By dumping a most welcome early blanket of snow, Mother Nature has been particularly kind this year to Ontario's Near-North Almaguin Region. Unseasonably cold November and December temperatures combined with unusually high amounts of snowfall have given the area an early start to its snowmobile season. With a good quality base of snow already established and with Environment Canada predicting a winter that will be colder and snowier than normal, this snowmobile season is destined to be one of the best in years.

The timing of this early blast of winter couldn't be better for the town of Burk's Falls. Once again Burk's Falls will be hosting the Almaguin Cup Snowmobile Ice Racing competition and this year the dates for the event have been moved ahead from mid-winter to the weekend of January 5 and 6, 2008. In order to have a suitable track for ice racing, temperatures need to remain below freezing for approximately two weeks in order for the ground to freeze sufficiently before construction can begin. Luckily the weather this year has been cooperating with consistently below-freezing temperatures.

The Almaguin Cup is part of The Eastern Pro Tour and will be the first race of the season. The 2008 Eastern Pro Tour will start in Burk's Falls and will run every weekend, ending in Roberval Quebec on March 9th. Holding the race at the opening of the season is a plus for the community because there is added excitement as racers are eager to compete once again.

For the town of Burk's Falls, the 2007 Almaguin Cup was an exciting event for everyone involved and was a real draw for the area with many local businesses reaping the benefits. With the support of many volunteers and business, as well as help from the local government, organizers are confident that the upcoming 2008 Almaguin Cup weekend will be a tremendous success and will be bigger and better than ever. Each year supporters of the Almaguin Cup look forward to the event's exponential growth.

In an effort to make the 2008 Almaguin Cup even better than last, many improvements have been planned for this year's event including a new public address system. There are also more activities planned for spectators including a beer tent and additional food facilities. Furthermore, this year more ice racers have signed on making the races even more thrilling.

Almaguin area resort owner, Michael Piraino of Northridge Inn & Resort (http://www.northridgeinn.com) is delighted with the way that this winter's weather has been shaping up. "Area resorts and businesses view the combination of colder than normal temperatures and an abundance of snow early in the season as a sure sign of a great season to come. Snowmobiling is extremely important to the local economy, but so much depends on the weather. Judging by the number of calls that we have received from snowmobilers over the past few weeks, we will be enjoying a very busy winter season indeed. Our customers have also expressed a great deal of interest in the Almaguin Cup ice-racing weekend. It is an exciting event that is a great draw for the area," states Piraino.
This winter, Almaguin area businesses are betting on a terrific season ahead. With seemingly endless miles of snowmobile trails, you can't get a better snowmobile getaway and, with exciting events like the Almaguin Cup, Ontario's Near-North Almaguin Region is the place to be this winter. Especially if those cold temperatures just keep on coming.

Northridge Inn & Resort, on beautiful Lake Bernard, is a full service resort that offers its guests luxurious accommodations in a pristine wilderness setting. To learn more about Northridge Inn & Resort, and the accommodations that they provide, please visit http://www.northridgeinn.com