On December 10, 2016, at approximately 8:30 m, Treherne RCMP received a report that two males from the Winnipeg area had been snowmobiling in Spruce Woods Provincial Park. The riders, ages 29 and 42, called 911 after they got lost on the trails.
Treherne, Carberry and Portage La Prairie RCMP officers, with conservation officers from Manitoba Sustainable Development, deployed with snowmobiles and trucks. The riders were located by RCMP after being lost for more than six hours. Both men were dressed for the weather and were able to start a fire as temperatures reached -35 Celsius.
RCMP would like to remind the public that these riders survived because they were prepared. Below are some basic safety tips to keep in mind when heading out on a snowmobile or on marked snow trails this winter season:
- Don’t ride alone.
- Be prepared: carry spare fuel, survival gear and ensure you are dressed for the weather conditions.
- When traveling in areas you are unfamiliar with, always make sure to carry a charged cellphone and GPS when you can.
- Travel on marked trails when in areas you have never traveled before.
- Always advise someone of what route you plan to take and when you plan to return.
- The law requires that you always wear an approved helmet.
- Snowmobiles are not to be operated on roadways, shoulders or sidewalks unless circumstances fall under other provisions laid out in the Off Road Vehicles Act.
- To cross a roadway on a snowmobile, a driver must have a valid driver’s licence.
- Like any other mode of transportation, only operate a snowmobile when sober and alert.
- Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is a minimum of 18 years old.
- Young persons over the age of 14 can ride without parent accompaniment, but cannot cross a roadway until they obtain a valid driver’s licence.
