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[puckster_guy]

 I don't mind posting it here @Fort Wisers  puckster_guy@yahoo.ca I just made it home. Should be my last trip till after Christmas. I bought an old Skidoo Citation. So I can make it this winter once the snow closes my road. I'll do another trip report when I get in this winter. E-mail me anytime bro. Hopefully we can get together next summer. I retire in April or May. My first summer off in over 20 yrs. Looking forward to it.

[T-Bone]

My first summer off in over 20 yrs. Looking forward to it.

You've had an entire summer off in the last 20-years? I'm not sure I've ever had an entire summer off since I was about 14...

Hey...really...congrats on the pending retirement...I'm hoping to be there sooner than later myself, but still have a few more years....

[puckster_guy]

I was laid off between jobs at the time. It's still not really a summer off but close enough. I turn 62 in March and am debt free with a 20 yrs worth of pension at work. It all adds up to an early retirement. I've done my bit for God and country. It's time foŕ Joe to look after Joe.

[Oarin]

Trust me Joe, retirement ROCKS!! Been retired for 10 years after 36 years of teaching 6th grade. I still miss the kids, but not the States new regs. Keep your updates on your camp coming, it looks awesome!
 

[Fort Wisers]

I don't mind posting it here @Fort Wisers  puckster_guy@yahoo.ca I just made it home. Should be my last trip till after Christmas. I bought an old Skidoo Citation. So I can make it this winter once the snow closes my road. I'll do another trip report when I get in this winter. E-mail me anytime bro. Hopefully we can get together next summer. I retire in April or May. My first summer off in over 20 yrs. Looking forward to it.

Hey Joe!

Sending you an email this aft....
Yes let's get together, it's long overdue.
You're going to love having a sled up there.....the places you can explore up there in the winter will keep you busy for a lifetime.

And Congrats on the retirement!
Brent

[RHYBAK]

Hey Joe

Were you on the Dash 8 line?

[puckster_guy]

Hey Joe

Were you on the Dash 8 line?

Ya I'm building them. They're gonna continue the build in Downsview for about 2 years or so. Then it can be moved anywhere in Canada Likely staying close by, They need us to build it, for now anyway. It's moot to me, I retire in the spring and am gonna spend most of my summer at camp. We'll see how it plays out.

[Fort Wisers]

Got back last night from a quick one day turnaround trip to camp.
About 1-2 feet of snow, it's compacted a lot, gone granular and is quite wind blown (hence the variable depths).
There's a hard crust layer maybe 4" from the surface.
Lots of tree branches down including some large ones, assuming due to the wind and recent freezing rain, in addition to the snow weight.

Got the driveways cleared of snow and the pond cleared off.
We're hoping to clean up the ice surface of the pond in order to have a couple of family hockey "tournaments" over the holidays.
I'll get an ice thickness next time.


Heading up again this weekend...........

[puckster_guy]

 Solid, it's great you made it in. I was wondering what the snow was like up there. Sounds like a lot of work for a one day trip. I hope you have a good snow blower. I'm gonna try and hit camp between Christmas and New years. Maybe spend new years there I'll have to bring champagne lol. You going up soon?

[Fort Wisers]

Hey @puckster_guy we were supposed to head up tonight (Friday) for the weekend but the week (month) has spilled over and there's just too much going on to head North, such is life.
So, our next trip planned is over the New Year's week as well!

[puckster_guy]

My "new toy"  I just bought an older snowmobile in order to access my camp in winter. Roads are plowed to within 2km of my place and this will make my way in a ton easier. I'll prob explore the trails in the area as well.

[limacharley]

Nice little sled Joe; Keep us updated of when you go in this winter because I sled around the lake with another couple of guys who have camps on Kip. We'll make sure to drop in to see you. Always great to expand that social circle.

[puckster_guy]

Hey Luc. I am going up on Dec 28 to about Jan 3. If you guys are cruising around drop in. At least the beer will be cold. For sledding I still need to buy a helmet and a suit. I pick up the machine next week. Never had, or wanted a sled before however I never had a camp befor either. I gotta find some ice fishing spots on Lake Sheffield. At least I can ice fish there. Gotta get a ton of gear. Kijiji here I come. I'll do that in January.

[Fort Wisers]

Hey Joe,
Great little machine! Looks to be pretty clean.
Those 377 engines (assuming that's what it has) are pretty darn solid/reliable and they were used in a lot of skidoo platforms so the parts are cheap and plentiful.
For just putting around the yard working and maybe short trips on some local trails I just wear a heavy work jacket and pants.
A proper suit is obviously superior (especially on colder days crossing the lake), but heavy work clothes will do to get you by if the need be.
You'll be surprised how much heat comes out of the tunnel vents around your feet from the engine......
If the machine doesn't have grip warmers you may want to invest in them, they aren't expensive and all it will take is one cold lake crossing to realize they're well worth the money.

Be careful on the ice, check with locals who ride the ice a lot on your end of the lake, Kipawa does have a couple known spots where the ice is not great and a few areas where open pressure cracks do often develop.
I don't know your end of the lake well enough to know how it is in the winter.
Just be careful and don't ride on the lake unless you know for sure it's solid ice under you.

Kipawa is also notorious for heavy slush spots on the lake, the first time you hit one you'll think you've hit open water, the slush can get knee deep.
The slush pockets collect under the snow that's covering the ice and the slush never freezes, so you don't know theyre there until you ride over one and break into the slush.
When you break through the snow layer into the slush the whole thing just become an aweful mess, and when you do hit one, you'll want to do your best not to get stuck in one.
Everyone who's ridden Kipawa has been stuck in the slush at least once....LOL.

Carry a shovel and tow rope if you can, a spare belt and spare spark plugs are also a good idea.
A small axe/hatchet will prove useful if you trail ride as the winter drops a lot of branches and weak trees and once the branches freeze into the snow layer they are nearly impossible to move by hand.


Happy trails my man, don't let all of the above scare you too much, just want to make sure your first year with a sled up there is a good one!
I think you're going to have one heck of a fun time this winter.

Cheers

[limacharley]

I close my plant from Dec 21 until Jan 2nd so I may take a ride through your neck of the woods. I heard there's some walleye fishing available on the Kip river east of Red pine chute bridge and in a back lake not far from you.
Need to check that out.