Spring has arrived in Canada but the Barrie Examiner reports that, following a major funding announcement, snowmobile clubs in the Ontario area are already looking forward to next winter.
The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs will receive $3 million from the provincial government to help attract more sports and adventure tourists to use the province's 40,000 kilometres of snowmobile trails. It is part of an initiative to promote the province as a prime snowmobile tourism destination.
The interior of USA's Yellowstone National Park opens for the winter season on Wednesday, December 19, 2007. Visitors will be able to take commercially guided snowmobile and snowcoach trips over snow covered, groomed roads to popular destinations including Old Faithful and Yellowstone's Grand Canyon. Xanterra Parks and Resorts provides lodging, food service, cross-country ski rentals and lessons, snowmobile rentals and snowcoach tours of the park. Details are available online at their Yellowstone website. Information on other authorized winter operations providing snowmobile and snowcoach trips into the park is available on the web at the National Park Service, Yellowstone website. Visitor centers will be open at West Yellowstone, Old Faithful and Mammoth, and the National Park Service website also has details of ranger-led activities and evening programs that are available throughout the winter.
The road from the park's North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to Mammoth Hot Springs and through the Lamar Valley to the Northeast Entrance and Cooke City, Montana, is open all year to automobile traffic. Updated conditions on all park roads used by automobiles, snowmobiles and snowcoaches are always available by calling (307) 344-2117. Starting December 19, visitors will also be able to check the status of park roads during the winter season online.
Today we have two end of week videos to put you in the mood for the weekend. As reported in our blogs, Beyond Borders and The Beach, the World's top surfers have been playing in the waves at Ex-Isla Alacran, Chile and the first video, posted by ironnnyandnicemaide, shows the many interesting activities and wonderful scenery available in the Pucon region.
Pucon is a small city located on lake Villarrica, at the foot of Mount Villarrica, a live volcano. It is near to two national parks and a large ski resort; quite a playground.
The second video, posted by aguscanal, shows snowmobile (Skidoo) tours in the Pucon Volcanic Caves Park.
Information on other authorized winter operations providing snowmobile and snowcoach trips into the park is available on the web at the 
