Snowmobiling April 02 2009

Went out for a while on a cloudy day in April. Never did get to go as far as I did down the river in past years this season because of the fucked up temperature fluctuations throughout the winter.

Snowmobiling December 6 2008

I took out the XC for the first ride of the year. Snow was falling in masses, but the temperature was still low. Trails ungroomed and overall unpleasant conditions.

Three times in one day April 1st 2008

A big snow storm blowed through here last night, leaving two feet of powdery drifts and leading to road closings. What better time to take out the snowmobile and start making new trails? I went ripping down a power line and was pretty surprised at just how deep the snow was. I kept on the gas because if i were to stop it'd end there. A while later after being misdirected by a particularly large drift I collided with a small spruce tree. Didn't have the camera, but the snow was up to the windshield and the tree was wedged between my ski and belly pan. I didn't mind digging it out alone in a blizzard and spending a half hour packing a trail so I could turn around and get back on my own track.

At about 7:30 PM i decided to go and check out an old network of hunting trails i had been to last year. Started out well, there was a track ahead of me so I didn't worry too much. However he had turned around a short while in, and I decided to keep going..

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DOH.. Quite a while later working in a sweatshirt that turned to this:





And I managed to get it out after working in the pitch black. Wish I had a shovel.

Snowmobiling Continued March 07, 2008

I went out again today with the sled and brought the tripod along. I got a few shots of some water crossing, it was quite a bit colder than yesterday. I put together a short video, the second location was cut off a bit, but you get the idea.

Water-skipping and related shenanigans March 6, 2008

After a long, hard, irritating, useless and completely regrettable day at school, I decided to get on my machine and engage in some early march open water tomfoolery. For the past three years I have ridden my old Ski-Doo Tundra 250cc, I had mastered the control of it in just about any circumstance. I went further down the narrowing and partially frozen river than anyone else I knew. I could literally cross open stretches of water in excess of 40', and often would. It was such a great machine for accessing areas off the trail, for its light weight, reliable engine, and ease of maneuverability. It floated on top of snow whether it was a foot or five feet deep. You couldn't beat it for the price and gas mileage, but it did have its shortcomings: The pistons rattled the machine so badly any attempt at keeping a headlight was futile, it was extremely easy to tip over, it took 43 square miles to make a 360 degree turn on hardpack, and it was as loud as anything. It was the kind of machine you didn't worry about where you went with it or how you treated it. Sadly, I said my final goodbye to it this winter in place of a newer, faster machine.

Until recently I hadn't taken many risks with it. The power of it intimidated me and I also had the thousands of dollars in engine repair if anything went terribly wrong to worry about. Now I am familiar with handling it, and I decided to take a rip down the open stretch of water under the highway overpass. It's been a weird and inconsistent winter weather-wise, and the river hasn't really frozen over like it normally does. There is a nice 70' or so open section that was a breeze to cruise across. It's like riding a jet-ski and turns amphibious on contact with the calm steaming water. I proceeded down into safer sections, frozen over due to the current slowing in pace. I took five at an old power line where I frequently stop in the summer on canoe to take some pictures. There's something about the alien form of the lines that contrasts with the beauty of the surrounding forest that makes for a good shot. Snow was falling lightly, the bright sun was behind a translucent bit of clouds, which made it seem like I was looking at the horizon through a luminous lens. Colour seemed to have more significance. Or was that the marijuana?

Winter Shelter Site February 28, 2008

Since I haven't really done much in terms of survival this winter (It's too cold!) I decided I wanted to build a new winter shelter. I had the site in mind before I even left, and after a short trip on the snow machine I arrived there. It's on a rocky outcrop that is much higher than the surrounding forest. The actual shelter site is shielded from the wind by the trees as well as it being situated in a concave. The surrounding snow is close to four feet deep.

I want to try and model the shelter after the lean-to Les Stroud built in the first episode of Survivorman. The shelter was pretty large and had an opening for a fire:





Mine would be a bit larger, and covered with a layer of spruce boughs and then 1' of snow. I originally wanted to build a tipi but I think I'll go with a lean-to.

Here are a few pictures of the area. The dead silence was a bit spooky.










Rabbit tracks.

Snowshoeing February 18 2008

I decided to take my snowshoes out with my Polaris for a walk down the river. It had snowed 10" the night before, and was still coming down moderately. Breaking a trail was hard going even with the shoes, as i was sinking a half foot or so every step. The way back was considerably easier.

I almost fell through the ice a couple of times. I attempted to cross the river like an idiot in a narrow section, but thankfully the telltale creaking of the soft ice told me to go back. Even on an overcast day like this the light reflecting off the snow like a mirror into your eyes is inconvenient. The pictures suffered as well from the cloud cover but still turned out OK.

I don't really like this section of the river. It's too open to the wind. The same section gave me the most trouble when i canoed the entire river last spring. The wind was gusting directly into the bow and it took a lot of power to get past into the more intimate stretches down stream. I think I'll make my next trip start out a little farther down. Maybe tomorrow?

I can't beleive i'll be canoeing this in a little over a month. I'm sick of school sucking all of my energy and controlling my life.

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Sketchy river crossing


I left the machine beside this not often used trail.


Snow was falling lightly




I fell over trying to turn around. I think i need more experience.

Christmas Day Snowmobile Ride

Today I went for the first decent length solo trip on my new Polaris XC 500. I have no pictures which is a shame considering how beautiful the trails were. I haven't had acess to a camera since i dunked BOTH my sony camcorder and my HP digital, which are now useless. My family got a expensive Canon digital which i won't be able to sneak often but i'm going to try my best. The winter scenery is too great to be missed. It actually rained here 2 days ago, and then snowed, so all of the puffy white snow sticks to the branches and everything in sight.

I went from my house to ice chest road, which is down through the groomed trails about 30 miles. The trails are in good shape, and i kept an average speed of 50 mph.

I'm thinking of taking a trip to Dugwall pit and icefishing for the stocked speckled trout. I've fished there a few times in the winter without sucess, but every spring i can easily catch fat healthy red specks. Maybe try a new technique.

PS: I managed to make it three days into my fast, which was a great experience, but i couldn't hold out a week my first try. After a couple days you get a nice natural high kind of like waking up after smoking a ton of weed. I'll have to try it again.

Tundra Escapades on the Rocky Power line March 5 2006

This is the day I discovered one of my favourite spots, while roaming the country on my 250 snowmobile, the amazing Ski-Doo Tundra. A moderate March day, clear and windless.




From the other side. Climbing steep inclines on a 250cc is an experience.

Last River Running Session- Spring is Coming

Throughout the winter I took trips down the nearby river on my 250cc snowmobile, often skimming lengths of water 50 feet in length, and occasionally running rapids and just barely escaping the grasp of hidden springs. It was a worthwhile venture each time, as I probed the forests deeper and discovered new scenes in the perfectly still river snow. Only managed to sink it twice, both easy fixes. This summer I'll be taking the same route farther, when I get my canoe. Here's a capture from Google Maps, the yellow line showing the area covered by snowmobile.


Here are some pictures of the area, including more from a seperate hike in the trails along the side of the river I took a week or so after.

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In the marsh


One of the smaller river crossings. About 12'.


Damn beavers. Decent turbulence to boot over.


Spades in the ice and water.


From the hike on 03/29/07. The sky was massive and clear that day.


The thick-looking northern forests are more spacious on the inside.