Hello everyone.  I thought I should give an update on the snow conditions.  Well we got the storm we were waiting for on Saturday with over a foot of good powder.  Although we can use more you can go most anywhere now with the exception of rough cut-overs….but that won’t be long either.  The roads and trails are really good going and although I wasn’t on the Gaff this weekend I suspect it is well buried now with lots of great play spots.  I have been no-stop for the past week and put almost 1400 KM on my new Expedition.  If you are itching to burn some gas we have some openings this week until Friday so load up the sleds and come on out!   

Paul Rose

Hello all.  My apologies for the belated update but its been a busy fall with upgrades to the chalets and land as well as the house.  The good news is that the riding on the Trans-Canada trail and backcountry roads is excellent!  We have snowmobilers in last weekend who put over 300KM on and we rode 200KM yesterday and had a blast.  If you want powder the Gaff is the place to go.  There are long sections of 8 foot drifts along the tracks.  You can ride on the open country but you have to be careful of rocks and take your time.  As you can see from the picture there are lots of caribou on the Gaff.  This was one herd of the three we saw as well as a couple loners.  Cornfield road and all around Badger Lake is awesome although you still click the road here and there.  We are headed into the backcountry chalet on Monica today to see what it is like in that way.   The large rock resting on three small rocks you see accompanied by Janice Goudie (who no doubt has a big smile on her face) is one of the many interesting glacial deposits on the Gaff.

As for the chalets we have now have a roof over the hot-tub…skylights and all.  I think you are going to love it and less snow shoveling for me too LOL!  We have new outdoor lighting installed in the chalet driveways and parking lot.  Much of Feb is booked although we have one chalet left for the weekends of the 17th and 24th.  The weekdays of the second and last week have openings as well.  There is still lots of space during Jan and March.  Don’t forget that we have great riding until late April!  Last year we went until May 5th on the Gaff and the riding was excellent with loads of the white stuff.  Looking forward to riding with you this winter.  If you don’t have machines or you want to introduce a friend to the best pastime in Newfoundland don’t forget we have sleds for rent.   Anyway time for me to scoot and burn some gas!

Would you love to get away from it all for just a few days and head to the country? Take your family or special someone and head to Riverfront Chalets. We are offering an exceptional 2 night promo until Jan 15th.

In OUR BEST CHALET DEAL OF THE SEASON, you can stay with us for $298 for 2 weeknights which is just $149/night! We are also offering an awesome weekend rate of $379 for Friday and Saturday nights, which is just $189/night!

This special chalet rate applies to 2 adults or a family with 2 adults and children age 14 and under. Additional adults are $20/adult/night beyond the first two.

The outdoor hot tub is waiting! Check us out at www.RiverfrontChalets.ca! To take advantage of this incredible offer, call us at 709-486-0892. If you book online, make sure to mention this offer in the special requests and we will adjust your total. Please don’t hesitate, the chalets will go fast!

All the best,

Jason Nault
Office Manager
709-486-0892

Last week we had the privilege of having Amber Holt as a guest in our chalets.  Amber is a well respected snowmobile instructor (check out here bio here) and was BLOWN AWAY by the snow conditions here at Hodges!

Keep in mind, these pictures were taken last week BEFORE all the snow fell across the rest of the island!  The day Paul and Amber set out on the Kawasaki Mule it was 8 degrees Celsius at the chalets with not a trace of snow to be found anywhere. 

By the time they reached the Hodges Hill area (only 15km from our chalets) they were in a winter wonderland with a foot and a half snow base in most areas!  The snow was so deep that they had to cancel the trip after winching out the Mule a number of times.  Both Paul and Amber were wishing that they brought out their sleds instead!

Amber has explored most of the continent on snowmobile, and even so she was amazed and impressed that we have this gem literally right on the doorstep of our chalets.

If this is what the Hodges Hill area looked like BEFORE we received a foot of snow in Grand Falls-Windsor, could you imagine what it’s like out there now?  The snowmobile season may be here earlier than you think!

Speaking of the snowmobile season, our chalets are booking up fast for February and March!  If you plan to spend some time basking in the luxury of our chalets and experiencing the best sledding on the island, make sure you book soon!  

See you on the trails!

Snow Conditions – Oct 27, 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Why not try something new for your annual Christmas party?  Our four luxurious Riverfront Chalets offer the perfect ambiance for your holiday get together.  Each two bedroom chalet can sleep up to six people allowing us to easily accommodate groups up to 24.

This intimate natural setting is ideal for team building, staff appreciation events, board meetings, or corporate retreats.  We would be more than happy to work with you and provide the perfect experience for you and your team.

After spending quality time together in the chalets, you can all bask in the luxury of our river side saltwater hot tub, or gather around the fire sharing stories and admiring the beautiful clear skies.  Night time at the chalets provides a true stargazers paradise!

If you are planning your event on a weekend, please book as soon as possible as dates will fill up fast.  Give your team a Christmas party they will never forget, and stay with us on the banks of the Exploits River. 

For more information, and to book your retreat, please call us at 709-486-0892.

Tired of cramming your family into the family home?  Why not spend Christmas at Riverfront Chalets? Our 4½ Star Riverfront Chalets will provide the perfect getaway for your family over the Christmas holidays. Each of our luxurious two bedroom chalets include a full kitchen with everything you need to prepare your holiday dinner.

Decorate your chalet for the holidays and cut a tree with-in walking distance of the chalets.  Head outside and relax under the stars in our riverside saltwater hot tub. Imagine sipping a glass of cold wine as you lay back in the warm saltwater gazing at the endless stars.

Before retiring to your chalet for the night, you can all gather around our riverside fire pit (firewood included) and share stories about your day as you watch the flames dance the night away. This will be a Christmas your family will never forget!

So forget worrying about making sure your house “is just right” for company and avoid spending needless time preparing your place to accommodate all your holiday visitors. Let us worry about the details, and you can enjoy your loved ones in true luxury without the stress that normally comes with it.

Book your family Christmas vacation now to ensure you won’t miss out! Hope to hear from you soon!

The next time you are traveling through Central Newfoundland on business, you should consider staying in one of our luxurious 4½ star Riverfront Chalets.  With our business and government rate program, you can save over $100/night off our published chalet rates!

Our business and government rates start at just  $139/night (based on single occupancy) and are available Sunday – Thursday nights starting after Labour Day and lasting until mid January, and also from late April to mid June. 

For two people traveling on business the chalets provide an economical solution for those who appreciate the luxuries of home in a natural setting.  Starting at  $199 (based on double occupancy) you will receive a fully serviced chalet, with two separate bedrooms, full kitchen, sitting area, Wi-Fi throughout the property, satellite TV and DVD, your own deck with a BBQ and our famous riverside saltwater hot tub! 

For more information on our business & government rate program, please call us at 709-486-0892.

(To qualify for the business & government rate program you must provide your business or government email address at the time of booking.  Limited availability.  Offer is not valid on Friday or Saturday nights, major holidays, any date within our Winter or Summer seasons, or for reservations with more than two people.  Prices are subject to HST.)

We will be regularly monitoring the local snow conditions on the Gaff Topsails and Hodges Hill area.  You can view these snow reports on our website and our highway sign.  Once the snow arrives, Paul will also be making regular blog posts providing all the details.

The snow, or lack thereof, on the highway is an inaccurate way to determine the conditions on the trails and backcountry, and the weather forecast in Grand Falls-Windsor is just as misleading.  For the past two seasons we have had incredible snow conditions from mid January until late April.  During the 2010 snowmobile season there was green grass in Grand Falls-Windsor, but there was still a two meter snow base on most of the Hodges Hill area!  In our 2011 snowmobile season, Paul took his last trip to the Gaff Topsails on May 5th, and on the high Gaff there was no sign of the snow leaving anytime soon!

The rating system is as follows:

• It’s a winter wonderland!  Excellent conditions for winter activities!

• Consistent snow base.  Good conditions for all winter activities.

• Some snow, not ideal conditions but winter activities are possible.

Based on the previous two seasons, you can book with confidence that we will have good or excellent snow conditions from the beginning of February right through to Easter.  Weekends are quickly selling out already, so please book your vacation soon so you are not disappointed.  You should consider traveling on a weekday; our weekday chalet and snowmobile tour packages start at just $105/person!

Hope to see you this winter!

As most of you already know from our Facebook page, we are in the process of testing a new exciting rafting adventure to offer in conjunction with our hugely successful Badger Run Rafting Adventure.  We are looking for energetic thrill seekers that are ready to take white water rafting to the next level!

The Canyon Run rafting trip is a completely intense experience that takes all the most thrilling elements of the Badger Run, makes them bigger, and packs them into a very short stretch of the river. We start the trip across from the old mill in Grand Falls, and immediately plunge into the incredible Class Three Mill Bridge rapid. This one rapid is bigger than anything we run on the Badger Run, and it’s only the beginning! We’ll often paddle back and run the rapid a few times; each time we re-enter the rapid we run at least a 50/50 chance of flipping the boat and taking a good swim. Like all white-water, the key is not to panic, we’ll have at least two safely kayaks following the raft closely (besides, flipping the raft is part of the experience on this run!).

After we’ve had our fill of the bridge rapid, we turn the corner and play on some class one and two surfing holes. Keeping the surf on these waves requires precision and a lot of paddle power, so we don’t always make it (but regardless it’s a HUGE splash).

We have a very short breather before heading into the largest rapid of the trip, the CLASS FOUR Canyon Rapid (that’s right, Class 4!). The Canyon Rapid is formed by a dramatic narrowing of the river creating MASSIVE waves coming from seemingly every direction all at once. This is truly the thrill of a lifetime, and not for the faint of heart! (check out this video of the Canyon!)

Once we’ve cleared the Canyon we paddle hard to plough into another Class 2 surf hole, guaranteed for another big splash, and take a quick break to discuss our plan to hit our final rapid, the legendary Virgin Wave.

The Virgin Wave is a giant Class Three surf hole. If you enjoyed the class one surf hole at Rose’s Roost (riding the bull), you will LOVE the Virgin Wave! Hitting the Virgin requires precision and power, and absolutely requires everyone to work as a team, but when we hit the surf it is like nothing you’ve ever experienced! The best part is that when we get washed out (or flip, as is often the case) we can walk the raft up the shore and hit it again… and again!  Here is a video of us surfing the Virgin for a heart-stopping 22 seconds!

We’re unofficially running select thrill seekers down the Canyon on a few nights this week. It’s an informal trip that starts about 6:30pm and finishes usually around 9pm. You will be part of the team of paddlers that is helping us perfect this run to hopefully launch next summer!  There are a few important qualifications for rafters hoping to come out for our trial runs:

• - Must be 18 years or older
• - Must have completed our Badger Run rafting tour, and have tried the Badger Chute swim and “Riding the Bull” (this helps show us you’re ready to take it to the next level)
• - Must be reasonably fit, and have no medical conditions that prevent paddling
• - Must be ready to get really, really wet!  The raft *will* flip and/or dump everyone out, it’s not a matter of “if”, just a matter of how many times!
• - Must complete a disclaimer and allow us permission to use any photos or videos taken on the tour to be used for training and marketing purposes
• - Must be ready for the thrill of a lifetime!

If you are interested, please email us at info@riverfrontchalets.ca or call us at 709-486-0892 for more information. 

Cheers,

Jason Nault
Administration, Marketing & Web Design
Riverfront Chalets & Rafting Newfoundland
Office: 709-486-0892

Take full advantage of the network of trails and back roads that spread out from the chalets to locations all over Central Newfoundland. Take a quick ride up the TransCanada Trail to Badger, travel the Aspen Brook Resource Road to Aspen Pond or down to beautiful Cornfield lake, or make a day of it and bike to the summit of Hodges Hill! The options are endless!

We have maps available for all imaginable locations on the island, and would be happy to provide tips on how to make the most of your day riding.

A helmet will be supplied with all bike rentals, and it is required to be worn at all times while riding.

4-hour rental: $25                      Full day rental: $45
(prices include applicable taxes)