Still Going Strong since 1996
Eastman SnoPALS is a regional snowmobile club formed in 1996 by the amalgamation of three smaller, local clubs from Pinawa, Agassiz (Seddon’s Corner) and Lac du Bonnet. This is how the acronym PALS originates. The SnoPALS is presently comprised of members from Lac du Bonnet, Seven Sister Falls, Pinawa, Whitemouth and Elma. Many member are also from outside the immediate area with many coming from Winnipeg.
The clubs objectives, as stated in the by-laws are:
- to promote safe, high-quality recreational snowmobiling;
- to develop and maintain snowmobile trails;
- to foster good relations with the non-snowmobiling public, and;
- to take collective action on matters concerning the membership.
The SnoPALS club maintains approximately 300 km of trails, stretching from Red Deer in the Brightstone hills in the north, Elma to the south, Seddon’s Corner to the west and Pinawa in the east. The trails connect with trails maintained by our neighbouring clubs, all part of the provincial trail network.
The SnoPALS have always been safety-oriented with hundreds of kilometres of trails cleared, signed and groomed annually.
The trails range from a nice flowing ride through a pine forest in the Canadian Shield to a straight line over an old rail bed through swampy and sandy pastureland. Every season, the all-volunteer crews clear debris and fallen trees off of the trails to allow for signage and movement once the snow falls. The club also has five warm up shelters along their network for use by snowmobilers. They are open anytime to allow snowmobilers to stop and rest, build a fire and enjoy a quick meal on the trail. Services are available in various locations along our trail system which are marked on our maps and destination signs.
Eastman SnoPALS does NOT encourage consuming alcohol and snowmobiling.
Snoman and Eastman SnoPALS encourage snowmobile riders to respect landowner’s rights when riding is not permitted on private land. Eastman SnoPALS is concerned about respecting the private landowners. Eastman SnoPals obtains permission from landowners where our trails use private property to link between trails on public land. We can only maintain these relationships with land owners if snowmobilers respect the private land and STAY ON TRAILS.
2001 New Holland Sur-track Groomer
The club has three groomer units, which are farm tractors converted to run on tracks. The club stations all equipment in our groomer building in Seven Sisters from where we groom nearly 300 KM of trails in the club’s network. Everything done by Eastman SnoPALS would not be possible without the core group of dedicated volunteers that work on our trails for nothing more than the love of it and the desire to see safe, groomed trails to ride on themselves.
In addition, the club has built and maintains five warm-up shelters located along the trail network. All the work of developing and maintaining the trails is carried out entirely by volunteers. This is remarkable when you consider the amount of effort involved and wouldn’t happen without the efforts of a dedicated core of people who love the sport.
As a club, we think of ourselves as a social network as well. We are online and we also have fundraisers to help promote safe riding and exposure for the club. For the past several seasons the club has held an appreciation Bar-B-Q at one of our warm-up shelters.
2005 New Holland Sur-Track Groomer
Half Way Hut was the site for two seasons in late February or early March to allow riders coming in from all over Eastern Manitoba see how nice our trails are. In March of 2014 and again in 2015, we held our Bar-B-Q at King’s Kook out to a responding success with over 70 people showing up in 2014 to enjoy some fresh Bar-B-Q pork. In 2015 our annual Bar-B-Q was held at our new building in Seven Sisters to mark the official opening our of facility. We have had several wrap-up dinners at one of the popular eating spots to thank all those who have worked on the network in the past and we try to organize a social event fundraiser in the fall to raise awareness for the club as well as money for club projects.
We hope you enjoy our trail system as you pass through our communities and make use of our services and facilities. Club membership and volunteer participation is always encouraged.
