Trail Report – : Ely, Minnesota – January 12, 2018

Reporter:Ely Chamber of Commerce/Explore MN Visitor Center

Trail Conditions: Fair

Snow Cover: 16

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

Ely Area Lakes & Trails: Most lakes had 12″ to 24″ of good solid ice. Please continue to use caution, particularly in areas of current and in wetland/swamps as there could still be spots that have less ice. Lakes do have slushy areas and some pressure ridges. The following lakes are all staked: Burntside, Little Long, Shagawa, Fall, Cedar, Bass, Low, Grassy, Tee, Little Sletten, Sletten, Fenske, Everett, Twin and White Iron. Birch and Mud Lake will be staked by Sunday. Portage trails, along with Mud Lake, hare groomed. With the significant snowfall we received on Wednesday night and Thursday (about 10-12 inches), trail crews are rolling trails. The trails are in good condition.

Taconite Trail: Snow – 10-18” depth Base – 1-4” Groomed – partially Condition – poor to fair The Taconite State Trail was groomed from Ely to to just west of Hwy 53 prior to yesterday’s snowfall and is in fair condition. We are going to allow the trail to pack down and improve the base before resuming grooming early next week. Use caution in the area between Pfeiffer Lake and Big Aspen as there is logging activity and also a section of open water remaining. Check back frequently as trail conditions are changing rapidly. Please travel at appropriate speeds and stay to the right.

Arrowhead Trail: Snow – 10-16” depth Base –1-5” Groomed – yes Condition – fair The entire Arrowhead State Trail was groomed prior to yesterday’s snow fall and is in fair condition. We are going to allow the trail to pack down and improve the base before resuming grooming early next week. Be aware of rocks in the Ban Lake/Hoodoo Lake section of trail. Also please be aware of and slow down for logging activity throughout the trail. Check back frequently as trail conditions are changing rapidly. Please travel at appropriate speeds and stay to the right.

Putnam-Fishing Lakes Trail: Base – 0-1” Groomed – no Condition – fair The Putnam/Fishing Lakes trail remains ungroomed and rough due to low snow conditions. We anticipate having this trail groomed in the next week if conditions allow. Be aware of rocks and frozen ruts in sections throughout the trail. Please travel at appropriate speeds and stay to the right.

Lake Vermilion State Park and Soudan Underground Mine State Park: Snow 13-14”, Base – 4”, Condition – fair We received 9 inches of fresh snow on 1/11/18 and trail crews are in the process of grooming snowmobile corridors. The Lake Vermilion ice route for snowmobiles is signed out of Cable Bay. Snowmobile trailers can be parked at Armstrong Bay Day Use Area parking lot. Snowmobilers can follow the campground road corridor to access the lake at Cable Bay and the interior snowmobile trails. Ice fishing has been good with a lot of activity on Lake Vermilion. However ice thickness varies dramatically use caution when venturing out on the ice. You can access the lake by Stuntz Bay boat access as well as park in Armstrong Bay Day use parking lot and walk a portable down the hill to the lake. Cable Bay boat access is not open to vehicles for ice fishing.

Tomahawk Trail & Local Trail Sections: Snow 12-16” depth, Base – 1-4” Groomed – yes Condition – good The Tomahawk is open and trails are rolled to the Knotted Pine in Isabella.

Trail Report – : Phelps, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:surtrac

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 15″

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

11:30 AM Party cloudy +6 deg.

We rec’d about 6″of fresh yesterday about 3″ of wet heavy stuff then about 3″ of not so wet stuff.

We have been waiting for this kind snow fall along time,how we and every body else can get out
and do some serious grooming.

Temps will be in the single digits both above and below for the next few days and night.

Race week starts today and runs thru.next Sunday in Eagle River so there will be lots of sleds around

Trail Report – : Hayward / Sawyer County, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:haywardlakes

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 4 to 8 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

Hello Riders!!

Thursday night was a beautiful time to groom and to ride! About 4″ of fresh snow through out the county! Getting good reports from the groomers all over Sawyer County! The southern part of the county had all groomers running and good conditions after the snow fall! And reports from the center of the county to the north are that they are very good! Trails are all GOOD to VERY GOOD! The lakes are ALL STAKED, there’s no time to waste, get your gear and load up the sleds and get out there and enjoy the beautiful winter in the Northwoods!

Bayfield County is reported to be in good condition, Douglas and Price counties are in fair condition, Ashland and Washburn counties are partially open. Barron and Rusk counties are currently closed.

Thank you to all club members and volunteers and thank you to all who choose Sawyer County as your riding destination!

News and Reports:

The HAYWARD 300 Sno-Cross is January 13 & 14, 2018

TICKETS $8/Advance… $10/Gate OR Weekend Pass $10/Advance… $15/Gate
$5 – Ages 12 and under
Advanced tickets can be purchased at the LCO Casino Gift Shop
or by calling 715-634-5643 Ext. 6613
This is a RIDE TO event!! https://www.facebook.com/events/193131061241316/?active_tab=about

GATES OPEN: 9 AM DAILY

Trail Report – : Presque Isle, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:Scott McPherson

Trail Conditions: Excellent

Snow Cover: 15-18 Inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

4-6 inches of White Gold fell last night. Trails are groomed and primed for an epic sledding weekend in Presque Isle. Make sure to take advantage of our legendary hospitality at the Retreat Bar, PI Pub Presque Isle Yacht Club, Skyview Lodge, and Last Wilderness Cafe-all serving great food and drink.

Trail Report – : Rice Lake & Barron County, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:rltourism

Trail Conditions: Closed

Snow Cover: 4-6 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

Barron County snowmobile trails will remain CLOSED, we did not receive enough snow on Thursday. There is a chance of snow Sunday and possibly Monday so the clubs will look at the trail conditions again at that time. We lost a lot of the snow pack on Tuesday and Wednesday, some areas have more, some fields are bare due to the wind.
If you need a trail map, see link under snowmobile information.

Trail Report – : Western UP, Michigan – January 12, 2018

Reporter:Western U.P. Snowmobile Report

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 5”-8”

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

I will update as soon as I get info from the clubs. We did get about 9″ of new snow in the far western area, in the Watersmeet area they didn’t get as much snow as the far western area. Temps are going to be below zero again this weekend.

Date of Report: January 8, 2018
Area Report:
Today, the temps will be in the upper 20’s with a low of 9. Tuesday high in the 30’s and Wednesday warming up to the upper 30’s and a low of 26. With all the cold temps we have had our water holes firming up, you will still encounter some places that still are wet. Please be patient and use caution when riding.

PLEASE STAY ON TRAILS. WE HAVE BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS THAT SOME HAVE NOT BEEN STAYING ON TRAILS, RIDING ON UNMARKED TRAILS CAN LOSE EASEMENT FOR OUR TRAIL SYSTEM SO PLEASE STAY ON TRAILS!!!!!!

THE GOGEBIC RANGE TRAIL AUTHORITY REPORTS:
01/08/2018
Overall conditions are fair to excellent. There is a 5-8″ base across our system. Please use extra caution when road crossing, also when traveling on county roads keep speeds to 25 miles an hour or less to avoid losing control. Vehicles have the right of way.

Trail 2 from Hurley to Ramsay US-2 Crossing:
Overall rating is good to excellent. Thin spots on trail exist, but overall the trail is flat and smooth. The rail-bed trail ENDS on the east side of the Keystone Bridge. The club grooms the bridge to maintain it for local access. The “old” trail to Wakefield is closed east of Verona Rd. and anyone caught riding it will be ticketed.

Trail 2 from Ramsay Crossing to Wakefield:
Overall rating is good to excellent. The hill climbs to Indianhead Big Snow Resorts are snow packed and smooth. Corners are icy due to traffic, so use caution.

Trail 2 from Wakefield to Marenisco:
Overall rating is good to excellent. Wet spots exist on the pipeline near the Trail 2/Trail 8 intersection.

Trail 8 from Bingos to Tula Crossing:
Overall rating is very good. It is a wide seasonal county road that is not plowed and makes a fun trail to ride. Trail 8 where the GRTA groomer turns around is ungroomed for 7 miles.
The preferred route to Lake Gogebic, that is groomed completely, is Trail 2 to Marenisco, then up to Trail 1.

Trail 160 from Walmart to Montreal River(WI):
Overall rating is good to excellent. You will also encounter some active logging near the Lake Road area, please go slow, logging trucks have the right of way. Please remember to stay on the trail!!!! Do not go off the trails and ride on farmers fields, this can lose easement for our trails. This trail is very scenic so enjoy!!

Trail 11S:
Overall rating is good to poor. There are sections where the snow was used up to freeze the mud/water in but are small areas. There are thin spots where we need more snow to cover up the wheeler ruts. Please use caution on this trail.

LAKE GOGEBIC AREA GROOMER REPORT:
01/08/2018
Overall, trail conditions are good to excellent condition.

Trail 13 North of Bergland is reported in good condition – twice the snow and base as the South end of the Lake.
Trail 13 South to Trail 2 has not been groomed as there is not enough snow.

Trail 1 going South from White Pine is also reported as good to excellent.

Trail 1 & 8 North of Bergland is holding up well even with all the traffic.

Trail 102 has been groomed and is in good condition.

Trail 8 west of M64 had a groomer go through last week – please be patient as we get this back in shape.

Trail 1 North of West Shore Resort is closed due to logging.

U.P. THUNDER RIDERS OF WATERSMEET GROOMERS REPORT:

Groomers are running on a regular schedule. The trails are grooming up nicely. They have an 8 inch base.

Trail 2 east – fair to good
Trail 3 north – fair to good
Trail 2 west – fair to good
Trail 13 south – fair to good

THINK SNOW!

PLEASE STAY ON MARKED TRAILS RIDING ON UNMARKED TRAILS CAN RESULT IN THE CLUB LOSING EASEMENT OF THAT TRAIL AND YOU POSSIBLE GETTING A TICKET….

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Trail Report – : Tomahawk, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:AOXEN

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: up to 10 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

This report is dated Friday, January 12, 2018.

Lincoln County snowmobile trails in Zone I are OPEN. Trails south of State Highway 86, Corridor 17 south of intersection #30,Corridor 15 south of intersection #28 and trails 51 and G in the Gleason area remain CLOSED. Trails are being reported in GOOD condition.

All trails in Zone 2 and Zone 3 remain CLOSED in Lincoln County.

Please be aware of trail closed signs, stay on marked trails ONLY and respect private land. Use extreme caution and expect some icy riding conditions throughout the trail system.

Trails designated as winter ATV trails in these areas will open for ATV use are Open.

All trails are closed for ATV use when the temperature is above 28 degrees F.

Oneida County snowmobile trails are OPEN and are in GOOD condition.

These trails are maintained by the local snowmobile clubs.

Please check the current conditions on the Chamber’s website at www.gototomahawk.com

For current information about the Tomahawk area such as lodging information and area

activities, we invite you to visit our website at .gototomahawk.com.

This report will be updated when conditions change.

Trail Report – : Rice Lake & Barron County, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:rltourism

Trail Conditions: Unknown

Snow Cover: 4-6 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Snowmobile Information:

If you need a trail map, see link under snowmobile information.

Trail Report – : Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – January 12, 2018

Reporter:SaultSteMarie

Trail Conditions: Fair

Snow Cover: Base is 2 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

Temps are at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and drought is big. Groomers will be back out Friday morning repairing the damage. Trails north of M28 are in fair shape and will improve once we can get the groomer out. But they will be icy until we get enough new snow to mix in.

We just had all the wet spots frozen so hopefully they will not reopen. We will not be running the groomer on Soo to Kinross or Kinross to Raco for a couple days to give the cold a chance to set things up again. We don’t want to break up any other ice.

February 1, help break the Guinness World Record for the longest snowmobile parade.

We have a newly-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 our list of supporters on our web page and give them your business. Please do that in all towns you visit. The grooming entities are all made up of volunteers who want you to support those who support us!

Remember, trail base is the amount of snow between your track and the ground below, not the amount of fluff piled up in the woods. 10 inches of snow compresses to less than an inch on the trail.

Sault Ste. Marie to Brimley, Trail #8 –

Base 1 – 4 inches -Trail is in fair condition.

Brimley to Raco, Trail #8 –

Base 1 – 4 inches -Trail is in fair condition. Watch for drifts in open areas

When 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 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in fair condition. No water.

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

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in fair condition. Watch for wet areas going to the Antlers.

We now have a marked 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 20 mph, stop at all intersections, and ride on the right-hand side of street not on 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 – 3 inches – Trail is in fair condition. Hopefully no wet spots after the rain.

Make sure you follow the reroute once you cross the bridge going south at 7 Mile Road.

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- 3 inches – Trail is in fair condition Watch for trucks on trail.

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

Base 1 – 4 inches – Trail is in fair condition. Wet spots may reopen after rain. Watch for reroute signs just west of Kinross. Trail to Rudyard has been groomed, but logging is going on, too.

The Downtown Trail is signed, but snow and barrels on the Portage Ave. Bridge have not been placed yet.

Join us on Facebook, too!

www.sootrails.org

News and Reports:

World Record Attempt

On February 1st, 2018, come to Sault Ste. Marie to help us try to break the world record for the largest snowmobile parade! We need at least 1,048 snowmobiles on February 1, 2018, the Thursday before the 50th Annual International 500 Snowmobile Race.

The $5.00 registration fee per sled is used to cover the costs incurred to break the record. The cost is $10.00 if you sign up the day of the event.

All snowmobile operators must have a valid driver’s license and a registered sled.

For more information – and to sign up – follow this link: http://www.saultstemarie.com/event-detail/guinness-world-record-snowmobile-parade/

Trail Report – : Boulder Junction, Wisconsin – January 12, 2018

Reporter:boulderwi

Trail Conditions: Good

Snow Cover: 10-12 inches

Date of Report: January 12, 2018

Area Report:

Trail report for January 12, 2018, Good condition. With the snow we got yesterday we were able to lay out a nice trail. Our groomers were out and the trails are nice and flat. The wet snow and the cold temps that followed were the perfect mixture for what we needed. We could always use some more snow. Please use caution in the corners they still can get bare and icy. The logging areas still have little snow. We have a fundraiser breakfast at Gooch’s this Sunday. Please join me and the rest of the club at this event. We will have a great breakfast and a meat paddle raffle afterwards to win some great selections of meat for your freezer. It really is a lot of fun! Remember to be safe, ride right, and enjoy the ride.

Jim (Hammy) Hamilton

BJSC President

Check out snow conditions by viewing our WEBCAM located outside the Chamber office on Hwy M.

Join us for these upcoming events:
January 14: Boulder Junction Snowmobile Club Breakfast
February 3: Frozen Tozen Ice Fishing Tournament
February 17: Forest Frenzy Winter Triathlon
February 18: Boulder Junction Snowmobile Club Breakfast
March 3: Boulder Junction Snowmobile Cabin Fever Party