Clueless in Canada

[chillywilly]

Wanting to spend 7 days in Ontario Canada taking the snow train to Hearst from Sault St. Marie. Seems Like Wawa is a good spot to visit. After that I really don't know. Our group prefers backpacking to a different town each night. Any help is much appreciated. Also, recommendations on Lodging, Restaurants etc. Thank you so much in advance for any help.

 

[polarisrider1]

Well things have changed a bit since my days of doing loops up there. Much has closed up. Do your homework. I would snowtrain to Hawk Junction and unload there, then ride your sleds west towards Wawa and stay at Wawa Motor lodge. then head north to Duberville, Missinabie, Chaplau, down to Aubry Falls, then towards Thessolan and back to the Soo. (note, my spelling of most of the cities is incorrect). The trail from Wawa back down towards the Soo via Halway Haven will be closed unless something recently changed. Do not try to do Wawa to Searchmont with out packing another full tank of gas. I don't care if it is an Etec, you will not make it. plus it will not be groomed.

 

[LakeVilla]

We did this train trip a few years back with the wives. We took the train form Sault Ste Marie to Hearst. It's an all day slow train trip. After arrival in Hearst we backpacked all the way back (4 days and just short of 500 miles). Hope this gives you some ideas. Following is a PDF of our trip itenary that may give you some additional information.
Thanks and regards


Snow Train.pdf5.87 MB

 

[ecopter]

If the trail from Wawa to Searchmont is groomed, then it can be done without refueling. Did it on an SRX while being easy on the flipper, and had a gallon left in the tank. Plus, Halfway Haven would probably have gas available, albeit expensive.

 

[Marty]

We used to ride in Dubreuilville a lot, they have the 100 mile loop just north of town, more like the 100 mph loop! The Iris Lake trail is another great ride. The trail to Earnies across Dog Lake in Missanabi for the best burger in Ontario. Also ride the Magpie Reservoir for an 18 mile drag race and a short cut to Wawa. There is an old rail line that runs across the badlands north of Wawa straight across to Hawk Junction that is a good one too. I think its the Blue Bird restaurant in Hawk, giant burgers. Heck all the trails in that area are incredible. They are already grooming in D'ville. Check out "the groomer guy" on his website, he does a lot of the grooming and is a great guy, Luc. http://groomerguy.blogspot.com/ He has a bunch of great you tube videos as well.

Watch out on the Magpie, it has a habit of eating pistons and cylinders. Mo at Northern Lights Motel used to keep a running tally of the brands and carnage on the website, NL motel is not open in the winter any more. That area is the greatest riding we have ever done. Also you can go off trail pretty much anywhere outside of the towns, it is all gov. property. If you do any night riding it can get incredibly cold, I have seen it almost 30f in the day and -40f at night, the same day. Wawa Motor Inn is a good place to stay, big fireplace, bar, good food, gas station across the street. If the snow is really deep the Moose use the trails in some areas. There is the Moose loop you can ride if you go to Earnies, you see them over there pretty regular. Enjoy your trip, lots of pics.

 

[Madmachz]

If the trail from Wawa to Searchmont is groomed, then it can be done without refueling. Did it on an SRX while being easy on the flipper, and had a gallon left in the tank. Plus, Halfway Haven would probably have gas available, albeit expensive.

Really???? That is right at 200 miles or so. Did you shut it off on the downhill parts of the trail???

 

[Hoosier]

Really???? That is right at 200 miles or so. Did you shut it off on the downhill parts of the trail???

I think I saw somewhere that halfway haven is closed.

Chilly - keep us updated on the trip you do. I am interested in riding up there in the next couple years.

If you end up finding out so much of Ontario has closed to make it difficult to do loops or saddlebag up there, you might want to take a look at Quebec. We rode up there once (in 2004 I think) and it was incredible. We just scratched the surface of it too up there.

Hopefully the Canadian trail system can survive the current economic downturn. With the current exchange rate, it's tough to consider riding up there with the price of gas and trail permits. It's hard to describe how much fun it is to ride 90 miles between towns/gas stops without seeing another sled the whole time you are out there.

 

[Marty]

I think I saw somewhere that halfway haven is closed.

It is, just looked at there website, closed for the winter and for sale.....

We rode logging roads from north of Searchmont to Aubrey Falls a couple times, with a gps and good map its not bad. Take a shovel and a good long rope, it was north on Whittman Dam Rd for a while then east toward Ranger Lake. The trails around Searchmont are very scenic, it felt like snowmobiling in Tennessee.

 

[polarisrider1]

DO NOT attempt to ride from Wawa to Searchmont at this time. Sometimes gas is not avail. In searchmont either. YOU will NOT make it. I burn two full tanks running this with a Poo 800 xcsp. If your on a DOO 340 with 5the gallons of gas extra maybe. I have rode that section about a dozen times.
The 100 mile loop has been flip flopped a few times as the route up to Hornpayne but lately it is groomed on one half or the other. It is a sweet section between Dub. And Hornpayne. Love the magpie, My wife bew up her sled on it and she was an instant hero with our kids. You can keep in touch with Mo and John at NLmotel on FB.

 

[polarisrider1]

We used to ride in Dubreuilville a lot, they have the 100 mile loop just north of town, more like the 100 mph loop! The Iris Lake trail is another great ride. The trail to Earnies across Dog Lake in Missanabi for the best burger in Ontario. Also ride the Magpie Reservoir for an 18 mile drag race and a short cut to Wawa. There is an old rail line that runs across the badlands north of Wawa straight across to Hawk Junction that is a good one too. I think its the Blue Bird restaurant in Hawk, giant burgers. Heck all the trails in that area are incredible. They are already grooming in D'ville. Check out "the groomer guy" on his website, he does a lot of the grooming and is a great guy, Luc. http://groomerguy.blogspot.com/ He has a bunch of great you tube videos as well.

Watch out on the Magpie, it has a habit of eating pistons and cylinders. Mo at Northern Lights Motel used to keep a running tally of the brands and carnage on the website, NL motel is not open in the winter any more. That area is the greatest riding we have ever done. Also you can go off trail pretty much anywhere outside of the towns, it is all gov. property. If you do any night riding it can get incredibly cold, I have seen it almost 30f in the day and -40f at night, the same day. Wawa Motor Inn is a good place to stay, big fireplace, bar, good food, gas station across the street. If the snow is really deep the Moose use the trails in some areas. There is the Moose loop you can ride if you go to Earnies, you see them over there pretty regular. Enjoy your trip, lots of pics.

The blue bird I think was a hotel in Wawa that is now closed. The bar in Hawk does have the biggest best burger I have ever had. I order the teddy burger, no way could I eat the Bear burger it is way to big.

 

[polarisrider1]

One of the most fun places to stay since the Orthern lights has closed for winters is in Hillsport with Maggie and her husband, The McDougles. This is were I started my "off trail" way of life. It is north of Manatouwadge.

 

[Marty]

The blue bird I think was a hotel in Wawa that is now closed. The bar in Hawk does have the biggest best burger I have ever had. I order the teddy burger, no way could I eat the Bear burger it is way to big.

That was it the Big Bear, the burgers were the size of a pie, I thought we were at Tony's in Flint. That general store with gas in Searchmont, Lynn's I think, are they gone too? Man they got hit hard up there when we stopped buying lumber. We still stay in touch with Mo & John, had a blast every time we were there. Great times for sure, too bad the old green back aint what she used to be, that and my sleds are getting a little.....to old.

 

[polarisrider1]

That was it the Big Bear, the burgers were the size of a pie, I thought we were at Tony's in Flint. That general store with gas in Searchmont, Lynn's I think, are they gone too? Man they got hit hard up there when we stopped buying lumber. We still stay in touch with Mo & John, had a blast every time we were there. Great times for sure, too bad the old green back aint what she used to be, that and my sleds are getting a little.....to old.

Back in the day when the exchange was 56% in our favor i seen many Canada bought sleds heading for the states, then Poo said that US dealers do not have to warant Canada sleds. things slowed up a bit on sales from there a bit. It really was not fair for the Dealers in the Soo on the US side. I am not sure on the Searchmont store for gas, it has been an on again off again situation similair to what the western UP has going on. Best Off trail riding I found was North of Marathon and south of Manitowadge but those connector trails are closed this year also. You bet I cried a river at the Novi show in the Ontario section about all this. But if you have been up there in the past and have a general lay of the land then you should be just fine. It is all about doing your homework before you leave.
As far as a passport, well everyone should have one anyways, ya never know when you may win a trip to some exotic place such as Revelstoke!!!!!! The gold mines also all but closed and DeBeers wasn't having much luck finding "Pink diamonds". Housing dropped off so the mills keep closing up. Sled dealers are few and far between. You got the Poo dealer in Wawa, the skidoo dealer who may or may not be open in Duberville and a Cat dealer in Hearst that I know of.

 

[polarisrider1]

This place would be a nice trip to do from Hearst. http://www.hillsporthillton.com/ontariosnowmobiling.html
Make note that the big building that housed the majority of Hornepayne is closed. That includes the hotel. But you can check with the 4 Stevens for rooms. I ate there a couple years ago and they said they had rooms.
Looks like 4 Stevens is closed too. http://ontarioconditions.com/forums/index.php?/topic/4394-hornepayne-4-stevens-restaurant-cabins/

 

[ecopter]

Really???? That is right at 200 miles or so. Did you shut it off on the downhill parts of the trail???

Nope, no coasting. I purposely rode it conservative to see if I could make it. I filled the wife's sled at Halfway just in case I needed some of the fuel from her sled. Tried to keep the SRX at or below 5500rpm the whole way; not easy on those trails, but did it. Our trailer was in Searchmont......arrived back, loaded for the trip home, and then put the sled to sleep for the summer. That's why I know how much I had left because I siphoned the remaining fuel out for summerization.

Would I do it again? Proabably not. But as you read above, I did have an alternate plan just in case my sled coughed. Plus, it's no fun to ride that conservative. By the way, it's not 200 miles.....at least on the Yamaha odometer. If I remember correctly, it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 155 to 165 miles.

 

[chillywilly]

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[polarisrider1]

Nope, no coasting. I purposely rode it conservative to see if I could make it. I filled the wife's sled at Halfway just in case I needed some of the fuel from her sled. Tried to keep the SRX at or below 5500rpm the whole way; not easy on those trails, but did it. Our trailer was in Searchmont......arrived back, loaded for the trip home, and then put the sled to sleep for the summer. That's why I know how much I had left because I siphoned the remaining fuel out for summerization.

Would I do it again? Proabably not. But as you read above, I did have an alternate plan just in case my sled coughed. Plus, it's no fun to ride that conservative. By the way, it's not 200 miles.....at least on the Yamaha odometer. If I remember correctly, it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 155 to 165 miles.

last time I did it it was Searchmont gas to Halfway gas 90 miles and Halfway to the Wawa gas south of town 110 miles. That to me equals 200 miles. of course I did play on the power lines between Halfway Haven and Wawa but stayed moving in the general direction.
Point is it is not worth the risk. Canada riding is serious stuff especially when you are up in the Hearst, Hornpayne, Manitowadge, Chaplau, Foyette, Missinabie areas. you may not see anyone else on the trail all week.

 

[no1_pro]

last time I did it it was Searchmont gas to Halfway gas 90 miles and Halfway to the Wawa gas south of town 110 miles. That to me equals 200 miles. of course I did play on the power lines between Halfway Haven and Wawa but stayed moving in the general direction.
Point is it is not worth the risk. Canada riding is serious stuff especially when you are up in the Hearst, Hornpayne, Manitowadge, Chaplau, Foyette, Missinabie areas. you may not see anyone else on the trail all week.

I have made that run many times with no going off the trail. Searchmont to Halfway Haven 95 miles then 70 to Wawa. 165 total. I will say I have not rode that stretch since 2006 if I remember right. All my snowmachines are to old and I refuse to spend $12,000 or so.

 

[ecopter]

last time I did it it was Searchmont gas to Halfway gas 90 miles and Halfway to the Wawa gas south of town 110 miles. That to me equals 200 miles. of course I did play on the power lines between Halfway Haven and Wawa but stayed moving in the general direction.
Point is it is not worth the risk. Canada riding is serious stuff especially when you are up in the Hearst, Hornpayne, Manitowadge, Chaplau, Foyette, Missinabie areas. you may not see anyone else on the trail all week.

I have thousands upon thousands of miles racked up in and between all those areas. If you want to talk about risk, it mainly involves going off trail. Much greater potential to experience that serious stuff which you're referring that will untimately leave you stranded without seeing someone for up to a week. If someone doesn't want any risk, stay home in your padded rooms....and by all means, don't get on a snowmobile.

 

[anonomoose]

Since the trails and stops with gas is ever changing, I would definitely check with the tourist board before going to be sure you will have a place to stay, eat and get gas.

Hornepayne's main business hotel is closed at least as of last spring when I went thru there and they only have two gas stations in that town.

Going off trail far from town is just dumb. Get disabled and you can count on two things happening....it's gunna get colder than heck and nobody is going to drive by for quite some time.

Pretty country but very remote between gas stations and places to fix sleds.