The Green Lake Snowmobile Club rides, led by Ron Tonts, are underway, and there is always room for more riders.
The first club ride of the season attracted two club members: Tonts and club president John Sullivan.
They sledded to the south end of Green Lake, got on the pipeline, headed to Boyd Lake, crossed railroad tracks and rode to Highway 97 at Loch Lomond. They then headed along the Gold Rush Trail onto Forestry Road 3900 to Forestry Road 3100.
After lunch at the Chasm gravel pit, they rode back along power lines to 70 Mile House, riding the sloughs to the pipeline (they were first riders this year) and home on Green Lake.
Tonts said the snow conditions were good, but they needed to be careful of rocks in the meadows and the reeds that had grown in thick on the sloughs. It was a 77-kilometre ride.
Other club members also participated in rides in December:Dec.11 (two riders) - 55 km: They rode the Dudley Kill trail to the Sawdust Trail, but were unable to find the route to Crater Lake. However, they got a view of Pressy Lake before taking the Sawdust Trail to Jim Lake, back along the MacIntosh Trail and the Dudley Kill Trail to the clubhouse.
Dec. 18 (three riders) - 96 km: The club members rode from Boyd Lake to Loch Lomond, before crossing Highway 97 to get on the Gold Rush Trail. They sledded to Forestry Road 3900 and rode on to Forestry Road 3100 to the power lines to 70 Mile House. They then hit the Old Cariboo Highway to Pine Tree Road and onto the pipeline and back to Green Lake.
Dec. 24 (two riders) - 51 km: They rode the pipeline to the Moose Alley Connector Trail, and onto Jeep Lake. Then they took the Crater Lake Trail to the Dudley Kill Trail and rode back to clubhouse.
Dec. 31 (six club members) - 89 km: The group headed to the west side of Highway 97 and rode to the warm-up hut on the Gold Rush Trail. After lunch, they rode to Mt. Begbie Summit, headed to the pipeline and back to the clubhouse.
There wasn’t a club ride scheduled for Christmas Day, but there was a “family club ride” on Dec. 28, starting at 10 a.m. from the clubhouse to Jeep Lake for a club-sponsored hotdog lunch. Five club members attended the ride, which was 48 kilometres round trip. There was a lot of fresh snow – 10-15 cm - on the trails and it continued to snow throughout the day.
The rides continued in January, including:Jan. 4 (three riders) - 76 km: The group headed to the Chasm viewing parking lot and crossed highway 97 to run some unused trails.
Jan. 7 (two riders) - 49 km: These club members went on the sunset/night ride. They stayed on the southwest side of Bonaparte Road and rode a number of untouched trails.
On Jan. 8, six club members rode the pipeline north to Taylor Lake Road, stopping at the old railway stop for the Flying U Ranch.
Back in the day, Flying U Ranch guests, who used the railway to come to the Cariboo, would be dropped off at the sturdy wooden structure and would go to the hotel on horseback or on a wagon. The structure would have provided shelter from the elements - rain or scorching sun. Over the years, visitors passed the time by carving their names, where they lived and the year they were there into the structure.
The snowmobilers had a campfire a safe distance from the shelter, ate lunch and then headed back to Green Lake. They crossed the lake from the North Green Fire Hall to the clubhouse. Overall, it was a 48-kilometre round trip.
On Jan. 11, three club members and a guest from Sheridan Lake rode to Mt. Kerr in the Marble Mountains on a nice sunny day. It was a 133-kilometre round trip.
The club rides were cancelled from Jan. 15 to Jan. 20 due to the slushy snow and water on Green Lake.
Great rides for all
Snowmobiling is an excellent way to enjoy our Cariboo winters and there are a lot of different club rides to enjoy. The club rides are always a lot of fun, with the pace determined by the slower riders. It’s also comforting to know that if you have some minor mechanical trouble with your sled during a ride, someone will be able to get it running again, or make sure you’re not stranded on the trails.
Best of all, it is a great way to meet new friends in the South Green Lake community.
There will be a ride to the Iron Horse Pub for lunch this season, and it’s a great ride with different types of terrain to traverse. It’s a story-maker, my friends.
Trail grooming
Tonts said he tried to do some trail grooming recently but had to put the groomer away because the trails are beaten up and there’s not enough snow to cover the rocks, ruts and tree roots without damaging the new groomer.
“We’ll be getting more snow sometime,” he added.
He reminds people that only sleds are allowed on the Green Lake Recreational Trail System, which is closed to ATVs, side-by-sides and 4x4 trucks.
“The divots created by these vehicles can be hazardous to the snowmobilers and damages the trails that are groomed and maintained by our snowmobile club,” he said. “Keep yourself and others safe on the trails, and enjoy the snow.”
Pie-making fundraiser underway
The South Green Lake Volunteer Fire Department (SGLVFD) Auxiliary started its pie-making sessions on Jan. 24.
The Auxiliary will be making pies every Tuesday and Thursday in the old Fire Hall starting at 9 a.m. until 400 pies are made.
Everyone is welcome to help make the pies at the Fire Hall. The proceeds go to the SGLVFD.
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