Erin Kosowan has explored the depths of Saskatchewan’s varied trails on the seats of her quad (680 Honda Rincon named Bush Bash Betty) and snowmobile (Polaris 600 RMK named Penelope). During that time, Kosowan has discovered the best place to ride in the province.
“Nisbet Forest is a great place to go,” she said. “You get a little bit of everything, riding-wise. You can go from trail riding to off-roading to mudding. The plus side of being in the bush is that you’re sheltered from the wind. The one downside to Nisbet Forest is that it’s not mapped out. If you don't know where you’re going, you can get lost easily. This forest goes on for miles. This is also a great place to go snowmobiling with trail riding and off-the-path areas to play in the powder.”
When Kosowan emerges from the forest, she often heads to the bay.
“Another great place to go to is Hudson Bay,” she said. “You get a little bit of everything—like Nisbet Forest—but the trails are mapped out and there are great stopping points with shelters.”
Kosowan’s father introduced her to the powersports world when she was little. That’s when her tiny world became bigger—and louder—with possibilities. Ever since then, she’s been hooked. And she’s stoked to share her experiences with friends and family—including a proposal from her then-boyfriend.
“We were supposed to be in the mountains but, due to COVID, we weren't able to go,” Kosowan said. “We ended up going to Chitek Lake. Just off of one of the trails, there was a hill that had crazy carpets that you could slide down. After sliding down the hill a couple times, my now-husband wanted a picture with the sleds, and that’s when he popped the question! It wasn’t the mountain proposal that he wanted, but we got engaged on a crazy carpet hill instead!”
On her sled (Polaris 600 RMK named Penelope, remember?), Kosowan can keep up with her friends, even in the mountains.
“My favorite snowmobile memory was just recent,” she said. “My friend Cass and I always do a girls trip together. For this trip, we went to a lodge about five hours away. The snow was waist deep and we thought her trail sled would make it. We were very wrong. Stuck after stuck. We didn't make it too far, but we learned a lot and had some good laughs.”
To sum up how Kosowan feels about riding powersports machines in Saskatchewan:
“I love how snowmobiling brings people together and gets you outside,” she said. “Go outside!”
