Welcome to the
Rice Lake Snow Drifters

Annual General Meeting

This will serve as notice that the Rice Lake Snow Drifters Inc. will be holding its'


Annual General Meeting 
on
Monday, November 20th, 2023 at 7 pm
at the
Glen Isle Ag Conference Room above their offices at
15 McCallum Place, Keene, Ontario
All permit holders or
interested parties
are invited to attend.

  • for the purposes of:
  • 1. Approving the 2022 Annual General Meeting minutes
  • 2. The Financial Statements as related to the 2022 - 2023 fiscal year
  • 3. Election of Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer)
  • 4. Confirmation of the Board of Directors for the remainder of 2023 - 2024
  • Please declare any Conflict of Interest at the beginning of the AGM
  • In addition the Rice Lake Snow Drifters will hold their regular meeting with the Agenda as follows:
  • Conflict of Interest Declaration
  • 1. Approval of October 16, 2023 meeting
  • 2. Trail Report
  • 3. Groomer Report
  • 4. Groomer Operator Report
  • 5. Risk Management Report
  • 6. Landowners
  • 7. District 3
  • 8. Elimination Draw
  • 9. AOB
RLSD

ANNUAL ELIMINATION DRAW


A fantastic night was had at the Rice Lake Snow Drifters' Annual Elimination Draw held on October 28th, 2023 at Elmhirst Resort. Guests were treated to a wonderful roast beef dinner made and served by the amazing staff.
Besides the Elimination Draw, many awesome prizes were donated by our generous supporters. We are so thankful for their generosity.
Thank you to the many members of our Board of Directors who assisted in making the evening run smoothly. Thank you also to Katie Luff and Katie Hogan for their assistance selling raffle tickets.
The purpose of our draw was to raise money to help with trail maintenance and development which has already begun. Snow will come. We are sure of it.
We thank each and everyone of our guests for purchasing a ticket. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Congratulations to the following winners:
Bill Kempt who won $492.50 on our 50 50 draw.
1st ticket drawn:  Robert Neesom $100
50th ticket drawn:  Andrew Cowie $100
100th ticket drawn:  Peter Faux $100
150th ticket drawn:  Nick Crowder $100
178th ticket drawn:  Danielle Sullivan $300
179th ticket drawn:  Mike Shepherd $500
AND THE GRAND PRIZE WAS THE 180th ticket drawn:  Ron Irving $5 000
Kevin English sold the winning ticket.
All in all, a great evening was had!

Annual Elimination Draw Gallery

Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw
Rice Lake SnowDrifters Annual Elimination Draw

Winter is Coming

Hello Everyone,

Once again it is time to turn our thoughts to snowmobiling and the hope for snow.

Our Board of Directors and volunteers are beginning work on the trails to provide you with the opportunity to ride the best trails in our area. Trail maintenance, brushing, signage etc. must occur before snowfall so we are ready. As always more volunteers mean we can open trails more quickly. We need volunteers. We are only a small group of people and in order to provide the best trails we can we
need people to step forth and help. Even if you can only spare a few hours we could use you. Please contact any member of the Board of Directors (listed below) to find out how you can help.

We are looking forward to seeing you on the trails this season. Our goal is to roll out the white carpet early and to have a long and satisfying winter season on the trails.  Please read further for more details about what the OFSC, District 3 and the Rice Lake Snow Drifters are up to.

The Rice Lake Snow Drifters are a member of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs and District 3.
Information about us and our trails can be found at ricelakesnowdrifters.com, district3ofsc.ca or ofsc.on.ca
Rice Lake Snow Drifters

A message from the Board of Directors of the Rice Lake Snow Drifters

To our landowners, club volunteers, and fellow snowmobilers, We look to the upcoming snowmobile season with great anticipation. We and our volunteers will be brushing trails, placing field stakes, and affixing signage in
preparation for busy trails when the snow arrives.

Our generous landowners are the foundation of our 130 km trail network. It is with their permission that we provide the best possible riding conditions with our grooming equipment and experienced operators. It is through the sale of trail permits that we fuel the groomers, maintain bridges, and keep signage to the high standard that earned us Ontario Club of the Year in 2017.

We wish to highlight two major projects over the past two years. The significant storm cleanup south of Stoney Lake just prior to last season, and the completion of our new covered bridge over the Ouse River at 3rd Line Asphodel. Both projects were made possible with Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs funding and volunteer time and resources.

As a non-profit organization with finite volunteer time and resources, we are beholden to our over a hundred landowners as we cannot compensate them enough for their generosity. We do distribute gift cards with written thank yous in the spring and draw for ten turkeys to deliver at Christmas time. We have not yet finished all our thank yous from last season. Please reach out to us if you have not yet received, so we can update your contact information and the land use permissions we have on file!

Please honour the efforts of your club volunteers with safe and responsible riding this season. Be a great trail ambassador and deliver a wave and a thank you to our much-appreciated landowners.

Yours on the snow,
Your Rice Lake Snow Drifters team at 705-295-SNOW (7669)

We are hiring groomer operators!

- Night-time grooming operations November 2023 to March 2024.
- Heavy equipment experience necessary, with training for snow grooming provided.
- Part-time hours, weather-dependent, in new and comfortable equipment.
Please call Nathan Jackson at 705 872 1353 to inquire.

Permits are available for sale on Sunday, October 1st online at ofsc.on.ca.    

Seasonal Permits:
Until November 1st - $214 plus $7.50 processing fee
November 2nd – December 1st - $244 plus $7.50 processing fee
December 2nd on - $294 plus $7.50processing fee

Classic Permits (1999 and older):
Until December 1st- $171.20 plus $7.50 processing fee
December 2nd on - $201.20 plus $7.50 processing fee

Multi Day Permits (2 consecutive days minimum)
More details to follow

GIFT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 1, 2023

Please choose RICE LAKE SNOW DRIFTERS as your club to support. A portion of your permit dollars comes back to our District to support trails in this area.

**PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL NOT BE A
TRY OUR TRAILS FOR FREE THIS SEASON.**



It is imperative that if you ride the trails you have a permit. The OPP and Trail Patrol will be out on the trails ensuring that this occurs. So much of our ability to work on the trails, groom the trails and provide safe and rideable trails depends on permits being bought. Without permits there is no revenue to complete this work which means trails will close. Thank you in advance for buying your permit.

Rice Lake SnowDrifters
RLSD

LAND OWNERS


Without them we have very few trails. Your cooperation is essential if you enjoy riding a variety of trails in any area of Ontario especially ours.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE:
Stay on the trail – driving over a farmer’s field may damage crops that have been planted already (yes this happens) or damage a field that is ready for spring planting. It looks like fun to you to whip around the field but to the farmer it could mean they withdraw their permission to ride through their property.
Leave gates and fences alone. If a gate is closed or a fence is up it is for a reason
Leave tracks not trash
Avoid farm animals and pets that may be along the trail
Do not four wheel, ATV or dirt bike on trails. You have no permission to do this. Our land use agreements with landowners are for snowmobiling only. Plus four wheelers, ATV’s and dirt bikes wreck the trail. If you are seen on the trail the OPP will be alerted.
Check the Interactive Trail Guide at ofsc.on.ca to ensure the trail is open. Just because there is snow does not mean a trail is ready or a landowner has allowed us to open the trail yet.

We are very thankful for our 100 + landowners.
Please show RESPECT for their land.

SAVE OUR TRAILS

OFSC Issues Urgent Appeal To Save Our Trails
Snowmobile Trails, A Unique Winter Asset Benefitting All Ontarians

Rice Lake SnowDrifters

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEED BADLY

We are a dedicated group of snowmobile enthusiasts but our number of volunteers are dwindling.  Please know that we will do the best we can, but the trails can only be as good and ready as the number of volunteers we have.  We could use people who would be able to put in signs along the trails, help with maintenance such as brushing back of trails, etc.  It is important that you understand unless a trail is ready and has proper signage we cannot open it.  So if you have any time that you could spare we would really appreciate your help.  The more help we have the faster we can open trails for everyone's enjoyment.  As well we could use more people on our Board of Directors that make the decisions on the permit holders' behalf.  Please consider attending one of our meetings.

Please contact Nathan Jackson 705-872-1353 or Kevin English 705-696-2009 if you can help.

Rice Lake SnowDrifters

Driver Training

Registration Available Now for Students 12 Years and Older Online Driver Training

Between the ages of 12 and 15? Over the age of 15 and do not possess a valid Ontario Driver’s License?

Then you need to successfully complete an Ontario-approved Snowmobile Safety Course before riding on public lands. SNOWMOBILEcourse.com is a delegated provider for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs. Visit ofsc.on.ca/drivertraining

Meetings – Everyone welcome to attend

Our meetings are held at Glen Isle Business Offices, 15 McCallum Pt, Keene, Ontario beginning at 7:30 pm. We are always looking for new ideas and creative people to assist us.

Our regularly scheduled meetings are:

Monday, October 16th
Monday, November 20th (AGM)
Monday, December 18th
Monday, January 15th
Monday, March 18th
Monday, April 15th

Rice Lake Snow Drifters Board of Directors:

President – Nathan Jackson (also groomer coordinator and our representative on the District 3 Board of Directors) 705-872-1353
Vice President – Kevin English (also groomer coordinator) 705-696-2009
Treasurer- Doug Luff 705-295-4321
Secretary – Sherri Luff 705-295-4321
Executive Director – Julie English
Director – Nick Crowder
Promotions – Donna Atkinson
Inspection of Trails Coordinators – Ken Edwards (southern trails), Dean Crowder (northern trails)


All of these people can be contacted by
calling 705-295-SNOW (7669)
Or email us at ricelakesnowdriftersd3@gmail.com

Safety

Safety is huge in our sport. If you see any issues on our trails that require our immediate attention please contact us. We would like to know if trail maintenance is required, signs are missing or if in general there is a problem.
We would also like to hear of erratic drivers or if you see 4 wheelers, ATVs or dirt bikes on our trail. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure others safety.
Please obey the speed limit of 50 km per hour and DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL OR DRUGS when DRIVING!!!! Call police if you see any concerns with snowmobile riders on the trails and especially if you see vehicles other than snowmobiles on the trail as they are NOT ALLOWED ON OUR TRAILS!! The more reporting the more the OPP will monitor trails so
REPORT, REPORT, and REPORT!!!!
Call us at 705-295-7669, email us at ricelakesnowdriftersd3@gmail.com or call Kevin English at 705-639-2009 or Nathan Jackson at 705-872-1353.
Please visit ofsc.on.ca for more information on Safety.

Did You Know?

- The OFSC, District 3 and Rice Lake Snow Drifters believe WE ARE ONE. This means that we are all in this together for the enjoyment and safety of our riders.  With common goals, practices, policies and procedures we can provide snowmobilers with a great experience.
- OFSC trails and permit buyers generate 6 billion dollars in economic activity in the winter months.
- The OFSC has a fleet of 280 industrial groomers.
- There are 18000 private landowners that allow snowmobilers across their property.
- There are 30 000 kilometres of trail in Ontario
- The OFSC website has over 1.5 million views per year.
- The Interactive Trail Guide or ITG is your up to date resource for what trails are open (green), limited (yellow or caution) or closed (red). Riding on trails not open or RED is dangerous and you will not be covered by insurance. Red means the trail is not safe to be open.
- There will be no Try Our Trails this year.
- You can buy a special events permit for riding in an event that a local club is doing. These are available online only.
- Trail Patrollers do have the right to stop you as they are the agent for the
landowner who we have a land use agreement with. They can ask you for your information which can be reported to the police. If you are riding without a permit you are trespassing.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE TRAILS THIS SEASON!

Rice Lake SnowDrifters

2022 Storm Damage    

There was a lot of damage done from the storm in 2022.  Here's a few images of our cleanup of the trails affected.

Rice Lake SnowDrifters

New Bridge    

Check out our new bridge over the Ouse River!

Rice Lake SnowDrifters

Stay up to date with trails

Trail Status Reports 

  • Download the Interactive Trail Guide HERE
  • Mobile-friendly trail apps available for: iOS, Android & GPS 

Status: AVAILABLE when route is GREEN
The identified route is accessible with the understanding that the trail will likely vary considerably in quality, attributes and terrain over its length.

Status: LIMITED AVAILABILITY when route is YELLOW
Access to the identified route is limited with marginal riding opportunities, snowmobilers enter with the understanding that they should exercise extreme care and reduce speed.

Status: UNAVAILABLE when route is RED
The route is not available at this time, access is prohibited and anyone entering the property may be trespassing.

Many Thanks to our Amazing Sponsors!

Please Support them if you are able.

Contact Details

FOR THE RICE LAKE SNOW DRIFTERS

General Club Contact

or comments - either way, we're social!

Rice Lake Snow Drifters
PO Box 125
Keene, ON - K0L 2G0
The Snow Line:  705.295.SNOW
Rice Lake Snow Drifters

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