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Trails Remain 8 to 10

09:40 AM - February 02, 2020

Sunday, Feb 2nd, Club #1  
    Trails seen steady traffic yesterday as well as all lodges. The groomers were out again last night to make sure the trails were kept decent in the busy sections. Was up to the lodge late yesterday and everyone was saying how good the trails were. There are a few factors that make this so, the first being grooming of course, but other factors such as cold and little snow make it easier to keep the trails up to a 8 to 10 status. All clubs are in the same situation. 
    Trails done last night: #2 groomed Trail 19 from Bass River to the Alantic Host, #3 Groomed Trail 23 from the 19/23 intersection through Nepisiguit to Nine Mile Shelter, and the #1 groomed Trail 23 from Nine Mile Shelter through Rogers Lake to Red Pine Shelter, 507 and the 33 up yo the 22/301 intersection. The #2 and #3 are still on the trails at Post.
     I’m not sure where to go with safety messages any more. I’ve posted them here on our website plus our facebook page. It may be getting through to some people, but it is downright discouraging to see the terrible incidents on all NBFSC trails. The one thing that stands out to me is that there are no significant messages from the other clubs nor the NBFSC other than a few “sled safes”. The one message that doesn’t seem to ring through is speed, especially on the turns. How many near misses that almost everyone can attest to of experiencing this incident? I’ll share with you one of our operator’s scary incidents that happened this past Thursday night and this is Ron’s report of the incident. ” Last night around 10 PM Troy was on out New Holland groomer heading west on trail 23 between the 360 and out lodge. He called me very upset about the three snowmobiles he had just met. He said they were travelling at very high speeds and never slowed for him at all. One of them just missed the front plow blade. This is a very near miss could have been real bad. I have spoken to people just lately and they refuse to go on trails feeling it is not safe especially with their family. This is sad it has to come to this. You have sent a letter to the NBFSC about the ORVE to be on trails but I have not heard of them being out there as of yet. I believe if the ORVE can’t do something the RCMP should be contacted and let them take over. This might be a little extreme but this is people’s lives we are talking about and after all this is supposed to be family fun.”  
     I, myself have experienced this many times as an operator and it makes you shudder to even think of the consequences of this happening with a sled hitting a groomer. Speed and control of your sled are the biggest factors in near misses. I am anxious to see how many clubs will step up and start pounding the safety aspect of this wonderful sport.