Is it just me or does it seem like snowmobiling is shifting further north each year. And when I say this, I mean the temperatures and snowfall from Chicago on up to green bay fluctuates from cold to warm way to much. It looks to be another month at least if you live between chicago and greenbay till you might be able to snowmobile. I love the sport, but traveling up north to the U.P. all the time flat out gets expensive. I wish winters would return back to normal when everyone would get crushed with snow and constant cold temps. I just read end of december and beginning of january is showing a high possibility of above normal temps. The frustration is setting in for me, i think its either time to move up north or give up the sport. Anyone else feel this way?
Snowmobiling Shifting Further North Each Year!
- Thread starter j1cousin
- Start date
Geezz ....living in Chicago you were ready to travel north ....Right? When I lived in Walworth county I would drive to Black River Falls for a day trip, always hit the WUP for a week even if Elkhorn had snow. Driving north in WI or UP always part of my game plan. I even considered Lower MI but never made the trip with sleds just didn't want to deal with downtown traffic & trailer.
harvest1121
Well-known member
Must being south of Chicago also S Illinois just got about a foot of snow.
We got about 6" down here in Indianapolis - maybe winter is moving south?
I grew up in northern Indiana and always had a sled to ride in the fields. The times we were able to ride prior to New Years were few and far between. I still have a picture of when my Dad bought us a new 83 Bravo - my 3 brothers and I are sitting on it, Christmas Day, with short sleeve shirts on outside. I don't think things have changed all that much. People tend to compare every winter to that one winter they remember with feet and feet of snow or no thaws going on. Just my opinion.
I grew up in northern Indiana and always had a sled to ride in the fields. The times we were able to ride prior to New Years were few and far between. I still have a picture of when my Dad bought us a new 83 Bravo - my 3 brothers and I are sitting on it, Christmas Day, with short sleeve shirts on outside. I don't think things have changed all that much. People tend to compare every winter to that one winter they remember with feet and feet of snow or no thaws going on. Just my opinion.
xsledder
Active member
I lived in Chicagoland my whole life, except my college years. Since 1978, the year I start paying attention to winter, I can only remember one winter when we had snow on Thanksgiving. Also, I can only remember a few more times where we had snow the first part of December. And, I can only remember a few more times yet where we had snow on Christmas. So, I really can't say winters have been warmer or snowless looking over the long haul around here.
The only winter I remember snow pretty much the entire winter was 1978-1979. After that during the eighties we would get about three 6"+ storms a year; and the snow would melt in a few days. Heck, I remember one Christmas in the 80' where it was 65-70 degrees F on Christmas day. So, to me things have been pretty much the same since 1979.
The only winter I remember snow pretty much the entire winter was 1978-1979. After that during the eighties we would get about three 6"+ storms a year; and the snow would melt in a few days. Heck, I remember one Christmas in the 80' where it was 65-70 degrees F on Christmas day. So, to me things have been pretty much the same since 1979.
I traveled south to ride for the first time last year. Winters don't seem to be changing to me. Some good, some bad. Thing about winters if you are a snow lover you need two things: Cold and Wet. You don't get them both, the winter will be a bad one for us snowmobilers. Its an emotional head game when this much money is invested and you can't ride. I read a cool book about UP weather called So Cold a Sky. There is stories about the Indians and the European Priests back in the 1600 and 1700's about warm winters. Warm winters back then meant low food cause a main staple was whitefish from the iced over great lakes. It also meant poor travel conditions cause warm snow is harder to walk in than cold and packed snow. Even back then they wanted cold and snow! Lol Winters are not nearly as differant as we try to make them out to be, imo.
Well I do know, southwest lower michigan used to get pounded, and the snow would stick around for most of winter, now it snows there, then 2 days later its melted off, I have noticed this since 97 when I first got into the sport, each year it has gotten worse. Not sure why, but it has, I can rest assure my assumption is correct. It'e been evident by many who snowmobile there. Also Cadillac Michigan used to always have snow, now it seems they have the same type of things happeneing in SW lower michigan, snow one week, gone the next. The U.P. has seemed to be very consistent with snow, they have some bad years like everyone else, but they seem to be very and far and few in between. Or I could be wrong and can be losing it at a very young age. It's one of the two.....
Hurley used to have the red light rally the first or second weekend of December... It got cancelled so many years they finally moved it into jan or feb... nonetheless, there are years that mid to southern WI get dump after dump while things are pretty light in UP, other years it is just the opposite tho with the exception of last year Jan thru feb are pretty consistent in the UP... I kinda like it when it snows in flat land as the trails stay nice longer with less traffic up here... but I love to support the local economy in UP... and as I tell anyone in MN and WI who will listen, in UP MI they groom the trails everyday and twice on saturdays.. maybe time for me to volunteer for some grooming time...
You have to weigh the funfactor VS the expenses. If you can truly afford a sled, and everything associated with it, then you need to learn to be patient. I made the decision that I could no longer "afford" the sport 2 yrs ago. Sometimes I regret selling, but when I see green Christmas', I feel like I did the right thing. I think folks got too antsy when we had a few dustingas this year along with a cold snap. Then the temps got back up to 50. Well, the highs for the next week are well below 30* with a couple chances of snow.
Ya GOTTA BE PATIENT, or willing to drive. Simple as that.
Ya GOTTA BE PATIENT, or willing to drive. Simple as that.
Don't compare UPMI conditions to anywhere else in midwest or you will be very depressed. Lake Superior dumps huge amounts of snow in the snowbelts of the UP always has as long as I can remember or been there since late 70s. My approach was I felt super fortunate that I could access what Superior does for snow lovers in 6 hours or so just had to make reservations pak & leave bare ground behind me & have a ball. What if Lake Superior was not there? Now that would really SUCK!!!
You can drive your truck around every day too if you want to also, but it would get boring.
The way I see it, my sled is an 06 600. If I don't get it to use it, it doesn't cost me anything. I hope to get up to the snow belt 2 or 3 times a year, but if I only get up once, it's still worth keeping it around. I've ridden 4 wheelers a few times but never got the urge to buy one, even though I could ride much closer to my house than snowmobiles and even because it's much less weather dependent. Used to have a Jeep too. Something different about being out in the wilderness in the winter for me. Plus you ride a sled as opposed to drive a SxS/4x4/Jeep, etc.
The only thing that might change my mind is if one of those snow bike/conversions catches on. That could be something that I could get use out of year-round, plus it's much easier to tow around, less space needed to store, etc. I just don't see them being safe to share trails with snowmobiles in the UP.
chords
Active member
I've come to the same conclusion as j1cousin, but for a different reason. Just a pattern I have noticed.
Over 40 years at a large N Lower Mi lake, first freeze over and then safe ice comes later and later each year and now its only because of a minus or single digit cold snap hits hard that it will freeze solid towards end of Jan ~ 20th or later.
Over 40 years at a large N Lower Mi lake, first freeze over and then safe ice comes later and later each year and now its only because of a minus or single digit cold snap hits hard that it will freeze solid towards end of Jan ~ 20th or later.
you wanna know why snowmobiling is shifting north because out here in northern,illinois all our trails are mostly shopping malls and walmarts and most off our farm fields are subdivisions just try to ride down the side of the road in rush hour traffic is suicide and all the trails that use to ride side of roads are either fenced off or concrete curbs but the sad news is all this will shift north too as all our public forest is turned into private lands and the rich build their mansions in the woods oh well live while you can i guess!!!!!!!
In the 70s I rode my sled to school in Illinois & we had snow on the ground all winter! Now if you can ride 3 days all winter you are lucky! Lower, Central, Northern Wisconsin had snow all winter too & deep! The U.P. had so much snow back then they had 8-10 foot banks everywhere & stop signs were dug out to see them! Its warmer on average everywhere & less snow too! Helll even the U.P. hasn't been normal for the last few years because of a couple warm ups during peak season! I've rode for 40 years & its not close to what it was!!!
T
Team Elkhorn
Guest
Seems when we lose trails down here, its harder to reroute them now too. The lady that lives on the next block over, finally stopping coming to my house asking me to sign her yearly petition to reroute the snowmobile trail away from our subdivision. Maybe because every time she tried, I would just point to the snowmobile trailer in my drive.
Heres a suggestion people, when you pass a row of houses at 3am on your sled, keep it down.
Bob, maybe try getting a vintage sled like I did. I spent more time last season tinkering and riding that sled than I did on my front line sleds. And had a blast doing it. I dont think I have over $500 in that little machine. But riding the grandkids around on it was priceless.
Heres a suggestion people, when you pass a row of houses at 3am on your sled, keep it down.
Bob, maybe try getting a vintage sled like I did. I spent more time last season tinkering and riding that sled than I did on my front line sleds. And had a blast doing it. I dont think I have over $500 in that little machine. But riding the grandkids around on it was priceless.
I went for my first snowmobile ride in 1979 on my front yard in Galesburg IL. I remember riding straight from my backyard to Lake Storey and then up the backroads to the trails by the Cozy Inn near Henderson and Alpha. And I remember doing it alot throughout the 80s. That's where I developed my love of the sport. It was my first taste of freedom at 8 years old on an Exciter 440.
I haven't lived in Galesburg for years, but last time I was by the lake on a January day there was standing water, with no ice. I don't ever remember that as a kid. My dad said we didn't need to travel up north because good riding existed near Galesburg. Not so much anymore, maybe once a year from what I hear.
I don't have any data to back up my "feeling" but is sure seems winters have changed. Maybe the averages haven't moved much, but the warmups sure seem to be more extreme.
Or maybe I'm just remembering all the fun and good times I had and none of the complaining about no snow.
I hope this year proves me wrong.
I haven't lived in Galesburg for years, but last time I was by the lake on a January day there was standing water, with no ice. I don't ever remember that as a kid. My dad said we didn't need to travel up north because good riding existed near Galesburg. Not so much anymore, maybe once a year from what I hear.
I don't have any data to back up my "feeling" but is sure seems winters have changed. Maybe the averages haven't moved much, but the warmups sure seem to be more extreme.
Or maybe I'm just remembering all the fun and good times I had and none of the complaining about no snow.
I hope this year proves me wrong.