There is not much in Port Aux Basques. Except wind warnings, friendly faces and warm cabins full of family, friends and good food. Sledding is a lifestyle here. Unless that dreaded rain comes and then we all just look out the window and pray for snow.

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t sitting on a snowmobile. My parents bundled me up, put me on a skidoo and drove me into the cabin every winter of my life. My best memories have been made there. Now, I get to do the same with my young guy, and the tradition goes on.

Ripping up the trails and telling tall tales. Cabin hopping, bonfires and winter carnivals here in Grand Bay Brook (Cabin Country of the Port Aux Basque area) . Family and cold weather friends is something to look forward to when mother nature lets us have it. In my opinion, there are not enough months in the winter for all of it.

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beautiful province has to offer, especially the great outdoors! Of course, that little sister mentality still exists and she couldn’t do it alone. She still needed her big brother to come show her around and take care of her in case she got lost or stuck. lol

We arrived in King’s Point Friday night and though I’m from the area, I haven’t snowmobiled there in 20+ years so a little research was necessary. I reached out to Rob Clarke of Rob Clarke Motorsports in Springdale and he promptly responded with some great suggestions! Very much appreciated Rob! This guy really knows his terrain! Look him up if you’re ever in unfamiliar territory and need a guide as this guy has been everywhere (www.robclarkemotorsports.com).

Wake up in the morning to a cold cabin, because no one bothered to get up and put another log on the fire. So you throw on your snowsuit and start up your sled- the smell of a two stroke engine really wakes a person up in the morning. And if you’re lucky, it’s a blue bird day, filled with fresh powder.  No shortage of windlips to whip off here in this neck of the woods.

A place called Ugly Gulch is a much desired location for most. I believe a “rock the cover” for Sledworthy Magazine was won from there, flying through the air in this particular spot.

But my favourite is Moose Basin – the big hills and the deep pow we all dream about. It’s easy to spend the whole day in this zone we refer to as the Table Mountains. Always a hill to climb, fresh snow to make tracks on, or a buddy that needs digging out. You lose track of time, only coming in because you’re starved and can’t feel your toes anymore.

Keep the rubber side down has been a saying well known by a few cats around here and if all goes as planned you will do just that.   And at the end of the day, you come back to where it all started. A cabin so warm with heat from the stove and laughter from the people you care about most. A belly full and a cold beer cracked (post riding), ready to tell your stories from the day- with a few feet added for good measure. At the end of the day, you fall into your bunk, dead tired, just to wake up the next morning and start all over again.

So if you ever find yourself in the area, stop in at “Roosters Tonsils”, where everyone is always welcome.