Keweenaw Thaw

hermie

hermie

Well-known member
Well Mezz based on the latest runs as of now the track has shifted south some and they have really lowered the totals. Sure looks like the 1st week of April is more Winter looking than spring,but we will see the forecast guessers seem to get more and more wrong as they just rely on computers only.
 
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packerlandrider

Well-known member
Yesterday, my dad came up to get his last(?) rides of the season. Rode 140 miles north of the bridge; saw eleven different snowmobilers all day - was the first tracks on some trails still at 3pm. Groomed trails were nearly all very good - excellent, while the still ungroomed side trails were fair - good (lots of fresh snow to push through). Looks like they got to grooming the remainder of side trails last night; so aside from a few bare & water spots things should be great today. At this time of year things can change daily, but I'm fairly certain trails "up on the spine" will be good through the end of the month. Get up and ride if you can - yet another year where if a person is able to time it right, March is providing the best riding of the year.
 
hermie

hermie

Well-known member
Have to give to the hard working groomer operators up there. They could of easily said it's the last week in March we're not going to bother but they got out there and groomed what they could. They look like they are doing the same thing over to the east. They both have had a long season yet they keep getting after it. Many thanks to all the hard working people out there grooming for us sled heads.
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
hermie said:
Well Mezz based on the latest runs as of now the track has shifted south some and they have really lowered the totals. Sure looks like the 1st week of April is more Winter looking than spring,but we will see the forecast guessers seem to get more and more wrong as they just rely on computers only.
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I am hopeful that this thing shifts track as it looks like a heavy mess. I pulled muscles in my back shoveling with the previous 2 heavy dumping's & am not looking forward to another round. I have been doing the snow for my Dad as well, so, double duty has been a literal pain. We'll see what transpires in the next few days as this is a ways out yet to have any confidence in the model runs just yet, nonetheless, something to keep an eye on.
 
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packerlandrider

Well-known member
128 miles earlier today before having to get on to other things, every mile on freshly groomed trails. Saw nine other snowmobilers today.

Excellent: 100 miles
Good - (mostly) Very Good: 20 miles
Poor - Fair: 8 miles

The ~8 miles of bad would be:
-Going through Hancock
-Going through Copper Harbor (and some bare pavement on top Brockway)
-the ~5 miles adjacent Gay*
*Note 133 was exceptional except for the last mile into Gay, the bad areas are mainly on 122
 
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hermie

hermie

Well-known member
Very nice Packerland the way the weather was going the middle of March I wasn't thinking it would make it to the end of March but as always never count the Kee out for late season riding. Going to try and put a few more miles on Saturday. Would like to get a few more in the new sled since it sat at the dealer all winter. Would you recommend riding a or n of the bridge? I rode s last Saturday was thinking of maybe going N this Saturday.
 
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hermie

hermie

Well-known member
mezz said:
I am hopeful that this thing shifts track as it looks like a heavy mess. I pulled muscles in my back shoveling with the previous 2 heavy dumping's & am not looking forward to another round. I have been doing the snow for my Dad as well, so, double duty has been a literal pain. We'll see what transpires in the next few days as this is a ways out yet to have any confidence in the model runs just yet, nonetheless, something to keep an eye on.
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Sorry to hear about your back Mezz. Get some Bio freeze always helps me feel a little better. Yeah it is a wait and see on this storm forecast is all over the place.
 
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packerlandrider

Well-known member
Hemie - my primary question(s) would be: how long do you want to drive to get to riding, and how long of a ride do you want to take?

If wanting to keep it a shorter day, then you'll be fine S of the bridge. Trail 3 from Mass City to Toivola (~30 miles one-way) got two groomer passes on Monday night, and I'm sure is still snow covered, mostly smooth, and likely in good condition come Saturday even if it doesn't get groomed again. It would be a nice 60 mile ride to close out the season.

If you have the time and ambition, I would wholeheartedly recommend riding north of the bridge on Saturday as long as things stay similar to what they were yesterday. There is ~100 miles of very good to excellent trails there, with some fair to good sections mixed in. And if you are fine with "there and backs" (which you would be doing if riding south of the bridge), here is my "optimal" very good - excellent trails condition recommended route for Saturday:

Drop at Gipp Arena in Laurium at the trailhead of 153.
Take 3 north to Delaware, and ride 134 / 135 to Copper Harbor (get gas in Copper Harbor).
You can either double back to Delaware on 134 / 135, or take 3 on Brockway. Brockway will have a few bare stretches, but was completely worth it yesterday before it got super warm.
Mix in a there-and-back from Lac La Belle to Gay on 133. (Don't take 122 to make a loop)
Trail 130 will also be mostly very good.
And if after all of that you still want more miles, take trail 17 from Calumet to north of Hancock and back.

Hopefully that wasn't all to confusing... But as I count it, that would be upwards of up to 160 miles total on trails which were all nearly excellent yesterday.
 
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packerlandrider

Well-known member
Maybe this is a better way to summarize north of the bridge. Conditions as of yesterday afternoon:
Trail 3 East Hancock to Lake Linden: Good
Trail 3 Lake Linden to Delaware: Excellent
Trail 3 Delaware to Copper Harbor: Excellent, with some bare spots on Brockway
Trail 17 directly in Hancock: Poor
Trail 17 Hancock to Calumet: Excellent
Trail 122: varies Poor to Good
Trail 130: Very Good, with a couple Poor spots
Trail 132: Excellent
Trail 133: Excellent
Trail 134: Excellent
Trail 135: Excellent
 
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D.B. Cooper

Active member
packerlandrider said:
Maybe this is a better way to summarize north of the bridge. Conditions as of yesterday afternoon:
Trail 3 East Hancock to Lake Linden: Good
Trail 3 Lake Linden to Delaware: Excellent
Trail 3 Delaware to Copper Harbor: Excellent, with some bare spots on Brockway
Trail 17 directly in Hancock: Poor
Trail 17 Hancock to Calumet: Excellent
Trail 122: varies Poor to Good
Trail 130: Very Good, with a couple Poor spots
Trail 132: Excellent
Trail 133: Excellent
Trail 134: Excellent
Trail 135: Excellent
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I thought we were done for the season until I saw the pics you posted

Thanks for posting

Loading up now heading to North of the bridge - hope to be riding this time tomorrow morning
 
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packerlandrider

Well-known member
D.B. Cooper said:
I thought we were done for the season until I saw the pics you posted

Thanks for posting

Loading up now heading to North of the bridge - hope to be riding this time tomorrow morning
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My pleasure, enjoy your riding!

For anyone riding this weekend, even moreso than mid-winter, plan your gas & food stops accordingly. Not that there are a plethora of businesses to begin with, but some close down for shoulder season when there are very few people (tourists) around. Yesterday we showed up at The Gay Bar during their posted open hours to get gas and found them closed. The Bear Belly in LacLaBelle appears to be seasonally closed as well according to Google.

Current reliable(?) gas stops in Keweenaw County:
Copper Harbor
Phoenix General Store
Allouez BP

Currently known open food pit stops in Keweenaw County:
The Mariner North, Copper Harbor
Eagle Harbor Inn, Eagle Harbor (Fri-Sun only)
Slims Cafe, Mohawk
Glacial Tavern, Mohawk
 
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hermie

hermie

Well-known member
Thank you very much Packerland excellent information. I have a weekend home in St.Gemain so I will be trailering up from there and based on your excellent trails report head north of the bridge. Now wait and see what this storm actually does
 
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