Faced with the endless possibilities, a novice or newcomer would surely find some of them confusing. Just where should one start anyway?

"That's totally scary," says Ken Pearman, a long-time Yellowknifer and member of the Great Slave Snowmobiling Association.

"I would say anyone new in town should go with somebody who knows the area, and understands where not to go. You know, in an area where there's a narrows (on a lake) or thin ice."

Pearman was thinking about Martin Lake -- about 20 kilometres from town -- where a pair of snowmobiles he loaned to friends crashed through a treacherous section.

Two weeks ago Yellowknifer was at Martin Lake, when a number of snowmobilers stopped and mentioned they hadn't a clue where they were.

A snowmobile super highway cuts down the middle of the lake -- one end leads back to town, the other to Ryan Lake and beyond.

At the North end of the lake is a stream with open water. The snowmobile trail comes out only metres away. It's a common situation among many snowmobile trails around Yellowknife.

"If you turn right and go towards Vee Lake on the Vee Lake route there's a big tree across the trail," Pearman continues. "If you go underneath it, that's really thin ice there, and there's open water almost all winter beyond that."

Prepare to survive

Sandy McPhee of the Yellowknife fire department says they've only responded to one snowmobile-related incident this winter so far -- a Ski-Doo that crashed through Range Lake two weeks ago -- but they expect a couple every year.

Last December, 31-year-old Freda Hope sank her snowmobile through thin ice at Prosperous Lake, later succumbing to hypothermia when she couldn't find shelter.

McPhee says snowmobilers must prepare for emergencies whenever heading out on the trail. That includes dressing warmly, making sure your machine is in top running condition, and familiarizing yourself with the route you intend to take. Checking the weather forecast is also a good idea.

"You never know what the weather conditions might do, or change into," says McPhee.

Tim Forbes, a sales representative at Yellowknife's largest snowmobile dealer, Force One, says, while he couldn't give out exact numbers, sales have increased by 10 to 15 per cent since the store opened 15 years ago.

Trails, trails, everywhere

Confusing snowmobile trails are not only an issue outside of town, they're becoming one inside city limits as well.

In the City of Yellowknife's Dec. 6 newsletter, administration included a map of trails for snowmobile use.

"It's just to try and control snowmobilers so they don't get into trouble," says city public works director Greg Kehoe.

One area of concern for city officials is an easement near the racquet club leading to snowmobile trails on Back Bay. Though commonly used in the past, the city is trying to keep snowmobilers off this year due to construction on the nearby Niven Lake division.

"The town's growing and new people don't know where to go," says Kehoe, noting he's recently seen snowmobiles on the Frame Lake trail, where their use is prohibited.

Last Monday, a petition was presented to city council from Old Town residents, complaining that snowmobilers have been making a mess out of the ecologically sensitive Willow Flats area in recent years.

Fran Hurcomb, who signed the petition, says another of her concerns are the high speeds at which snowmobiles race by Joliffe Island.

"They go down at a 100 km/h, zipping through there," says Hurcomb.

The speed limit on Yellowknife Bay within city limits is 30 km/h.

There are some signposts out there for snowmobilers to follow though. Four years ago, TGIT Geomatics owner, Terry Hauff, was approached by Great Slave Snowmobile Association to make a trail map based on those scribbled down by experienced snowmobilers.

An 18 x 24 inch map of most of the trails around Yellowknife retails for $22. Hauff plans to make a newer version soon.

"As soon as I update it with this year's information, I'm going to the (snowmobile) dealerships with the new map," said Hauff.