2014/2015 Snowmobile Season A Bust?
- Thread starter j1cousin
- Start date
Just got back from the UP last night. We rode for a day and a half. 300 miles 50/50 trail / two track. The best trails I have ever seen the first week of Dec. Hats off to the clubs that could get out. The woods were full of new sleds. When it snows,you have to get out and ride. Snow melting is nothing new, I'm no weatherman, but I think it happens all the time.
Yep that is how you handle El Nino.... Snow falls temps stay cold you got to ride it while you have it. I get the concern & plenty to worry about but you have to pull the trigger quickly... no long term planning you have to react in a matter of days not weeks or months won't work out unless you get lucky. It always snows & stays cold enough to ride somewhere in MN,WI & MI so pay attention to the forecast & be prepared to chase snow. Yes there will be too many riders in one place at one time so learn to share & be nice or don't go all the people & traffic will drive you nuts but remember this is suppose to be fun so make the best of it. It is what it is right now better to wait, imo ,so very early much better conditions in the near future.
Yep seems so in 20/20 hindsight. Looks like a year venturenorth will get to know FRs...lol.. maybe park his sled here with me. FRs is where it is at in low snow years forget the groomed trails will be a mess down here. Already have my backup plans ready to roll out just can't go as far as normal until we have better conditions but plenty of riding to be had off the beaten path.
scottiking
Well-known member
Wow pretty funny to me that people seem to be panicking!
I have had 3 pretty fun sledding weekends already this year!
I rode in 38" in mid Nov and a couple feet thanksgiving weekend and this last weekend we had a blast riding anywhere we wanted with an 18'' hard base hiding all the crap with 6-8" of fluff on top of that!
Best fall riding and first week of the trails being open in MANY years IMO!
Of coarse this is in the Houghton/Handcock area of the Yoop!
I can't see this small warm up doing much to that hard base!
looking at my cams today it looks like we picked up 3-4 inches today and maybe get some more tonight!
Driving through Hurley/Ironwood yesterday the plow banks look like late Feb there!
a day or 2 of 40 above going to burn that all up? don't think so!
Everywhere else in the non-snowbelt areas of the Midwest are hit and miss every year for the most part!
It snows a foot and ya better get on it on day one or two or snooze ya loose!
Although we have talked about doing the Heikki dance and we all know that works for sure!
I wanted to do it the 2nd week of Nov but Richard said the hunters would shoot us and it turned out most hunters couldn't even get to their camps this year and threw in the towel!
So in a couple weeks we will be out with Kruppy doing the dance either way!
TWIN LAKES MI official season snowfall was at 87.4" on Dec 4th and we got some more today!
BRAAAAAAAAAP1
Scottiking oUT
I have had 3 pretty fun sledding weekends already this year!
I rode in 38" in mid Nov and a couple feet thanksgiving weekend and this last weekend we had a blast riding anywhere we wanted with an 18'' hard base hiding all the crap with 6-8" of fluff on top of that!
Best fall riding and first week of the trails being open in MANY years IMO!
Of coarse this is in the Houghton/Handcock area of the Yoop!
I can't see this small warm up doing much to that hard base!
looking at my cams today it looks like we picked up 3-4 inches today and maybe get some more tonight!
Driving through Hurley/Ironwood yesterday the plow banks look like late Feb there!
a day or 2 of 40 above going to burn that all up? don't think so!
Everywhere else in the non-snowbelt areas of the Midwest are hit and miss every year for the most part!
It snows a foot and ya better get on it on day one or two or snooze ya loose!
Although we have talked about doing the Heikki dance and we all know that works for sure!
I wanted to do it the 2nd week of Nov but Richard said the hunters would shoot us and it turned out most hunters couldn't even get to their camps this year and threw in the towel!
So in a couple weeks we will be out with Kruppy doing the dance either way!
TWIN LAKES MI official season snowfall was at 87.4" on Dec 4th and we got some more today!
BRAAAAAAAAAP1
Scottiking oUT
polarisrider1
New member
Totally agree. You snooze you lose. I have had some extremely good riding on a Friday or Monday and as the Saturday crowd shows it is all melted. Snowmobiling is at the mercy of the snow Gods, and Skylar doing the kuna matata! or what ever you guys call it. The season is young, Golf one day ride the next, it is Michigan after all. Patience weed hoppers.
Jonger1150
New member
Meteorological winter starts on Dec 1st and runs through Feb 29th..... Astronomical winter starts December 21st, don't confuse the two.
Today's average high temp in Houghton is the same as the end of February. It's a bummer that the pattern kicked in now.
Today's average high temp in Houghton is the same as the end of February. It's a bummer that the pattern kicked in now.
Jonger1150
New member
A lot of the trails are gated before Dec 1st, so it's not quite the same. I'd rather of traded the cold November for a cold December.
- - - Updated - - -
The problem, as mentioned in Johns forecast, is that the models have this pattern persisting until January... and perhaps after that. In fact, there is no end in sight.
Just remember these 2 things: #1 - Ain't nothing we can do about it to begin with; and #2 - It could be worse, you could have the best winter in a decade (last year) and not be able to ride at all (back problems).
Enjoy what riding you get when you can get it.......we're all just along for the ride anyway
Some people just can't jump in their trucks and head 7 hours to the U.P. whenever they feel like it. First, you have to find someone to go with, second, you need the time off work, and third, there's only so much cash in the sled fund. My season runs from after Xmas till the snow melts. Even then, it sucks bad if the closest open trails are north of Highway 8.
LOL well said Scott!
polarisrider1
New member
So what are you trying to say? It's weather.
Jonger1150
New member
What's frustrating is that gas is at a 5 year low.... and oil took a BIG hit today, so it's only going lower.
We need to get the cold on this side of the planet and dipping a jetstream.
I'm responding to an earlier poster who wrote "It snows a foot and ya better get on it on day one or two or snooze ya loose[SIC]!"
HardwaterHoosier
Member
< see that bright yellow DONATE button to the left? I heard that enough hits on it will generate a significant swing in the forecast.
srt20
Active member
Didn't the models have a torch coming for about 2 months last year too? Did that ever come?
If the models were more accurate, so would the weather forecasters.
groomerdriver
New member
Do you or snobuilder have ANYTHING to contribute to this site? Go to the kiddie site, HCS, where you two dudes belong.