Riding since 1965, Nelson Arndt loves the sport of sledding—whether it’s trail riding or hitting the mountains. For him it’s a way of seeing scenic areas and wildlife that he otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
Growing up Arndt was surrounded by Yamahas, and his preferences haven’t changed with age. Arndt still drives a Yamaha, with his latest model being a Nitro because of its dependable four-stroke engine.
“I love the sled and I love the performance,” said Arndt from his home in Springside, Saskatchewan.
One of his favourites
Located just north of Yorkton, Springside allows Arndt to easily head out for a day of sledding right from his front door. But that hasn’t stopped him from exploring new areas or revisiting old favourites, including the Greenwater Lake/Porcupine Plain area. And while he sometimes makes the trip the easy way by trailering up and driving the 195-kilometre distance, he’ll also sometimes make the trip by riding the entire way straight from his home.
“Here in the eastern part of Saskatchewan, we’re blessed to have so many of our trail systems intertwine with one another and loop around to all the different communities,” said Arndt. “So we ride quite a few times up in that area each year.”
Most out-of-province people that Arndt meets on his travels think Saskatchewan is just flat, without any trees. Arndt assures them that many areas, including the Greenwater Lake/Porcupine Plain area, have plenty of rolling hills—one of the main reasons he enjoys the area so much.
“It’s such a varied terrain," he said. "You’ve got lakes, you’ve got rolling, open field hills, you have beautiful forest trails—and that’s what brings me back for upwards of three trips a year . . . the variety it offers and the number of different trails, too.”
Reasons to visit
Arndt said snowmobile clubs in Porcupine Plain, Kelvington and Archerwill all work together to maintain the entire area, helping to attract new snowmobilers and new business owners who work to cater to sledders’ needs.
One such business that Arndt said is really coming into its own is Greenwater’s Fisherman’s Cove Lodge, under new management for the past couple of years.
“He’s a young fellow, eager to promote his business,” said Arndt, “and he’s done a phenomenal job of promoting snowmobiling. With all the trails in the area there, you need more than a weekend to see all there is, and the lodge is a really nice place to stay. For me, amenities are one of the most important things when I’m choosing a snowmobiling destination. It’s got to have good accommodations, It’s got to have services like fuel and a store, and most importantly it’s got to have good food. That’s primary on my list."
Arndt said he appreciates being able to come back after a day of sledding and enjoy a meal and conversation with fellow snowmobilers.
“After a long day of riding,” he said, “sure, you can go ahead and be in the cabin and make your own meal, but it’s nice coming back at night to sit down to a great meal, relax and chat with other sledders, swapping stories and braggin’ up your sled. And in the morning you don’t have to rush right out; you can have some breakfast and head out to one of the beautiful shelters that border the lake or one of the others that the numerous clubs in the area offer, where you can sit down, start a fire and cook some homemade sausage."
The Greenwater area has become a favourite of Arndt's for many reasons, not the least of which is because he finds it has so much terrain to offer.
“I can go to 10 different places and go one time a year,” said Arndt, “or I can go to someplace like Greenwater and go two (or) three times a year, because there’s just so many areas to explore and each day you can head off in a different direction.”
