With the winter already roughly half over, the riding season in the Pembina Valley, if it comes, could be a short one.

A good sledding season usually starts with the first snowfall in November and lasts until March.

However, local snowmobile enthusiasts are still waiting on proper snow; six to eight inches.

"People are somewhat patient until Christmas but as we head into January the conditions are still not ideal," Brian Enns, General Manager of Keystone Kat in Altona, said.

He added riders are now starting to look at traveling outside the province to find snow.

"Snowmobiling has evolved to where a lot of people would have planned an outing or trip," said Enns. "They tend to choose spots where more predictable snow would be."

These areas generally include the Whiteshell, Interlake, or the mountains.

"The mountains have become an increasingly popular spot," said Enns. "They're either heading up to B.C. or into Idaho."

Enns is still optimistic we'll have a riding season in the area and added if there's enough snow locally clubs will attempt to groom the trails.

Keystone Kat in Altona