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Ride from N IL/S. Wi up to Northwoods?
- Thread starter erkoehler
- Start date
Has anyone made the trek when snow was ample? This is definitely something on my list to do one day.
How was it?
How many miles?
How many days did it take you?
Are you trying to make time or sight see?
harvest1121
Well-known member
There use to be a discussion about this but was many years ago
snobuilder
Well-known member
Some older members of our club did it in the late 90's or early 2000's. Waterford WI area to Eagle River but if I remember right the snow melted and the couldn't come back a week later.
We parked a bit north of Green Bay a few years back - that one winter where it seemed bitterly cold for a long time. (don't remember where off the top of my head but I think it was about an hour north of there). We rode up into the UP and across, went out to the Pictured Rocks, Mackinaw Island, rode some in the Western UP too, and then drove back down. While it was cool to do it, we probably wouldn't bother doing it again as the southern trails we rode where mostly farm fields. I think we'd rather just drive a couple hours further for a trip like that, as we would have rather spent our riding time in Northern Wisconsin or the UP. We may just have picked a boring route though.
Pray for snow. Its been a real challenge even riding 50 miles south of the Twin Cites the last 4 years. If there is snow from top to bottom of the state, the trails connect, shouldn't be an issue. Last year I rode from New Richmond, WI to Baudette, MN. (1792 miles that trip)
Just have a plan, have someone that could come pick you up in case of an emergency. Take a week/weekend when you know other guys will be going, like heading out a few days before a club trip weekend, so club members can bring 'supplies' you don't have enough room to carry.
Go through the sled COMPLETELY before you go. You will probably put on well over 1000 miles.
I try to plan a 10 day trip every season, it is a real blast for sure.
Just have a plan, have someone that could come pick you up in case of an emergency. Take a week/weekend when you know other guys will be going, like heading out a few days before a club trip weekend, so club members can bring 'supplies' you don't have enough room to carry.
Go through the sled COMPLETELY before you go. You will probably put on well over 1000 miles.
I try to plan a 10 day trip every season, it is a real blast for sure.
A few of our club members have done it from Richmond Il. to Copper Harbor. Takes alot of planning. I know a some of local clubs helped them out . One of the riders was **** Arsenau,another was Dave Rudolph. **** is Pres. of the Richmond Trailblazers. Dave is Spring grove. I forget how long it took, but I do remember they had some very good trails and some not to good. Like I said , planning was the key.
streetglide
New member
Some older members of our club did it in the late 90's or early 2000's. Waterford WI area to Eagle River but if I remember right the snow melted and the couldn't come back a week later.
Tichigan to Michigan!
The last time I went cross country was 2014. Left from my in-laws backdoor in Allenton to my folks place in Townsend. 250 miles, 6 hours. Best experience I've had snowmobiling.
That's an extremely fast pace, even assuming you're running mostly RR grade from Pulaski to Townsend.
To the OP...I bet S Wi to the UP border is all of 400 miles. I know from just North of Appleton to Iron River, MI is about 160 miles, and probably 100 miles of that is RR grade, so it's an easy run.
I'm thinking back to the very early 1980's, there was a group from NW IL, Stockton area, just below the state line, that made that trip. But only once successfully as I remember. They tried several times after that only in failure due to not enough snow in areas. We were always going to try, but only had the conditions when we weren't able to put the group together in time.
I can see the first half to three fourths of the trip being farms and not great, but I feel like eventually this is something that may not be a possibility and it would be nice to say we did it.
Back in the mid 90's I took a Wednesday off work and rode from my garage (Brooklyn) up to Westfield, ate lunch at the Pioneer and rode back home. 321 miles on the day. I was surprised how different the terrain and scenery was just getting a little North of Madison, it's much more than flat farm fields.
I sure hope you some connections with the Snow Gods. Southern WI has been absolutely crummy the past few years.
It will definitely take the right snow storm. This is one of the reasons I’m doing some leg work ahead of time. When it snows I go!
i have thought about doing it in reverse too and going from st. Germain to Elkhorn.
Starting from the north, and working south, is a more doable trip. Work south until you run out of rideable snow conditions, then work back north. Using different routes each direction. The trip starting in the south, and working north, then back south, would take several things to be doable. First, the northern 2/3's of the trip would have to have good existing snow pack depth. Then you need a large, heavy snowfall, storm to dump good, and deep snow on the southern 1/3 of the trip. This could maybe make the round trip possible. Again, different routes each direction. Sign me up!!!!!!!! I would like to start at the southern Wis boarder, possibly in No Ill.
Its all about having enough snow - make plans, plot a route, and hope the snow arrives.
As we all know, it hasn't snowed much to the south the past few years - with that in mind, have a few dump out locations along the way that you could throw the sleds off and ride from. It wouldn't be quite the same as riding from home, but better than driving all the way! That's usually what a few of us do.
As we all know, it hasn't snowed much to the south the past few years - with that in mind, have a few dump out locations along the way that you could throw the sleds off and ride from. It wouldn't be quite the same as riding from home, but better than driving all the way! That's usually what a few of us do.