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Hello Everyone,
We will be offering a training course for new trail patrollers.
Looking for people who love snowmobiling and are dedicated to the fun it is for everyone.
Easy 1.5 hour course, Looking for ambassadors
Please let us know ASAP on facebook or email westcarletonpokerrun@gmail
Come out and join our team!
Course is at our new Club House 🙂
Since the December 29 snowstorm, my office has heard some concerns from residents regarding the snowmobile trails in West Carleton.
The snowmobile trails are not open for the season yet. The West Carleton Snowmobile Trails Association (WCSTA) is responsible for the trails and are currently working on ensuring conditions are appropriate for safe traveling before they are officially opened for the season.
Even though there is snow on the ground the WCSTA notes that the trails are still unsafe and riding on them constitutes trespassing on landowners’ private property. Snowmobilers out beforehand are violating the law and the police can be contacted. Snowmobilers must also obtain a permit to use the trails. Please visit www.wcstai.com for permit information.
The WCSTA notes that the ground needs to be cold enough to freeze the boggy and swampy areas in the region and hard enough to support to the weight of grooming machines. There are rocks and stumps that aren’t covered and there’s no base to protect the machine from those obstacles. The WCSTA hope the trails will to be safe by the middle of January and suggest checking trail status by using their online map (http://ofsc.mapbase.ca/viewer/).
I would also like to stress to everyone that the trails are meant for everyone’s use. Pedestrians and snowmobilers alike need to be respectful of each other. Snowmobilers should slow down when passing pedestrians. Pedestrians should move off to the side of the trail to allow snowmobiles to pass by safely. As well, dogs must be leashed at all times, no matter if they are on a snowmobile trail, in the forest or in a park (unless otherwise noted). Please review the City’s Animal Care & Control By-Law NO. 2003-77. (ottawa.ca/…/respecting-animal-care-and-control-law-no-2003-…).
We have beautiful trails and breathtaking forests that are usable by everyone. Please be respectful of each other, so we can all enjoy the beauty that is West Carleton!
Thank you to the WCSTA for their ongoing hard work, and to the generous landowners who allow their property to be used during snowmobiling season.
(Barrie, ON – December 17, 2015) – With early snow forecast this weekend in some parts of Ontario, winter’s on the way and so is the 2016 snowmobiling season. But it’s not time to start sledding yet and for safety’s sake, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) cautions snowmobilers to keep their sleds parked and stay off OFSC trails for the time being.
Even going for a short snowmobile ride can be very dangerous at this time of year with the existing poor conditions. The ground, waterways and swamps are not frozen yet, nor is there enough snow base to protect yourself or your sled from terrain irregularities or other obstacles. Grooming operations have not started yet, so no OFSC trails are available to ride and all access to trails on private property remain closed. Snowmobilers are also reminded to stay off public roads and avoid trespassing on farmers’ fields.
For updates on trail status across Ontario, the OFSC recommends that snowmobilers visit the Interactive Trail Guide atwww.ofsc.on.ca
OPP/OFSC Release –Â OPP OFSC Joint News Release Be Prepared 21DEC15
Please join us for the West Carleton Snowmobile Trails Association first club meeting of the new year, Tuesday evening (January 5th) in the board room at the Kinburn Community Centre (doors to the left of the main entrance). The meeting will start at 7:30, rather than regularly scheduled time of 7:00pm.
Although unconfirmed at the present moment, we are hoping to have the club’s new Argo Centaur groomer available for a sneak peek prior to the meeting! This is the culmination of hundreds of hours of research, planning and paperwork by club volunteers, and earmarks the start of an exciting new era for WCSTA.
The club is currently looking for volunteer coordinators, people to help with events, brushing, signage and other volunteer positions. Have any special skills that you might be willing to share to help make our club, our trails and our events even better? Please come and introduce yourself at a meeting, or  contact us.
With some cold weather in the forecast early this week, we are all hoping trail opening will be imminent as our swamps and waterways freeze over.
We hope to see you at the meeting!
Hey everybody,
We are coming up to our potluck supper on Saturday January 9, 2016 which is starting at 5:00 pm at our new clubhouse at the Kinburn Community Centre. We are hoping (pending cold temperatures) that the trails could be up and running making it the first weekend of sledding. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
Now on to the business. For those of you who are definitely coming to this event please let me know what you are bringing. I need to co-ordinate the food so that we have plenty of variety. Cash bar will be open as well.Â
So please come and meet some of your fellow sledders, have a drink, some food and lets get this season off to great start.
Hope to see you there!
Marie
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Snowmobile trails still dangerous
Jan. 1 – We would like to remind riders that West Carleton Trails are not yet open, which means they are unsafe, and riding on them constitutes trespassing on our landowners’ private property.
We are in agreement with The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs’ statement, urging snowmobilers to hold off on their first ride of the season until trail conditions improve.
“We’ve got a whack of snow, but the ground is still warm. There’s no base there,” said Craig Nicholson, a spokesperson for the organization. “If people were to try to go out, they’re taking some dangers in their hands because there’s a whole lot of irregularities on the bare ground.”
The ground needs to be cold enough to freeze the boggy and swampy areas in the region and hard enough to support to weight of five- to seven-tonne grooming machines. And there are rocks and stumps that aren’t covered and there’s no base to protect the machine from those obstacles.
Please trust that we, the West Carleton Club are as eager as anyone to get out and start grooming the trails and are also in the process of assessing signage that has blown down by high winds on Christmas eve. The Club will keep everyone posted. For now we all need to will the temperatures to help get all of those water crossings and swamps you don’t normally even know are there during the season to freeze up.
Time to prepare
Nicholson encourages snowmobilers to take this time to check on their machines to make sure they are running safely and to ensure they have a first aid kit, a survival kit and a tow cable.
“As much as everybody is eager now to get out, and I’m as eager as anyone else, you’ve got to be really careful where you go,” he said.
According to Nicholson, it might seem like this is a particularly late start to the season, but the past two winters have been much colder than usual.
He anticipates the trails will to be safe by the middle of January and suggests riders check on the status of trails in their area by using his organization’s online map before heading out.
Thanks, and we hope to see you on the trails soon!
When: Saturday Dec. 5 at 11:00am – 2:00pm
Where: Timmins Road 1 KM off Kinburn Side Road (near Pakenham)
Hello Sledders.
We need some help putting trail signs up on our brand new A trails that was just cut. Amazing new section of trail. Come out and help for 2-3 hours. Meet at Timmins Road just off Kinburn Side Road. We will send one group around to Rock Coady Trail to start at the other end after we meet up. We will have all supplies.
Come and walk the new trail !
Four wheelers and walking in will work great, a little bit of mud at Timmins entrance but great at the other end.
Bring cordless drill with robertson bit. Some water on trail so wear rubber boots.
Thanks 🙂 Scott
Sledding is just around the corner. In preparation for the installation of trail signage and markers, the WCSTAI will be holding its annual trail signage course on November 10, 2015, 6:30-7:30 PM in the Conference Room* at the Kinburn Community Centre. Correct signage is the cornerstone of the clubs risk management program and critical to safe sledding on our trails. The trails cannot be opened until this important work is completed.
If you are new to trail signage this season: a) THANKS for volunteering; and b) please plan to attend this course. Note that preparing the trails depends entirely on volunteers like you. If you just want to help out but aren’t sure where to start, feel free to come to the training and we will happily pair you up with an experienced installer.
If you cannot make this training, or have any questions contact the director responsible for risk management at safesledding@wcstai.com
*The conference room is located at the southwest end of the building (closest to the soccer fields). It is NOT the room near the bar nor the large hall.
Buy now and save! Get your 2015-2016 seasonal permit by Dec. 1 2015 and save $50 off the seasonal permit fee of $260. Winter’s coming!
Please join us at the West Carleton Snowmobile Trails Association November club meeting – to be held tomorrow – Tuesday Nov 3rd, 7:30pm, in the board room at the Kinburn Community Centre (doors to the left of the main entrance).
The club is currently looking for volunteer coordinators, people to help with brushing and signage and other volunteer positions. Have any special skills that you might be willing to share to help make our club, our trails and our events even better? Please come and introduce yourself at a meeting, or  contact us.
Signage and pre-season trail work will be key topics at this meeting. If you are one of the many people who adopted a section of trail last spring, or if you would like to find out how you can help get our trails ready for the upcoming season we encourage you to join us. We hope to see you there!