Delta County UP conditions?

[dooski_dan]

I am heading to Rapid River next week and was wondering if anyone has an update on conditions in this area? I would love to know how it is around there and on the ride toward Munising from there. Thanks.

 

[jeff_anderson]

Yesterday trail 2 from the rapid river trail head on the gas pipeline didn’t have much snow and I suspect hasn’t been groomed due to low snow. I did travel the section but it is very bumpy. Once trail 2 turns onto the road the trail was flat and had adequate snow during the 1.5 miles I traveled on it. (I left trail 2 and continued north on forest road 2235 to my cabin.)

 

[Yamadogger]

I rode Rapid River Trailhead to Buckhorn then to Christmas then back into Shingleton and up to Grand Marais and back to Rapid River last Tuesday (1/12) for 255 miles and trails were rideable but bumpy. Since then there has been LOTS of snow falling up by Munising. As Jeff noted above, trailhead in Rapid down gas pipeline is not groomed but not due to low snow - I think it was due to not being frozen yet. It's bumpy but only bad for 7 miles until you hit 2235 then it's flat. Once you hit the trail north of Mac's Bar it's groomed all the way north. There is about 1/2 mile of logging about 15 miles north of the trailhead but it's snow covered and no issue getting through. The trail is actually pretty smooth and in decent shape to the Buckhorn. It wasn't too bad on 8 north of the Buckhorn either. The worst stretch was 8 from Shingleton north and then eat to the turn off to head to Grand Marais. That whole grade was pounded and the stretch north of Shingleton through the swamp up to the Bear Trap turn off was not groomed due to not being frozen yet. I believe I read that most of this is now groomed. You'll be completely fine riding from Rapid next week and the worst of your issues will be the bumpy pipeline if it's not groomed yet. Have fun!

 

[dooski_dan]

Never did make it up to Rapid River. 0 for 2 on the season after we were supposed to go last week when the warm up occurred. Can one of you give me an update on that area now? Looking at late next week to try again. How is it now? How will it be if the snow that John is talking about happens?

 

[Yamadogger]

I haven't ridden since last Monday 2/15 so I can't give you good info. I would guess, however, that the trails are still rideable and in ok shape. I did 313 miles in 8 hrs from the Rapid trailhead and the trails were awesome before the warm-up. We lost a fair amount of snow but you should still be able to leave from Rapid and ride north or east without issue. Biggest problem now is trails are rock hard in this type of weather so it needs to be warm to get any hyfax lube until we get fresh snow.