Top 10 reasons Illinois chisel plowed trails are better than Michigan RR grade trails

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Grant Hoar

New member
Thought I would post a few comments after a couple days riding in Illinois this weekend:


1. When UP trails are mogulled, they go on forever. When you hit a chisel plowed field, it usually is no more than a mile long.

2. Moguls on railroad grades form at random spacing. Chisel plowed fields are at regular spacing, allowing one to find a proper speed to skip across.

3. No Ricky Racers on chisel plowed trails

4. On the Michigan trails, you have to stay in a straight line between the groomer banks. On the field trails marked with single post markers, you can create a nice slalom course

5. Up north in the woods you usually can see no more than a hundred yards. On the Illinois trails the wide open vistas give you scenic views for miles and miles.

6. Illinois chisel plowed trails are a lot closer to home.

7. Michigan trails are few and far between, so you tend to see less families on outings. In Illinois (at least this past weekend with the 15 inches of powder, families on old iron were out everywhere.

8. In Michigan you can be in the middle of nowhere miles from help if something wrong happens. In Illinois you are likely never more than a mile from a paved road crossing if something happens.

9. Michigan trails are rarely wider than 12 to 14 feet. On the Illinois field trails with two markers, you can have a trail 40 feet wide to spread out the traffic.

10. In Michigan, major debates about using hand signals for number of riders in groups because of limited visibility in the woods. On Illinois field trails no need for hand signals because you can see the riders a 40 away.

11. And a bonus one; on Michigan trails you have to slow down frequently to allow passing of all of those pesky groomers. The frequency of groomers isn't much of an issue on the Illinois trails

Thats enough for now. Any others?
 
S

snobuilder

Well-known member
Grant Hoar said:
Thought I would post a few comments after a couple days riding in Illinois this weekend:


1. When UP trails are mogulled, they go on forever. When you hit a chisel plowed field, it usually is no more than a mile long.

2. Moguls on railroad grades form at random spacing. Chisel plowed fields are at regular spacing, allowing one to find a proper speed to skip across.

3. No Ricky Racers on chisel plowed trails

4. On the Michigan trails, you have to stay in a straight line between the groomer banks. On the field trails marked with single post markers, you can create a nice slalom course

5. Up north in the woods you usually can see no more than a hundred yards. On the Illinois trails the wide open vistas give you scenic views for miles and miles.

6. Illinois chisel plowed trails are a lot closer to home.

7. Michigan trails are few and far between, so you tend to see less families on outings. In Illinois (at least this past weekend with the 15 inches of powder, families on old iron were out everywhere.

8. In Michigan you can be in the middle of nowhere miles from help if something wrong happens. In Illinois you are likely never more than a mile from a paved road crossing if something happens.

9. Michigan trails are rarely wider than 12 to 14 feet. On the Illinois field trails with two markers, you can have a trail 40 feet wide to spread out the traffic.

10. In Michigan, major debates about using hand signals for number of riders in groups because of limited visibility in the woods. On Illinois field trails no need for hand signals because you can see the riders a 40 away.

11. And a bonus one; on Michigan trails you have to slow down frequently to allow passing of all of those pesky groomers. The frequency of groomers isn't much of an issue on the Illinois trails

Thats enough for now. Any others?
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12. Corn stalks and cattails look cool wrapped up in your A-arms.

Great Thread.
Awesome list.....you nailed it! We love riding here in SE WI as well.

In bold.....That is the BEST part of riding here close to the homes of the vast majority of registered sleds (No. IL, So. WI)
When the trails open down here it keeps the people that can't afford to chase snow involved in the sport.
To me this is extremely important.
That is why cap/step in WI and having to go out and buy a $30 trail permit when the trails rarely open actually hurts snowmobiling in a big way. Having to buy a $30 permit for each sled and a day or 2 of riding deters folks from riding and eventually the sled either doesn't get registered at all or sold and we lose another member from the power in numbers game.

We need the fringe riders for snowmobiling to survive!!!!..... so great to see a young family with a couple older garage queens out having as much fun as the guys who think this HAS to be a rich mans game.

Ride 'em while we got 'em.....weatherman is using the F-word again.
 
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O

old abe

Well-known member
Ride on!!!!!!!!!! Going out with the granddaughter again today!!! Fun, fun, fun!!!!!!!!!! Agree on families enjoy it best!!!
 
D

dothedoo

Member
snobuilder said:
12. Corn stalks and cattails look cool wrapped up in your A-arms.

Great Thread.
Awesome list.....you nailed it! We love riding here in SE WI as well.

In bold.....That is the BEST part of riding here close to the homes of the vast majority of registered sleds (No. IL, So. WI)
When the trails open down here it keeps the people that can't afford to chase snow involved in the sport.
To me this is extremely important.
That is why cap/step in WI and having to go out and buy a $30 trail permit when the trails rarely open actually hurts snowmobiling in a big way. Having to buy a $30 permit for each sled and a day or 2 of riding deters folks from riding and eventually the sled either doesn't get registered at all or sold and we lose another member from the power in numbers game.

We need the fringe riders for snowmobiling to survive!!!!..... so great to see a young family with a couple older garage queens out having as much fun as the guys who think this HAS to be a rich mans game.

Ride 'em while we got 'em.....weatherman is using the F-word again.
Click to expand...

It really is too bad we couldn't find a way to exempt sleds of a certain age from the trail pass requirement. That would sure help to keep fringe riders involved, who only have a chance to get out if their local trails get open for a few days/year.

What about exempting trails in the lower 1/2 of Wisconsin from the trail pass? My guess is those trails have been open, on average, 1 week or less per year over the past 10 years.

We have different hunting/fishing regulations based on geography, so not sure why we couldn't require a trail pass only for counties North of say, Highway 10.
 
S

Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
The best reason the chiseled plowed trails in Illinois are better? You get to ride them for a week before the snow melts! Saving Illinoians hundreds of dollars on gas!
 
G

Grant Hoar

New member
Skylar said:
The best reason the chiseled plowed trails in Illinois are better? You get to ride them for a week before the snow melts! Saving Illinoians hundreds of dollars on gas!
Click to expand...

Amen to that. Put on 185 miles this weekend, and total cost for everything was $60 bucks.

13. Unlike that pesky snowdust you get up north that restricts visibility, corn stalk dust settles quickly.
 
1

1fujifilm

Well-known member
Nice thread; I thought you were going to compare it to the trails near Bergland..but there are no other trails in this category to compare them to.

Bear
 
B

brad460

Member
Years ago my buddy lost control of his sled and crashed in a corn field and was impaled by a corn stalk! Thankfully it missed all critical organs..
 
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slimcake

Well-known member
Who chisel plows anymore? All seriousness clubs around here go out with a land roller before it freezes... But the trails haven't been open for 3 years so its all for not.... Piss me off
 
D

durphee

Well-known member
Lol, I like the list. It was great seeing all the old irons out this past week, they can still be a great time to ride. Some really cool looking and in good shape older sleds out running around. Most can't chase the snow and just hang on to the ones they have for these limited times of snow. Ride what ya got and have fun.
 
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jonesin

Well-known member
that list could be edited to seperate the upper lower peninsula and U.P. michigan from us lower Michigan riders
I finally bought a trail pass for a one day ride down here.
Actually got a complement on the ole 03 F7 at the gas station, lol, guy thought it was new, obviously didnt know his sleds but still.....
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
We too saw a lot of families out riding, and enjoying these past 4/5 days. No way to snowmobile better, than with family!!!!!!!!
 
A

allen_shores

New member
Nailed it!

snobuilder said:
12. Corn stalks and cattails look cool wrapped up in your A-arms.

Great Thread.
Awesome list.....you nailed it! We love riding here in SE WI as well.

In bold.....That is the BEST part of riding here close to the homes of the vast majority of registered sleds (No. IL, So. WI)
When the trails open down here it keeps the people that can't afford to chase snow involved in the sport.
To me this is extremely important.
That is why cap/step in WI and having to go out and buy a $30 trail permit when the trails rarely open actually hurts snowmobiling in a big way. Having to buy a $30 permit for each sled and a day or 2 of riding deters folks from riding and eventually the sled either doesn't get registered at all or sold and we lose another member from the power in numbers game.

We need the fringe riders for snowmobiling to survive!!!!..... so great to see a young family with a couple older garage queens out having as much fun as the guys who think this HAS to be a rich mans game.

Ride 'em while we got 'em.....weatherman is using the F-word again.
Click to expand...
I would normally ride the 4 or five miles and hit the Wisconsin trails, but not now. I rode the IL trails. Saved the family approximately $100
 
C

chunk06

Active member
It was fun seeing old iron and families with young kids out this past weekend. Saw a couple nice low mile garage/barn ornaments. talked to a couple that thought the last time they were out was 2008. I would be willing to bet there would have been a few more out if not for the trail pass sticker, Probably some people that still do not realize that you need a separate sticker.
 
L

lokn4sno

New member
snobuilder said:
12. Corn stalks and cattails look cool wrapped up in your A-arms.

Great Thread.
Awesome list.....you nailed it! We love riding here in SE WI as well.

In bold.....That is the BEST part of riding here close to the homes of the vast majority of registered sleds (No. IL, So. WI)
When the trails open down here it keeps the people that can't afford to chase snow involved in the sport.
To me this is extremely important.
That is why cap/step in WI and having to go out and buy a $30 trail permit when the trails rarely open actually hurts snowmobiling in a big way. Having to buy a $30 permit for each sled and a day or 2 of riding deters folks from riding and eventually the sled either doesn't get registered at all or sold and we lose another member from the power in numbers game.

We need the fringe riders for snowmobiling to survive!!!!..... so great to see a young family with a couple older garage queens out having as much fun as the guys who think this HAS to be a rich mans game.

Ride 'em while we got 'em.....weatherman is using the F-word again.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. If I recall correctly, I purchased (3) trail permits for $30 ($10ea)
 
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