Are you tired of this harsh winter? Snowmobile riders say it’s ‘a real nice treat’

Snowmobilers rejoiced during the 4th annual Vintage Snowmobile Show and Swap following a cold winter with lots of snow.

A winter that many in Windsor-Essex have found difficult has been a welcome change for snowmobile riders who say colder temperatures, thicker ice, and sustained snowfall have created some of the best local riding conditions the region has seen in years.

For some riders, the impact has meant being able to travel locally in ways that were not possible in past winters.

Jessica Monforton says she was able to ride her snowmobile Saturday directly to the 4th annual Vintage Snowmobile Show and Swap at the Stoney Point Sportsmen’s Club, rather than transporting it by trailer.

“This is the first year we’ve been able to ride, which is awesome,” Monforton said. “Riding up and down the rivers, it’s been fun.”

Riders say sustained cold over several weeks has helped lock in ice on lakes and rivers that are often unreliable in southern Ontario, expanding the range of where they can safely ride.

“This year, we got a real nice treat,” said Lakeshore rider Brian Bendig, who has been snowmobiling for more than three decades. “We’ve been blessed with a fair amount of snow and a lot of ice.”

Bendig says those conditions have opened routes that normally do not exist close to home.

“The lake becomes a bit of a highway,” he said. “You can go all the way up to about Windsor by Peche Island and around to the other side of the lake as well.”

The winter weather has also coincided with increased participation at the Vintage Snowmobile Show and Swap, which showcases classic machines while bringing together riders from across the region.

“I don’t think we’ve had this cold of a winter in the last maybe 15 years,” said Robert Sylvester, treasurer and manager at the Stoney Point Sportsmen’s Club.

“I know a lot of people don’t like the cold, but snowmobilers like it,” he said.

For veteran riders, the season has stood out on a much larger scale. Pierre Lacasse, who has been riding since the late 1960s, said the scope of usable snowmobile trails across Ontario is rare.

“This has been unprecedented,” Lacasse said. “Almost 95 per cent of the trails are open in excellent condition. I’ve never seen this many trails open all at one time.”

Lacasse says the widespread trail access has allowed for extended trips that are only possible when cold weather is consistent.

“This year, I’ve already done about 1,700 miles in Quebec,” he said. “This is a year like no other.”

Event organizer Scott Johnston says the conditions have helped reinforce that snowmobiling remains active in Windsor-Essex, even without a formal trail network.

“When the lake is frozen and the rivers are frozen, the local enthusiasts have a great spot to ride,” Johnston said. “You hear them going by all day and well into the evening.”

As for Monforton, who took up snowmobiling just a few years ago, she says the thrill of the ride makes the winter fly by.

“It’s something fun to do — get outside, the fresh air, the wind in your face,” he said. “It’s great.”