Located at the original mile zero of the Alaska Highway (now mile 300), is the BC Snowmobile Federation's northern-most snowmobile club in the province! The Fort Nelson Snowmobile Club features over 100km of groomed loop trails and three impressive warming shelters thanks to the diligent work of volunteers like Club President Wayne Wheeler in recent years.

Chief volunteer, face of the organization, the glue that holds the club together... these are just a few of the subtitles you may see listed beside the role of Snowmobile Club President. In BC, snowmobile clubs operate as Not-For-Profit Societies bound by legislation called the Societies Act.

Our final event of the year, The Vintage Ride, had a great turnout with an estimated 500 people, 40 vintage sleds, and 20 snow bike riders in attendance, which made for a very special event for the Club, bringing together families and riders of all ages for something never seen before at the iconic Boulder Mountain Cabin.

When the snowmobile club puts out a call to action for help, you likely imagine firewood work parties, snowcat maintenance, maybe organizing events or building a new cabin. Each of those are incredibly important tasks on the to-do list. But what most riders never consider is the important work that goes on in the office behind the scenes that keeps the club rolling. In addition to volunteers contributing their time on the end of a saw, wrench, or hammer, snowmobile clubs are not-for-profit societies that have complex accounting and financial transparency requirements. It is the role of the snowmobile club Treasurer to ensure effective controls and procedures are in place. These are the men and women who keep us ‘in the black’. I sat down with Fernie Snowmobile Association Treasurer and long-time volunteer Steve Kelly to learn more.

BC Snowmobile Club Events Are Back... and Doing Great Things for Local Communities!

Kelowna Snowmobile Club members took to the slopes on February 19th to raise money for BC Children's Hospital's Heart Center and Easter Seals BC/Yukon. The event had a personal connection with the local snowmobile community. Co-host Ashley was born with congenital heart disease and endured two heart surgeries plus subsequent pace maker surgeries at BC Children’s Hospital when she was a child. Since then, for the past 32 years, Ashley and her family have been generously supporting BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Volunteering is something that has always been an easy commitment because I grew up in a family that was heavily involved in the snowmobile community. My Grandpa was a founding member of the Kelowna Snowmobile Club (KSC), and my Dad also was a very active volunteer within the KSC. When I was a kid, we attended every KSC event, went to club meetings, and spent weekends playing around the cabins while the adults were stacking firewood or doing cabin maintenance. It was a family affair!

In November 2021, outdoor equipment manufacturers and ambassadors across all five brands launched a campaign asking snowmobilers to 'Take The Pledge'. The program highlights that, since the inception of the first snowmobile trail system, our sport has depended on access to private and public lands. Trespassing, illegal-off-trail riding, and riding in other motor vehicle closure areas is threatening that snowmobile access. This is why, together, we are asking all our passionate riders to stand with us and "Take The Pledge" to ride only where it's allowed, so we can ensure our sport continues to flourish, today, and for future generations of riders.

SKI-DOO SNOW P.A.S.S. PROGRAM FUNDS MORE THAN $500,000 IN PROJECTS

In its inaugural season, the Ski-Doo Snow P.A.S.S. grant program is providing more than $580,000 in funding towards more than 100 projects for snowmobile organizations across North America. With more than 200 applications for project funding submitted in just two short months, the response from the snowmobile community was phenomenal.

Ten Things You Probably Forgot To Do This Fall: Tips for A Safe & Successful Season

November is a month of anticipation for sledders and a great time of year to set yourself up for a successful season. Here’s a list of ten tasks your may not have thought about tackling this fall.

Whether you are part of a small snowmobile club or a large trail grooming operation, the beginning of October marks an abrupt transition from “We have lots of time to get this done” to “Yikes! Winter is coming in a hurry.” Before you hit the panic button, here are a few recommendations from a seasoned snowcat mechanic to help get your groomers on track for a successful season.

Keremeos, BC (September 28th, 2021) -- A resolution that calls on the province to enact better protection for outdoor recreation opportunities was endorsed last week at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention. This endorsement is a big win not only for the BC Snowmobile Federation clubs who initiated the resolution, but for all groups in the province who work diligently to provide recreation trails and other infrastructure to the public.

Following a stakeholder consultation process, the Race Horse Pass trail between BC and Alberta has been removed from the government’s list of candidate roads to be decommissioned under the Cumulative Effects Management Framework project this su

The BC Snowmobile Federation just received confirmation from the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) that our nomination for the CCSO Excellence Award for Canadian Snowmobile Club of the Year has won!

Protection for Outdoor Recreation Opportunities and Established Snowmobile Trails in BC

BCSF receives support from the District of Sicamous to submit resolutions to the Union of BC Municipalities

The BC Snowmobile Federation (BCSF) and our member clubs participated in developing the South Peace Snowmobile Advisory Committee (SPSAC) Recommendation Report that was delivered to the Province in February 2021. This report was a culmination of over 400 hours of time and $20,000 in BCSF ...

Buying a new sled is a huge decision. Some say that one of the biggest factors is not the brand of the machine, but the reputation of the shop you will be dealing with. Developing a solid rapport with your dealer goes a long way when you are in a jam and just want to get back out on the snow. Not to mention, local sled shops provide employment to your community and are usually the first one snowmobile clubs lean on when it comes time for donations.

The BCSF is excited to welcome Nicole Matei to our team. As our new Program and Marketing Coordinator, Nicole is responsible for managing external communications and programs of the Federation including LetsRideBC, Member Services, Snowarama, the Excellence Awards, as well as our new Mapping and Safety Programs.

HASLETT, MI, June 24, 2021: The new snowmobile sales data for the winter of 2020-2021 shows sales of new snowmobiles outperforming economic growth worldwide. The resilient economies of North America and northern Europe battled back from the International Covid Pandemic and brought many individuals outdoors to enjoy outdoor family recreation following social distancing and good, healthy activity. The winter of 20-21 reported excellent snow conditions in some of North America and Europe which helped to support the snowmobile community, manufacturers, dealers, and suppliers.

The community of Trout Lake has created a Change.org petition to try to stop the removal of the Rady Creek FSR. We need the snowmobilers of the Trout Lake region to go sign this petition.

The BCSF also sent the following via email on May 26, 2021. We received a response that government staff would follow up with us and they have not. Therefore, on June 7, 2021 we have sent a follow up email escalating this to Katrine Conroy as the Minister responsible.

While many people simply pack away their gear and summerize their snowmobiles to not think about it again until Hay Days. Your snowmobile club likely has a long list of projects that need to be completed this summer. There are many ways you can support your club while enjoying the backcountry this summer and here are a few we thought of: