1. Avalanche gear is too expensive – If you can afford to snowmobile you can afford avalanche gear. Your avalanche gear will not only can save your life but will help you save the lives of others should they be involved in an avalanche. Think about that for a moment. What if you were riding with your children, your spouse, your best friend and they were buried. Wouldn’t you want to have every available tool to save their lives?

Each time Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers are called out for a rescue there is stress on the system, people and medical staff required to respond. During times of a pandemic it is imperative that we ride responsibly to try to reduce the number of callouts required by these volunteers who come to help should a snowmobiler become, lost, injured or involved in an avalanche. Here are a few ways we can up our safety game in the backcountry.

Each year the British Columbia Snowmobile Federation recognizes individuals, families and businesses who go above and beyond to support the sport of snowmobiling in BC. Normally these awards are presented in the spring at the Annual General Meeting, but due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, the awards were presented in October via a Facebook Live Event. We would like to take this opportunity to recognize the winners of the 2019/2020 BCSF Excellence awards:

The sport of snowmobiling is many things for different individuals. Quite often we are asked “why do you enjoy snowmobiling so much?”. That is a difficult question to answer in just one sentence for there are a multitude of ways to answer this question.

Packing a lunch and high energy snacks is an important part of backcountry snowmobiling. Let’s face it though, we are all pretty much over the whole soggy sandwich that gets squished amongst the contents of our tunnel bag or backpack. So, what are some alternatives to sandwiches? Here are some ideas!

Our snowmobile clubs have had to adapt their operations this season for the safety of their community, staff, volunteers and riders due to COVID-19. We are also asking our riders to help us by following and sharing a few key messages this season.

With a limited number of days to enjoy each year, many snow obsessed riders will go to extremes to gain as much seat time as humanly possible. Sometimes this means adjusting work schedules and family obligations to make time for snowmobiling, but others may take their commitment to snowmobiling a few steps further to what can be considered Hardcore!.

Riding with your significant other can be a great experience but when the relationship ends there is always one question on both individuals’ minds. Who gets to keep the sled crew? Normally men do not have a problem finding a new crew, and more often than not, they stay with the original group. But at the BCSF we often get requests for help connecting to new ride groups from women. This is because for the woman it can be a lot more complicated. When seeking out her new ride crew she runs into wives that do not want their husbands riding with a newly single woman or having to prove to she can hold her own and won't be a downer on their day. This makes it very hard for the woman to find a new ride crew which can often can result in her giving up her passion for snowmobiling and looking out the window with tears in her eyes as her snowmobile goes to its new home.

The BC Snowmobile Federation (BCSF) would like to thank Team Thunderstruck and the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club for their amazing donation of $10,000.00 from their annual Team Thunderstruck Fundraiser held in Revelstoke on November 30, 2019. We were waiting to try to get together for a photo opportunity but due to COVID-19 that has not happened and we could not wait any longer to share the news! The BCSF, as a not for profit organization, knows the work it takes to host an event like this and the number of supporters it took to generate such a large donation. We are very grateful to be the recipient of this year's donation and would like to thank the organizers, the businesses that donated items, and the people that bid on them.

Trees are a pretty important part of our human existence. With much talk about carbon footprints and such, trees have become one of life’s most valuable resources. Trees are vital. As the biggest plants on the planet they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil and lend food and habitat to wildlife. They also provide us with the materials needed for tools and shelter. Although cerebrally we understand trees are incredibly important, many a snowmobiler has a love/hate relationship with trees they encounter while riding. Here are a few reasons why.

Snowmobile trail groomers are the unsung heroes of our sport and quite often the ones that do the most for our trails. This is especially true for those who groom our vast network of snowmobile trails throughout British Columbia. Here are some tips to show your support for the groomer operators work while also ensuring everyone has a smooth trail to ride:

Snowmobilers are a different breed of humans. Set apart somewhat from the general population by our passion for snow, when others are cursing it, try as we may, we simply don’t fit into the general population. We try though. We try to be logical, and responsible with our decision-making processes, but sometimes even we don’t believe the words coming out of our mouths. Here are some examples.

The BC Snowmobile Federation received information on August 2020 about a new proposed project in the Elk Valley area called the Elk Valley Cumulative Effects Management Framework. (EVCEMF) This project intends to restore industrial roads in the Elk Valley that will restrict public access to areas for the protection of habitat for Grizzly Bears, Big Horn Sheep, and Westslope Cutthroat Trout.

While the most exciting time of the year for snowmobilers is in the winter months, the off season isn't the time off for snowmobile clubs that people think. There are so many administrative and infrastructure obligations to address along with meetings especially in relation to land access issues during the summer months. Once the riders have parked their sleds for the season the clubs kick it into high gear!

Before you volunteer with your local snowmobile club this summer please review the attached resource.

Along with summerizing your snowmobile for storage, it is a good idea to prepare your equipment and gear as well. This can save you from future headaches and keep your gear in pristine condition. Here are some suggestions:

Here is a fun activity to keep the kids busy during social distancing and give them a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card from the BCSF. All you need to do is download one of the great colouring pages from our partners at the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association website, get your child to colour it, and take a clear picture of your child’s artwork.

They say knowledge is power. How about horsepower? Here is a deeper look into the sport of snowmobiling, with a little history lesson along the way. Be prepared to see these trivia facts on our next BCSF Quiz. Enjoy!

Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic has been eye opening, especially for those who enjoy backcountry recreation. Initially, many thought that getting out for a good snowmobile ride during self-isolation would be a good thing, but it became painfully clear quickly that was not always the case. There was still risk of exposure to riders in parking lots, collection huts, and in our backcountry shelters. It also became apparent that in order to get to the hill we still had to purchase fuel at gas stations, travel through communities and interact with the public. According to BC's top Dr. self-isolation means staying home if we want to flatten the curve. Not only does staying home prevent the possibility of infecting you or others with the virus but it also ensures that snowmobilers are not adding any pressure to the medical system.

Often, we are contacted at the BCSF by riders looking for trail information or where to stage. What we rarely get contacted for is to recommend a guide for their group. We believe that the best way to experience unfamiliar terrain is to attend an organized club event or to hire a professional guide. This is because mountain riding in BC almost always occurs in the open backcountry and not on a clearly marked trail. This makes it easy for a group to get lost in unfamiliar terrain or to expose themselves to risks they may not be aware of. It really brings to light the importance of hiring a professional guide when riding new areas and some of those reasons to hire a guide may surprise you!