do your part to safeguard your family by reminding everyone in your group of smart riding choices expected on our trails. There is no more important time to take this advice to heart than Family Day Long Weekend when so many families and new riders will be sharing our trails for a special winter outing. These smart choices include:

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OFSC Adds Public Health Unit Boundaries To Interactive Trail Guide

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Boundary Lines Assist Snowmobilers To Ride Locally Within Their Public Health Region

(Barrie, ON: January 27, 2021) – With winter finally upon us and thousands of kilometres of trails now showing either Green or Yellow on the Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) for local riding, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has created a new tool to assist snowmobilers.

As of today, we have temporarily added public health region boundaries (blue lines) to the ITG on our website, which are visible in both Trail Network and Trail Status views. They will also show on the Go Snowmobiling Ontario Apps after your next regular data update. The blue boundary lines will help you to stay within your own public health region while riding available OFSC trails and enable you to plan your local rides more easily while complying with public health measures.

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