See the following link for the latest BEAST News Update.
Feb 08
BEAST Corporate Ride 2021 – Cancelled
Announcement: BEAST Corporate Ride 2021 – Cancelled
Due to the provincial public health measures continued stay at home order, and OFSC riding directions, the BEAST cannot go ahead with plans for our event of Feb 12-14.
Todays Feb 8 decision of our government to extend the stay at home public health measures in the BEAST Public Health Units (Ottawa Public Health and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark Public Health) until Feb 16, and for BEAST riders this means the continuing direction from OFSC is to ride within your own Public Health Unit, and not trailer to other Health Units.
Please contact the Ash Grove Inn, ASAP, to cancel any reservations you have made.
613-756-7672
ash.grove.inn@hotmail.com
Feb 08
OFSC Announcement 8 Feb 2021
Todays announcement does not affect the BEAST’s two Public Health Units.(Ottawa Public Health, and Leeds, Grenville Lanark Public Health) Therefore BEAST riders are still to stay within their own Health Unit for now. More will be known on Feb 16, when our Health Units, return to the Provincial COVID-19 Response Framework(color zones). At that time OFSC will access which if any of our Health Unit Boundaries will be opened for riding.
OFSC Message To Snowmobilers
The OFSC has reviewed today’s (Feb 8) provincial announcement which opened three public health units. The three named health units (Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Kingston Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health and Renfrew County and District Health Unit) will be moving to the GREEN zone on the re-opening framework. OFSC Districts 1, 2 & 6 will be adjusting some their trails to account for travel only between these health units for local riders effective Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 12:01am.
Please be sure to check the ITG (https://ofsc.evtrails.com/#) for up to date trail availability. All other districts remain in the same status as they have been for the last month or so. Please continue to ride locally and within your own public health unit until further notice.
We will notify you of any changes as they happen.
Feb 08
306 Trail Portion Closed due to Off Trail Riding
You may have seen posts from our club and many other clubs about the OFF TRAIL RIDING problem that is overwhelming many club volunteers this year. This year, more than ever, our club is dealing with an unhappy group of landowners who want to deny access to their property for our trails if this conduct is not corrected. The BEAST Snowmobile Club has had several complaints from a group of landowners along the BEAST 306 trail between Clayton and our link with W12 trail of West Carleton Snowmobile Club at Sugarbush Road. Yesterday one of those landowners contacted the BEAST volunteer who looks after that trail to vent his frustrations about the blatant disregard some snowmobilers have for his property. The result was a closed portion of trail.
In a small community word spreads fast. The BEAST spoke with a different landowner who also was having trouble with off trail riders, to see what his thoughts were on the future of this trail. This morning the landowner contacted us and said he didn’t want to see the trail closed. Thank you.
So for now, there will be an extra road run for people using BEAST 306. As well, access to the BEAST 308 is affected, adding some road run.
If you see this happening take a picture or video if possible. What we need is the license number, date, time, and location. Send the details to info@thebeast.ca. At least a police report can be filed and hopefully the offenders will be dealt with.
Going forward, we need everyone’s help to stop this off trail riding. The police, landowner or volunteer can’t be everywhere to see this happening.
Jan 30
OVRT Reminder for Sledders – 29 Jan 2021
OVRT Reminder to all sledders. Since we are all obeying the provincial rules and sledding within our own Public Health Unit, there has been a noted increase in traffic on the OVRT (BEAST 311) through the towns of Carleton Place and Almonte. Please observe the 20km/hr speed limit within the Community Safety Corridor zones (within the town limits) of Almonte and Carleton Place. As well there is an 11pm curfew for sled traffic through the towns. It is necessary for the continued snowmobile use of the OVRT that we obey these rules.
There are large signs on the OVRT to remind you of where these Community Safety Corridor zones start as you enter the towns. Please slow down to a crawl within the Community Safety Corridor zone limits of Almonte and Carleton Place, and respect and give way to the other trail users, walking, skiing, fat biking.
Jan 28
OFSC Release – 27 Jan 2021
(Barrie, ON: January 27, 2021) – With winter finally upon us and thousands of kilometres of trails now showing either Green or Yellow on the Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) for local riding, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has created a new tool to assist snowmobilers…..
Read full release here: https://www.ofsc.on.ca/…/ofsc-adds-public-health-unit…/
Jan 20
Please read – Latest Release from OFSC
Please review the latest release here: Click the following link
Jan 20
Please read post from – Upper Canada Snowmobile Region(UCSR) – OFSC District 1
Please read this post from our OFSC district – Upper Canada Snowmobile Region(UCSR) – OFSC District 1
Trails are opening up across the District. We remind riders to remain on yellow (and hopefully green) trails. Stay off Red trails as they are Not Available due to many reasons (water, unsafe, landowner direction, covid restrictions, etc).
Keep your eye on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) and the Go Snowmobiling App as these are the sole sources for trail status updates. Updates are made frequently. https://ofsc.evtrails.com/#
There has been much chatter about the closure of trails by a PHU in the North Bay area. See link to article: https://www.baytoday.ca/…/health-unit-closes-ofsc…. The article is misleading readers to believe all OFSC trails across the province will close. THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
Notwithstanding, as a result of that PHU’s direction, all OFSC trails in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit only will be closed 12:01am Thursday and will show Red on the ITG. This directly impacts Districts 11, 10 and 7.
THIS DIRECTION HAS NO DIRECT IMPACT ON DISTRICT 1.
Snowmobilers are reminded to:
– Avoid unnecessary travel
– Ride only within your health unit
– Do not trailer or travel in other areas of Ontario
– Check your local public health guidelines prior to each and every ride
Ride safe:
– Snowmobile with members of your household
– Form your own regular riding bubble
– Always maintain physical distancing
– Practice socially responsible behaviours when visiting trail accessible services
– Avoid overcrowding around/near trail accessible services
– Wear a mask, covering your nose and mouth, when not wearing a helmet
– Carry personal hand sanitizer and use it often
Plan accordingly:
– Many businesses that are normally open and accessible via the trail may be closed or have limited access
– Unattended buildings such as washrooms and warmup shelters will be closed
– Clubhouses will be closed
– Carry extra fuel
– Bring snacks and water to consume trailside
– Take any garbage home with you
– Establish local daytime rides within your health unit
Keep in mind that:
– To discourage travelling by snowmobile beyond public health region boundaries, the OFSC has made trails between health units temporarily unavailable (showing Red on the ITG) until further notice
– Trails to Quebec will also remain closed
– Reconfirm routes and available services before setting out on a ride
Jan 17
Trail Packing to begin – Sunday Jan 17
The BEAST will begin packing the main trails starting Sunday Jan. 17th. We need a good cold snap to freeze up swamps and creeks still a lot of water around. Any trails that can be opened will be, as soon as possible. Please stay off the trails if they are closed, until we get them ready. Some trails sections may open later due to creeks or water holes or swamps or other hazards.
Also, we should mention the closed sections of our trails with regards to COVID-19 protocols for riding within our own Public Health Unit. Ashton Station Road and it’s extension is the boundary between Ottawa Public Health Unit, and Leeds, Grenville, & Lanark PHU, see the attached diagram.
As always, please follow the OFSC ITG at ofsc.evtrails.com or the Go snowmobiling App to see when trails become available.
