To some, snowmobile trails appear to be a permanent fixture of the snowbelt landscape. But snowmobile trails are not roads, so they can disappear quickly in any season if a landowner says “no”.
Most snowmobilers don¹t think about where snowmobile trails come from in the first place. Trails are not preordained or legislated or a God-given right. Mostly, snowmobile trails exist because someone has said “yes”.
Frequently, that someone is a private landowner whose property is situated where a snowmobile club desires to place a trail. But that desire is wishful thinking until the landowner gives the club permission to cross the property. Normally, that permission is for a narrow strip of land, designated by the landowner, to be used only in the winter by snowmobiles with valid Snowmobile Trail Permits.
Such land use permission is a fact of life for most snowmobile clubs, and if not obtained, or if revoked by the landowner, that snowmobile trail ceases to exist. The result can be a domino effect, as access to other connecting trails now becomes impossible. Often trail cancellation can mean a long detour for riders, possibly on gravel road or pavement, to go around the property in question and get to the next access point. It can also mean a significant loss to the club in terms of resources now wasted on the improvement of a trail they can no longer use.
If enough landowners say “no”, either to a new trail or to the renewal of an existing one, it could threaten the existence of the provincial system we enjoy today. Think about it: snowmobiling in some areas could return to the dark ages where there were no linkages to other networks and regions, only the ability to ride around on local loops.
So what can the ordinary snowmobiler do to help clubs keep trails in place?
1. Stay on the trail: As a condition of the land use permission, a landowner expects riders to stay on the marked trail, and not wander off anywhere they choose. The fastest and surest way to get a trail closed is to leave tracks somewhere other than the trail, especially if it‘s farmland and valuable crops may be damaged. If the trail follows the perimeter of a field, it‘s because the farmer doesn‘t want sleds crossing directly or cutting corners.
2. Leave the Stakes Intact: Stakes are placed by clubs to mark where sleds are supposed to go. Too often, someone will ride over the stake line, breaking or knocking them over. The result is that other well-intentioned snowmobilers have no stakes to follow, and inadvertently go off the trail. There is also the possibility that unrecovered broken stakes may get caught up in and seriously damage farm equipment after the winter.
3. Leave Gates and Fences Alone: The snowmobile club has permission for a specific corridor and will temporarily remove or relocate any necessary fences or gates. Any others should not be touched by snowmobilers for any reason. Cement blocks or a closed gate placed across the entrance of a previously used trail mean it is not open.
4. Only For Snowmobiles: The landowner has given permission to the snowmobile club only for the use of snowmobiles and club equipment on that trail. When you buy a Snowmobile Trail Permit, you can use that trail only for snowmobiling. You have no right to ATV, cross country ski, dog sled, snowshoe, horseback ride or hike there. If you use that trail for anything other than snowmobiling with a valid trail permit, you can be charged with trespassing. You may also cause permanent closure of the trail.
5. Only in the Winter: The landowner has given permission to the snowmobile club only for the use of snowmobiles on that trail during the winter. Use by anyone during any other season of the year is not allowed. Most landowners give winter permission in part because the land is then dormant and also because they are less likely to be using it themselves. Unauthorized use in other seasons, especially by ATVs, causes loss of trail permission.
6. Only When the Trail is Open: The first snow does‘t mean that the snowmobile trails are open. It takes several snowfalls and frozen ground to establish a snowmobile trail that protects the land surface or any growth on it. If you ride before the club has officially opened the trail (or after it has been temporarily closed due to conditions, or officially closed for the season) you are endangering both land and crops.
7. Respect the Landowner: Trails have been closed after a landowner has been insulted, annoyed or endangered by a snowmobiler(s). Behaviours such as riding too late at night near a landowner residence, making unnecessary noise with after market pipes, littering, frightening children, livestock or domestic pets, or damaging property, each can have drastic consequences for the trail.
