Klondike Snowmobile Association
4061 4th Avenue Y1A 1H1 Whitehorse, YT, Canada

K.S.A. April board meeting is tonight at 7! In-person attendance is limited to board members only due to covid-19 restrictions, but everyone else is welcome to phone in or send us questions and comments for discussion. http://ksa.yk.ca

Now that summer isn't coming this year you might as well buy a snowmobile and join us! http://ksa.yk.ca

With easter weekend coming up there's sure to be a ton of snowmobilers heading out to enjoy this year's powder, so we'd like to remind everyone to please ride safe, respect the land and respect other user groups... - Learn where snowmobiles are and are not allowed before you head out. Maps, information and links about local trails as well as the Haines and Skagway summits are available on our website. - Never venture into avalanche terrain without proper avalanche gear and u...p to date avalanche training. - Slow down and be respectful when meeting other users on the trails or out in the backcountry. Most areas and trails are multi-use, so please be ready to share. - Ride safe, ride sober! For more information check out our website at http://ksa.yk.ca any time.

Heading out to Haines Pass this weekend? If you are planning on venturing into Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park please be mindful of the park rules (see copy ...and paste below and link). Enforcement is typical during the Easter weekend. Have fun and stay safe! Please be mindful while visiting Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park is open and while visiting the park, we ask you to please be mindful of the following before heading out to explore: Snowmobilers, please review where snowmobiling is permitted within the park [PDF]. Out of province snowmobilers riding on crown land in BC need to be aware of Section 7 of the ORV Regulations, and must carry photo ID and proof of ownership of their snowmobile at all times. Events are not allowed. As of March 15th, outside gatherings of up to 10 individuals can occur if those in attendance are within your bubble, masks are worn and social distancing requirements are maintained. See the current BC COVID-19 guidelines. Staying safe in the backcountry is your responsibility; outdoor enthusiasts need to be thoroughly prepared every time they venture out: educate yourself on avalanche safety and how to read the terrain; check the avalanche forecast prior to departing to ensure conditions are safe; make sure everybody in your group knows what to do if one occurs; leave a trip plan with friends or family; and always carry essential gear: a shovel; probe; avalanche transceiver; and Please be aware that COVID-19 has impacted search and rescue associations reducing their capacity and ability to respond. Practice an abundance of caution, and refrain from high risk activities, or simply, stay home. Enforcement will be present over the Easter long weekend.

International Snowmobile Safety Week is a great time to point out the benefits of basic trail etiquette. Just a little bit of trail etiquette goes a long way to making everyone's winter adventures more enjoyable, and safer too... - Always travel at safe speeds and slow down when meeting others. - Keep right on the trails. - Learn the correct hand signals as use them. - Never drive wheeled vehicles on the trails or otherwise cause ruts or trenches in the trail surface.... - When snowmobiling on groomed trails be gentle and consistent on the throttle, and avoid going brap brap brap down the trail. - Always give way to trail groomers. - Always offer help to others who look stuck, lost or injured. - Report trail conditions after each ride. - Join your local snowmobile club, they work hard for you! http://ksa.yk.ca/trails/trail-etiquette/ See more

With all the great places snowmobiles can take you, carrying a personal satellite based beacon or communication device of some kind such as an inReach or SPOT is a key part to staying safe. These devices are handy to communicate with when outside of phone service, the call for help features are worth every penny when things go wrong, and they're highly portable so you can bring them on all of our outdoor adventures year-round. And a special deal for International Snowmobile Safety Week - Snowmobilers can now get $50 off the purchase of any new SPOT device! Check it out today at http://ksa.yk.ca//globalstarcanadaandcanadiancouncilofsno/

Do you know how thick the ice should be on a frozen lake before snowmobiling on it? Do you wear ice escape picks or any other water safety gear? Drowning continues to be a leading cause of snowmobile related deaths across the north, so these are fair questions to ask your riding buddies... http://ksa.yk.ca/ice-safety

Snowmobiling in the mountains where the big powder is looks like fun, and it is! However, any snowmobilers going into the mountains need to be avalanche aware and avalanche prepared. Never go into potential avalanche terrain without first taking an avalanche training course, and always carry a beacon, probe, shovel, and other avalanche safety gear. For more information check out some of these great links: http://ksa.yk.ca/safety/ http://ksa.yk.ca/safety/avalanche/ https://www.avalanche.ca/ http://www.yukonavalanche.ca/

Here's a fresh case study for International Snowmobile Safety Week - In the news from B.C. this week is a perfect of example of why every snowmobiler should always be prepared with adequate survival equipment and know what to do when things aren't going so well. This group followed almost all of the recommended safety tips and could not have asked for a better outcome. Also a huge shout out to the search and rescue teams, they do good work!