superior in every way

The eastern shore of Lake Superior is known as Algoma Country, a vast Ontario wilderness of deep forests, rolling terrain and rocky bluffs. With its proximity to the lake, the prevailing west winds bring copious amounts of snow to this area every season.

This rugged land is home to the legendary Algoma Central Railway. The railroad's main line runs north over 300 miles from Sault Sainte Marie to Hearst, and its trains provide passenger service as well as a baggage car for hauling snowmobiles in the winter.

International Snowmobile Tours (IST) first offered the Snow Train tour to sledders in 1980 with a round trip rail package that features several days of riding around Hearst. IST owner Dick Squiers has been taking groups on this northern excursion for two decades, but only in recent years is it finally possible to traverse the distance back by sled.

The towns are few and far between in this remote country, making good advance planning essential.

"I've come up here during the summer to scout the facilities, meet people and make advance arrangements," Squiers said. "When winter comes, they really give our groups the red carpet treatment."
The tours offered by IST are complete packages that typically include breakfast, dinner, lodging, guiding and a backup vehicle to haul luggage and disabled sleds.

This year's Snow Train adventure was an early March affair with seventeen riders, including Dick and his wife Cindy. The weather was unseasonably cold, but our hardy group was undeterred. Our train ride northward was a delightful sojourn through the snowy wilderness, broken up by scenic vistas. The highlight was the crossing of the Montreal River on a long, curving bridge and later its slow meandering through the famous Agawa Canyon. The 300 mile journey took ten hours, and we were greeted in frigid Hearst by subzero temperatures in excess of -20 F! Fortunately, the ride to the heated garage at the nearby Companion Hotel was just a short hop from the station.

Our first day on the snow was a grand tour of the Hearst area, riding an assortment of trails maintained by the local Voyageurs Snowmobile Club. Not only were the conditions superb- "I think I hit a bump a few miles back, but I'm not sure," Squiers chortled- but we truly had them all to ourselves. We didn't encounter a single snowmobile all day in more than 100 miles of riding. This amazing experience gave new meaning to the phrase, "uncrowded trails."

Our southward odyssey began the next morning with temperatures just above zero. The first leg was westward over gently rolling terrain paralleling both a pipeline and the Trans-Canada Highway.

Lunch and refueling were at Bambino's, a remote truck stop that was the only sign of civilization for many miles. There, we turned southward and traversed a variety of forests without many landmarks or roads along the way telling us just how deep in the back country we really were! Arriving at the town of Hornepayne, we settled in at the Centre Inn with 114 miles for the day's ride.

The next day was another cold, but delightful, ride on outstanding trails to Dubreilville, a bustling lumber mill town that was founded in 1947. After a hearty lunch at the local cafe, we cruised on 16-foot wide trails over a variety of terrain, passing through both deep forests and logged areas. The trail gave way to the Magpie River Reservoir, a frozen expanse that stretched for over ten miles allowing us some quick running over the snow-covered ice. Once off the reservoir, we motored through an abandoned open-pit iron mine- a barren and rocky landscape with huge piles of tailings on either side of the former rail bed we were traveling on. Then, after a journey of 138 miles, it was a quick ride down the length of Wawa Lake for our overnight stay at the eminently comfortable Bristol Motel in Wawa.

The next morning, it was off into the remotest backcountry. The first leg was to Hawk Junction, a small town on the Algoma Central Railroad line. Turning southward, we crossed the Michipicoten River atop a large dam, far above the water. Then we began our long trek to Halfway Haven, the only other sign of civilization on the entire route. The trail followed a high power line for a good portion of the way, taking us up and down large hills. For a long time, this area was virtually impassable to snowmobiles due to the great distance between fuel stops. Fortunately for hungry snowmobilers and their thirsty sleds, an enterprising couple named Gail and Steve Bonne opened their Halfway Haven at Jeep Lake six seasons ago, providing a much-needed waypoint in the midst of this vast wilderness. This amazing resort is 70 miles south of Wawa and 85 miles north of Searchmont. With cozy accommodations, outstanding food and a warm welcome, this establishment is a must-visit for anyone making a sojourn through this area.

Our final day took us back toward Sault Sainte Marie and featured more of the same great riding. The terrain became increasingly rugged as we approached Searchmont with craggy rock formations visible from the trail.

After refueling the sleds and enjoying a midday snack, the final portion of the journey brought the group to Heyden, a town just north of the Soo. I missed that last 40-mile jaunt due to a failed fuel pump, but it allowed me to test out the IST support vehicle, which appeared promptly and allowed me to rejoin the group in short order. The day's mileage was 147, making for a total of about 400 miles for the entire tour.

This season will be IST's 25th year in business with an assortment of tour offerings of varying places, durations and distances. For more information, Call Dick Squiers at 1-800-378-8687 or via e-mail at isti@iquest.net