February 2013
Great Snowmobiling at Saint Raymond, Quebec
Test Drive OFSC Trails At No Cost! 2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge on Track for March 4-9 Great Snowmobiling at Saint Raymond, Quebec
Quebec Snowmobiling
NORTH SUPERIOR PUBLISHING INC.
2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge on Track
OPTA's Feb 2nd 2013 Poker Derby in Sioux Lookout & Hudson Great Success!
A total of 54 riders participated in the event. Riders came from the surrounding area of Atikokan, Dryden, and Fort Francis. The 9:00 am start time was postponed by most until 11:00 am to allow the the mercury to rise. All enjoyed the cold Northwestern temperatures, and groomed L701 and A trails of the OPTA. The hard working volunteers of the club ended the event with a social, held at Dick & Nellies Bar and Grill. Fun, food and dancing was enjoyed by all as the temperatures dropped that evening again. Mike Starratt
This is our last issue of the season. We would like to thank all our supporters and look forward to next season which will be our 20th year of publishing NW Ontario Snowmobile News. In the meantime visit www.slednews.com PAGE 2
SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013
www.slednews.com Great Snowmobiling at Saint Raymond, Quebec BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Snowmobile News The people of Quebec have a passion for the sport of snowmobiling. It was fun for me to travel to the town of Saint Raymond for three exciting days of riding on their comprehensive trail system. It was very easy to fly to Quebec City from my hometown of Thunder Bay. You have your choice of many flights on Air Canada, West jet or Porter. After leaving at 8am I was in the beautiful Quebec City terminal building at 12:30 and ready to begin my adventure. Annie Martel of the Development Office of Saint Raymond was there to meet me and we began our 40 minute drive east to Saint Raymond with lots of snow evident on the ground. Our first stop was to the Hotel Roquement which features 44 rooms including 17 brand new with an recent addtion, as well as dining area, bar and even a gated compound to store your snowmobile. This hotel caters very much to the snowmobiler and offers packages that feature breakfast and dinner included. This very nice property is located right on the trail that allows you to explore 500 km
in Saint Raymond alone! A few miles away is Quebec’s largest Ski Doo dealer, Dion Moto. They offer 70 2012 and 2013 Ski Doo rental sleds including the GTX, MXZ Renegade and Expedition models featuring 600 ACE and 1200 4Tec engines. You can also get all
from Montreal and Quebec. It was fun to talk to Mr. Dion with Annie as my interpreter. “ He likes to ride snowmobiles but doesn’t have the time today. Mr. Dion used to do 5000 km a season but
season around December 15th and ride until March 15th. You can also travel a bit more north and ride until April 30th.” The trail permits costs if you bring your own sled is $280 until Dec 8th and $340 after
Top Christine and dave were great hosts, La Bastide bed and breakfast property and Side: Ice fishing is popular here your clothing if required from boots to helmet. The cost to rent your Ski Doo can range from around $200 to $288 per day and that includes all taxes,trail permit and insurance. There is what they call a franchise deposit of $1500 to $3000 in case of an accident. Dion Moto also has guides available that will travel the whole trip with you and show you the area in style. Another great feature of Dion Moto is they will pick you up at the Quebec City airport and bring you to their location eliminating the need for a rental car. Dion Moto is a very impressive snowmobile dealer that sells 500 sleds per year including 300 brand new and 200 used Ski Doos. Their market is 60% from the area including Quebec City and 40% from the northern regions. They have 35 employees and operate from a 25,000 square feet building. Very interesting is their building previously was a motel operation. They purchased the building and have made it their own including large showroom, rental area, enclosed sled storage and even a used showroom in the basement. It is really quite impressive and great to see if you are an snowmobile lover. The rental side of the business sees 60% of their business from Quebec and area and 40% European people. The European audience rides during the week and weekends the renters are
not now. In Saint Raymond the snowmobile is much more popular than ATV?because there are more trails for snowmobile,”?said Annie Martel. “ We have 1300 trail permit members in Saint Raymond and the trail system works only because of volunteers . We can start the
SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013
that. We had our 2013 Ski Doo Expedition 600 ACE and were ready to begin our snowmobile adventure the next day.
Continued Next Page
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Great Snowmobiling at Saint Raymond, Quebec Continued from Previous Page Our first ride was to Lake Edward, 160 kilometers one way up into the mountains to Demain Lake Edward. The day was bright and sunny, about -9 degrees Celsius
and our group of 11 was ready to put on some kilometers! The first thing I noticed riding was the excellent marking of the trails. You had signage everywhere you needed and this makes you feel more comfortable riding in a new area. Of course our guide today was the local Snowmobile Club President who knew the trails like the back of his hand and also had a GPS mounted on his sled! “ We are in Port Neuf Capital National, the 03 region which used to be called Quebec. In Saint Raymond we have 500 kms of trail and the district has 7 or 8 clubs. The snow conditions have been excellent and were open before Christmas time. We can get 250cm to 400 cm of snow per year,” said Christine Clouthier, General Manager of Development for
Saint Raymond- Residential, Commercial and Tourism. “ The trails are groomed 4 times a week and kept it in good condition with 10 volunteers and 4 groomers. In the town the trail is on the old railroad track and in the summer becomes a bicycle trail.
We have people coming here to ride from Ontario, Vermont, Maine and New York. They come back year after year because we have lots of snow and they like the conditions. Also they can do some loops and come back to the same hotel every night if that is what they prefer. There is even a storage location for snowmobiles you can rent near our town offices. We have Americans who store their sleds there and come here 5 or 6 times a year, buy a trail pass and ride.” It was fun to stop along our ride in the club shack that had the wood stove going and made for an interior temperature of 92 degrees Fahrenheit! The club has even installed solar power with batteries here to provide lighting. Our ride continued on a variety of trails some winding as well as
more open to our lunch stop at Demain Lake Edward. The ride back was excellent as well with a stop at historic Relais de la Marmite in Portneuf National Park. Operator Clement Tardif, a former radio
teck! After this stop we hopped back on to our sleds to an ice condition. It has started raining and made the remaining 50 kilometers ride back a little harder to see. Overall we rode 325 kilometers on our trip and this
announcer in Quebec City, served me hot chocolate and introduced a local trapper there taking a break. The trapper showed me some of his recent catch including an otter on his I phone! Todays trapper is high
was a great riding day. Rain in January in Quebec is pretty rare but I guess we must expect everything in 2013!
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SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013
Continued Next Page
Great Snowmobiling at Saint Raymond, Quebec Continued From Previous page Our next day’s ride was to include an overnight trip to Lac St Jean and the Mont Valin but the rain meant we decided to stay closer to home. It was fun to ride the trails near Saint Raymond and one stop was to an ice fishing area, which is a passion here. It was a carnival atmosphere on the ice and the beaver tail sugary treat was excellent. My last riding day included a ride to Duchnesnay Station Touristique that is a 5 star hotel that used to host the famous ICE?Hotel operation in Quebec. Their buffet breakfast is well known and was a real treat to experience. The food options are great in Quebec and the people are very passionate about their food. My last night’s stay in Saint Raymond would be at the historic La Bastide bed and breakfast. This 110-year-old property features 7 rooms each with their own bathroom and fine dining at it’s best. It is located in the village setting of Saint Raymond and snowmobilers can ride their sleds right to the back door. La Bastide offers snowmobiler packages including breakfast and a 5-course fine dining experience if you choose. It is a fun place to stay and offers a contrast to the traditional hotel setting of today. My trip to Saint Raymond was excellent and included 600 Kilometers of great snowmobiling. The people here were a highlight of the trip. The small town nature of the area meant everyone you met was very genuine and ready to help at all times. Their goal is to make your time there special!
Above: Maple surup is a big business here. It was fun riding the trail between so many Maple trees some with their ornage leaves still visible
I would like to thank Christine, Dave and Annie for all their help during my visit and I hope to return again one day.
www.villesaintraymound.ca www.dionmoto.com www.bastide.ca www.roquemont.com
SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013
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Test Drive OFSC Trails At No Cost! OFSC Announces New Try Our Trails Permit for Ontario’s Family Day Long Weekend (Barrie, ON – January 14, 2013) For anyone who has ever wanted to try snowmobiling, Family Day Long Weekend provides an ideal opportunity – and now Ontarians are invited to test drive available OFSC trails at no charge for a permit! In cooperation with the Honourable Bob Chiarelli and his Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is celebrating Ontario’s mid?winter statutory holiday long weekend with the launch of a 2013 “Try Our Trails” Permit to encourage more people to get outdoors and enjoy winter by going snowmobiling on OFSC trails. The new permit is available at no cost to those who pre?register online and is valid only from 12:01 AM Saturday, February 16 until 11:59 PM on Monday, February 18, 2013. “As part of our Go Snowmobiling Ontario Campaign, the 2013 Try Our Trails Permit is our invitation to Ontarians to give us a try this winter at no cost for a permit,” said OFSC President Brenda Welsh. “For Family Day Long Weekend, we want to show new participants what we have to offer, to introduce them to our trails, clubs and volunteers, and to provide them with a truly enjoyable and memorable winter adventure.” The 2013 Try Our Trails Permit is available only by pre?registering online at www.ofsc.on.ca, completing the Try Our Trails Permit application form and printing out a permit good for Family Day Long Weekend only. There is no charge for either the 2013 Try Our Trails Permit or the registration process, but to access
OFSC trails, the printed permit must be affixed to the sled to which it is assigned in accordance with Ontario law. Any sled on OFSC trails without a permit on Family Day Long Weekend is illegal and the operator can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Riders must also carry a valid driver’s licence or Snow Vehicle Operator’s Licence, sled registration, proof of insurance, and follow all the rules and assumptions for safe OFSC trail riding. The 2013 Try Our Trails Permit is a great fit with the “Get Out and Enjoy Winter” Campaign launched this season by the OFSC, Ontario Tourism and the
Ontario Snow Resorts Association to introduce more Ontarians to winter fun on the snow. With 217 community based clubs and over 150,000 family members, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs is a volunteer led not?for?profit association, which through strong leadership, provides a wide range of quality programs and services to, and on behalf of, its member organizations. Our 30,000+ kilometre provincial network of organized snowmobile trails connects Ontario communities, providing responsible riding experiences that are safe, enjoyable, and environmentally sustainable.
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SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013
2013 Clean Snowmobile Challenge on Track for March 4-9 sponsored by the National Science Foundation. NSF uses electric snowmobiles while conducting atmospheric research in pristine arctic locations.
By Marcia Goodrich Teams of college students from across the Snow Belt will converge on the Copper Country March 4-9 for the 2013 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge. Their aim is to reduce emissions and noise and increase fuel efficiency while preserving the riding excitement demanded by snowmobile enthusiasts. And for the first time, anybody, anywhere can support that mission through the crowdfunding site Superior Ideas. Challenge organizers are hoping to raise $10,000 to underwrite awards for the student engineers, who spend months and sometimes years fine-tuning snowmobiles to meet the demands of the competition. “Students learn critical lessons about hands-on engineering and designing for the environment, plus the Clean Snowmobile Challenge is a huge asset to our local community,” said co-organizer Jay Meldrum. “Superior Ideas lets anyone be part of that by donating whatever they can afford.” To find out more, go to Superior Ideas-Clean Snowmobile Challenge. A record 21 teams have registered this year. “We’re also looking forward to hosting two rookie teams: Queen’s University in Ontario and Rochester Institute of Technology in New York,” Meldrum said. The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is a collegiate design competition of the Society of Automotive Engineers. A total of 14 teams are registered in the 2013 Challenge’s internal combustion category. Seven teams are entered in the Challenge’s zero-emissions category, for battery-powered electric sleds, which is
every year to provide logistical support and guidance to team members.
Minnesota Duluth. The Challenge is sponsored at Michigan
Fuel economy—no matter what recipe the fuel—is again a top priority in this year’s Challenge. Internal-combustion sleds will need to adapt to fuels with a range of ethanol concentrations, from E40 (40 percent) to E85 (85 percent). “If a team doesn’t design for that, they won’t do well,” Meldrum said. The diesel-powered entries from the State University of New York at Buffalo and North Dakota State University will face flex fuels with a soybean-based content ranging from B00 (0 percent) to B9 (9 percent). Winning sleds must do more than pass muster on quietness, emissions and fuel economy. They also complete a 100-mile Endurance Run, which is a measure of reliability. And acceleration and handling events test the entrants’ fun and rideability. The whisper-quiet, ultra-clean zero-emissions sleds are rated on acceleration and handling. They also undergo load tests to determine their carrying capacity. In addition to the NSF, major sponsors include Aristo, AVL, Boss Snow Plow, Coca Cola of Hancock, Dassault Systems/Solid Works Corporation, Gage Products, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, PCB Group Inc., Phoenix International-A John Deere Company, Sensors Inc., DENSO, Mahle Powertrain, Emitec and NGK/NTK Sensors. Local businesses provide services, donations and in-kind contributions. Volunteers from the Michigan Snowmobile Association have pitched in
Clarkson University's four-stroke Ski-Doo won the internal combustion category of the 2012 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge.
Teams registered in the internal combustion category are Clarkson University (Potsdam, N.Y.), École de Technologie Supérieure (Montreal), Kettering University (Flint), Michigan Technological University, North Dakota State University, Northern Illinois University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Buffalo, the University of Idaho, the University of Maine, the University of Waterloo (Ontario), the University of WisconsinMadison, the University of WisconsinPlatteville and the University of Minnesota Duluth. Teams in the zero emissions category are Clarkson, McGill University (Montreal), Michigan Tech, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario) the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Tech by the Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics. Updates will be posted on Michigan Tech's Clean Snowmobile Challenge site. Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.
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