Ontario: Mucho Snow in Grey Bruce

If renowned Canadian climatologist Dave Phillips is right, the Grey Bruce region is in for many more snow bonanza winters.

Phillips says that even slightly warmer temperatures will keep the Great Lakes ice-free longer and that means plenty of lake effect snow. One of Ontario’s prime recipients will be the Grey Bruce region of OFSC District 9 in Southwestern Ontario, an area bounded by Lake Huron on the west and Georgian Bay to the north.

On a recent visit there, we rode several mornings in fresh powder more than a foot deep! It reminded me of riding in the bottomless fluff of a Rocky Mountain meadow, and if it wasn’t for the prolific field staking done by local snowmobile clubs, we couldn’t have stayed on the trails. But the clubs got their groomers out and soon had the trails whipped into shape.

Most riders touring District 9 won’t know when they are actually in Grey Bruce proper. The whole district is primarily farm country and the trails are so plentiful, interconnected, integrated and seamless that only slight terrain variations distinguish one area from another. But the primary hubs are the towns of Owen Sound, Wiarton and Sauble Beach.

To the south, near Listowel and Palmerston, the farmland is relatively flat, although there are plenty of woodlots and small valleys to keep riding interesting. Moving north through Hanover and Walkerton, the fields assume a more rolling profile that provides a sweeping ride over hill and dale, with some exciting whoop-dee-doos thrown in for good measure. Many of these fields are separated by bush acreages. The trails traversing them reminded me of crossing the portages between lakes in other parts of Ontario — although these southwestern passages are groomed.

Speaking of lakes, if you have an ice phobia, it’s worth mentioning that every trail in District 9 is land-based, with all water crossings bridged. With no reliance on ice crossings and with the ground surface on so many fields being comparatively smooth under the snow, much of District 9 doesn’t need a lot of snow to make and keep trails rideable. But thanks to Dave Phillips, they are getting more than enough!

On the Bruce Peninsula north of Owen Sound and on then way up to Tobermory, the terrain turns increasingly rugged with Niagara Escarpment rock and forest. Various spectacular views abound along the eastern shore of the Peninsula; good ones can be had via the Colpoy’s Bay and Purple Valley trails east of Wiarton and from TOP Trail B along Nottawasaga Bay.

The quality of Grey Bruce riding is a snowmobiler’s dream come true. We discovered more than enough straight-aways and wide-open field trails to satisfy even the most ardent among us. Plus there are so many trail options that our choice of loops seemed almost endless…with good planning, you may never have to ride the same trail twice! So I kept wondering to myself why anyone would trailer any farther than Grey Bruce, where there’s such superb snowmobiling to be had.

The Grey Bruce trails are never anywhere near crowded. What little traffic we passed, even on a weekend, didn’t add up to more than a couple of dozen sleds per day. We saw more deer than sleds, especially near Wiarton and Sauble Beach. And wild turkeys seemed to be very prevalent, too. What’s more, help is usually only as far away in District 9 as the next concession road or any of the many farms dotting the horizon. If you’re looking for food and fun, drop into one of their rustic clubhouses on a weekend to mingle with local riders. And by the way, keep an eye out for Mennonites traveling the roads by horse drawn buggies or sleighs.

Overall, we found our way around easily. Most intersections were well signed, many with map boards and most with destination signs with town names. TOP trails display sufficient signage and there’s a decent district map that depicts both the TOP Trails, a myriad of local club trails, and the many small towns and villages were fuel, food and lodging are available.

Grey Bruce is easy to get to. By sled, its trails connect with neighboring OFSC Districts 4, 5 and 8 so you can ride right in. By trailer, Grey Bruce is a stone’s throw northeast of the Greater Toronto Area and also proximate to the U.S. border crossings at Detroit and Port Huron, and only slightly farther from Buffalo/Fort Erie.

The ultimate measure for outstanding snowmobiling is quantity of snow and quality of grooming — and this region gets full marks for both. Nothing else matters when your skis are cutting through fresh powder, billows of snow are whisking over your hood, huge flakes are fluttering through the crisp air and a smooth trail is zipping under your track. Yes, we found a good, old-fashioned winter in District 9’s Grey Bruce region — and you will too!

Craig Nicholson is the author of “Canada’s Best Snowmobiling — Your Ultimate Ride Guide”. His syndicated column “The Intrepid Snowmobiler” appears in newspapers throughout North America. He also hosts “The Intrepid Snowmobiler on Radio” and appears regularly on Snowmobiler Television. For more info, click http://www.intrepidsnowmobiler.com/

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