Late October Snowmobiling

East of Lake Superior - Northern Ontario

Where: The Bluffs east of Lake Superior Provincial Park - 1500-1600' elevation

  • October Snowmobiling in Northern Ontario

    20% - 25% Chance

    What...October Snowmobiling? Enlighten me!! Snowmobiling in late October in Northern Ontario can indeed be an exciting experience, though it's not guaranteed. So, what are your odds of snowmobiling in late October? Surprisingly, as high as 25%. Looking back at my record-keeping of early season snowmobiling, every 3rd or 4th year would bring an opportunity for late October snow. Most recent years include: October 25th-26th, 2020 (10"-12" on the ground), October 31st, 2017 (10"-12" on the ground), October 30th, 2013 (6" on the ground). I also remember a year in the early 2000's that I was riding late October with my XLT.

  • Snowmobiling in October

    Ride on the Day of the Storm

    One distingusing requirement about early season sledding is to ride immediately after the storm, before, the next melt-down arrives. The photo on the left was taken on Oct. 23rd, 2020. The snow-depth doubled on Oct. 25th to 10", which was ample for light-weight sleds. On that year, I rode on October 23rd. So, what can we expect for Fall 2024? According to Environment Canada for the east of Lake Superior region, there's an 80-90% chance of above average temperatures for the next 3 months leading into the end of November. Unfortunately, this may not be the year for October snowmobiling or even early season snowmobiling in November, but you never know what Lake Superior will bring.

  • 1997 Polaris Super Sport

    Light-Weight Sleds For Early Season Riding

    The less weight...the better, this includes the rider too! The wider the skis...the better, in helping keep the sled afloat and the ski runners from impacting the ground. So how much snow do you need? It depends on your sled and your weight. My personal configuration is a modified, lean, 429 lb early-season fan-cooled sled with wide composite skis. As a rider of 200 lbs (dressed weight), I get by on a minimum 5" of snow. Will there be a late October ride this year, we shall see!

    Author: Dan Kachur - https://sled-x.ca