Snowmobiler stresses safety after riders go through ice near Labrador City
Three people survived going through the ice Sunday
Snowmobilers across Labrador are dealing with abnormal winter conditions, including relatively light snow cover, and in the wake of a near tragedy in western Labrador the head of a local snowmobiling club says every rider should be motivated to take extra precautions.
"The problem is [there's] not enough. Normally, snow is not a problem," Todd Kent, president of the White Wolf Snowmobile Club in Labrador West, told CBC Monday.
His comments came the day after Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers in Labrador City responded to a snowmobile going through the ice between Harrie Lake and Little Wabush Lake late Sunday afternoon. Police said three people were on the snowmobile and an attached sled, but no one was injured.
Kent said lower water levels in the fall and a lack of major snowfall so far this season have affected snowmobiling conditions — especially around shorelines.
"The rivers are not safe. They never are. There's always fast running water, moving water. So the rivers are always sketchy," he said.
"The terrain is rough for the most part, and we need a lot of snow to cover those stumps and rocks and stuff like that to really do a good job with the trails. So up to this point, we haven't got a lot of snow. We're probably one of the few places in the province that do have snow, but we don't have a lot and we just simply need more," he said.
Both Kent and the RNC are urging riders to stick to groomed trails and be extra careful if they're heading out onto bodies of water. Kent discouraged riding on lakes due to the lower water levels, faster currents, and rocks on the shoreline.
Some lakes do have enough ice that's thick enough to ride on, he said, but he advised extreme caution.
The Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations recommends at least five inches of ice for safe snowmobiling, and to make sure all riders have the proper safety equipment should ice conditions change.
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With files from Darryl Dinn
