Don’t own a snowmobile? No problem

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/02/2005 (7629 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SO you’ve always wanted to go snowmobiling, but don’t have your own sled? There are several places around Manitoba where you can rent machines and go out riding by day and wind down in a relaxing resort setting at night.

Here are just a few of them:

THE WHITESHELL

Riverview Lodge on Eleanor Lake (near Seven Sisters Falls) offers complete snowmobile packages. They’ve partnered with Crikside Cats, an Arctic Cat dealership in Steinbach, to provide guests with single or two-up machines.

Situated in the Whiteshell region, Riverview is surrounded by hundreds of kilometres of groomed trails for touring. Guests are free to rent machines and explore on their own, or guiding services are also available. Riverview also offers six year-round deluxe cabins with a magnificent western view, each with a fully-equipped kitchen, satellite television, on-deck barbeque, wood-burning fireplace, and — most importantly — a hot tub.

Last season, I had the pleasure of spending a weekend at Riverview to check out the snowmobiling, and spent a sunny Saturday afternoon meandering through towering pine trees and across frozen lakes. Shelters along the trail allowed us to stop often enough to warm up by the woodstove. This year, a brand new shelter at Red Rock built by the Whiteshell Snowmobile Club comes complete with solar panels and battery packs for lighting — a must-see for next time.

We arrived back to civilization just before sundown, after travelling just over 100 kilometres in six hours. Along the way we saw two wolves — an awesome sight to witness such remarkable animals roaming wild.

But the best reward of all came at the end of the cold day, when we sparked up the fireplace and eased our tired bodies into the soothing hot tub. Outside, the winter temperature dropped down into another bitter night, while we were cosy warm in the swirling waters. This alone made it worth the trip!

Riverview has special mid-week packages for cabins and machine rentals. On weekends, guests who don’t want to cook can dine at Lobo’s Steakpit and Lounge, open Friday to Sunday with sledders’ specials. You can also enjoy the sport of ice-fishing out on Eleanor Lake.

* www.whiteshell.mb.ca/riverview; 1-888-275-3462; riverview@mts.net.

LAKE WINNIPEG

Experience the thrill of snowmobiling on frozen Lake Winnipeg and surrounding woodland trails with Northern Horizons. They offer snowmobile packages with overnight accommodations at Misty Lake Lodge, and full use of snowmobiles, helmets, boots and gloves, insurance, snow passes, and fishing equipment.

Northern Horizons has an experienced snowmobile instructor on hand at all times, so beginners can be given a full training session before riding alone. Escorted trips can also be arranged. They’ll also provide a one-hour ice-fishing lesson, so you can catch your own lunch out on Lake Winnipeg.

Misty Lake Lodge is located 10 minutes north of Gimli. Standard rooms offer queen-size bed, satellite television, and full use of indoor swimming pool and hot tub. Northern Horizons can accommodate groups of up to ten people, and operates from January until the end of March.

* www.northernhorizons.webcentre.ca; 204-389-3856; tonysmith710@hotmail.com

EASTERN MANITOBA, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO

Sno-Much Fun offers various options for those who don’t have their own sleds. They run two-hour escorted tours out of Kingswood Golf Club, which are ideal for beginners. Guests are met by guides, fitted with appropriate gear, given basic instruction, then head out down the La Salle River where the deer, foxes and jackrabbits play.

Sno-Much Fun also offers customized snowmobile vacations of up to seven days, which can include accommodations at Falcon Lake Resort Hotel at Falcon Lake, Nopiming Lodge on Bird Lake, or Smith Camps in Kenora. They also provide Ski-doo and trailer rentals, for cottage owners, corporate clients, and others who just want to rent a few machines and head out to the woods on their own. Gear, fuel, insurance and trail permits are also included.

* www.snowmuchfun.com; 269-4357; info@snowmuchfun.com

Snowmobile events

* Feb. 11 to 13 – 31st ???sure of dates??? — Annual Beaver Days at the Whiteshell Community Club in Falcon Lake. Poker derby, time trials and radar runs, sponge hockey, curling, gladiator jousting, sleigh rides, crafts for kids, beer gardens, pig roast, entertainment, and more. ($2 cover charge, free admission under 8 years). For early registration call 255-1490.

* Feb. 12 — Voyagers Trail Grooming Association presents… Poker Run with bud, spud and steak ($5 per hand/five for $20). Registration 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ile des Chenes Hotel. For more info contact Todd Temple at 878-4622 or the Ile des Chenes Hotel at 878-2847.

* Feb. 13 — Dauphin Snowmobile Club presents… Sweetheart Poker Derby ($5 per hand or three for $10). Special prizes for lady riders. Registration 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parkland Yamaha in Dauphin. For more info call Dennis Tkachuk at 648-4674 or Parkland Yamaha at 638-0990.

Send your upcoming snowmobile events.

Ú rascreative@yahoo.ca