Looking for insight on a back pack trip for March

C

cloud_master

Member
I'm looking for opinions on setting up a trip across the U.P. in March. I'd like to base out of Watersmeet, but I don't think they will have enough snow. Bruce Crossing may be light as well, as it seems they are now. It could change however. If watersmeet is light on snow, I'd start out either north side of Goegebic, Konteka perhaps. Or Parkview. I'd like to back pack over to Munising. I've never been there before. Can anyone tell me where a good spot to stay for two nights would be in Munising area? Also, any trails to avoid heading that direction that may be light on snow in the 2nd week of March? Any sights to see in that area?

Thanks for the help everyone.
 
B

barry1me

New member
cloud_master said:
I'm looking for opinions on setting up a trip across the U.P. in March. I'd like to base out of Watersmeet, but I don't think they will have enough snow. Bruce Crossing may be light as well, as it seems they are now. It could change however. If watersmeet is light on snow, I'd start out either north side of Goegebic, Konteka perhaps. Or Parkview. I'd like to back pack over to Munising. I've never been there before. Can anyone tell me where a good spot to stay for two nights would be in Munising area? Also, any trails to avoid heading that direction that may be light on snow in the 2nd week of March? Any sights to see in that area?

Thanks for the help everyone.
Click to expand...

There are lots of decent hotels in Munising. We have stayed at the Holiday inn express which I feel is the nicest, but its also a little off trail (have to take a 1-2 mile connector to get on the trail). Trail 419 or 418 I cant remember west of Au Train is typically in rough shape. I would try and skip around that if possible. There is also a lodge south of Munising called the buck horn that is kind of cool also has a gas station and restaurant.
 
K

kevinj

Member
Just stayed at the Buckhorn last week. IMO...overpriced rooms and food. The "continental breakfast" is coffee, cereal, and frozen bagels. I will stay elsewhere the next time I go to the area.
 
P

packerlandrider

Active member
Re lodging in Munising area: only place I've stayed at in the area was the Alger Falls Motel. I was there for work a few summers ago and found it very reasonable and clean. Over the years I have seen many snowmobilers across multiple sites rave about how snowmobile friendly of a place it is (allow people to do repairs in their personal garage, etc).

Drove through there this afternoon for the first time this winter and it's great to see a fully established and maintained trail (419?) going right past there - meaning you wouldn't even need to go into Munising for gas or lodging - just take 419 along M28 to get away from Munising / Wetmore.

Sites to see out that way via snowmobile include: Miners Castle, Log Slide, and Taquamenon Falls.
 
Last edited:
W

WorkHardPlayHrd

Active member
I'll second packerlandrider on the Alger falls motel. Friendly people, good rooms, excellent trail access. If once you get up to Miner's Castle you're willing to walk about 8/10's of a mile you can also see Miner's Castle Falls. Or you can sit and watch the idiots in their all wheel drive vehicles try to drive out to Miner's Castle on a seasonal road. They did not appreciate my kids taking videos of them stuck last year.

As for trails with better snow coverage trail 8 will be better then what we call the Harvey trail. I think that is trail 417 but I might be wrong. Also I don't know if you can even access 417 anymore by going around Marquette. It's closer to lake superior and doesn't always get as much snow. Both are West to east trails. If you head south toward Manistique snow might start to get thin. It all depends on how warm it gets. If you head to Manistique go see Big Spring on the west side of Indian lake. Couldn't believe all the fish and how deep it was.

Places to eat Buckhorn has really good diners, but yes they are higher priced and on Friday and Saturday night's will be packed with snowmobilers. The Cherry wood right in the Northside of 28 has really good burgers and is decently priced. Also the casino in Christmas has really good food at a decent price. All three places serve alcohol.

Enjoy your trip. I hope if you head that way you experience the conditions we saw last year, and not what we saw in 2012. They have really tried to improve their image, but trail 8 is very heavily traveled and can get rough.
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
X 10 on Alger Falls motel!!! They allowed us refund on unused days due to BAD trial conditions, no grooming, years ago. There was plenty of snow, just no grooming!!! GO SORVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
S

sweeperguy

Active member
old abe said:
X 10 on Alger Falls motel!!! They allowed us refund on unused days due to BAD trial conditions, no grooming, years ago. There was plenty of snow, just no grooming!!! GO SORVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

They've made GREAT strides forward to remedy this in the last couple of years.
 
C

cloud_master

Member
to make a trip from Konteka to Munising, does a guy have to go through Bruce Crossing and east? Last time I was through BC, it was not good. And I hear it is not good now either. I'm not interested to go through there, so it that's the only way, I'll stay west.
 
1

1fujifilm

Well-known member
old abe said:
X 10 on Alger Falls motel!!! They allowed us refund on unused days due to BAD trial conditions, no grooming, years ago. There was plenty of snow, just no grooming!!! GO SORVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I was watching the local news in Green Bay, WI and they were interviewing the dog sled racers for the recent "200" out of Marquette and one guy said the snowmobile trails had the worst bumps in his memory.

Freekin hilarious, he was quite animated and looked like he was in the woods a few months too long.
Anyway, yes trails in this area are something else.

Bear
 
S

sr22ger

Member
8 west of 3S and east of 3N was toast. Literally no snow on the grade for miles at a crack. It will take quite a bit to get that back into shape. We took the ditch to get around much of it. 8 was pretty good from Kenton to Sidnaw, 15 was great, and 8/15 was good to 109. That was all from Thursday and Friday.
 
J

jedoyle

Active member
You don't have to go through BC. From the Konteka you can take 12 east, 101 south, 13 NE & then 12 to head west.
 
P

pyroking

New member
You could stay at Peppermill lodging in rockland and then head out of mass city on 12 then jump on trail 8 I would recommend staying at white pine lodge in Christmas. Gas food lodging and casino. Why go into munising if you don't have to
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top