The Search for the Perfect Ride—Part 1: Ice Caves, Trails and Snow

Perfection is a very broad word, and holds many different meanings for many different people. To me, perfection is riding a snowmobile on a crisp, cold sunny day, as the snow shimmers in the sun through the forest landscape. Some people may hate winter, but there is nothing that I love more than days like these… they make me feel blessed to be able to ride in the Parry Sound District here in Ontario.

A Bright and Early Start

Recently, a group of friends and I went out in search of the perfect ride. It was an ideal day for riding… we all woke up around 8am to the sun shining, and blue skies after a week of flurries. Excited to hit the trails, we ate breakfast, suited and fueled up, and hit the trails. Leaving McKellar on the 803 over to the Harris lake trail, we hooked up onto the C trail. Along the way, in a place called “Boy Lake”, we stopped and checked out the ice caves that had formed on a rock face that you can actually climb into!

These are super cool and amazing to see! While inside the ice caves, there is an upper level and a lower level—in the lower level, when you look up you can see amazing shades of bluey green, and icicles that look like a chandelier—it's beautiful.

The C trail is by far my favourite trail in the whole Parry Sound District. Wide with large rolling hills, beautiful bridge crossings and outstanding views, it runs adjacent to and underneath Highway 400.The C trail is just awesome.

Memories of Muskoka

After a beautiful ride south on the C trail, we arrived at my favourite place to eat while snowmobiling in the Parry Sound District, Blake’s Memories of Muskoka.

Memories is a roadhouse-style restaurant, with great service and great food (I had the chicken fingers and fries). Memories is a unique place, with cool trinkets and memorabilia on the walls—the atmosphere is very inviting for everyone! 

The Seguin Trail

With full bellies and warm toes, we suited back up and got back out on the trails. Taking a different way back, we jumped onto the 201 North, up to the C103D (aka, The Seguin Trail). I had never been on the 201 North prior to today but I really enjoyed the trail. For the longest time, it followed a summer maintenance-only road, so it was nice and wide enough that you could easily move over for oncoming riders.

Once on the Seguin Trail, we continued along to the C101, which we took north to the 804, over Lake Manitouwabing. A wonderful end to a great day.

The sunset over the lake was absolutely breathtaking, and when we stopped on the lake to snap a few pictures, the thought occurred to me that in a few months I’d be sitting in the same spot on the lake… but in a boat!

The amount of snowfall that the Parry Sound District has seen this winter season has been amazing for snowmobile trails. Was it the perfect ride? Well, it was a beautiful day and the ride was great… but it was also extremely cold out and we didn't go as far as I'd hoped. Maybe only a snowmobiler would be crazy enough to try again in this weather, but…

 Click here to read Part 2: Wildlife, Food and Friends

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