MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                   DATE: December 22, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OFSC Trail Riding Gets Started!

Carleton Regional Snowmobile Club

Effective Date: December 22, 2012

Grooming operations have now commenced for this snowmobiling season and the status of area OFSC trails is now reported as either “Limited Availability” (Yellow) or “Available” (Green) on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide at www.ofsc.on.ca.  All snowmobiles displaying a valid Snowmobile Trail Permit in the proper location now have access to OFSC Prescribed snowmobile trails, but the decision to enter and ride any given trail is up to each individual snowmobiler at his/her own risk. The OFSC reminds snowmobilers to make this decision based on personal experience and your own common sense evaluation of a number of current variables, including: weather, temperature, terrain, sled condition and present personal capability. The OFSC has published and promoted a list of "Assumptions for OFSC Trail Use" to ensure that snowmobilers know what behaviour is expected while riding OFSC trails.

Snowmobilers are advised to ride with extra caution at this time of year since early winter snow and ice conditions can be very changeable and unpredictable from day to day. Riders are also reminded that snowmobiling is an off-road activity that occurs in a constantly variable and uncontrollable natural setting, one that is totally different from travelling on highly engineered, regularly maintained, public roads.

OFSC trail riding is based on the fundamental assumption that it may not be practical or possible to maintain all OFSC trails at equal consistency or to remove all hazards. In the continually changing surroundings that characterize OFSC snowmobile trails, it is always prudent to expect the unexpected. Riders enter OFSC trails willingly and use them at their own risk.

Snowmobilers must also take personal responsibility to make smart choices and to ride an OFSC trail in a safe, prudent and lawful manner. A Safe Rider obeys all provincial laws, rides defensively with care and control, and exercises sound personal judgment at all times, including avoiding the consumption of alcohol prior to or during any snowmobile ride. Snowmobiling can be great family fun and provide many enjoyable hours of winter recreation— when riders make the smart choice to ride safely.

for further information, please contact:     Tim Krause 613-720-5959