By Chad Ingram

Published Dec. 22 2016

With a dumping of snow in the Highlands last week the Haliburton County Snowmobile Association is getting to work on the area’s trails sooner than usual.

“We’re two weeks ahead of schedule on the Rail Trail and almost a month three to four weeks ahead on the other trails” HCSA president Paul Gaudin told the Times . “Winter has definitely arrived early and we’re reacting to that early arrival.”

Association members are out grooming and packing trails day and night.

However  just because the association is working on the trails doesn’t mean they are ready to ride.

At press time only the Haliburton County Rail Trail was open to traffic.

Trails are staked once they are open and riders can keep an eye on which trails are open by visiting the association’s website at www.hcsa.ca.

Gaudin stressed that it is unsafe for riders to try to traverse any water at this early point in the season.

“There are no safe water crossing points” he said adding this meant not just to stay clear of lakes and rivers but other smaller water bodies such as swamps as well.

It’s typically at least mid- or late-January before lakes have sufficient ice for the passage of snowmobiles but Gaudin stressed there is no hard and fast rule and that each season is different with a number of changing variables.

With light snowfall during the winter of 2015-16 the HSCA is hoping for a longer sledding season this year.