Anyone that's local to or up in the twin lakes / houghton / calumet areas ...........

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rich_jelinek

New member
The wife and I are planning to come up there on thursday am for our usual xmas / first trip of the year. We've seen what looks to be decent riding conditions from threads here, for how this season has started out anyway, but the one day that scares me is the forecast calls for rain and 40 on weds. 12/23 ( tomorrow ) and I'm afraid that what conditions are there now will really go to crap if it rains, effectively ruining our mini trip. After weds the weather looks decent thru the weekend, but just that one day weds rain could kill it.

So what I am asking is that if anyone currently up there / local to the area can let us know here if it rains tomorrow and how much and how bad it seems to affect the trail conditions we'd appreciate it. You know the deal, all though we are not expecting anything great as it is, we just hate to come all the way up there if it's shot from the rain............. we have to make a decision tomorrow evening if we go or not.

Thanks in advance................ and hoping the temps stay down !
 
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vipermike2002

New member
Call the Americinn in Calumet. The lady at the desk had quite a bit of information when I asked about the snow/tails last time I called. I am also planning a trip. Decent snow coming Saturday night. Hopefully the trains don't get damaged to bad today.
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
Hate to say it, but that is a shot in the dark right now, simply due to the steady rain throughout the day & is not really showing signs if stopping at the moment. There is now a Wind Advisory posted for the Keweenaw with strong westerly winds of 30 to 40 & gusts to 50 mph expected from tonight through tomorrow afternoon. Things do look to change, but, how soon & to what degree is still an unknown, I guess the ball is in your court.-Mezz
 
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rich_jelinek

New member
Well, about an hour ago I talked to both Krupps and the Americinn in Calumet where we were going to stay, and they both said pretty much the same thing.

Due to the rain that's been coming down pretty much all day, the snow that's left is pretty much slush and the trails are pretty much done. This one warm day and rain has killed it. They expect some snow tomorrow and some on sat. but how much is the question and with all the damage the rain has done ( not to mention is supposed to keep raining well into the late night ) gonna have to really start all over again, so so much for our xmas trip :(

We really need things to freeze up good, and then get the snow going. I just hope it happens real soon............................
 
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blob

Member
I can only tell you about trail 3 from Twin Lakes to the Bug Bar. Trail 3 in that area was pretty good if you don't mind a few wet areas and some trees and branches on the trail. We had a nice relaxing ride today, even spent some time cutting branches and removing limbs from the trail when we came across them. Traffic was really light today and most of the wet areas on 3 should be frozen by the morning. Really depends on your expectations. If you want to put on big miles, you will be disappointed, if you want to spend some quality time with family or friends doing something you love, you could have a great time. We drove 11 hours to get here and I am not disappointed. Much better trail conditions than we typically see in the Lower Peninsula on a good trip. Not sure how things will hold up without more snow when the traffic hits after Christmas.
 
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rich_jelinek

New member
We were up there just this past weekend, stayed in Calumet. On friday we rode - 17 from calumet down to hancock was pretty good, had decent snow cover on it and was actually the best conditions north of the bridge. 3 from hancock thru lake linden and back up to calumet was decent in some areas and just really too thin in others, any hills had softball size rocks littered everywhere. 3 from calumet north was decent for a couple of miles and then went bad fast, just not enough snow. By the time we got to vansville bar in Phoenix we turned back because the snow was to thin, started getting gravel and again with the softball size rocks everywhere on the trail like a mine field. I cannot believe the amount of people that we still saw heading north thru all that, and although I had heard it got better a few miles north of there I was NOT going to punish our sleds to find out. Rode 121/122 from phoenix towards ( but not to ) gay, then cut back towards lake linden on 121/122 which was okay, other than a lil rough and had a few wet spots but could get around them. At least there was snow on it - and took it back to get on 3 back to calumet. Did just over 110 miles but most of it was JUST rideable, 17 was about all I would consider pretty nice.

Saturday we trailered the sleds down to south range and got on 3 south, which was very good, especially south range to twin lakes was really really nice, made it almost to mass city but by then the snow got too thin and snirty so we turned around. Took 13 from twin lakes and did the 32 mile loop in and back out which was really good for the most part, but it is cut off due to logging so again you go in, loop around and come back out to where you started. Then rode 3 up to the north frieda loop which was really good, ( tried south frieda loop it was junk ) north frieda had lots of snow and groomed nicely up to red ridge dam, back to 3 north tried to get to the lift bridge but it got bad / thin & gravel / so we turned around again and headed back into south range where we started. Did about 140 miles most of which was pretty good.

It was nice just to get some riding in, but I have a real problem with riding in poor conditions simply because it's not really enjoyable for us and I can't stand abusing our sleds. Anything that was what I consider good was so limited you'd just be riding back and forth all day. Groomers were out doing the best they could with what they have, but they desperately need alot more snow up there and I hope they ( and everywhere else ) start getting it real soon...............
 
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