Before you ever leave home Prepare, plan and leave nothing to chance. Your safety and least of all your comfort, could depend on it ! Overnight Trips Get the maps of where you're going and plan your km each day. When planning, take into consideration the extra time you will need if the trails are bad or the weather conditions are not good. It's better to plan less km in a day than over do it. The Internet is a wealth of information and local snowmobile clubs often have their own sites. Talk to as many sledders as you can. They are willing to share with you the best places to stay, or not to stay. Which trails are best and events that perhaps happened to them while sledding in an area. Make sure you have reservations for accommodations. Snowmobiling is becoming so popular in the North that lodges and motels are booked solid. Sleeping in your truck or on your sled in cold temps would not be fun. Check accommodation policies and what hours of operation they keep. If there ends up being no snow or a storm and you can't keep your reservation are you going to have to still pay? We have arrived late at some of the Northern destinations only to find them closed  for the night. If you're staying in a cabin ask them which one, and tell them your estimated time of arrival. Double check your reservations before leaving home. For a group, Cabins are nice for socializing , they are usually cheaper and you save the expense of eating all your meals in a restaurant, especially if you are going to be staying for a few days and sledding out from that location each day. Motels seem better if you are traveling on your sled and just staying the night, or if you don't want to cook . Motels all have hot showers and a warm bed to fall into. Not all cabins have showers ! Check with clubs to make sure your route is open and safe. Trails can close because of conditions and situations. When traveling with others in you're vehicles to where your going sledding we have found that the Motorola communicators are a great asset. They keep us in constant contact with our group. Take phone numbers of  your accommodations with you so you can call if you get lost. Some of these lodges are not easy to find. Leave numbers of where you are going and your route with family members back home. What every Sled should have with it Rope Extra Belt Spark plugs Ice Picks on rider if planning on any ice running. Lighter At least one person in your group should carry an axe, safely attached to the sled. At least one person should have a map and a cell phone. Be aware that some places in the North do not have cell service. Disposable cameras are great. No one want's to take a chance of ruining their expensive camera so most don't take one. The disposable cameras take great pictures and if it gets destroyed you haven't really lost anything but the pictures that were on it. They run around $10.00 each. Saddle Bag Trips Phone numbers and cell phone. Take only what is absolutely necessary. That means no curling irons girls! Priority is change of clothes, extra warm socks, medications, extra mitts, personal items including tooth brush, contact products, glasses, etc. Purchase a waterproof bag to put anything that can get wet. Those extra socks won't do you any good if they are wet. I don't always consider a blow dryer a non necessity . They have come in handy for a number of things. So go ahead if you have room and pack a small one. 3 or 4 day trip staying in a cabin This is not a full list of everything you should bring. Only things that we have discovered  through trial and error. Plan your meals and/or prepare what you can at home prior to leaving. If it's couples divide up the meals and groceries to bring along. We always take bottled water for drinking. We always take paper plates - plastic cups - plastic utensils to help in cleanup time. We prepare meals in the containers they will be cooked in. M&M's is a handy place to buy prepared food, ready to throw in the oven. Take a portable radio for music, news or weather. We have never stayed in a cabin that offered TV or radio. Take a sleeping bag in case it's cold and there isn't enough bedding at the cabin. Hand towel and face cloth. Slippers - Cabin floors can be cold and snow can get on them from people with their boots on coming inside. We take extra gas from home when we can. If you have the room take it. Gas can be very expensive in the North or the station may be closed when you want gas. Tools Games or cards for evening entertainment. Most important have fun. Slow down and enjoy the sport.