A group of 7 of us took a trip to the UP last week. We arrived in Houghton Tuesday evening and rode through Friday. Our arrival was about a day after the area had received over a foot of new snow. We rode to Copper Harbor on Wednesday. The trails on the way up were in good shape but the way home was horrible. We rode up on the west side of the peninsula and back down through lac la belle and gay. I know the trail through Gay is known to be rough at times but I figured mid week after all the snow it would be in descent shape. It was moguled the whole way back from copper harbor to hancock including trail 3. Thursday was more of the same. Rode south, Freeda loop was great and the trail up to ontonagon was in good shape. The loop we took on the way back was horrible and trail 3 was horrible most the way back to houghton. Horrible as in stand up back breaking riding. I saw very limited traffic on both these days and saw a total of one groomer early wednesday morning. Surprisingly Friday was the best day. 20 times the traffic but the trails were smooth in most areas. I saw probably 4 groomers on Friday afternoon. My question is does it really pay off to go up during the week? Maybe less traffic but less grooming as well? I've been up several years now over the weekends and the trails were worse last week than I've ever seen them. It was warm out during the days which may have had a lot to do with trail conditions but it seemed to me that not much attempt was made to groom during mid week. Maybe we just picked the wrong trails at the wrong times. Regardless, We still all enjoyed ourselves and had 0 breakdowns out of 7 sleds so a pretty good week. I'm just a little discouraged on returning without some explanation as to the poor conditions. Its a **** of a drive and a hefty expense for our group to endure to ride moguls. On a happier note. The snow off trail was the best I've ever seen it. Waist deep and tons of untouched ground. To bad we are about 90 percent trail riders.
Rough trails last week for my group???
- Thread starter tomcat
- Start date
Our group arrived in Hancock Tuesday and went to Copper Wednesday as well via 17 then 3. We decided to head back on 3 and for the most part it was not bad. We ran into the one groomer that just got himself out of the ditch north of Phoenix and ran into 2 other groomers further south as they were going out to help him but turned back (as they were not needed) so we basically hit the grooming pretty well but this was mid afternoon. We then took 3 via Lake Linden back to Hancock and it was ok but again this was about mid-afternoon and trails were realy waming up and getting sloppy but not mogeled for the most part. We talked about going thru Gay but no one wanted to go that way so we got pretty lucky with the trails we picked. I think the day time grooming does not help much when it is warm.
I was riding the trails from the 23rd to the 26th in the Hancock, Copper Harbor, Greenland, Bruce Crossing areas. I will have to say I saw almost as many sleds on this trip as I did when I was up there from January 13th to the 16th riding the same area. For whatever reason more and more sledders are taking time off during the week to ride vs weekend trips like was the norm a few years ago, so naturally the trails will be rougher than many of us are used to that traditionally came during the week in year's past. Add to this the fact that snow is rather thin in other locations around the midwest. Sorry more sleds mean rougher trails. The clubs work their tails off to give us the best trails they can, it does very little good to groom trails during the daytime only to have 20 sleds ride through it within 30 minutes without a chance to firm up. The best trails are groomed at night, have very little traffic on them, temps drop into the teens so the snow firms up and sets up to a point that it will usually last at least a half a day.
Thanks to the Groomers for all you do! Rougher trails on the way back home at the end of the day is still a heck of a lot better than a day at work!!!
Thanks to the Groomers for all you do! Rougher trails on the way back home at the end of the day is still a heck of a lot better than a day at work!!!
garyl62
Active member
We were up and stayed in Houghton the 25th to the 29th and sorry to hear about everyone's trouble, but I have no idea how you could have had an experience so different than ours. Can't talk about Wednesday as we only rode 75 miles south on 3 to Twin Lakes and did the Freda Loop. Everything was good except a little chop on 3 for about 12 miles headed into Houghton. Thursday we did 3 to Copper 134 to 135 to High Rock, back to Lac LaBelle then 122 to Gay. Did a few other things and ended the day at 4:00 and 180 miles. Nothing but flat and smooth all day. Friday was more of the same in most of the same area and the only rough spot was 122 from 124 to Lake Linden later in the afternoon. Still quit at 4:00 and did about 150. Saturday we did about the same distance (in great snow as JD talked about in Sunday's Journal) but went south to Greenland. Had one of those "planets in alignment" moments when we took 13 north from Pat's and went the first 21 miles as the first sleds down the trail that had been groomed the night before. Flat and hard, it was great. Only met 2 groups of 3 or 4 headed south the entire 39 mile run on 13. In fact we went 49 miles from Pats to the Mosquito without stopping to talk, stretch, or do anything. Toward the late afternoon (3:30) 3 was a little choppy close to Houghton but it was a Saturday and there was about 5 inches of fresh snow getting moved around. I don't want to make it sound like we log tons of miles, we don't. But we did ride a decent amount those same days last week everyone is talking about and we had great conditions. Saw groomers every day and more than once. Too bad for your experience Tomcat, but don't write it off as that it was all like that all over. It could have just been being in the wrong place at wrong time, and remember, no break downs, and a great time away from work to play in the snow of the northwoods!
Here are some shots from Thurs - Sat from Greenland to Copper Harbor
POLARISDAN
New member
thats why we ride at night
POLARISDAN
New member
ive been thinking of your post all day tomcat as we blasted 40 degree weather in kick *** trail conditions..we r at 12 hours now..and heading out for another romp..3 is freshly groomed..u have to figure where the people are..and go the other way..pm me and ill tell u the trail..but it is in keewanah, not off trail..and fkn kick ***..u just have to search
POLARISDAN
New member
we just got back from 2 plus hours of magic carpet ride(groomed obviously)..most popular trail up here..3..and not a sled to be found..absolute sweetness..and 3 is a fun *** trail..not super str8..lots of bends..and lots of speed...complain all day if u want..they counted 15000 sled hits at krupps the other day..so 3 is only gud once a day..get it?
same goes for most trails...just gotta search and be willing to ride outside of the box...at least till i get a longer sled and forest road map and compass..oh well..next year
keewanah rocks!!!!!
same goes for most trails...just gotta search and be willing to ride outside of the box...at least till i get a longer sled and forest road map and compass..oh well..next year
keewanah rocks!!!!!
Yes, I am well aware of the fact that the main corridor trails get beat up by the end of the day. My group knows how to ride "outside of the box". We hit about every loop there is in the kewanee from mass up. We rode late into the night (midnightish) and were back on the trails by mid morning. I don't believe that we are an overly picky group when it comes to trail quality. We're used to riding Iowa chissel plowed fields so we can take some punishment. I've run into some rough stretches in the UP in years past but not 60 mile stretches like we did last week. We obviously picked the wrong trails at the wrong time but have never had this issue in yrs past, especially mid week. It sounds like everyone else ran freshly groomed trails last week but us so I'll chalk it up to bad luck. I don't know if I'd call it complaining, I still had a good time. Was just looking for some encouragement to justify our group coming back next yr and dropping 4-5k on a snowmobile trip. thx for the replies
Okay, what/where is a "keewanah" and/or "kewanee"? Anywhere near Keweenaw (County or the Peninsula)?
Last edited:
L
lenny
Guest
we've had just about ever challenge thrown at us here in da UP. Late start, numerous warm ups, lower than average snow, no snow elsewhere so everybody comes here. I'm surprised the trails are ever as good as they are. I do know they get beat fast so best to take off at 8 am, come home for an early diner and go back out at about 8 till you gotta come in. Here we are with some mid 30's. I groom Thursday's and just waiting for the temps to drop to go out. Typical of the challenge we are experiencing this year.
Last edited:
Lenny,
Here is a question: If this warm weather damages the trails, if we get some more snow and cold in next 10 days will the trails come back to be able to ride again ?
I think it's classic to read frnash's posts. Effing hilarious
I like the links posted on top of that though.
duluthrider
New member
I was also in the UP in that time frame, we had very good riding, guess we never thought of going to Copper Harbor. :0
L
lenny
Guest
they sure will, this is the 3rd warm up we've had and we recover with cold and snow, I'm not worried about it. I just got back grooming and it's still 32 degrees out. Was hard to make the trail smooth as the wet snow want's to hang up in the drag
POLARISDAN
New member
thats funny..i used to spell in keenawah..found out it was wrong, and am still mispelling it..hilarious
POLARISDAN
New member
hey tom, it all depends on your flexibility to go..johns reports really help figuring when to go, thats what we use..and unless it snows back home or in wisconsin/mn..michigan UP is it for the midwest..weve been dealing with 40 degrees all week but had some fantastic riding...so i say definately plan on coming back....and i am understanding the forest roads are the ticket..but my 121 rush isnt the right track..so next year...