Anyone ever try the snow train?

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chillywilly

Member
We wanna try it but dont want to go with a guide. Is this possible? we would like to backpack to a different area every night for about six or seven nights. 100-150 miles a day. Need a suggestion on towns to stay in, a route, and places to eat. Thanks guys.
 
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snowhawg

Member
Snow Train

I highly recommend making this trip. I did it with 2 other guys about 7 years ago and loved it. We trailered to Sault Ste. Marie, ON, spent the night there on a Saturday and caught the 8:00 train Sunday Morning. It was a blast.

We took the train to Hearst, which is the end of the line. We stayed at the Companion Motel in Hearst, which is right near the train. It is a rather long trip (about 8 hrs, I think). The scenery is beautiful and the whole train experience was cool. The cars are probably 50's vintage and the train will stop anywhere on the route if you ask them to. You'll want to verify that they will have refreshments on the train. They didn't on our Sunday trip and we had to do some bartering with ice fishermen and others for some beverages, which made the trip even better. Better to plan on bringing your own lunch and refreshments.

We rode from Hearst on Monday to Hornepayne, (staying at the Centre Inn, which I heard may have closed-you'll need to check that. I believe it was the only lodging in Hornepayne at the time.), Tuesday to Marathon (can't remember lodging), Wednesday to Wawa, (stayed at the Wawa Motor Inn). Thursday to Halfway Haven:

http://www.halfwayhaven.com/index.html

which is halfway between Wawa and Sault Ste. Marie. I loved the Halfway Haven. It's very rustic, reminding me of Alaska. The gas prices will shock you, but you have to remember that it is 70 miles from any type of town or gas station. The owners are very friendly and there is some great logging road riding all around there. We arived early in the afternoon and got to sample some great powder riding in this area.

We then rode to the Soo where we stayed at the Catalina Motel before heading home to the Chicago area.

You can make many other loop type trips back to the Soo. This is just the one we took. The trails were phenomenal and the snow was plentiful. We did the trip in early March. It is easy to ride 200 miles in a day on the Ontario trails.

You do not need a guide. Just plan out the route you want to take and make your lodging reservations and plan you gas stops well in advance. There can be some long distances between available gas.

Good luck. I plan to do it again some day.
 
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snocrazy

Active member
You def need a passport now and if you have any criminal convictions on your record, plan a trip to Mexico instead ;).

If you have ever had a DUI, you will be turned back at the border.

I had a friend turned back at the border because of a conviction when he was a minor that should not even be on his record. He argued with the border patrol saying do the math! I was 15 years old. No logic what so ever. I always wanted to do the snow train but 90% of my friends can no longer go to Canada. So I say screw Canada. We need an American law that does not allow the Canadians to come to the USA if they have any priors.
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
I would like to ride this area at some point, but why take the train as opposed to just sledding both ways? Is it just a cool experience, or is the riding better at the north end of the train, so that the train allows you to spend more of your time riding in the better snow?

There were several posts on here this past winter about riding in Ontario that have me interested. I've ridden once in Quebec (amazing) but never in Ontario. I definitely have it on the list for the future.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
I have done the train once. After that we started round tripping it with sleds. Drop in the Soo and ride up and back. I can give you the entire itinerary if you would like. Many of the places I stayed are no longer in business, but I have alternates. Plan on 7 days if you head up to Hearst and back. Sleds need to be in top shape, it is about 90-120 miles between towns, no place to be with worn out sleds.
 
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chillywilly

Member
polarisrider1 said:
I have done the train once. After that we started round tripping it with sleds. Drop in the Soo and ride up and back. I can give you the entire itinerary if you would like. Many of the places I stayed are no longer in business, but I have alternates. Plan on 7 days if you head up to Hearst and back. Sleds need to be in top shape, it is about 90-120 miles between towns, no place to be with worn out sleds.
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Please send me it!! I'll take as much info as I can get!! Two of my buddies have Ski-doo's, maybe I shouldn't invite them ;)
 
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polarisrider1

New member
chillywilly said:
Please send me it!! I'll take as much info as I can get!! Two of my buddies have Ski-doo's, maybe I shouldn't invite them ;)
Click to expand...

I did the every snow loop possible from Marithon to the west to Sudbury to the east. Moose Factory to the north and the Soo to the south. I rode my Skidoo Renegade 600 on many of those trips in 06-08. I can get you the info this weekend. I only have this droid to type on right now. (Out of town).
 
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chillywilly

Member
polarisrider1 said:
I did the every snow loop possible from Marithon to the west to Sudbury to the east. Moose Factory to the north and the Soo to the south. I rode my Skidoo Renegade 600 on many of those trips in 06-08. I can get you the info this weekend. I only have this droid to type on right now. (Out of town).
Click to expand...

Cool, I appreciate it!
 
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snowhawg

Member
Hoosier said:
I would like to ride this area at some point, but why take the train as opposed to just sledding both ways? Is it just a cool experience, or is the riding better at the north end of the train, so that the train allows you to spend more of your time riding in the better snow?

There were several posts on here this past winter about riding in Ontario that have me interested. I've ridden once in Quebec (amazing) but never in Ontario. I definitely have it on the list for the future.
Click to expand...

The train experience is definitely worth doing at least once. I rode the Gaspe this year and would rate Quebec a bit higher than Ontario as far as scenery and trails. Ontario is great, though and quite a bit closer than Quebec for us in the midwest.
 
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nic

New member
I have been to Ontario to snowmobile 3 times, but never did the train. I would highly recommend Bryan Pacello of Come Play in the Snow. http://www.comeplayinthesnow.on.ca/ He is a guide, but he also has trips that he will plan for you, and you ride on your own. Some of his trips are the 'snow train'. We did his scheduled tours with a group, but were always able to just ride on our own and meet up at the next stop (there are no turns, so hard to get lost). Bonus of doing your trip with someone like him.... there is a support vehicle that transports your luggage and oil and whatnot from town to town. This means you don't have to lug all of your stuff with you on your machine. If you have a problem, he knows someone in every town- 95% of the time, any broken machine was back on the trail by 7am the next morning. If your sled is down, load it on the trailer. He even has a spare sled that my husband rode on our last day as the local dealer didn't have the suspension part he needed in stock. He takes care of reservations, everything. Literally pull up to your hotel, and your bags are waiting for you in your room. It gets COLD when the sun goes down. Like crazy cold. First year it was -48 (no kidding) without the wind chill. He plans your trip so that you're back in town by around 4ish. Have time to relax, hang out, have dinner, etc. Anyway- like I said. Did 3 trips with him and would do another if I had the luxury of taking a week to snowmobile (hard with 2 small kids... a weekend here or there is easy to convince grandma to help). If you want more info or details, PM me.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
You don't need a guide if you do your homework. Loops were much easier to do back around 98-06 when the economy was better. Ontario has all but given up to get you to ride there. First question : do you feel lucky. You better have your passport and no priors. I have left a guy at the border on 2 different trips there. The guys lied to me about there back child support and drug charges when they were teens. _anada caught it and 8 went snowmobiling as they sat in jail for the night till the ex wives came and got them. It is about the planning. I love riding Ontario. Wawa is a favorite.
 
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yamirider

Member
I have been riding Ontario for many years now. Things have changed up there our the years with the economy. Make sure to do your homework on whatever route you choose to ride. Alot of gas stations and motels have closed over the past couple of years. The Centre Inn in Hornepayne is now closed. Halfway Haven will not be open for the upcoming winter, making it very difficult to get from the Soo to Wawa or vise versa. This is remote snowmobiling with alot of nothing but remote wilderness between towns. Not uncommon to have temps well below zero for highs. It is a great place to ride, one must just be a little more prepared than riding in the UP for example. Do your homework and enjoy one of the best places to ride.
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
Enjoying this discussion. I will have too many young kids at home over the next two seasons but after that my goal for the next big trip is an Ontario or Quebec trip. We rode in Quebec in March 2004. It was such an unreal feeling to go 60-80 miles between towns, just really out in the wild (although the trails were smooth as glass).
 
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