Ontonagen - Houghton - Keweenaw

[biev]

Heading to Bergland Thursday morning for overnight trip up to Copper Harbor Thu and Fri. Just wondering if anyone rode today (or drove past) trails around Bergland, Houghton and northen UP in general.
Saw a few trail cams and trails appeared to have survived today's heat wave, thanks to the nice top-off we got from Sunday's storm. Hopefully temps stay below freezing so everyone can keep the dream alive for one more weekend.
Any updates appreciated.

 

[kraven700]

Heading to Bergland Thursday morning for overnight trip up to Copper Harbor Thu and Fri. Just wondering if anyone rode today (or drove past) trails around Bergland, Houghton and northen UP in general.
Saw a few trail cams and trails appeared to have survived today's heat wave, thanks to the nice top-off we got from Sunday's storm. Hopefully temps stay below freezing so everyone can keep the dream alive for one more weekend.
Any updates appreciated.

SNOW NORTH of Bergland was VERRRY good overall- railroad grade trails were just bumpy due to high traffic on the weekends- ALL GOOD by Sunday - THANKS to the GROOMERS !!!!!!!!!!!

We back-packed it starting with (5) sleds from;

//////Friday late morning left Presque Isle (was sketchy) via trail 11 North to Marenisco (GOOD SNOW) through Bergland Friday evening (some good-some bad logging roads on WEST side of the lake and some spots on the trail were bare) ended up in Twin Lakes (152 miles for the day) railroad grade was BRUTAL (GOOD SNOW just mogul-city)

then ////////

Saturday Rode from TWIN LAKES (trail 13 through the woods- pretty nice) to Ontonagon and back over to Calumet - Railroad grade was doubly BRUTAL Saturday night from Twin Lakes to Calumet- GOOD snow just bumpy//////////


Sunday left Calumet and rode to Copper Harbor and back to Calumet as the 5" of snow was coming down

Brockaway mountain was foggy with poor visibility - SNOW was FANTASTIC

TRAILS were a solid "9" all day - railroad grade from Vansville back to Calumet just a little bit bumpy

Ran across the groomers 3 times all day - THANK YOU !!!!!!!

We wore out the NEW GUY on the Ski-Doo rental - 124 miles and he was done for the trip )) ///////////



Monday Rode from Calumet to Henry's Never Inn in Rockland and back to Twin Lakes- trails were nearly a "10" easiest 84 miles of the trip-had to quit riding early to pick-up the new guy back at camp///////////




5 guys started the trip 475 miles, only 2 of us finished, lots of screwing around with retrieving sleds, felt like that movie, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles

 

[biev]

Thanks for the report (and funny story) kraven700!

 

[lofsfire]

biev - If you happen to check this again, please update once your up there...<br>I'm hoping to take my boys after school Friday. Then it is and 8 hr drive just to ride Saturday. I am just hoping it will be good enough...<br><br><br>

Thanks for the report (and funny story) kraven700!

<br>
<br>

 

[packerlandrider]

With family & friends coming up, ran around yesterday (3/3) afternoon & evening checking trail crossings to make sure worth them bringing snowmobiles.

Pic 1: trail 3 going into Portage Lift Bridge from south
Pic 2: trail through Calumet
Pic 3: trail 3 along canal in Houghton
Pic 4: road crossing between Hancock and Calumet

Was down around Lake Linden this morning and the couple spots I saw 122 it looked very good. I think away from town 99% of trails will look like pic 4 as long as they've been groomed.

 

[lofsfire]

Yeah that does look well worth the drive. They look like that should hold through Saturday. I'm sure trail 3 will take a hit but they look like they will hold.<br>I just bought my oldest a new used sled and he's itching to try it on the trails!  

 

[biev]

Sorry, got back last night and just saw this. Hopefully you got out yesterday while the gettin was still good.
Everything was good north of Houghton.
Trail 3 was great pretty much the whole way between Copper Harbor and Bruce Crossing, but 8 from BC to Bergland was sketchy in places by 4pm yesterday. If anyone is heading up, I'd recommend dropping in north of Bergland.

 

[lofsfire]

No problem, we ended up pulling in to Krupp's at almost 2:45 a.m. EST Friday night/Saturday morning. Ended up sleeping in didn't pull out on the sleds till 11:00 a.m. by that point trail three headed north was bumpy. Probably not so much for single rider but having my youngest son ridding 2up it was a bit bumpy for him. Once we got north of Houghton things turned much better. We ended up riding all the way up to Copper Harbor. On the way back we hit a few more bumps going towards Lac La Belle just those consistent small ones that you got to find the right line on nothing too bad. On the way up we had a late lunch at Glacia Tavern, So we decide to stop on the way back too. Definitely worth the stop! Great food and service! We pulled back in Krupp's at 12:45 am But the nice thing about traveling that late was from Houghton pretty much back to Krupp's The trails were all nicely groomed!

Here are a few pictures:

 

[biev]

No problem, we ended up pulling in to Krupp's at almost 2:45 a.m. EST Friday night/Saturday morning. Ended up sleeping in didn't pull out on the sleds till 11:00 a.m. by that point trail three headed north was bumpy. Probably not so much for single rider but having my youngest son ridding 2up it was a bit bumpy for him. Once we got north of Houghton things turned much better. We ended up riding all the way up to Copper Harbor. On the way back we hit a few more bumps going towards Lac La Belle just those consistent small ones that you got to find the right line on nothing too bad. On the way up we had a late lunch at Glacia Tavern, So we decide to stop on the way back too. Definitely worth the stop! Great food and service! We pulled back in Krupp's at 12:45 am But the nice thing about traveling that late was from Houghton pretty much back to Krupp's The trails were all nicely groomed!

Here are a few pictures:

View attachment 62812

View attachment 62813

View attachment 62814

Glad to hear you made it out one last time, sounds like it was a good trip with the boys.
Amazed at how fast it turned as we headed back to Bergland Friday late afternoon. We drove back to St. Germain, WI (an hour+ south) Friday night and I couldn't believe people were sledding down there - really trying to milk whatever they could. Likely need to spend some extra money fixing their sleds up for next season as there was stretches of trail with absolutely no snow to be found. Next year's gotta be better.

 

[lofsfire]

Trips with my boys are always great! The trips with the guys splitting the bills is much cheaper! LOL <br>
<br>
Yeah on the way up Friday I saw many sleds in that area sitting at bars and with what I could see almost not snow on the trails from the roads. Sunday during the day only confirmed how bad it was from there south... I can't wait till next year, my youngest will be on his 340. Of course this means a higher gas bill for me. LOL

 

[mark_zaar]

Anyone know if you can make it over bridge and through town at this time? Any issues getting over to gay rap to copper? Thx. Looking at Friday and Saturday ride.

 

[ridindirty800]

Anyone know if you can make it over bridge and through town at this time? Any issues getting over to gay rap to copper? Thx. Looking at Friday and Saturday ride.

When I left town on Sunday the trail going through Hancock was almost all asphalt until you got out of town, that was before the real warm temps.

 

[mark_zaar]

thanks for the info.

 

[hermie]

I rode in Vilas on Saturday and found some really good trails but yes anything along the roads and in towns were mud. I was surprised how good the trails were in the woods ended up with 120 miles with very little traffic. Sad it ended so early

 

[hermie]

Anyone know if you can make it over bridge and through town at this time? Any issues getting over to gay rap to copper? Thx. Looking at Friday and Saturday ride.

It always seems like this time of the year you got to either ride south of the bridge or north of the bridge most years.

 

[kraven700]

Anyone know what conditions are like North of the Bridge after yesterday's rain/snow?

Thinking of heading up to Calumet tomorrow and riding out of there

 

[Hoosier]

Wondering the same thing. Had plans to go up Saturday. Was figuring on Calumet and north but not sure how much rain or snow they got. Also wondering if there's enough riding there and north to keep it interesting for a few days. Figured you can't get through Houghton and figured anything south of there is shot now.

 

[ridindirty800]

I just saw a live video on western UP trail reports on facebook from south of the Bridge by toivola and the trial was all White still. Guessing its going to be rock hard unless its above freezing. Stretch said there were groomers going out in select area north of the bridge tonight.

https://www.facebook.com/YOOPERTRAILS/videos/942921553150109/


**update** I heard groomers from Toivola North will not be going out tonight, but the Superior Club from Toivola South will be.

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks for the update. I'm on the fence about heading up. With schedules, it will be last chance, unless we go West in April, and didn't get out much this year...

 

[lofsfire]

Last Saturday, the pavement spots I found were right by M&M Powersports 100 yards each direction. Then along 41/ Lincoln Dr. from Handcock Street to Ethel Ave. This is were the trail is right next to 41/ Lincoln Dr. The other spot was in South Range it was about a block or so long. Everything else looked like the pictures above. I'm sure out of towns will be fine, just plan accordingly. Good luck!