Bye bye tires….

I’d say with yesterday’s conditions plus the snow coming this weekend if you’re using a machine with tires you’ll be out of luck moving around going forward. Something with tracks only time…

Last fall I was contemplating ATV with tracks vs Snowmobile.

I got a snow mobile because I've never had one but I started thinking I also needed a save my a## option too so we added tracks to the other ride this week.

I've heard good and bad things so we'll know Saturday when we head out.

$$$$

Nice ride buddy! Going all out this year!

buddy of mine has had tracks on his quads for years and loves them. but like anything you can still get stuck if it a lot of power.

Yeah nice setup and the tarp that’s the way to go. Those stupid covers they sell for quads are all junk fading and ripping easily. I go for a used pool cover tarp these days.

Some slush puts out there too.

Slow - too dam slow.

This is not compatible with a snowmobile, it's a smooth ride but it turns into go ahead then sit and wait for the other to catch up. One machine wants to fly and one wants to jog.

Yesterday was also a embarrassing learning experience for someone new to having rides, hopefully my embarrassment helps someone.

1) I do carry a compass but didn't bother to use it.

2) We Kept thinking the next light was the right area to head too only to lose sight and get turned around.

3) Thinking we have ride's so we can't get that lost because we pointed the machines back to shore.


We left after dark and ran into a solid white out so slow she goes and stick together, a case of you can't see anything.

We were about 6km out from Lavase and somehow when heading home we got turned around. When we did hit shore we were at deep water point but I though that was the village off sunset.
Thinking we were only off by a bit we need to follow the shoreline and we should be home soon.

After a few more KM we stopped to figure things out again because this is not right at all and then someone pulls out a phone.
(I didn't know we had a working phone still available in all farness)

Only off by 11km, so back we go.

Fishing was slow, so slow Temagami is on the list next.

Embarrassing, an adventure, a learning experience - I'll take it.

A learning experience for sure, all is well and you're alive.

GPS with Navionics is the bomb.

Arnie

Yes the shoreline can look the same until you’re right at it. Navionics saved me once before. But google maps would have done it too.
I agree you can’t beat the sled for snow and speed.
Maneuver around an ice wall and you come out in another direction.

My GPS leaves a bread crumb trail when all else fails....just follow it back.

Arnie

What Arnie said, I can remember a few times out in Georgian Bay, bright sunshine for an hour and then massive fog rolls in, couldn't see 50 feet past the boat. What I thought and what the old Lowrance GPS was telling me was unbelievable, but, trust your GPS. It brought me back to within 10 feet of the dock. That's when I also realized it's good to have a number of waypoints close to shore. Works the same for winter use.

Bang on...forgot but your post reminded me I always put a waypoint on where I access and remember the number. That way you can head directly for the access.

Arnie

I have numerous way points in parking lots for just that reason.

Apparently the tracks are still a challenge here on simcoe wife saw a post said he had the lake to himself when he blew a belt from the challenging conditions. He didn't recommend any atv or even snowmobile with a regular track. . Yikes

That's why i have my Skandic. Wide skins on the skis, fully enclosed belly and suspension, 24 inch super wide and long track, studs and scratchers, automotive stye radiator in addition to tunnel cooling loop. Will ride any conditions from bare ice for miles to snow covered deep slush for miles - just don't stop in the slush and knock off as much slush as you can once you get to where you want so the track doesn't freeze solid.

That being said it is not a good trail machine as it likes to go in a straight line and handles like a dump truck in curves.