Snowmobile trail maintenance kicks off for the winter season

Snowmobiler. (Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press)

Dust off your snowmobile and get ready to ride into the winter season.

With temperatures dropping and significant amounts of snow sweeping the region, some municipalities are getting their snowmobile trails ready for the winter season.

Dufferin County is one region working away to get the trails primed for a successful snowmobile season. Dufferin Drift Busters, Orangeville Snowmobile Club, and Hillsburgh Snow Roamers are the local clubs kickstarting the process.

While we wait for mother nature to produce more snowfalls, the clubs are encouraging riders to get an Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) permit, which is a must-have to ride legally and is available for purchase on the website. The money that goes into permit sales helps fun trail maintenance, grooming, signage, equipment, and insurance to keep the trail system functional and safe.

Dufferin police remind snowmobilers to stay off the OFSC trails until the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) shows that they are open. OPP say the status of the trails are subject to change based on weather. To see the latest trail status, snowmobilers can go on the OFSC website to view the ITG or download the app.

Dufferin police say they will be doing RIDE spot checks and radar enforcement throughout the snowmobiling season to maintain safety for all riders.

In the meantime, winter enthusiasts are being encouraged to do a snow dance in hopes mother nature cooperates.