Keeping the trails alive!

jd

jd

Administrator
Staff member
I had to go to Houghton/Hancock yesterday and when I got to the area where the trail runs along the highway in Hancock that is notorious for getting all the road grime and going to crap faster than anywhere else, I was pleasantly surprised to see them putting down new snow there to keep that section of trail alive. It had not been groomed yet, but looking at trail cam 2, it looks like they did groom last night.

hancocktrail.jpg

I have no idea if anything similar will be done on the Houghton side, where things can get thin quickly due to it following the roadway by the park, but once outside of the immediate town areas, we still have over a foot of base to work with.

50's for tomorrow and Sat (maybe even close to 60) so spring riding for sure, but for someone wanting to get in at least one more ride, in spring conditions, you could do it this weekend at least from Hancock north (most likely south too, but I have not seen things there). The only issues might be in the immediate areas around Lac La Belle, Eagle River/Harbor and Copper Harbor, where the trails use shoulders of roads and are bare.

-John
 
jd

jd

Administrator
Staff member
old abe said:
Thanks John. Only days left? Next week not good? Too warm, too long?
Click to expand...

I am not sure what will be left of things after this weekend, with the temps. It is certainly possible things could still be OK for next week, but predicting the shape of the trails after a warm up can be very surprising, from both the positive and negative. It does look like some snows will fly the second half of next week and some ideas of significant snows have been spit out by the models from time to time, I just do not want to get too sucked into believing a big spring snow is in the offing just yet!

-John
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
I hear what you are saying. As I look back, my son and I had 3 or 4 very good trips 3rd week in March as he was on his spring break! Good memories, very good. Oh ya! Thanks for the reply John.
 
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woodside

Member
Another ride is tempting but probably not wise. You can ride the FR's in our area if they have a base of 4" or more. The trails have been closed since Monday.

The FR's in the Bayfield area have 5-8" of packed snow base on top of solid ice. But two days of 50-55+ temps with full sun and 40 at night will shrink the base and reduce it to mush.

I told some riders who wanted to come up this weekend to stay home. Its always hard to turn down business but you have to be honest with people
 
A

americinncal

New member
woodside said:
Another ride is tempting but probably not wise. You can ride the FR's in our area if they have a base of 4" or more. The trails have been closed since Monday.

The FR's in the Bayfield area have 5-8" of packed snow base on top of solid ice. But two days of 50-55+ temps with full sun and 40 at night will shrink the base and reduce it to mush.

I told some riders who wanted to come up this weekend to stay home. Its always hard to turn down business but you have to be honest with people
Click to expand...

Yes that is true. We have a few still in house but everyone who has called we have told that its wet, muddy, and warm is on the way. We were told they aren't bad once your away from towns and in the woods, and they did groom last night but its definitely late spring conditions!
 
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eao

Active member
I saw that as well yesterday when I stopped at the State Farm office. The city was doing it.
 
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old abe

Well-known member
Glad to see the city of Hancock did what they could! Kudo's!!!! But the writing's on the wall. I guess it's over. Ok, I said it. Could we still have a"big surprise" coming???? I just can't let go yet.
 
J

jetrep

Member
I finished putting my engine/sled back together this week. I'm seriously considering the seven hour drive tomorrow morning to test it out. I'd hate to wait all summer to know if the sled is truly fixed. I'd probably drop in around Calumet. I'm not expecting great conditions but webcams are making it look better than I expected.
 
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