Where was this photo taken?
It was north of Hudson Bay—the Bankside area north of Wildcat (Hill) Provincial Park. Every year it’s the same thing—the snow is unbelievable. We got stuck that day in open water in a little creek, and when we got on the other side, the snow was literally up to our chest. Crazy.
How long were you stuck for?
Oh, probably half an hour.
Where do you like to ride in the area?
Bankside and Furhead Lake—there are a couple of lakes up there around Wildcat Hill—and it’s crazy the snow that’s up there, especially when spring rolls around and it’s accumulated all winter. It’s almost like being in the mountains. And our groomed trails go right up to the edge of the area. We have a good club and there are—I think—over 600 kilometres of trail.
What do you like best about snowmobiling?
Just the chance to forget about work and everything else. Up here in Hudson Bay, the scenery is so nice. There are so many groomed trails through the forest, yet if you want some variety you can go ditch riding or through fields—so much variety. I just like getting out in the outdoors and getting away from everything.
Where do you go sledding during the year?
We stay around here for the most part, but try to go to the mountains (Revelstoke, B.C.) once a year.
What was one of your best outings last season?
I think the one when we got stuck in the river, by far. Basically, once you cross the river, it’s chest-high snow and you couldn’t stop. You had to keep on going—and we got stuck lots of times that day. It was early in the spring, around April 4th, and we found the most snow of the year and the least snow of the year that day, all in one trip, because when we came back south again so much of the snow had melted off the trails and along the ditches—we were fighting for snow all the way home.