Milder weather, lack of frost keeps snowmobile trails closed near Kemptville, Ont.

With all the snow on the ground, it wouldn't be wrong to think this winter was perfect for snowmobiling.

But mild temperatures have meant some trails haven't even opened.

"We've been opened and closed three times here," said Bruce Robinson, Trail Coordinator for the Kemptville Snowmobile Klub.

"I'd give it a 5 out of 10," he said, "because it was so warm, although the snow came in big quantity, it would disappear, so we lost our snow here in Kemptville twice."

Robinson says only around 165 of their 225 kilometre trail system could open this season.

"We have two trails that were never opened all winter because of water, and flowing water," Robinson said. "Not just still water but it's flowing, so you can try to make a snow bridge and it washes out."

Since rivers and lakes did not freeze, Robinson said they had issues trying to keep their club connected to neighbouring clubs.

"We rely on ice crossings quite a bit to connect to their clubs and without those ice crossings you resort to using a side of a road and bridges where you can normally just scoot across the ice," he said.

"When you leave in the morning for a snowmobile ride, you want to go visit some of the neighbouring clubs," he added. "We like to run down to Morrisburg for instance, or run up to Snow Road in Lanark area or maybe even over to Calabogie for the day."

"It's important to keep these connectors to each club going because otherwise your home bound," Robinson said.

Grooming the Kemptville trails, also difficult according to operator Ed Goetz.

He says this year has been hampered by the freeze thaw cycle, and a machine that can weigh more than 10,000 kilograms needs at least 15 centimetres of snow, along with frozen ground.

"The frost is only down maybe an inch, if that, and a lot of our trails go through swamp and we don't even want to try and tackle that with this machine right now," Goetz said.

"With the thaw, this machine went over and it cracked the ice and then the other machine, it bust through it so we had to push snow into it and hopefully get it to freeze up to make a bridge so they could get across with the snowmobiles," he added.

Robinson said the Rideau Canal is usually a good indication of what their riding season will be like.

For instance if the canal gets six weeks of skating, the snowmobile season will likely be the same.

Robinson says 9 to 10 weeks of trail use is average, but over this winter, they've only had four.

"I looked at the forecast, I think our trails will be open this week," he said. "We really like to get into March Break to give the kids a chance, to let their parents to get out on the trail, that's always a bonus. We normally don't make it to March Break."

"But on a year like this anything we can get is good at this time of the year," he said. "Normally we're closed up by the 10th or 15th of March."

Riders with thousands of dollars tied up in machines, permits, gear and insurance found themselves heading farther north to enjoy the season.

"I just came back from Petawawa and Mattawa area which is really good snow up there, they never lost their snow," Robinson said. "A lot of people ride in Quebec. We are so close to Quebec and they are further north and they get more snow."

"It can get really expensive," he added. "You've got a lot of money invested at the end of the day before you even turn a track."

But even with the shortened season, Robinson says there is a silver lining for the club.

"It sure highlighted some of our weak spots where we have water on the trails," he said. "Maybe we can fix up a few of those spots this summer and then if we get another winter like this we will be able to open more of our trails."

While both men said they will enjoy the final days of the 2022 riding season, they are already looking forward to next winter.

"It's all up to Mother Nature," smiled Goetz. "She can be really finicky when she wants to be!"

"There's nothing more optimistic than a snowmobiler!" laughed Robinson.