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Reports

Trail Report: Boulder Junction, Wisconsin – March 1, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: 6-8

Date of Report: March 1, 2017

Area Report:

Trail report for March 1, 2017-Trails are poor. Overall our trails are still ride-able. There are bare spots, icy corners, dirt, and standing puddles in some sections but good sections out in the woods away from town. It is snowing right now (Wednesday Morning) and up to 3 inches expected. This will only help improve the conditions. Thursday we are expecting some lake effect snow and cooler temps below freezing until the weekend. The month of March can have some big snowstorms in her so cross your fingers! We can always use more snow and cold weather!!!  Please be careful out there! Remember be safe, ride right, and enjoy the ride.

Jim (Hammy) Hamilton

BJSC President

 

News and Reports:

Join us for these upcoming events:
March 4: Snowmobile Club Cabin Fever Party

Trail Report: Oconto County, Wisconsin – March 1, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: 1-3

Date of Report: March 1, 2017

Area Report:

Townsend – Red Arrow Snowmobile – ATV Club –  We must have lost 1″-1 1/2″ of snow today. The Nicolet is starting to look pretty bare again. Not quite where we were before the storm, but not far from it. With rain in the forecast for tomorrow that just might get us there. If you want to beat up your machines, go for it. Granted that in the woods some trails may not be bad, but you need to get to them. I won’t be out riding with mine till we get more snow. Grooming is over for now. I rate our trails as in POOR RIDING CONDITION.


Lakewood – Paul Bunyan Snowmobile Club – The Lakewood area is getting some lite snow today. The trails are in poor condition with lot of bare spots and standing water. The temperatures for the weekend are predicted to be near 50 degrees. All grooming has stopped at this time. If you do ride watch low areas because there is a lot of water and slush.


Bagley and Brazeau – Joyriders Trails – CLOSED.

Chute Pond Snowmobile Club – Chute Pond trails are open, and are in poor to fair “early season” condition.

Expect some thin or bare areas, some rocks and gravel popping up through the snow, and some significant wet areas in the low spots. In general, the western wooded trails are better than the eastern wooded trails, and the NST is a mixed bag of some good, some not so good.

ALL LAKES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE at this time because of deteriorating ice along the shorelines. Please ride with caution and enjoy our trails.

 

Gillett Sno ATV Riders – CLOSED.

Oconto Falls – Sno Jokers Trails – CLOSED.


Lena Snow Drifters – CLOSED.


Chase Sno-Chasers – CLOSED.

Trail Report: Eagle River, Wisconsin – March 1, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: 3-7 inches

Date of Report: March 1, 2017

Area Report:

Trails OPEN
Late Riding to Poor Condition

21 degrees at 6:30am with a high of 24 today.  Snowing this morning with about an inch forecast for Eagle River.  More in the middle part of the State

Trail Boss Brian reports due to weather and trail conditions no grooming.

Not sure where we are headed with the trails.  Vilas County Alliance President has contacted all 11 Clubs for their input.  The 11 Clubs vote as an Alliance whether to keep trails open, temporarily close or close for the season.  Stay tuned.  Will report when there is one.

In the meantime if you are riding you will find Adventure Sledding in Eagle River. Meaning all sort of conditions.  In town there is snow but it was mushy and snirty yesterday. Today with the colder temps it is frozen and crusty. There was icy slush areas yesterday. Some of it deep.  Trails along side the roads were down to dirt in a lot of areas from the rain and salt from the roads. Best bet for riding is way out in the woods.

These are Eagle River Conditions.  If you plan to ride other parts of the County be sure to check with the Club, friend, business or Chamber where you plan to ride as conditions are different from area to area.  You may come upon gates from area to area.

For safety here are 4 areas to stay away from:

TRAIL SECTION 10W/13N aka Wisconsin River Bridge is closed due high water conditions. Gated. DO NOT ENTER THIS AREA

High water/slush is also present on Trail 3 aka the Manske Swamp. Use extreme caution.

Section of Trail 10E from Bloom Rd to Loon Lake Rd has slush.  Recommend taking City Trail on Tamarack St to Trigs Shell Trail to Bloom Rd.

The barrels have been pulled from both Catfish Lake Loop & Eagle Lake Trail.  Advise not to ride.  If you do it is at your own risk.

Would like to ride again!  Stay tuned.

Holly Tomlanovich
Communications Chair
Sno-Eagles, Inc.
PROUD GROOMERS OF THE SNOWMOBILE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD® – Eagle River
Phone Trail Updates 715.479.5185

News and Reports:

SNO (Saturday Night Out) – Cocktails 5:30pm – Dinner 6:00pm

  • March 25 – Catch 22 on Hwy 70E/Trail 10E about 5 miles from Eagle River.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY TRAIL RIDES – No Trail Rides this week

  • Meet on Trail 13 (the Grade) in town between Historic Railroad Depot & Friendship House
  • 9am departure

MONTHLY MEETINGS – 6:30pm Snacks – Meeting at 7pm – All Welcome!

  • March 16 – Eagle Waters (Hwy 70E to Rangeline Rd-follow the signs)
  • April 20 – Gordo’s (Hwy 45N across from Holiday North Gas Station)

BOARD MEETINGS – 7pm at the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (Hwy 45N next door to the World Championship Snowmobile Derby)

  • January-May the 1st Tuesday of the each month

Snowmobile Information:

DNR Registration, $30 Trail Pass information

AWSC $10 Trail Pass information

Trail Report: Conover, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: 8″ in undisturbed areas

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Temps in the high 30’s with sun yesterday and cloudy/damp today. About 1/2 of last Friday’s snowfall is gone. Trails are thin & ungroomed with bare sports, road crossings are bare. No snow in the forecast with 40’s by the weekend. Expect water/slush in low areas. 

Phelps has closed all trails except for 6W towards Lando/Conover and ER has closed the 10/13 WI river crossing. Most lakes have been unmarked & are questionable.

There is talk of a county wide trail closing coming soon & truthfully, I support it. At this point, I recommend not riding. Trail conditions are poor or worse.

News and Reports:

It crossed my mind that for those of you that have never snowmobiled in Vilas or surrounding, it is unlike areas further south. We really have nearly zero farm field crossings. Most riding is in the woods, some trails are on old rail grades & there are lots of lake crossings. But, be prepared to travel a distance to the next stop, especially along the northern portions of the county. Food is hard to find on Tuesdays, carry a snack.

Please stay on the trails; Trespassing is the fastest way to loose trails. Don’t forget you need a WI trail permit to ride the state’s groomed trail system. Aggressive riding causes more trail damage than slower, less aggressive riding. Ride right & be safe.

Trail Report: Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Open

Snow Cover: Needed

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Rode today with Manny and Leo…..Wisconsin trails thin but tolerable. You get up my Watersmeet and there are white groomed trails. The forecast for the next couple of days is good…another warm up Sat. Ride today….work next week

Trail Report: Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Open

Snow Cover: Needed

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Rode today with Manny and Leo…..Wisconsin trails thin but tolerable. You get up my Watersmeet and there are white groomed trails. The forecast for the next couple of days is good…another warm up Sat. Ride today….work next week

Trail Report: Sayner, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: minimal to zippo on the trail

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Conditions, from yesterdays 41 and sun, deteriorated rapidly. Dark areas melted down. Road routes have bare areas again.  What snow there is, turned pretty much to slush. Our areas with logging operations going on are junk. It is supposed to be 40 today with occasional rain or drizzle. If it is cold for the next three days, what snow there is, will be extremely icy and dangerous. So if you do try to squeeze out another day or two – PLEASE be very careful. In areas that had melted down to nothing in the recent warm spell – many rocks had popped up. There were/are areas where there is/was standing water on the trail. We don’t have swamps but other neighboring clubs do. Some of those swamps opened up in that warm up.

Markers have been removed from many lakes, including Plum & Star. As always – if you don’t see markers – DON’T CROSS!!!

Then we have the forecast to consider. While it is supposed to be cold for the next three days, there is another warm up right behind that – with 42 Saturday and 50 Sunday. There is NO significant snow forecasted at this time. The only snow at all is a week from today of less than an inch and then warm again the next day.

We always have the safety of snowmobilers at the top of the priority list. With everything considered, there could be a closing of Vilas County’s State Funded Trails later this week – IF – a majority of Vilas’s 11 clubs agree to close. Please stay tuned for an update on that.

If you try to ride prior to that closing, just be aware that things are not the greatest out there. It will be hit & miss and the “miss” areas are growing.

Logging Areas – Click Here!

PLEASE! Lets be careful out there!!!

PLEASE – Let’s be careful out there!!!

News and Reports:

***Who couldn’t use some extra cash? A new fundraiser for this season is the Barnstormers Poker Run – 50/50 3-place Raffle to help support our trails. Tickets will be available at businesses listed below and are $5. 2000 tickets will be available for sale. Possible cash prizes of up to $2500, $1500, and $1000 if all tickets are sold. Tickets will be available starting in December at Sayner Pub, Stillwaters, Vinchi’s, Weber’s, Mar-li’s, Patti’s Murmuring Waters, and Fibbers. The Poker Run doesn’t end until March 19th so there is still time to get out and win some cash!!! Even if there is no riding, you can still do it by truck/car!!!

Click here to join or renew your membership with the Barnstormers

Trail Report: Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Poor

Snow Cover: 2-6

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Our trails are in poor condition….However people found good riding over the weekend.
There is still decent riding on trail 8 towards Boulder Junction and Arbor Vitae.  Our problem areas are trail 6 towards Winchester and a small portion of trail 2 between Smokeys on CTH W and the intersection of trail 6 and 2…..these areas are  very rough and have some standing water on the trail.

The County is considering its options:
Stay open, close or temporarily close

This requires 11 different clubs weighing in.   I will let you all know the moment I know. I’m going to brave this drizzle and check our problem areas this morning.

 

News and Reports:

I would like to thank our Trail Boss Mark Smit for his hard work.
Also our groomers: Bob Skrobot, Mike Swatek, Chris Sindberg, Bryan Klug and Wes Lupa for their dedication and many hours spent keeping our trails in such good shape this winter.

Trail Report: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 4 Inch Base

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

Temporary Trail Diversion Has Ended in Brimley

Snowmobile trails are in fair to good shape.   The only trail in poor condition is Soo to Kinross, as we will bring up the frozen surface if we go over it with the groomer. We will try to do portions of it if we can. Watch for wet spots that have opened up in swampy areas.

Some wet spots may have opened up.

 

Check our Facebook page for pictures.

There’s a big reroute around Raco this year.

There is a change in the Soo to Kinross trail, also.

 

We have a new, plowed parking area at the beginning of Trail #8 under the International Bridge, which now has an all-season Porta-John.

If you are staying in the Sault, please look at the list of our supporters on our web page and give them your business.  Please do that in all of the towns you visit.  Local grooming entities are made up of volunteers who want you to support those who support us!

We now have a marked trail that will be groomed on occasion to get to parts and service at Chippewa Motors.  It comes into the back of their lot from the east side of M-129 when you come out of the woods.

Remember, the trail base is the amount of snow between your track and the ground below, not the amount of fluff piled up in the woods.  Six inches of snow compresses to less than an inch on the trail.

 

Sault Ste. Marie to Brimley, Trail #8 –

Base 1 – 3 inches – Trail is in fair to good condition.  

 

Brimley to Raco, Trail #8 –

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in good Condition.  The trail is back to normal where the collapsed building was.

When you’re going across the bridge in Brimley, make sure you go with the flow of traffic!  Blowing and drifting occurs when you first leave Brimley.

 

Raco to Naomikong Trail #8 [where Paradise meets us], Trail #8 –

Base 2 – 5 inches – Trail is in good to excellent condition.

 

Sault Ste. Marie City Trail, Trails #497, #449, parts of #8 & #49 –

Base 1 – 3 inches – Trail is in fair condition.  Wet areas may be open again.

We now have a marked and groomed trail going to Chippewa Motors.  It starts once you come out of the woods east of M-129 off #449.  It comes into their parking lot from behind if you need parts or service.

 

City curfew is from 1 am – 6 am. Remember, most City streets are open to traffic 20mph, stop at all intersections, and ride on the right hand side of the street, not on the sidewalks. Watch for closed streets that are posted, mainly around the hospital, university, and state trunk lines.

 

Sault Ste. Marie to Kinross, Trail #49 –

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in poor condition.  Make sure you follow the reroute once you cross the bridge going south at 7 Mile Road.  Wet areas have reopened.

When the trail is running along roads, make sure you go with the flow of traffic on the right side of the road.

 

Kinross Loop & south to Pickford, Parts of Trail #49, #472, and #494 –

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in good condition.  Watch out for trucks on the trail.

 

Kinross to Raco & Rudyard, Parts of Trail #472 & #480 –

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in good condition.  Watch for the reroute signs just west of Kinross.

 

The Downtown Trail is signed and coned up Portage Ave!  Big, frozen snow banks, leftover from the big warm up, are hindering our grooming parts of the route, but streets adjacent are open to sleds.

 

Join us on Facebook, too!

www.sootrails.org

 

Courtesy of the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association – Groomer Report 

  • We now have a marked trail that will be groomed on occasion to get to parts and service at Chippewa Motors.  It comes into the back of their lot from the east side of M-129 when you come out of the woods.
  • Remember, the trail base is the amount of snow between your track and the ground below, not the amount of fluff piled up in the woods.  6 inches of snow compresses to less than an inch on the trail.
  • We have a new, plowed parking area at the beginning of Trail #8 under the International Bridge, which now has an all-season Porta-John.

Online Safety Course 

Local Safety Course 

Snowmobile Information:

Courtesy of the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association

The Sledder’s Pledge

  • I will obey the rules and laws of the state or province I am visiting.
  • I will be careful when crossing roads, and always cross at a right angle to traffic.
  • I will keep my machine in top shape and follow a pre-op check before each ride.
  • I will wear appropriate clothing, including gloves, boots and a helmet with a visor.
  • I will let family or friends know my planned route, my destination and my expected arrival time.
  • I will treat the outdoors with respect. I will not litter or damage trees or other vegetation.
  • I will respect other peoples’ property and rights, and lend a hand when I see someone in need.
  • I will not snowmobile where prohibited.

Trail Report: Rhinelander, Wisconsin – February 28, 2017

Trail Conditions: Early Season

Snow Cover: 3-5″ thinning base

Date of Report: February 28, 2017

Area Report:

The trails are open, but not in great shape.  The groomers have been parked until more snow is received.  The trails are rideable, but snowmobilers will find a range of trail conditions.  The exposed areas are showing snirt / dirt.  Overall, the trails are just plain thin.  You can get out and ride, but expectations need to be modified from prior to the thaw.  The road routes are down to the pavement. 

The barrels have been removed from the lakes, so crossing is at own risk. 

You can find some decent riding out there, but need to pick your routes to stay in the woods as much as possible.

The warm-up for the weekend could be the end.