Good morning folks, or perhaps it’s afternoon when you’re reading this. Regardless, it’s a beautiful September morning here on the west coast of Newfoundland as I sit here on the deck eating breakfast, staring out across the lake and I can’t help but notice the chill in the air and the trees changing color. Like many who are eagerly awaiting snow, this time of year is the hardest to bare. We know we’re close but time seems to slow as if to build the suspense. This is the time of year when many of us snow junkies are already planning our winter sled trips, fine tuning our sleds and adding all those accessories or parts in preparation for an epic snowmobiling season. If the old adage is true, then it should be a great season as the dog berries are plenty and the trusty farmer’s almanac is predicting below average temperatures and above average precipitation!

For anyone that happened to read my previous article, last season ended on a high note for me as I found some amazing riding zones in my home town of King’s Point that I had never seen before. As great as this was to find, it came at the end of the season which only gave me that one day to explore. Unfortunately, it was one of those weekends when everything else went wrong and everyone that was supposed to show up didn’t for one reason or another. My trusty wife even abandoned me to study for some exams she had to write but I refused to let the beautiful day pass. I headed out around 10 AM and unlike most popular riding areas on the west coast, this area starts right behind my childhood home. Within 15 minutes I was climbing a gnarly hill, breaking a trail up through a crevice in the ridge. Once up top, I was in awe of what lay out before me and I was quickly reminded of some of my favourite riding zones on the west coast but this was all NEW and by the looks of it, untouched all season. Although, to their credit, anyone with any sense would not have ventured up through that crevice so I made a mental note to find a safer way back down. Lol

Much of my day was spent either climbing steep hills or side hilling across them, pounding through deep powder tree zones where I won’t mention how many times I got stuck but just that I was thoroughly exhausted once I finally got out. There were numerous over hangs that made for some very nervous drops that in hindsight I probably shouldn’t have made alone but in the moment seemed like a good idea. To top it all off, I also found some of the nicest perches overlooking the Valley and harbour (King’s Point) that I’ve ever seen. Last season was epic and I had a lot of amazing days in the backcountry but this was one of my favourites. Maybe it was the solitude, maybe it was the bluebird skies and abundance of snow in April but I swear this area is unique and a must visit for the backcountry enthusiasts.

Those that know me know that’s my niche, I love to explore new territory and find those little gems that nobody else has. It’s these new areas and just getting to them that I find the most challenging because you don’t know where you’re going and there’s no trail or defined direction. There’s no promise of anything the further you go and sometimes it’s a bust, but I’ve never yet felt like it was a wasted day. We may spend the entire day stuck in neck deep snow or in amongst the trees on the side of a hill where a sled has no business going but it’s always a lot of fun! In my opinion, this is true backcountry riding and the sense of freedom is unbeatable!