Bontz Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 A week from today we're supposed to start a mini saddlebag trip, leaving from Watersmeet to Copper Harbor (Day 1), then from Copper Harbor to White Pine (Day 2), and then back to Watersmeet (Day 3). I know the forecast looks like absolute shit up there, with warmer temps and now immediate snow. But I think the conditions to the north are OK. Does anyone have any legit seat time/reports around Watersmeet to say, Bruce Crossing? I saw the Watersmeet club's FB page said no more grooming until they get more snow, but I hope that doesn't mean the trails are down to freaking dirt. That last leg we have from White Pine back to Watersmeet has me a bit nervous seeing the warmer temps they're forecasting & combining that with already low snow conditions could make for a miserable ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Here's the trail report from Gogebic trail authority from January 20th and Watersmeet today. Not sounding good for Watersmeet Gogebic Range Trail Authority - ORV & Snowmobile Club · Here's a trail report for Trail 160 just off of trail 2 going out to Bald Mountain. It's rideable with a 2 to a 4 inch base. Caution needs to be used when riding in the wooded areas because of large rocks in the trail. As you get closer to the lake the snow depth goes from 4 up to 10 inches of snow. We are just rolling the trails down where that leaves us a 2 to 4 inch base which will not let us groom until we get at least another 4 inches. Happy trails to all, conditions are rated at good, and good on the low side. Trail 2 from Ironwood to Marenisco is also rideable with caution. Trail 8 from Wakefield to Tula is also rideable to Tula. Trail 11 from trail 8 to trail 2 is also rideable again expressing caution. Please treat All trails as if is the beginning of the season, because it is in January. Happy Trails. Go Ride. U.P. Thunder Riders Snowmobile Club Sosrdntpoecg239agh386umu5ghttmc79a2g308hi014i34lg4a5i1amf715 · Unfortunately we will not be grooming again until we get more snow. There is nothing left to work with. The temperatures in our area won’t help our trail system either. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 Thanks Doug. Yeah, I saw the Thunder Riders update too May have to come up with a Plan B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlafon1 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Wife went up to the cabin to pick up riding gear so I could ride the fields down this way.. No way its rideable.. 8 inches on the ground and water holes.. 10 miles south of Wakefield.. Don't see ANY riding taking place this year with up coming warm weather.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 15 minutes ago, jonlafon1 said: Wife went up to the cabin to pick up riding gear so I could ride the fields down this way.. No way its rideable.. 8 inches on the ground and water holes.. 10 miles south of Wakefield.. Don't see ANY riding taking place this year with up coming warm weather.. Was pretty much expecting those types of reports ... ugh. Thank you, though. I'm not sure what we'll do but working on Plan B to see what we can come up with. I know as you get further north the better it gets but not sure what we'll find for available lodging for 9 people unless we can maybe get into a hotel out of Houghton and just base out of there for a few days. Hopefully with us using Sunday-Wednesday as our riding days we can cut down on SOME of the traffic that likely will be up there. We'll see, I guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlafon1 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Just now, Bontz said: Was pretty much expecting those types of reports ... ugh. Thank you, though. I'm not sure what we'll do but working on Plan B to see what we can come up with. I know as you get further north the better it gets but not sure what we'll find for available lodging for 9 people unless we can maybe get into a hotel out of Houghton and just base out of there for a few days. Hopefully with us using Sunday-Wednesday as our riding days we can cut down on SOME of the traffic that likely will be up there. We'll see, I guess. Yea its a shit sandwich this season.. If you go start your ride at 6 am and hit the kill switch mid day.. Your body will thank you.. EARLY bird gets the groom in the UP.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Buddy did some looking since we're in a melt down and said Mass City was probably the furthest South to ride and that was early season riding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry 976 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 7 hours ago, Bontz said: A week from today we're supposed to start a mini saddlebag trip, leaving from Watersmeet to Copper Harbor (Day 1), then from Copper Harbor to White Pine (Day 2), and then back to Watersmeet (Day 3). I know the forecast looks like absolute shit up there, with warmer temps and now immediate snow. But I think the conditions to the north are OK. Does anyone have any legit seat time/reports around Watersmeet to say, Bruce Crossing? I saw the Watersmeet club's FB page said no more grooming until they get more snow, but I hope that doesn't mean the trails are down to freaking dirt. That last leg we have from White Pine back to Watersmeet has me a bit nervous seeing the warmer temps they're forecasting & combining that with already low snow conditions could make for a miserable ride. Not sure how much it will help you Chris, but click the link below, live cams, and trail reports in different tabs across the top of the page. Some of the cam pics you can click on and make them bigger. https://www.upsnowmobiling.com/web-cams/lake-gogebic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 Thanks Jer Yeah, we have a couple of the guys from our crew watching the various webcams and also looking at the local clubs' Facebook pages. I pretty much know it's not good around Watersmeet, but was hoping maybe some first hand reports might straggle in here to say how far a person would have to ride before it got good. That said, I think we're on Plan B and heading further north on Sunday, but will continue with Copper Harbor and White Pine as destination days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X2700 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Buddy was in land o lakes all last week and trailered up just north of twin lakes each day to ride. said Bruce crossing south bad all rocks. said lots of snow north of houghton but also tons of people. he was on trail 7am and had good riding till noon then crap!! I hear east of Marquette good but it’s a drive!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X2700 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 There always lake pepin!😁 seen sxs on lake today down by pepin!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 22 minutes ago, X2700 said: There always lake pepin!😁 seen sxs on lake today down by pepin!! I saw the LC Sportsman's Club posted there was 8" of ice where they hold the fishing contest (as of Saturday). But I don't think they're gonna be fortunate enough to have that much ice in a month, when the contest takes place over President's weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X2700 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I thought it looked damn thin to have sxs out in middle of lake!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Holy shit - they were in the middle of the lake?? Yeah, that's someone going after a Darwin Award!! Hell, I wouldn't even have one by the Sportsman's club, despite their claim of it being 8" there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Man, I wonder if we should just change our saddlebag trip to a SxS trip Just pulled up the extended forecast for Houghton, since that's kind of the central area we'll be around and this is what it's showing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlafon1 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 6 minutes ago, Bontz said: Man, I wonder if we should just change our saddlebag trip to a SxS trip Just pulled up the extended forecast for Houghton, since that's kind of the central area we'll be around and this is what it's showing. I stopped checking this stuff.. I get more pissed off and cranky.. Wife says im a total crank right now.. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Glad I took advantage of Central and Southern Sconnie the last 4 days. Its going to be TOAST everywhere in a few days. Sconnie shut down 90% of what they had open last night!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Fuck it ... bring on golf season!! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 7 minutes ago, Bontz said: Fuck it ... bring on golf season!! My son is hoping someone opens next week so he can say he’s golfed in all 12 months in Minnesota! It could happen… 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 3 minutes ago, Mag6240 said: My son is hoping someone opens next week so he can say he’s golfed in all 12 months in Minnesota! It could happen… There's a course in Rochester ... Oak Summit ... that's notorious for opening up as early as possible. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they post something by next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, jonlafon1 said: I stopped checking this stuff.. I get more pissed off and cranky.. Wife says im a total crank right now.. Agreed. Had a good solid 5 days of riding locally and Monday we closed the trail to Hopefully save some of the base. Wife says I'm back to being an Ass now 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlafon1 Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 4 minutes ago, Doug said: Agreed. Had a good solid 5 days of riding locally and Monday we closed the trail to Hopefully save some of the base. Wife says I'm back to being an Ass now Unfortunately this weather coming is forecasted and true it may shut us down for rest of the season.. Frost will come out pretty much everywhere... Maybe not way north up? But Im guessing it takes it all out.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Member poopooforme Posted January 23 Gold Member Share Posted January 23 Yep I don't ever remember a shittier winter. Imagine having a couple hundred new snowmobiles to try and sell.... Old customer of mine came in before lunch today to bullshit and when he got up to leave he says "geez this sure was a morbid conversation. You need to get on your snowmobile!" Ya think???????? Fucking a this shit pisses me off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 2 minutes ago, poopooforme said: Yep I don't ever remember a shittier winter. Imagine having a couple hundred new snowmobiles to try and sell.... Old customer of mine came in before lunch today to bullshit and when he got up to leave he says "geez this sure was a morbid conversation. You need to get on your snowmobile!" Ya think???????? Fucking a this shit pisses me off!! I feel for the business owners that rely on us sled heads for their winter income. It's pretty depressing seeing the parking lots so empty this time of the year ... especially after the past several years where it was really good conditions. One of our guys was talking to the owner at one of the hot spots up where we go, and he said it's not uncommon for a couple of his regular bartenders to clear $100K for the year, but that's because snowmobilers are so willing to spend money and leave good tips. This year ... ugh, not so much. It sucks - no doubt about it. Hell even our Plan B is looking to be pretty questionable for next week I'm not really looking to drive almost 6 hours for less than 200 miles on the sled, and even less desirable if the conditions suck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sled_Hed Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 36 minutes ago, Bontz said: I feel for the business owners that rely on us sled heads for their winter income. It's pretty depressing seeing the parking lots so empty this time of the year ... especially after the past several years where it was really good conditions. One of our guys was talking to the owner at one of the hot spots up where we go, and he said it's not uncommon for a couple of his regular bartenders to clear $100K for the year, but that's because snowmobilers are so willing to spend money and leave good tips. This year ... ugh, not so much. It sucks - no doubt about it. Hell even our Plan B is looking to be pretty questionable for next week I'm not really looking to drive almost 6 hours for less than 200 miles on the sled, and even less desirable if the conditions suck. No kidding, I'm glad I'm not dependent on winter for income. Some of the resorts haven't even pulled skid houses yet, that makes a short season. Even snow removal people, they haven't even plowed our lot at work yet this season. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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