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BLUE SKIES ABOVE: "We only saw two other Ski-Doos that day, so I figure we were the last of the hardcore sledders—or we were a little crazy," said Ian Mcleod. —photo by Perry Knight

SO MUCH POWDER: Earlier in the season, Perry Knight, one of the directors of Club Snow Portage La Prairie, busted through the powder at West Yellowstone. —photo by Wes Suneart

After a great sledding season, Ian Mcleod, of MacDonald, Manitoba, wrapped up the season this year with a ride like none other.

Mcleod and fellow directors of Club Snow Portage La Prairie, Perry Knight and Allen Cuthbert, headed out on April 15 for their last day of riding near Lake Manitoba. McLeod described it as a ride unlike anything in the winter because of the unseasonably warm weather they experienced.

"It seemed weird—a few miles off of the shore, there was no snow and we were sweating because it was 20 degrees," said McLeod. "It didn't seem right." He added,"I'll remember that one because we were riding in short sleeves."

They were able to ride from Delta Beach east 10 miles, but were halted because of melting snow and unsafe lake conditions.

"Normally we would have had another week or so, but the unseasonably warm weather made things too unstable," said McLeod.

According to McLeod, snow conditions that day were nice and slushy. And the inch or two of water in a few spots was very good for trying to snow/soak fellow riders.

"No doubt Allen won that one, all I saw was it looked like two jet-skis were making wakes while crossing one shallow puddle with Allen 'waking' Perry," McLeod said.

It was a great finish to what he described as one of the best winters in Central Manitoba. An abundance of snow and a lack of really windy days had left all the open areas very level, which meant getting to the trail was much easier and faster as there were no moguls to contend with. And McLeod certainly took advantage of the excellent riding conditions.

"Even having a busy winter schedule, I got on over 1,700 miles, 300 or 400 miles being at West Yellowstone," he said. "I find having a winter hobby you love really makes the winter cruise by."

And it sure was a busy season for McLeod as he helped lead the Polaris Way-Out-Woman (WOW) Relay riders on their Cross-Canada ride that raised over $200,000 for breast cancer research.

"It also makes you feel like you can give back something to the community when you belong to an organization which provides another form of recreation to break up the long winters we have," McLeod said.

For more information about Club Snow Portage La Prairie, go to www.clubsnowportage.com.