Luke showcases what’s new from Polaris for model year 2026 and provides his thoughts on the new Voyageur 155 and the new narrow 39-41″ Escape front suspension now offered on the 2026 Switchback Assault.

Then AJ and Mark showcase the touring opportunities within the Ontario Highlands and why this amazing part of Canada has been the home of SNOWTRAX for generations.

This according to preliminary results from a yet-to-be published University of Guelph study entitled “The Physiological Assessment and Analysis of the Physical Demand of Riding a Snowmobile”.

“This news will come as no surprise to snowmobilers across Canada who ride all winter,” commented CCSO President Dale Hickox. “Snowmobiling gets you outdoors, breathing fresh air and being active with friends & family – and that simply makes you healthier and better able to cope with life’s challenges.”

But the fact is that many North Americans fail to get at least 150 minutes weekly of moderate to vigorous activity as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. This deficiency is compounded in the winter as North Americans burn 15-20% fewer calories in weekly recreational activities. It should be noted that physical inactivity accounts for 15% of the 1.6 million chronic health conditions diagnosed each year. Typically, chronic health conditions consume 67% of all direct health care costs and cost the Canadian economy $190 billion annually in treatment expenses and lost productivity.

This snowmobiling health study indicates that participating in snowmobiling is one good way to achieve the better physical conditioning that keeps people healthier and helps prevent chronic health conditions. Conducted in 2016/17, the study evaluated the physical demand of snowmobiling, considering both cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal demands. It also examined if activity location would play a role in the physical demands.

Considering early results researchers compared the snowmobiling health study results to the American College of Sports Medicine’s Compendium of Physical Activities. This tool defines activities by their aerobic demands as a metabolic equivalent (MET). A MET is a unit that represents the amount of energy required to maintain human function while sitting or lying awake at rest. Therefore, an activity of 3 METs would be 3 times more demanding than rest.

Moderate intensity activities range between 3-6 METs. Snowmobiling falls into this category, as the average METs for groomed trail riding scored almost 4 METs, while mountain riding came in closer to 7 METs. All in all, this puts snowmobiling in the same physical activity range as other winter activities like chopping wood, snow shovelling, and recreational ice-skating and snowshoeing.

A balanced lifestyle also includes good mental health. According to a major depressive disorder study by researchers at Duke University, physical activity is also effective in beating those winter blues. Together, these findings suggest snowmobiling is good for both body and mind.

The CCSO and its snowmobiling health study funding partners: the International Association of Snowmobile Administrators (IASA), Arctic Cat Industries, Ski-Doo (BRP), Off Road Business Association (ORBA), Royal Distributing Inc., Colorado Snowmobile Association (CSA), Snowmobile North Dakota (SND), Glacier House in Revelstoke BC, Haliburton Forest Wildlife Reserve in Haliburton ON; are committed to winter family recreation and the healthy, active lifestyle benefits associated with recreational snowmobiling.

The Supertrax Magazine / Steadymate / Byers Motorsports Team had a great season finishing strong in points in their respective classes.

Kyle did an amazing job this season for it only being his second year racing. Out of 25 racers, some of which have raced for many years, he finished 6th place overall finishing 8 points outside of 5th. He finished out the season with 4 podium finishes and 4 moto wins.

Jamie had a great year as well finishing on top of the podium overall in 3 of his 4 class. He finished 3rd in both the Semi-Pro Regional Stock and Open classes. In the National Class Jamie finished 3rd in Semi-Pro Stock and 4th in Semi-Pro Open. He had six Top 3 finishes and captured his first Semi-Pro win in Kitchener to end off the year.

Here’s a quick recap of the season:

The season started off in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario with competitors coming from all over Ontario and Michigan. Kyle had tough luck in his Sport 600 final running upfront before getting tangled with another rider finishing 8th. In the Semi-Pro Open final Jamie was running strong in 4th before coming off with one lap to go placing 12th. His Semi-Pro Stock class went much better in the final after starting back row battling his way to a 5th place finish.

The next stop was across the border into Michigan for the Can-Am Challenge in Gaylord Michigan. A great track led to some awesome racing and the team found themselves very comfortable and fast on the track. Kyle competed in the Sport A (similar to Sport 600) and Sport B Classes. Kyle placed 8th in Sport A and rode a strong race in Sport B placing 2nd. Jamie had an awesome weekend in the Semi-Pro class winning 3 moto’s total and finished 3rd in both finals.

Our second National event was held at the Lindsay Fairgrounds where the track was a Supercross style course: very tight. A crash in Kyle’s first race on Saturday took him out of Saturdays racing and his sled was in no shape to race the rest of the weekend. On Sunday he jumped aboard Jamie’s stocker, went out and won one of the moto’s and finished 6th in the final. In Jamie’s Stock Class, he was grabbing every holeshot and in the final was running 2nd before getting taken out on the last lap finishing up 9th. In the Open on Sunday, Jamie finished 5th.

The Georgian Cup in Owen Sound was bumped back a couple of weeks to guarantee more snow a better track for the racers and spectators. Kyle finished 8th in his Saturday’s Sport 600. In Sundays 600 final, Kyle grabbed the Holeshot but got tangled with another rider in the second corner placing him 12th at the flag. Jamie struggled in the stock class starting back row finishing 7th. In the Open Final, Jamie got his third podium finish in 3rd.

Georgian Downs in Barrie held a great event once again this year with action under the lights on Saturday night. Kyle finished 4th in Saturday night’s, extended lap, Sport 600 final. On Sunday, he grabbed the holeshot in the final but fell back early and held on for a podium finish in 3rd. Jamie finished 5th in Saturday’s Semi-Pro Open final under the lights and 6th in the Stock final after coming out of the first corner in 12th.

1,000 truckloads of snow were brought into Hiawatha Downs in Sarnia to make an amazing track for the ISOC/CSRA National Event. Kyle didn’t get to see the track until Sunday morning, therefore was at a bit of a disadvantage to some of the other racers in the class that had raced in the 500 or Semi-Pro stock class previously. Tough moto races qualified Kyle back row for the final where he battled his way up to 6th for the finish.

Jamie qualified for the ISOC Semi-Pro Open final on Friday night finishing 10th. In the CSRA Semi-Pro Stock Final, Jamie grabbed the holeshot and led for half a lap before getting tangled up with another racer throwing him off the sled. He was able to get back up and finish 8th. He had great runs in the Open motos with 1st and 2nd finishes. Unfortunately in the final Jamie experienced bad luck and a mechanical failure on the 2nd lap but was able to hold on for 7th.

The next Regional event took place up in Kirkland Lake. Kyle was very fast on Saturday having strong moto finishes and a Podium 3rd place in the final. On Sunday, the track condition changed and was firmer. Kyle experienced bad luck and came off in both motos and didn’t qualify for the final. Jamie had a good run in the Semi-Pro Open final finishing 3rd at the checkered after going off the track on the second lap. Jamie didn’t compete in the Stock Class as he headed out to Montana with the Supertrax Crew to shoot the 2011 sleds.

Warm weather previous to the Kitchener event had all the racers wondering if it would be a go. Surprisingly the CSRA was able to pull it off and make a great track. Kyle held on for the Podium 3rd place finish in Saturday’s Sport 600 but unfortunately did not qualify for Sunday’s final. Jamie came out flying in the Open class and led the Final from start to finish for his first Semi-Pro Final Victory. In the Stock class he had another great run grabbing the holeshot in the final but blew a berm and battling back up for a 3rd place podium finish for the last race of the season.

Jamie, Kyle and (mechanic/owner) Rob Byers would like to thank all the sponsors for their amazing and continued support this season: The Lester’s from Supertrax Magazine; Larry/Dorothy from Steadymate/Kinedyne; Jeff from Gamma Sales; Dan/Tom Jr & Sr/Bill/Norm from Polaris Industries; Rob from Amsoil; Brian from Dayco; Rick/Larry from Woody’s; Don from Creechers Design; Dwayne from CM Sports; Victor from SledPro; Paul from Powermadd; Steve from TekVest.

Thanks to our Great Sponsors:

Supertrax Magazine, Steadymate Tie downs, Byers Motorsports- Polaris, Gamma Sales, Amsoil, Creechers Design, Woody’s, Fly Racing, CM Sports, Dayco, Powermadd, TekVest, Sled Pro Photos credit Dwayne Young, CMSports.com

Team Arctic hillclimbers put an exclamation point on another dominating season of RMSHA racing with an outstanding performance at Beaver Mountain in Logan, Utah, taking eight class victories, two King titles and five season high point titles.

As has been the case all season, Team Arctic showed their depth at Beaver Mountain, with six different class winners that ranged from Juniors to Open Mod, from the M6 to the M8 HCR.

Les Keller put his M8 on top of the 1000 Stock class, and then went one better by taking the Stock King title ahead of the other class winners.

Amy Zollinger delivered another stunning performance, winning all three Women’s classes and taking the championship title in each. And Bryant Ropelato took Semi Pro Stock win and the King title, beating all Improved and Mod class winners in the process.

“It’s great to end the hillclimb season with eight class victories and two King titles,” said Mike Kloety, Team Arctic Race Manager. “Our racers go into the off-season confident that they have the best equipment to match their top talent and determination. And we’ll spend the next months incorporating what we’ve learned into the Team Arctic Hillclimb program to build upon its success.”

SnowTrax Television, North Americas most watched snowmobile enthusiast televsion show and Supertrax Media Inc are proud to announce this year’s winner of the SnowTrax Real World Sled of the Year, the Ski-Doo GSX 4-TEC 1200 SE.

“This year we picked a winner from a decisively different category than any of our previous choices.” commented SnowTrax Host, Luke Lester. “The GSX SE is not a mid priced sled. This is full jam performance trail sled. But, we just had to accept the fact that like all of our previous winners, this sled impressed everyone who rode it. Not JUST long distance trail guys either. We had a few hardcore testers who had to bite their tongue’s at the end of a long day on the GSX. Quite simply, the sled impressed virtually all of our discerning testers. I think that says a lot about the real world appeal of this sled.”

The Real World Sled of the Year award is in its sixth season. During that time SnowTrax has honored notable winners like Yamaha’s Venture GT, Ski-Doo’s 600 SDI, the Polaris 600 IQ, the Polaris Shift and last season’s winner the Ski-Doo 600 ETEC Adrenaline. While the 600 class appears to be favored, it’s not a rule and this season marks the first time a one up 4-stroke sled has taken home the top honors. The award is open to any segment or size sled.

This year the Snowtrax Crew were joined by the Supertrax International Magazine staff in their selection process. Supertrax Magazine is the largest circulation; most read and critically acclaimed snowmobile enthusiast publication in both the United States and Canada. The Snowtrax and Supertrax team employed the popular Supertrax ‘Best In Class’ (BIC) Awards process to assist in determining the nominees in a combined effort to arrive at the Real World Sled of the Year winner.

Where other awards pick winners at the beginning of a season based on, often times, only a brief encounter with a new sled, the Real World Sled of the Year is put through paces under every imaginable condition, on every trail surface our viewers might use it. The sled has to start and run reliably every time.

It has to be easy on the wallet at the pumps and it has to be capable of 300-mile days without leaving a rider feeling beat up. Important features like storage, wind protection, hot grip performance, gauge packages, ergonomics, adjustability and straight line speed are all taken into consideration before a winner is crowned.

SnowTrax Co-host A.J. Lester, stated, “Among the over 20 sleds in our fleet the GSX was continually on the trails, day after day. It was ALWAYS requested by our crew when planning a long trip and of all the sleds in our fleet, this one caused the most, lets say confusion, when it came time to swap sleds on the trail. No one wanted to hand it over!”

From the entire crew at SnowTrax Television and Supertrax Media Inc, congratulations to Ski-Doo and the GSX 1200 4-TEC SE for winning the coveted 2010 SnowTrax Real World Sled Of The Year.

Celebrating its 16th year, SnowTrax Television is a magazine format show that is packed with editorial content tailored to every type of rider. Each episode features in-depth product evaluations, instructional tech tip’s, destination features along with the latest news in the industry. Affiliated with national broadcasters TSN, TSN2 and A-Channel in Canada and the Outdoor Channel in the United States, SnowTrax Television is the most watched snowmobile show in North America.

From the time I was just a young sapling my dad would plop me on the seat in front of him and we’d ride his favorite loop of lakes from my home in Minden Ontario.

We’d head north to the small town of Eagle Lake, then west through the famed Haliburton Forest and Wildlife reserve to Dorset, then back south to Minden.

In total we’d run about 30 lakes, put on just under 150 miles and would ride through some of the most beautiful, scenic and untouched landscape Ontario has to offer.

This ride was something I looked forward to all week and it was something my dad and I loved to do together. More than once we’d stop along a particular portage between lakes, or if the stars were out and it was dark we’d stop out in the middle of a big lake and say to each other, “lets always remember this moment” and you know what, 20 years later I still do.

You need to understand that we didn’t poke around these lakes. When dad and I would be out riding together we’d be running fast. It was these times with him that solidified my love for riding and my addiction for speed (going fast).

There aren’t many places in North America you can actually do this type of running and Ontario is special because of its large concentration of lakes that freeze so solid and are networked so well.

Lake running is about more than just opening up the throttle and trying to break the sound barrier though. Being able to cover so many miles so quickly means you can go further from home easier.

Many riding areas keep you to one set of trails, but in Ontario’s lake country you can run every day for weeks and never hit the same trail twice.

The last thing that draws me to running lakes is the freedom. In Ontario there are no speed limits on lakes. I’m not suggesting that everyone should hit these lakes and run 100 mph, but if you’re going to, there’s no safer place to do it than on a lake.

I do need to stress the importance of safety and common sense if you plan to run lakes. Don’t think you should just unload your sled and take off on some random lake. If you’re not familiar with the lake your on, or running lakes in general, you simply shouldn’t do it alone. Go with someone familiar with the area.

A person with a solid knowledge of the area will know what lakes freeze safely, where dangerous spots might be and where the entry and exit points on that particular lake are. They’ll also know what else to watch for, like pressure cracks, rocks or stumps and ice fishing huts. If you don’t know what to look for and how to spot these things you can get into trouble fast.

Lake running is something that just ingrained in me. Its what I know, its what I do and its what I love. Its one of Ontario’s unique natural attractions and something every snowmobiler should try.

Visit GoRideOntario.com and plan your lake running vacation for next season and click here to watch this segment!

Fresh off winning 9 World Championship titles at Jackson Hole, Team Arctic hillclimbers delivered an encore performance at the RMSHA Pebble Creek race in Pocatello, Idaho, winning 11 of 22 class finals and taking the Improved King title.

Once again, the potency of the M Series line of snowmobiles proved decisive in the battle for the high country, accounting for wins in the 600, 800 and Open categories, including the all-important 800 stock class.

Coupled with wins in the Junior, Semi Pro, Women’s and Pro men’s classes, it was comprehensive crushing of the competition by Team Green.

Ten different Team Arctic Racers scored wins, with Sid Archibald taking two class wins and Scott Cheeney winning both a class and the Improved King title. The Zollinger family continued their winning ways at Pebble Creek, with Nate, Tony and Amy scoring one win each.

“Our racers have worked hard all season, and it’s paid off with two dominant performances in the past two weeks,” said Mike Kloety, Team Arctic Race Manager. “When we win half of the class finals and put 15 different racers on the podium, you know our racers and M Series sleds are the best in the world.”

Time is running out! You need to register online or at your local Yamaha Snowmobile dealer before April 15, 2010 to get your Yamaha Advantage Spring Voucher.

It’s the only way you’ll be able to get either a FREE 4-year warranty or $700 in Genuine Yamaha Apparel and Accessories when you make a qualifying 2011 Yamaha Snowmobile purchase before November 30!

There is no cost to the voucher and there is no obligation to buy. You simply go to Yamaha-advantage.com or stop by your friendly Yamaha Snowmobile dealer and get registered.

You don’t even need to make a decision on which offer you will choose in the fall. Voucher holders will be able to decide which great deal they want at the time of purchase – either the FREE 4-year warranty or the $700 in Genuine Yamaha Apparel and Accessories.

As an added incentive for all-new 2011 Apex with EPS buyers to come in to visit your participating local Yamaha Snowmobile dealer, you will receive a FREE Apex cover if you put a deposit down and make a qualifying purchase of any 2011 Apex model in the fall!

The clock is ticking. You need to register with your local Yamaha Snowmobile Dealer or Yamaha-advantage.com before April 16, 2010!

If there was any doubt about which snowmobile was the world’s best, Team Arctic snocross and hillclimb racers answered by winning a combined 10 World Championship titles and taking 29 podium positions.

At the FIM Snocross World Championship in Mala, Sweden, Team Arctic’s Tucker Hibbert won his first-ever World title in convincing fashion, going 1-1-2 in the round-robin format finals.

Just as impressive was the history-making Team Arctic podium sweep, with Sweden’s Johan Lidman taking second and Alaska’s Cory Davis taking third.

On this side of the pond, Team Arctic hillclimbers applied their skill with the incredible climbing ability of the M Series snowmobiles to win nine classes at the Jackson Hole (Wyoming) World Championships, including two King of the Mountain titles.

Highlighting Arctic Cat’s strength in all engine categories, Team Arctic racers scored wins in the 600, 700, 800 and Open classes to once again confirm that M Series Mountain sleds are best-in-class.

“Winning 10 World Championship titles in a single weekend is a huge accomplishment for Team Arctic,” said Mike Kloety, race manager. “Sweeping the podium in Sweden put an exclamation mark on another winning season of snocross. Taking nine hillclimb World Championship titles across the full spectrum of classes confirms the strength of our racers and crews, the hard work of Al Shimpa our hillclimb coordinator, and the performance of our machines.”

About Arctic Cat – Arctic Cat Inc., based in Thief River Falls, Minn., designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles under the Arctic Cat brand name, as well as related parts, garments and accessories. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the ticker symbol “ACAT.” More information about Arctic Cat and its products is available on the Internet at www.arcticcat.com.