RECENT NEWS:
UPCOMING MEETINGS:
Everyone is welcome to attend. Meetings are held at Glen Isle Business Offices, 15 McCallum Pl., Keene, ON - beginning at 7:30pm
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.
We have received several inquiries regarding trail closures in our area. Here is a screenshot of our club's trails for this winter. Only two minor closures are in effect: a short dead-end trail to the lookout off the Trans Canada Trail and a duplicate trail to Herkimer Point has been removed. The trail to Norwood remains connected to the gas station, and the dotted portion along Highway 7 is considered a service trail. Our area remains largely unaffected.
We look forward to seeing you on the trails this coming season. There is still time to purchase your permit at the early bird price.
Please visit ofsc.ca to purchase.
Get your 2025 Newsletter here: Annual Newsletter - PDF
Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday, November 17th at Glen Isle Conference Room at 15 McCallum Place, Keene, Ontario All are welcome to attend.
The purpose of our meeting is to review our financial statements for last year, election of directors, and discussion of the past year's activities.
Any other business by members can be included. Any conflict of interest must be declared.
After the AGM on the same date we will have our regular meeting with the Agenda being as follows:
Conflict of Interest
Monthly Financial Report
Trail Report
Groomer Report
Groomer Operator Report
Landowner Appreciation
Volunteer Appreciation
Turkeys
Map Boards and Advertising
District 3 Update
Risk Management
Projects regarding trails
Elimination Draw debriefing
AOB
We have received several inquiries regarding trail closures in our area. Attached is a screenshot of our club's trails for this winter. Only two minor closures are in effect: a short dead-end trail to the lookout off the Trans Canada Trail and a duplicate trail to Herkimer Point has been removed. The trail to Norwood remains connected to the gas station, and the dotted portion along Highway 7 is considered a service trail. Our area remains largely unaffected. We look forward to seeing you on the trails this coming season.
With respect to the lake trails, the White Lake Trail will be opened if it is safe to stake and if we have sufficient volunteers to assist with this. The Rice Lake Trail was removed from the ITG, as it has been closed for two consecutive years. This trail was only accessible when ice conditions permitted and volunteers were willing to stake and unstake it. We encourage users of this trail to contact the OFSC to reinstate the natural corridor 569-L. Please be aware that reopening this trail requires a significant number of volunteers to stake it using GPS coordinates. The safety of our riders and volunteers is our top priority, as the OFSC does not mandate the opening of lake trails. Volunteers are necessary for this effort. If you can provide assistance, please contact us at ricelakesnowdriftersd3@gmail.com if we receive permission to reopen it.
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.
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 of Kevin English 705-696-2009 if you can help.
Ways to be in touch or get information about or from us
Call 705-295-SNOW
Email ricelakesnowdriftersd3@gmail.com
Visit ricelakesnowdrifters.com,
district3ofsc.ca, or ofsc.ca
Or attend one of our meetings at Glen Isle Conference Room
15 McCallum Place, Keene, Ontario
on
November 17th, 2025
January 19th, 2026
March 23rd, 2026
April 20th, 2026
Also consider following our Facebook page Rice Lake Snow Drifters
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ON THE TRAILS
We look forward to seeing you all on the trails this winter. We anticipate a great season of snowmobiling.
On Saturday, October 25th we held our Annual Elimination Draw and what a night it was. While we dined tickets were drawn to see who would win the grand prize. Guests enjoyed a delicious roast beef dinner while anxiously waiting to hear if they won. Many raffle prizes were donated by generous supporters which added to the fun. Also a generous donation of Toronto Maple Leaf tickets by Elmhirst Resort were also raffled off plus there was a 50 50 draw. There were so many chances to win.
Crystal Lutes won the Maple Leaf tickets and Lyle Mieske won $510 on the 50 50 draw. We are excited for them to enjoy these winnings.
The Elimination Draw results were as follows:
$100 winners:
Brian Ferron - 1st ticket drawn
Katie Luff - 50th ticket drawn
Deb Fallis - 100th ticket drawn
Steve Gibson - 150th ticket drawn
Finally there were 10 possible winners who took turns drawing for the prizes
178th ticket drawn winning $300 was Sherry Gorrill
179th ticket drawn winning $500 was Pat Wilford
and the Grand Prize winner being the 180th ticket drawn winning
$4 000 was Peter Arnott.
GET YOUR PERMIT EARLY TO SAVE
There is still time to purchase your permit at the early bird price. Please visit ofsc.ca to purchase.
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 $7.50 processing 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)
$45 per day
GIFT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 1, 2025
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.
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 permit sales there is no revenue to complete this work which means trails will close. Thank you in advance for buying your permit.
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.
This year on our trails you will notice map boards at all entrances to our trail and at all intersections. The map will reflect our trails and where you are on the trail. Advertising on these map boards is available to purchase. If you would like to purchase a space or spaces please contact Nick Crowder at ncrowder@jdbarnes.com. A 12 inch square is $35 and a 6 inch x 12 inch rectangle is $20. All you need to provide is a business card with your information on it.
We are hiring groomer operators! Night-time grooming operations November 2025 to March 2026 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.
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.
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!!!!
YOU MUST CHECK THE ITG at ofsc.ca for details on trails that are open and trails that are closed. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.
RED means CLOSED,
YELLOW means USE CAUTION,
GREEN MEANS OPEN
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
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 industrial groomers that keep the trails groomed. We have 2 groomers.
There are 18 000 private landowners that allow snowmobilers across their property.
There are over 20 000 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.
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.
All directors can be contacted by calling 705-295-SNOW (705-295-7669)
