By Thomas Smith
The snowmobiling trails will be looking a little different in Haliburton County this year. Recently, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) announced that they will be making cost saving cuts to 5,000 kilometres of trails and 50 groomers across Ontario. The OFSC specifically wants to target snowmobiling trails that have dead ends, are parallel routes, and have low usage.
After reviewing and considering the OFSC’s request, the Haliburton County Snowmobile Association has made the decision to remove 42 kilometres of trail. The trail that is getting the axe is TOP B112 northbound. The trail will no longer be available from Fleming Road in Minden northerly across Highway 118 to TOP B west of Pine Springs.
“Historically, you could drive the B112 North end to end,” said Neil Vanderstoop, president of the HCSA.
Vanderstoop says that after decades of being torn up by side-by-sides and Jeeps, the trail has become unmanageable for the HCSA. In the past, the club has spent nearly $50,000 to rebuild a bridge along the trail.
“It’s one of my favourite trails,” said Vanderstoop solemnly. “It is getting to the point that without major funding we felt we could keep up with it.”
Vanderstoop is remaining hopeful for the trail, saying that there has been talks with the Jeep association and other organizations to work together in repairing the bridge over Anson Creek.
“Some trails may reopen next year,” said Vanderstoop.
For those familiar with the trails, the former Trail 4 will now be renamed TOP B112.
The HCSA is dedicated to keep snowmobile riders driving through Minden in order to supply the restaurants and other businesses with customers during the winter.
“The county club was the brainchild of our forefathers to create winter time business opportunities,” said Vanderstoop.
As for the former B112 trail section?
“It will be like it never existed,” said Vanderstoop.
While the HCSA will do their due diligence in putting up signage that the trail is no longer available, all signage along the trail will be removed. There will be no indication that the trail was there.
While the former B112 trail is known as a solemn and quiet trail, there are a few riders who were die hard fans and will greatly miss it. Vanderstoop also says that the trail has fortunately been able to open every year in the past few years.
As with all snowmobiling clubs in Ontario, the OFSC will shut down a trail if it has not been groomed in the past two years. While the HCSA has kept up, even with lending out their groomers last year, they have been forced to make the decision to cut back.
“It was a very lonely trail,” said Vanderstoop. “Once you were out there, you were really out there.”
Requiring at least two good snowfalls, Vanderstoop says that the erosion on the trail has made things very difficult. The trail got a good amount of snowfall. So much so, that it made it hard for ice to form.
“You can’t have snowmobiling without volunteers and you can’t have volunteers without people buying trail passes,” said Vanderstoop.
One biggest factor in the recent changes to Ontario snowmobiling clubs is due to the Ministry of Transportation denying the club-approved trail permit fee increase. With soaring operational costs and not enough funding to support them, they have been forced to make cutbacks that will be affecting all snowmobile clubs across Ontario. Our neighbours, the Paudash Trail Blazers have eliminated three of their trails and shortened three others.
“I don’t know why people are surprised by this,” said Vanderstoop.
The HCSA remains dedicated to their ridership and are confident that they will have a stellar year. Last year, one weekend clocked around 1,000 snowmobile riders driving along the rail trail.
Vanderstoop says that as hard as it is to believe, the people counting the riders did not even come out on one of their busiest weekends.
This year, Vanderstoop says that the HCSA groomers will be running six days a week. For now, their biggest hurdles are making sure that they have permission from homeowners and making sure they are not in the line of fire of hunters.
Just know that even if you do not own a snowmobile, you can still join the club and assist with maintaining the trails.
At this year’s 2025 OFSC AGM, President Vanderstoop won the regional award for communicating to our community.
“Barely a day went by without Neil doing something promoting snowmobiling and how it drives Haliburton’s fragile winter economy,” writes the club’s Sept. 16 Facebook post. Notably, Vanderstoop was recognized for his radio program “Trail Talk” and his consistent communication with local newspaper publications. From appearing in the Santa Claus parade to his presence at the HCSA’s pop up tents throughout the year, Vanderstoop is an all around great advocate for snowmobiling in Haliburton County.
Trail permits went on sale on Oct. 1 and will be available at a reduced rate until Dec. 1. Permits can be purchased at permits/ofsc.on.ca. When purchasing your permit, please indicate that Haliburton County Snowmobile Association is your home sledding club.
