The Frosty Club trails as well as the rest of the Vilas county trail system will open Friday at 8am. Trails will not be great so please slow down and be safe. At least we can get to the businesses and the Michigan trails which have a free riding weekend this weekend. Been a long time comin’
News and Reports:
Comedy Night Sunday at the Gateway Lodge. Get your tix at the Gateway in advance or at the door. Look forward to laughing with you there.
Candlelight Bowling next weekend at The Alley. Call or stop in to the Alley to reserve your space.
Vilas County are opening there trails at 8:00 am Friday the 17th, remember that there are some bare spots and ruts that need more snow to fill in, we have a ice base with little snow on top so its going to be very slick so go slow. Temps tomorrow will be in the 30s and come Sunday the bottom falls out with single digits for highs and double digits below zero at night for 3-4 days. I have not seen anything about Oneida County yet but will keep you posted .What we need is 6 inches of heavy wet snow
Here we go!! The Vilas county snowmobile trails OFFICIALLY OPEN at 8:00 am, Friday, January 17!!
It’s certainly been a long wait. Please keep in mind that our snow cover is very thin and the trails are going to be icy, especially in the corners. The Barnstormers will maintain trail conditions the best we can, but without additional snow, there won’t be much we can do. As long as everyone is aware that we don’t have ideal conditions yet, we can get out and finally enjoy some riding!
There are ongoing logging operations on trails 15 and 11. Remember that logging personnel have the right of way. They also have the right to shut down trails, so please be respectful.
While you’re out there, remember to stop by the amazing businesses that keep us operating. Check out our upcoming events:
Saturday, Jan 18: Snowmobile Breakfast @ Stillwaters. 8:00 – 11:00 AM
Saturday, Feb 8: Chili Dump @ Murmuring Waters. 2:00 – 5:00 PM
The Vilas County Funded Trail system will open at 8:00 am on Friday January 17, 2025. Trails are in early season riding conditions. trails have been panned but plan on seeing some rocks sticking up. There is an ice base with powder on top. Corners are very slick, and your braking and acceleration is not what you are used to for this time of year. With low snow amounts, it is imperative that you stay on the marked trails. Not all our trails are on public lands. Assume that all trails are on Private property. Please help us we cannot afford to lose any landowners.
It is currently 28 degrees. It is snowing, with light accumulation, and it will continue throughout the weekend.
Snowmobile Information:
Here it is, January 16th, 2025, and we’re finally open to snowmobile traffic! There’s a fresh 3″ layer of heavy, wet snow overnight, and our groomers are out. Our trails are nothing better than early-season riding. We’re not going to tell you to just leave your machines on the trailers and spend your money now that you’re in town. Riding anytime, but especially now, is a choice. If you feel conditions are not what you’d like to put your snowmobiles through, then don’t. For those who want to navigate the rocks and bare spots, we thank you for safely trying, and for your understanding. We want nothing more than for you to have the chance to get out and enjoy our slice of heaven. Please ride safe, be responsible, respect our landowners, and ride right! The following trail listing is current as of today. “Open” means we have run groomers on the trail noted. “Closed” does not mean you cannot ride a trail, but we have not put our larger equipment in these areas, so use extreme caution. Only trail 11a is 100% gates locked and closed to traffic all season due to logging. Enjoy your time in Northern Iron County and thank our businesses with your patronage.
2. OPEN
2a. OPEN
3. OPEN
6. OPEN
7. OPEN (Clement Swamp not groomed)
8. OPEN
8b. OPEN
8e. OPEN
8 Palmquist. OPEN
8w. OPEN
9. OPEN
11a. CLOSED ALL SEASON (NO ACCESS!)
13. OPEN
13c. OPEN
13b CLOSED
13s. CLOSED
15. OPEN with some active logging
15a OPEN PARTIALLY
15n OPEN PARTIALLY
17. OPEN
17a. OPEN
77. OPEN
Vilas County snowmobile trails are set to open at 8am Friday January 17th.
The trails will be early season conditions. There is little snow on top of the ice base. This will make corners very slick. Please ride with caution. There won’t be enough snow to groom yet each day. Ditch crossings and rutted trails won’t have enough snow either to cover them.
News and Reports:
Trail 12 where it runs along Cty K by Dublins has some deep ruts from ATV traffic that we can’t fill with snow yet. We are out posting signs in that area.
Snowmobile Information:
Dec 22nd – Annual Poker Run Starts and goes till March 1st
Feb 11th – General Membership Meeting at R&R Twin Lake Pub 5:30-8pm
Mar 1st – Poker Run Draw Party at R&R Twin Lake Pub 1-4pm
Mar 11th – General Membership Meeting at Bauer’s Dam 5:30-8pm
Mar 15th – Groom-to-Ride Raffle Drawing at Track Side, Eagle River 1-5pm
Mar 17th – St Paddy’s Day Corned Beef Dinner at Club 45 4-8pm
OK, so Vilas County voted last night, and County Trails will open at 0700 Hours tomorrow, Friday, January 16. The operative word on Hornshoe trails is CAUTION. ICEY CORNERS. THIN AREAS. Starting North, on trail 1, starting from trail 51 where we pick up from Cruisers, down to East Boundary Road, the tribe opened that road up. ( Again, many thank yous!) I worked it with my tractor a few weeks ago, so there should not be many big rocks, and I rounded the ruts. There are a couple of bumps from soft spots I worked in the best I could, but drainage is poor in two spots. Don says the beavers blocked the culvert, but sleds should be OK. Trail1, East Boundary Road, and Stearns Lake Road, have snow on the edges, but it is puffy snow. Also, the contractors have been installing fiber optic cable so they have rooting around spots on Stearns Lake Road. Trail 15, the main grade, is thin, but flat. I have not been on “F” trail, but there should be more snow in the woods there. At highway H, club trails head out to Moss Lake, Crawling Stone, and the Fence Boat Launch. Groomer Don says stay in the middle of the trail. The new trail area by Crawling Stone is bumpy. Don cautions ice underneath. LAKES ARE NOT MARKED. Done says BIG heaves on Fence and Crawling Stone. Moving north on 15, Groomer Jay says we are firming up but thin. Raven Lake area has been blown wide open by the tribe. Only one tighter corner left. Stay in the middle, and drive casually since there are rocks and ruts left over from the work. Get some decent snow and voila-primo riding. Headed north out into Powell Marsh, there is snow on the grade. We put a real tarp on the bridge this year, and it is working at holding snow on the bridge. 8 degrees that day, and we learned that we don’t want to golf with the people that claim they are cold rated. I did not ask Jay about #5 into the Casino, but that is always just such a happy little trail except for the truck ruts in the soft spots. That’s about all for trails – a little windy, but meant well. Don’t forget our Christmas Bash at Harrisons this Saturday, January 18, starting at 3:30. Don said Carrie and some of the ladies are going over today to wrap more gifts. Don and Carrie were on speaker phone, and when I offered to help wrap today, it got real quiet, must have been a Verizon glitch. Hah! So Hey – “let’s be careful out there”. Seargent Esterhaus
Sno-Eagles
EAGLE RIVER TRAILS
1/17/2025 opening day read Vilas County Parks & Rec announcement below
Following the 4-5 inches of SNOW on Sunday there has been some Lake Effect. Last SNOW moved around 5pm. 2+- SNOW. Some SNOW this morning with more tomorrow. If luck 2+- total. One day pop up on Friday then back into the freezer. Starting Sunday highs will be single digits or even below zero during the day. Double digits below zero at night. Thursday low teen during the day. Single digits or below zero at night for the foreseeable future. DO A SNOW DANCE!
ALL Sno-Eagles trails have been panned several times to build the base. Same for the rest of the Vilas County Clubs. As the Opening Announcement says TRAIL ARE IN VERY VERY EARLY RIDING CONDITION. If you ride there will be all conditions.
Here are the Sno-Eagles Trail updates for the 2024-2025 season. Be sure to pick up a new map.
There’s a re route of Trail 3 aka Manske Swamp. Here is a map of the re route. Right click for a bigger image.
Trail 17 aka Hiawatha Trail has be rehab-ed. No more going in that wet mushy section just before Kick Back & Hiawatha motel. Alt Trail 13 that heads south to Three Lakes remains CLOSED. Right Click for larger image
Trail 17S that connects with the Sugar Camp trails remains the same but there is a short re route where Eagle River Sno-Eagles connect with the Sugar Camp Snowmobile Club by Ripco Rd. Another landowner closure.
Alt Trail 13 to Three Lakes remains closed. A short section is open to local traffic to allow riders that live in that area to get north into Eagle River & to pick up Trail 10E.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to renew your membership and purchase your discounted Trail Pass from the AWSC. Sno-EaglesAWSC Click on these links to do both
SNO-EAGLES & EAGLE RIVER EVENT January 16 – 19, 2025 – 62nd World Championship Snowmobile Derby @ WCDC January 23, 2025 – General Meeting 7 pm – LP Pizza & Pasta (Buckshots Downtown) January 31, 2025 – February 2, 2025 – Weekend Away – Mercer WI February 7, 2025 – February 9, 2025 – USA Pond Hockey – Dollar Lake February 13, 2025 – Legend Laps – WCDC February 21, 2025 – February 23, 2025 – World Series of Racing WCDC February 20, 2025 – General Meeting 7 pm Chanticleer Inn – E. Dollar Lk Rd off Hwy 70E March 4, 2025 – BOD meeting 6 pm – World snowmobile HQ March 14, 2025 – March 15, 2025 – AMSIOL National Sno-Cross @ WCDC March 15, 2025 – Groom to Ride @ Trackside – Drawing at 5pm
Please be safe out there, you will find icy spots, rocks, and bare spots, you will also find really nice trail conditions. Be safe and respectful and enjoy what we have to offer you. All trails are open and groomed and listed as early season riding conditions.
Please be safe out there, you will find icy spots, rocks, and bare spots, you will also find really nice trail conditions. Be safe and respectful and enjoy what we have to offer you. All trails are open and groomed and listed as early season riding conditions.
There’s a re route of Trail 3 aka Manske Swamp. Here is a map of the re route. Right click for a bigger image.
