How to avoid the cold

Ross Antworth Ross has been immersed in snowmobiles since he was eleven years old; Fifty-one seasons now. He retired in 2021 after a 26-year career in the snowmobile industry. He started as a volunteer and then accepted an opportunity offered to him by the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (NBFSC). The Board of Directors asked him to lead them as their General Manager. He remained in the position for 24 years. When you meet Ross, it becomes instantly obvious that snowmobile, and all things snowmobiling, are still an intricate part of his life. His travels, his friendships, and multiple business, industry and political relationships span throughout North America, because of his passion for it. His sled; a 1973 Chaparral 292 cc Firebird entered his life when he was unable to play organized hockey as a young boy. His mom, unbeknownst to him, convinced his father to buy the new Chappy in the autumn of 1972. Ross has ridden a snowmobile every winter since and has owned at least one snowmobile of his own since he was 16 years old. He bought his first new snowmobile, a 1979 Arctic Cat Jag 3000, with his savings from mowing lawns at the church cemetery and pumping gas at the neighbourhood convenience store. His wife Clare believes he still owns every snowmobile he has ever bought! At first, he was not allowed to leave his parent’s yard, but he rode the Chappy so much that he created a track in the snow all the way to his father’s precious lawn. He was then permitted to ride further, which he has done almost every season since. Ross has always been adamant that he is a snowmobiler first and a Manager second. He knew that his innate knowledge of snowmobiling at the trail, both as a volunteer and user, was valuable and necessary to keep him grounded. Riding often helped him guide the NBFSC to make better decisions for New Brunswick snowmobilers. Going on rides was the best way to understand, connect, and keep current on the challenges and opportunities. Many winters he rode as many as 10,000 km of trails in North America. His riding took him to every Province in Canada (except Saskatchewan) and also into seven U.S.A. States. His personal favourite rides have been in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Gaspesie of Quebec, and New Brunswick’s Christmas Mountains. Retired now, he rides primarily in New Brunswick, Maine, Quebec, and the off-trail roads around his camp in central New Brunswick. Ross has had an NB Trail Permit since 1993 and an FCMQ Trail Permit since the early 2000s. He looks forward to sharing his insights, opinions and travels with our readers and followers from the snowmobile trails of primarily New Brunswick, Maine, and Quebec.