I run Fugawi software and will input OFSC trails into the software so I can upload the trails into a GPS unit.
Has anyone already done this? That would definitely save me a lot of time and effort.
I bet many sledders would love to have this. Much easier to navigate the OFSC trails and not ever get disoriented.
OFSC has told me that they have no plans to provide this. Nor do they know of the existence of any file containing this data.

Kind regards,

Andrew Binks
Toronto, Ontario

I know of a few clubs that are collecting the GPS info for their trails, how they are going to use it I am not sure but it won't be long before the paper ones are available in GPS compatible format. It would be on a club to club basis not the OFSC. Try contacting the clubs where you ride and see what their plan are

Isn't the trail map distribution governed by the OFSC? It has been mentioned previously that the OFSC would never condone the distribution of GPS maps in electronic form due to liability issues in the event that the actual trail differed from the GPS "version".

I can remember seeing the phrase "GPS accurate" on at least one trail systems' map, but never heard of a club actually distributing the GPS info.

The OFSC is collecting all of the trails in Ontario via the Garmin GPS. They distributed the GPS units to the districts last year with the intention of every club mapping their own trails. This information is then used in the travel planner on the OFSC web site. The clubs also use this data to create the district maps when they make a new one. The only problem is that the data isn't pulled directly into the map but instead transferred by hand by the staff at the printing companies. The OFSC Trail Audit teams also collected the trail data as part of their audit process. I haven't heard if the data is going to be made available to the public. Maybe in a year or so when the collection process is complete. There would have to be a waiver stating that the trails may not be exactly as shown because they do change from year to year for various reasons. I have started a nice collection of trails as I use my Garmin whenever I ride. It saved my butt a few times last winter in strange areas after dark.

I've just been using mine for waypoints and keeping tracks of the day's ride. Given the inflexibility of loading a Garmin GPS with third-party maps (yes, I know it can be done but not as easily as it should be), it's more difficult than it should be to maintain one's own trail maps.

I always ride with my Garmin GPSMAP 60CS. It's saved me quite a few times.

I remember last year, riding up in the MOST area (near Thornbury, Ontario), and ran across a couple of Americans on the trail. Nice folks, they just came from Wiarton. Their complaint? Somebody had ripped out all of the trail markers up there and piled them up in one giant pile at the side of the trail.

They got so lost they were lucky to make it to Thornbury.

I think these pesky laywers are slowly destorying this great sport. If the OFSC has this information can't they release it with a waiver saying "we're not responsible if you're stupid enough to run into a tree because the GPS says to go there" ???

I remember stories of a person driving their BMW into a lake because the GPS told them to drive there. Did this person sue BMW? Did they sue the US Military for putting the GPSes into Orbit?

Having those maps available to download to both GPS and Magellin units would be extremely helpful. Hey, if they're off, they're off. Beats the paper maps with a scale so big they're almost useless when you meet that fork in the trail that you can't find on the map and there aren't any signs.

Anyway, just my opinion...
:cussing:

Yeah, I always ride with my GPS as well. I mark important intersections, gas stations, rest areas, etc.

I agree with you about the lawyers. Pretty sad situation.

there is such a simple solution to this problem. stick a gps on all of our groomers because they eventualy hit every single trail the ofsc has to offer at some point during the season. you would think after paying 300 bucks annualy for a simple sticker allowing you to ride the trails they could put some cash into it. the technologies there, its simple, cheap, going to help alot of people and maby take some of the scare out of the sport attracting new people. emagin a snowmobile comming stock with a navigation screen right on the bars that would be out standing. im sure many more people would get out and ride knowing they will make it home safe after a solid round trip, buisneses can advertise like gas bars reteraunts b/bs hotels dealerships, this all seems to be plusses not negitives. verry frustrating. get with it ofsc. stoners.:sleeping:

I totally agree.
I've been riding the trails this season since early December, we had more than enough snow out there and still till now (Jan 09 2008) barely any trails have been groomed or maintained, not to mention the poorly documented and marked trails, i cannot count how many times i've come to a crossing or intersection and not having any dam idea which turn to make (RIGHT? LEFT? Straight?) who freekin knows.

It's a sad sad thing when you start to really think about it (OFSC that is) where one will pay $200 - $300 for a trail pass and nothing is done all season on many of the trails, but think about this a bit, when things do get done who does them????? (Volunteers) thats who, so what does the clubs really have to pay for??? hmm a little gas money for groomers, some insurance, some printing for bad MAPS and a few baddly posted signs, i see more signs warning about using trail at own risk than telling me where the heck i am going.

Anyway thats my take on the situation and i plan on buying a new GSP unit so that i can start making my own maps of trips i like to take, at least i know i will get there.

Oh another thing, try calling your local club or OFSC and see if anyone will ever pickup the freekin phone!!!!. I recently had my windshield broken, so of course my permit was on it, so now what?? well i had to try and call them to get a replacement, no freekin way i was going to pay full pop for a new one, but i never ever got through, i gave up after three weeks and decided to cut the windshield with tin snips and put the permit in my compartment. If i get stopped and they give me shit for it i will give them one huge piece of my mind.:cussing: :wallbash:

This will be my 3rd year using my Garmin Legend. I have many trails on it, from Midland to Wasaga beach to barrie, orillia, south of barrie to lake simcoe to gilford to holland landing and holland river. Also east of Lake simcoe to Heart of snowmobile country to kawartha lakes to Haliburton and down to buckhorn and bobcaygeon. The gps saved me a couple of times durning a snow storm on Lake Simcoe, couldnt see a thing, so i followed the shore line on gps. Also riding back from Wilberforce to Bobcaygeon, once we got on Bald lake it started to snow hard, and at night you know you cant see especially on the lake, so i just follow my previous track that i made on my gps and made back to the cottage no problem. To have a gps is a great idea.

Go to www.geographynetwork.ca Select "Ontario BaseMap". Zoom into a specified area until the "Trails" layer appears. Then select "Download" option from the menu. Create an account, then identify the 4 corner coordinates you require, then extract the "Roads" and "trails" layers. They will be emailed to your email address as a ZIP file. Extract the Zip and it appears as .SHP files. Import them into a tool such as GPS Map Editor, turn the background to transparent. The OFSC trails are there. Remove Canoe routes from the map as they also appear. Save as .MP, then Export to .IMG for Garmin GPS units.
Rename gmapsupp.img to gmapsupporig.img. Copy your newly created file into your Garmin as gmapsupp.img. Go to map setting, turn on your new map. OFSC trails now loaded.

I'm new to this sport and was wondering where the best maps coud be bought for my Garmin GPS? For the Wisconsin area

sled gps .com has all the trails Canada and USA I thinks they are $49/region.