Multiple Wayfinding Choices for New, Returning and Current Riders
What’s Included:
• Interactive Trail Guide Goes Live Today
• Go Snowmobiling Apps Available December 1
• District Trail Guide Availability
(Barrie. ON; October 29, 2020) – As part of its Trails To Ride 2021 plan to deliver the best possible riding experience this winter, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is providing an update on ride planning and trail navigation tools. These include the Interactive Trail Guide, Go Snowmobiling App, TrakMaps for Garmin GPS, and district trail guides.
The OFSC expects its digital planning and navigation tools to be increasingly valuable to snowmobilers this winter, and to be especially helpful for the many new riders expected on the trails. These wayfinding platforms are updated regularly throughout the season to show current trail availability, a feature not possible with printed guides.
“We are very pleased to offer new, returning and current riders a variety of wayfinding choices this season,” said CEO Landon French. “Along with tens of thousands of directional and destination signs installed by club volunteers across our provincial trail system, we are confident that navigating OFSC trails will be as convenient as possible for everyone.”
Interactive Trail Guide: The OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) goes live October 29. Access to this free online tool is available from the OFSC website. The ITG is the only authorized source of OFSC Prescribed Trail information and riders are urged to refer to it often for route planning, to ensure that your proposed trip only follows available (GREEN) or limited (YELLOW) trails. As a reminder, here is what the ITG trail status colours mean:
In addition to current trail status, the ITG gives you one-stop access to the entire OFSC provincial trail system, showing where trails are, where they go, what they connect to, and frequently updating trail status.
An important Trails To Ride 2021 consideration for ITG usage this winter is that riders will also be able to view new in-season Flex Trail options for regional and local riding alternatives. These choices could be implemented if an area undergoes limited restrictions that might temporarily impact its trails or trail services.
Go Snowmobiling Basic App: For the 2021 season, the OFSC Go Snowmobiling App is available in a basic version that can be upgraded to the PRO version for a nominal fee. The basic app is free for permit holders and can be downloaded from your App Store for either Apple and Android operating systems starting December 1, 2020. As a starter app, it is intended to make basic trail information from the ITG available to every rider for your mobile phone, similar to what you would have using a printed trail guide, except with the benefit of trail status updates throughout the season.
Go Snowmobiling PRO: Permit buyers can upgrade to the PRO version for a low annual fee of $3.99. In addition to the basic trail information from the ITG, its premium navigation features provide the capability to:
• View exactly where you are on the trails whether or not you have cell service, Internet access or a data plan.
• Check out trail conditions beforehand to confirm your intended route.
• Locate trailside services.
• Calculate the distance to your destination and trailside services.
• See every detail with the improved, high-resolution zoom level.
• Save and share your trip itineraries.
• Add friends to share your location and saved trips with.
• Customize your profile with information about your sleds.
• Tilt your phone on the side to rotate the screen for mounting on your favorite docking accessory.
• See a list of the most recommended routes offering scenic views or unique experiences.
The OFSC reminds snowmobilers the ITG and Go Snowmobiling Ontario App are the only authorized way to view OFSC trail status, availability and changes for the 2021 season, making them your most accurate and trustworthy choice on the trails.
Trak Maps Snowmobile Ontario for Garmin: For snowmobilers who would prefer to have the OFSC trails loaded on their Garmin navigation device, the Trak Maps Snowmobile Ontario product is available for purchase on the OFSC website for $79.99.
OFSC District Trail Guides: For snowmobilers who still love their printed maps, the following OFSC districts are publishing 2021 trail guides showing data available at press time. Given the cancellation of their primary distribution method at snowmobile shows, these guides will mostly be available from your local club and through snowmobile dealers, trailside hospitality services, clubhouses, some tourism offices and other snowmobile-related outlets. For the most part, the district trail guides will not be available by mail from either district offices or the OFSC. The districts printing trail guides this season are:
District 1 – Eastern Ontario/Upper Canada Snowmobile Region (Ottawa-Kingston-Cornwall)
District 2 – Central Eastern Area Snowmobile Region (Kawarthas-Bancroft-Mazinaw)
District 4 – South Central Snowmobile Region (Newmarket-Orangeville-Sutton)
District 5 – Southwestern Ontario
District 6 – Snow Country Snowmobile Region (Haliburton-Bancroft-Ottawa Valley)
District 7 – Muskoka
District 8 – Mid Ontario Snowmobile Trails (Barrie-Midland-Orillia)
District 10 – Parry Sound Snowmobile District (Georgian Bay Region)
District 11 – Near North Trail Association (North Bay-Mattawa-Burk’s Falls)
District 12 – Sudbury Trail Plan (Sudbury-Espanola-Manitoulin)
District 13 – Algoma Sno-Plan Affiliation
District 14 – Timiskaming Abitibi Trail Association (New Liskeard-Kirkland Lake-Timmins)
District 15 – The Northern Corridor (Cochrane-Kapuskasing-Hearst-Hornepayne-Greenstone)
District 17 – Northwestern Ontario (Thunder Bay-Dryden-Kenora)
Throughout the coming season, the OFSC advises snowmobilers to check the ITG and Go Snowmobiling Apps regularly and frequently to plan your rides and reconfirm your route before starting each morning.
The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is a volunteer led, not for profit association that provides the voice for organized snowmobiling in Ontario. OFSC snowmobile trails managed by 200 community based, member clubs generate up to $3.3 billion in economic activity in the province each year.
