Snowmobilers in northwestern Ontario are still looking for a little more snow.

Trails managed by area clubs remain closed because of a lack of snow.

Audrey Robb of the Northwestern Ontario Snow Trails Association says they have experienced this before.

“Well, every community is a little bit different, but I was looking at Dryden’s posts on Facebook last year. It’s about the same amount of snow. Thunder Bay had actually started a little bit earlier, but trails don’t normally start opening up until about the middle of January once we can build up the highway crossings,” says Robb.

Robb says another 12 to 16 inches of snow would help get trails open.

She says some clubs are still preparing for an eventual opening.

“They’re out staking the lakes right now, and some clubs still need to brush some trails. I did have one groomer out (this week) trying to push some snow to make some crossings, and there’s not enough snow. But the volunteers are still busy,” says Robb.

Robb says the late start to the season is not expected to have much impact on trail permit sales.

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club usually puts them on sale in October, offering snowmobilers a rebate on the price well before any snow appears on the ground.

Some snowmobile clubs have events planned for later this month, but nothing has been postponed or cancelled.

” I know one club has an alternate plan in case we don’t get enough snow for their snoworama at the end of January. But I’m pretty sure that we will have enough snow to get our trails open by the end of January.”

Snowarama events for Easter Sales are planned for Atikokan and Sioux Lookout.

Other clubs had poker derbies and rallies scheduled in February.