SOUTHEAST SASKATCHEWAN - The first groomed snowmobile trails in Saskatchewan were created in Moose Mountain Provincial Park in 1970s.
“The province was watching the popularity of snowmobiles at that time and decided that Moose Mountain was the place to develop trails and tourism,” said Troy Foster, president of the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club (MMSC). Their goal has always been to promote safe riding and ongoing training.
“MMSC maintains the third-largest number of kilometres in the province out of all 60 clubs. MMSC looks after 15 warm-up shelters which are stocked with the essentials if there is an emergency, including lights, firewood, fire starter, matches, an axe and a map showing the shelter’s location.
The club was formed in the early 1980s in the Moose Mountain Provincial Park. It expanded throughout the later 1980s and 1990s. This expansion included the link to the communities of Stoughton, Corning, Windthorst, Kipling, Carlyle, Arcola, Kisbey, Kenosee Lake and White Bear Resort. The total distance comprised of the park and community additions totalled 440 kilometres of groomed and marked trails.
Foster mentioned the standards that the trails must meet are set by the regulations of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA). Trails are scored from one of five components. A portion of the provincial registrations of snowmobiles is pooled and allocated according to each club’s scores and the total kilometres that they are responsible for.
Every two years the trails are inspected for its maintenance, grooming and safety by the SSA. It is regulated that there are two stakes every tenth of a kilometre. They must be marked with reflective paint. Six thousands stakes are placed out each winter, along with 2,000 signs.
These indicate stop, stop ahead, slow, curves, shelter ahead, junction, maps, stay on the trail and destination signs indicating how far to the next community or shelter. These help riders and groomers to navigate the trails especially when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Foster noted the executive for the club is diversified throughout the various communities that make up the club’s trail system. The vice-president is Rod McCarthy of Corning and the board of directors come from the club’s included communities. Everyone in the club is a volunteer and helps with this daunting task each year.
Nine groomers work together and provide safe recreation for snowmobilers from all over. A total of 2,500 volunteer hours are regularly logged throughout the fall preparation, winter signage, safety and grooming.
Snowcats are used for grooming the club’s trails. They are specifically designed for this. A cat unit pulls a drag that chops up the big snow chunks. A heater in the rear warms the snow and compacts it like cement. This is required to maintain the integrity of the trails. Some weekends see a couple hundred snowmobiles using the trails. They must be compacted to withstand the traffic.
Riders from as far as Winnipeg, Regina and Moose Jaw travel to enjoy the early trails in the park. Due to the shaded areas in the forest of the park, snow conditions are often ready first and last the longest at the end of the season as well.
The Snowmobile Act mandates the official season to include Dec. 1 through April 15 each year. Riders must not use the trails on private lands before or after these dates. It is considered trespassing during the time outside the mandated season.
“The club wants to thank all landowners for the use of their land throughout the season,” Foster said.
“The Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club is grateful for the donations that it receives from individuals and businesses," he went on to say.
The funds collected are used for to maintain and run the Snowcats with fuel and storage needs. The club, and the southeast part of the province, have benefited from the oil and gas industry and their generosity.
The MMSC’s trails join up with other clubs’ trails: the SE Sask. Stubble Jumpers, Estevan Snowmobile Club, Souris River Snowmobile Club, Stoneybrook Snow Travellers, Broadview Snow Busters, Grenfell Snow Drifters and the Chitek Lake Bush Buddies. This combination offers 1,500 kilometres of groomed and marked trails for everyone’s use.
The entire province offers riders an 11,000-kilometre matrix of groomed and marked trails extending to Prince Albert. For this and other information you can go to the SSA’s site at sasksnow.com.
Foster asks that you contact the Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club at 1-306-575-7661 or on the Facebook page.
