Southern Keweenaw Update...

[packerlandrider]

...Well, more of a shout out / tip-of-the-cap / thanks to the Superior and North Country snowmobile clubs. Today my parents and I rode from Freda to Lake of the Clouds and back and every mile of trail of these two clubs we rode had been freshly groomed last (Thursday) night. Sure, there was a couple sections by Rockland which were in need of fresh snow, and the infamous (in my mind) Twin Lakes - Toivola part of trail 3, but overall it can be said these two clubs did all they could to have the trails ready for this most recent warm up.

On a more sarcastic note, thanks to everyone else riding trails today who felt it necessary to only ride down the middle of the trails. Thus, leaving the right edge of the groom untouched for me to ride on pretty much all day

 

[bayfly]

Hey Packerlandrider,
About how far was that ride? I have always assumed Lake of the Clouds was out of reach in one day when we are in the Kee. But if your parents did it maybe not?

 

[skid]

Don't remember how far but we stayed in Mohawk area several times and would make that trip there and back easily in a day trip maybe around 200 miles?

 

[Clintondf]

It was about 200 miles when we rode it a week ago. Left from krupps in twin lakes, down to bergland, then up the boundary road route to lake of the clouds. Then to white pine and over to Ontonagon and down to greenland, then 13 (long way) back to krupps. From krupps to ride the freda loop and back is about 60 miles.

 

[rich_jelinek]

Anyone who is up or has just been up in the Keweenaw, how are the trails/ snow conditions right now ?? Say from Mass City up to Copper Harbor and points in between ?

We are getting in the truck in about 2 hours and I think we are heading up that way, since it seems the warm up has really put the hurt on the Munising / seney/ grand marais areas that we had planned to go.

Anyone ?

 

[packerlandrider]

Hey Packerlandrider,
About how far was that ride? I have always assumed Lake of the Clouds was out of reach in one day when we are in the Kee. But if your parents did it maybe not?

Jeff,

good to hear from you. From Freda to Lake of the Clouds it was 95 miles, so 190 round trip. Took trails 120-3-13-101-12-1 both there and back. Yes, long day for us, wouldn't have been able to do it had the aforementioned clubs not put in the work they did the night before.

 

[packerlandrider]

Update from today:

Did a ~140 mile loop from Freda to Baraga to Chassell to Houghton and back to Freda. The Superior club had groomed trail 3 very early this morning, so that was good for the time being, and so was their portion of 109. However, as good of job as the Superior and North County clubs did in dealing with the warm up, Baraga's trails were on the other end of the spectrum. No sign of them having been out since it cooled down, and it didn't appear they had even hit a lot of their trails directly before the warm up like other clubs did. Yes, the warm up only subsided last night, and a few sections were hurting for snow, but there was such a stark difference in effort displayed between Baraga and the adjacent clubs to the west. The one exception was trail 15 from Baraga to Chassell once away from Baraga - that was in mostly good shape. (Although even on that trail, if I and my trail bass dad may critique, we really questioned why they wouldn't have the numerous miles of shallow ditch / shoulder along Bear Town Road groomed...)

Once at Chassell we took Portage Lake back to the Houghton / Hancock area, which turned out to be some of the best miles of the day. The few miles of trail 3 we rode after getting off the Portage back to trail 121 were completely worn out - no shortage of snow, but it was all sugar and in bumps spanning the entire trail.

 

[packerlandrider]

Anyone who is up or has just been up in the Keweenaw, how are the trails/ snow conditions right now ?? Say from Mass City up to Copper Harbor and points in between ?

We are getting in the truck in about 2 hours and I think we are heading up that way, since it seems the warm up has really put the hurt on the Munising / seney/ grand marais areas that we had planned to go.

Anyone ?

This is probably too late, but based on what I saw (and felt.... umpf) my guess is trail 3 is shot across much of the Keweenaw due to "sugar snow syndrome". And from what I've observed the past few years no amount of grooming will remedy it - only lots of new snow to help it re-stick together.

However, based of trail 121-120 this late afternoon, my other guess is the quieter side trails should be fine with a couple good passes with a groomer. Just a matter of are you willing to endure the shot corridors to get to them.

 

[frnash]

… Once at Chassell we took Portage Lake back to the Houghton / Hancock area, which turned out to be some of the best miles of the day. …

With the temperature in the 40°s (39.9°-43° at Chassell) from yesterday afternoon 'til midnight and not below freezing before 10AM today , that wasn't pushin' your luck riding on the canal?

Correction:
With the temperature above freezing (<32°F) at Chassell from 11:24AM yesterday through 1:33PM today, with highs of 46.2°F yesterday and 40.6°F today, that wasn't pushin' your luck riding the canal?

 

[ExcursionPSD]

I was doing 80 mph, on 3, near the Eagle Harbor turnoff this morning.

 

[packerlandrider]

With the temperature in the 40°s (39.9°-43° at Chassell) from yesterday afternoon 'til midnight and not below freezing before 10AM today , that wasn't pushin' your luck riding on the canal?

Correction:
With the temperature above freezing (<32°F) at Chassell from 11:24AM yesterday through 1:33PM today, with highs of 46.2°F yesterday and 40.6°F today, that wasn't pushin' your luck riding the canal?

First, we didn't ride the"canal" (as I understand it to be), we rode "Portage Lake" from Chassell to the area northeast of MTU's campus (hopped on trail 3 by the gas line opening for those familiar).

I am no expert on ice conditions, but my (maybe misguided?) logic would tell me that two days of 40s isn't going to undo two months of ice making on an inland lake, especially when that ice is insulated by recent snowfall. All I can report is what we found once on the lake - and that is plenty of other people (ice fisherman and snowmobilers) were out there as well. We didn't run into any slush pockets, even in the area by the Pilgrim River. My mom isn't a big fan of ice riding, but even she said afterward how nice and convenient it was getting back to Houghton from Chassell in that way.

So like trail conditions, people can take my experiences for what they want.

 

[byr 13]

Yes it's safe

 

[just_ride]

Update from today:

Did a ~140 mile loop from Freda to Baraga to Chassell to Houghton and back to Freda. The Superior club had groomed trail 3 very early this morning, so that was good for the time being, and so was their portion of 109. However, as good of job as the Superior and North County clubs did in dealing with the warm up, Baraga's trails were on the other end of the spectrum. No sign of them having been out since it cooled down, and it didn't appear they had even hit a lot of their trails directly before the warm up like other clubs did. Yes, the warm up only subsided last night, and a few sections were hurting for snow, but there was such a stark difference in effort displayed between Baraga and the adjacent clubs to the west. The one exception was trail 15 from Baraga to Chassell once away from Baraga - that was in mostly good shape. (Although even on that trail, if I and my trail bass dad may critique, we really questioned why they wouldn't have the numerous miles of shallow ditch / shoulder along Bear Town Road groomed...)

Once at Chassell we took Portage Lake back to the Houghton / Hancock area, which turned out to be some of the best miles of the day. The few miles of trail 3 we rode after getting off the Portage back to trail 121 were completely worn out - no shortage of snow, but it was all sugar and in bumps spanning the entire trail.

Thanks for the update

 

[Outlaw_23]

Could one assume it is safe to hop on the canal East of the bridge ride it and cross portage lake to dreamland? I have never ridden the Canal or lake... with the cold this year I would guess it would be pretty safe. If not anyone know where to get on the dreamland trail in Dollar Bay and head east to Dreamland?

 

[packerlandrider]

Could one assume it is safe to hop on the canal East of the bridge ride it and cross portage lake to dreamland? I have never ridden the Canal or lake... with the cold this year I would guess it would be pretty safe. If not anyone know where to get on the dreamland trail in Dollar Bay and head east to Dreamland?

While I've never ridden Portage Lake to Dreamland, I would assume it would be safe. There were plenty of people / tracks all over Portage Lake when I rode it on Saturday.

Otherwise, the turn off of trail 3 to go Dreamland is at Montroal Road just north of Dollar Bay.

 

[cloud_master]

The wife and I will be pulling into the Super 8 this Saturday evening. Her brother went to school at Michigan Tech. So she has been to Houghton/Hancock before, but never on the sleds. Going to be riding Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Heading back home on Wednesday. It would be cool to learn Portage Lake more for riding. Sounds like a nice ride. What is Dreamland? I've heard of "dreamland" trails, but have never been on them ( I don't believe) Is that the same thing?

Also, I've been to High Rock Bay a few times. But I saw on the map it pinpointed NASA Rocket Range? Is there anything to see?

 

[1fujifilm]

While I've never ridden Portage Lake to Dreamland, I would assume it would be safe. There were plenty of people / tracks all over Portage Lake when I rode it on Saturday.

Otherwise, the turn off of trail 3 to go Dreamland is at Montroal Road just north of Dollar Bay.

Was dreamland groomed? I have always turned around as they were moguls.

Bear