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travel / adventure / guides / winter 2004
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JOSEPH-ARMAND
BOMBARDIER was a 15-year-old boy from Valcourt,
Quebec, when he unintentionally
invented the sport of snowmobiling. He fastened
the engine of an old Model T Ford to a crude sleigh, and voila! he
suddenly found himself atop a machine that could plow through snowdrifts
with the greatest of ease. Thirty-seven years later, Bombardier perfected
the Ski-Doo, a smaller and easily manoeuvrable version that quickly
gained popularity with sports enthusiasts the world over.
Today, snowmobiling
is synonymous with Canadian ingenuity and is one of the country's
most popular winter activities. Tens of thousands of groomed trails
criss-cross the country; Quebec alone maintains some 20,000 kilometres
of trails, swishing through wintry landscapes between cozy lodges,
cabins and
restaurants. Snowmobile competitions are hosted annually across la
belle province, including the Grand Prix de Valcourt in Bombardier's
hometown.
Snowmobilers,
once viewed as reckless hot-rod jockeys, have spruced up their safety
and environmental records thanks to national and
regional associations that promote the use of safety equipment,
designated trails
and environmentally friendlier and quieter machines. Here are a
few destinations to whet the appetites of all who want to experience
some of Bombardier's madcap joy on the snow.
top
Charlevoix,
Québec & Saguenay-Lac Saint-Jean
More than 4,000 kilometres of marked snowmobile trails link historic
Québec City with Charlevoix and destinations farther north.
Traverse a winter wonderland that receives up to seven metres of snow
every year, through forests of pine and maple, past stunning views
of the Laurentian Mountains and through quaint French villages with
comfortable inns and gourmet food. Much of this region of Quebec has
been thoughtfully designed to cater specifically to snowmobilers in
the winter. Lodges and cabins dot the countryside, many of which can
be linked by
way of inn-to-inn guided trips.
Telephone: 1-877-266-5687
Website: www.outstandingsnowmobiling.com
The Cariboo and Chilcotin Regions
Once upon a time, British Columbia's thousands of kilometres
of mining and logging roads sat unused during the winter months. No
more! Throughout the mountainous Cariboo and Chilcotin regions of the
B.C. interior, a huge network of snowmobile trails is being developed
on these roads — trails that will take you into prime alpine
backcountry. There are also some spectacular inn-to-inn traverses to
enjoy, such as the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail that can be followed
from Clinton to Barkerville. This main artery branches off into countless
side trips between the Fraser River valley and Wells Gray Park.
Telephone:
1-800-663-5885
Website: www.landwithoutlimits.com
The Long Range Mountains
Without a doubt, one of the premier up-and-coming snowmobile destinations
in Canada is the
Long Range Mountains of Newfoundland and Labrador's Great Northern
Peninsula. Although some trails are still under development (and an
overview map of the region's trails doesn't yet exist),
consider the existing 500 kilometres of trail that carve through plentiful
snow between a variety of lodges and motels. And who can beat the views,
with rugged mountains on one side and the sprawling Gulf of St. Lawrence
on the other. If a longer trip appeals to you, try the Trans Canada
Trail that runs from Port aux Basques all the way to St. John's
on the eastern side of the province.
Telephone: 1-800-563-6353
Website:
www.nlsf.org
Rainbow Country
Ontario's Rainbow Country is a
conveniently centralized destination that encompasses Manitoulin Island,
Georgian Bay's Thirty Thousand Islands and the District
of Sudbury. There are more than 3,000 kilometres of groomed trails
here, many of which utilize the frozen lakes and rivers of Ontario's
spectacular Canadian Shield.
Watch for deer
as you motor across Manitoulin under snow-clad white pine branches
and past the
rugged pink granite of La Cloche Mountains. Explore the multi-day "Playland" route
that forms a circuit from Parry Sound through Killarney and Sudbury,
or take the "Rainbow Tour" route that begins in Spanish,
Ont., and winds along to Sudbury by way of Manitoulin, Whitefish
Falls and Killarney.
Telephone:
1-800-465-6655
Website: www.rainbowcountry.com
Once a snowmobile-riding
prairie youth, Matthew Jackson now relies on the power of the human
thumb.
He tells his tales in The Canada Chronicles: A Four-Year Hitchhiking
Odyssey, due for release next spring.
Rules of the snow
Travel on trails
Dedicated trails are operated by snowmobile clubs, usually under
land-use permission
and as part of an officially
recognized provincial snow-mobiling system. These corridors are
frequently maintained, marked and groomed for use
of snowmobiles only.
Get the right gear
Always wear appropriate
cold-weather gear and a snowmobile helmet. Basic repair, survival
and first-aid kits are essential, and these should include a cellphone
and high-energy snacks. If you travel in avalanche country, carry
a transceiver, probe and shovel.
Ride a clean machine
Four-stroke engines, on-board computers, oil/fuel injection,
variable-height exhaust valves and sound-reduction systems help
state-of-the-art sleds run more quietly and burn less fuel. Some
also meet the 2006
emissions targets set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. |
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