Enthusiasm is high for the snowmobiling season to begin.
Just ask North Bay Snowmobile Club President Shawn Flindall.
“The feeling is pretty positive generally, the dealers have been selling out of sleds and gear for three or four years straight now, interest and enthusiasm in the sport of snowmobiling is at a real peak at this point and so people are really excited about the snow fly it’s a beautiful thing,” said Flindall.
It’s been a busy off-season for the North Bay Snowmobile Club.
The organization says with the excitement is building after a number of key upgrades that have been done to the trail system including a brand new 80 foot bridge which was installed over the North River back in July.
Flindall says the new bridge is something they have been hoping for since the early 1990’s.
“It has taken years to get approval and permits and funding requirements but we finally got a bridge in place over the North River and so riders will know the trail going out towards Camp Conewango crossing the North River and it was always safe but always a sketchy crossing. This bridge had a price tag of $90,000, so that’s really a dream come true for us, for our club, so that’s a big improvement,” stated Flindall.
Flindall says other trail improvements include new toilets and garbage receptacles along the North Bay trail system as well as more maintenance upgrades to the Club’s three groomers.
“We are at this point about 95 percent ready to go we just need some cold weather and some freeze up along with some of that beautiful white snow,” he said.
Flindall notes early trail pass sales are another indication of the excitement for the upcoming snowmobile season.
“Early season permit sales are at the highest we have ever seen them, so that’s another testament to the enthusiasm for the sport but there is going to be another price increase at the end of November, starting in December price is $210 for the month of November going to $260 starting in December so people need to get their permits purchased before December,” he said.
Flindall adds the Club will be holding a Think Snow Fundraiser and Silent Auction on November 28th at the Portage.
He also encourages enthusiasts to follow the local Snowmobile Club on Facebook.
“We have about 1500 followers and friends and it’s on Facebook where you will see where the trails are open, you will see which trails were groomed the most recently so you can ride the best trails all the time, you will see all the updates along with all the concerns on that Facebook page,” he said.
The facebook page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/NorthBaySnowmobileClub/