Editor's Note: This article, by SSA CEO Chris Brewer, recently appeared in the SSA newsletter published by SnoRiders.
It’s been another year of low to no snow in so many locations in the province. I’ve seen this before in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. That cycle seems to hit us for two or three years every 10 years or so. Some of you will remember in the early ’80s when we had mud instead of snow for most of the winter. That was the toughest winter I can remember, and why the toughest you ask? We didn’t have the trails we have today. Today the clubs and equipment get out and work the trails, keeping the trees trimmed and the grass and weeds cut. This allows the snow to accumulate so they can get the groomers out on the snow to compact it and build a base that will last the season. Please remember the clubs operate groomers and not snow makers—Mother Nature has to supply the snow.
This season saw a mild fall and early winter, which made it difficult to maintain trails with the unfrozen ground and unsafe ice. Many clubs that did open trails early did so after hours and hours of snow packing with snowmobiles to get the frost into the ground to make it safe for the groomers to get on the trails. The snow that did fall insulated the ground and thin ice so frost wouldn’t develop. Further south in the province cold temperatures allowed the ground to freeze and ice to develop (but not to a safe thickness) but the snow didn’t arrive to get trails open.
We keep hearing about global warming and how man is having an effect on the Earth’s temperatures. I’m no scientist but I do know global warming happens after every ice age. I also know the glaciers recede at the end of every ice age. When the most recent ice age ended, there were no cars or coal-fired plants, but there were forest fires and volcanoes, and you’ll never guess what we still have today—forest fires and volcanoes.
Forest fires and volcanoes emit carbon into the Earth’s atmosphere, as do human activities such as burning fossil fuels. Scientists also measure carbon captured by natural means such as by forests, crops and the oceans.
So after witnessing a few decades of weather, I agree we have climate change and mostly weather patterns and cycles. But one thing I have read is that we haven’t been collecting the data long enough to really know what is causing global climate change—and here’s an example. What was the weather like in your location on January 27 or February 23 in the year 900 or 1026? So what I’m trying to say is we will have all kinds of different winters, some with snow and some without. History always repeats itself so snow will return and clubs will have trails and we will snowmobile.
One thing that a low-snow season does is it sees individuals wait until snow arrives prior to making purchases or plans for snowmobile vacations. This is understandable and I would have to say I would be included in that group, but when we do get snow we all seem to go crazy making purchases or planning vacations. Don’t stop dreaming of a white winter, folks; the snow will return—just when is the question. We can all hope for early snow with mild temperatures next season. When the snow returns, clubs are going to need your help. New volunteers are always required, but after a couple of seasons with low to no snow, volunteers will be needed to kick-start the club and get the trails back in place.
I would like to thank all the landowners who are so kind to offer their lands for the trails, all the volunteers who work so hard to keep the trails open and in tip-top shape and all the groomer operators who work odd hours to keep the trails safe for everyone. And I would also like to thank everyone who registered their snowmobile to help provide the funds to keep our trail system the best in the west. Oops, there’s one more. I can’t miss these folks—thanks to all whom I work with—the board, staff and club volunteers. You all make my job enjoyable.
