The Thunder and Ice Snowmobile Club was first organized as an outdoor winter festival and was created in 1996 by a small group of guys who wanted to bring Shoal Lake and surrounding areas an activity for something the whole family could enjoy in the winter months. Who knew that the success of this festival would last over 10 years?
In 2003 the Rossburn Snowmobile Club (Snowtraxx) approached members of the Thunder and Ice Festival to assist them in grooming snowmobile trails in the Shoal Lake and surrounding areas. This group of trail members became Snowtraxx South East.
The first groomer we purchased was a 1975 Bombardier Ski-Dozer which was powered by a 75 hp diesel engine and had 24“ cleats which pulled an 8 foot drag. With the success of the trails this group was encouraged by how many snowmobile enthusiasts were enjoying the newly groomed trail system and with trails becoming longer and more area needing to be groomed, the Snowtraxx Club divided and split the area to better serve the snowmobilers.
In 2009 Snowtraxx SE decided to establish its own identity and the Thunder and Ice Snowmobile Club name was incorporated.
The Thunder and Ice Club now grooms close to 300 km’s of trail which links Oak River-Hamiota-Miniota-Birtle-Solsgirth-Shoal Lake-Oakburn and they groom the Trans Canada Trail to the junction of highways 45 & 10 then groom into Onanole.
In 2010 the Club purchased a Caterpillar 45 and widened the drag to 10 feet. This trail system is located on the southern edge of the Riding Mountains and consists of a wide variety of terrain from flat land to valleys to wooded areas.