Any info on trail conditions in the counties listed above would be very much appreciated. I understand with the amounts of all of the snow, and the wind blown drifts they more than have their work cut out for them just trying to open trails up, let alone to groom, and perhaps just get through some of these areas. This is some of the most scenic areas to ride anywhere! Thanks for any info!
Trempealeau, Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, Eau Claire trails?
- Thread starter old abe
- Start date
We rode out of Black River Falls Casino both Friday and Saturday. Friday (via Renegade's Suggestion, Thanks!!) we dropped Southwest from Hixton to Taylor (little rough), then into Blair, Whitehall, Independence and then down to Arcadia( all very good). Into Buffalo Co. and lunch at Waumandee Inn (very good). Heading back east on Trail 8, once into Trempleau Co. things got interesting. At the split before Independence, we took the south route. Whiteout conditions and no grooming ever, we were picking lines between the markers and two of my buddies got sucked down into a valley of thigh deep snow. 1 1/2 hour delay for dig outs and without some extreme mountain riding skills or one sled would still be there, stuck down into a gulch. After that, long trek through Pigeon Falls and Hixton, back to BRF. Saturday, did a clockwise loop of Southern Jackson County and parts of La Crosse County. for me personally, these trails are as good as I've ever had the pleasure of riding anywhere! 300+ miles for two days and loved it! lots of snow!
Buffalo, pepin, and pierce are much better shape than eau claire and tremp. We just had another groomer go down last week, 4 wheel drive went out. Eau Claire county is struggling from what I hear with breakdowns and stucks. I rode from home to prescott on friday and rode buffalo county on saturday. Pierce county was 10 out of 10! Buffalo county was very good also but getting beat up on the eastern end, but the western end was fabulous all day. Less traffic. Pepin county and Dunn county were good, too.
You guys are spoiled as this area can stand proud against any in the state when conditions are right! Seen most, just sayin....
whitehorse
Member
Rode Buffalo County today...awesome conditions....Trempealeau, and W. Jackson County trails are something to be desired. Doesn't look like they have groomed for weeks. We almost turned around but once we got to Buffalo County it was like a new world. We also road Clark and N. Jackson...trails were and are perfect. 200 + miles...a good day no matter what.
Rode this area this past Monday noon, thru Friday noon. Eau Claire, and Trempealeu, county trails were in very poor condition. Some looked to be not groomed in weeks? Equipment problems? Idk? Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, N Jackson very good trail conditions! Seen many building roofs collapsed. Wet snow, and rain well only make this worse. I feel for them.
WorkHardPlayHrd
Active member
Have not been able to ride. I'm sorry you experienced bad conditions. Some of Trempeauleau and western Jackson counties have not groomed due to being unable to handle the fast snow accumulation on the steeper sections of hills with the equipment they have, and breakdowns. Eau Claire is only grooming the section by me once a week the way it looks. After the last snowfall before this one we started serious roof shoveling. Our 17 year old walked in the house last Friday night and said he heard what sounded like rifle shots right by our free stall addition. We started running and told him and the 11 year old to get the skidsteers. We chased the cattle out and got spot lights up at the rafters and found the breakage on the south side of the center span with major bowing on the Eastern end. This is only a 60 foot span, and double trussed treated 2 by 12's. Used the skid steers to support the rafters while we spent the next 4 hours pitching off the whole south side. The center had snow 3 and a half feet deep. We started on Saturday cleaning out all south side valleys on the main barn, and when we saw this possibility on John Dee for this possible heavy snow storm we kept cleaning off all the roofs instead of riding.
We love to ride, but the farm is our lively hood. I'd rather miss a whole season of riding then have a roof come down on any of the animals do to nature, and us not watching the roofs. I'm not laying blame on anybody's structure that came down. Some of those roof spans were huge. And the snows for this area over the last 3 weeks are not the norm at all.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your experience up here old abe, the area can be truly beautiful in the right conditions.
We love to ride, but the farm is our lively hood. I'd rather miss a whole season of riding then have a roof come down on any of the animals do to nature, and us not watching the roofs. I'm not laying blame on anybody's structure that came down. Some of those roof spans were huge. And the snows for this area over the last 3 weeks are not the norm at all.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your experience up here old abe, the area can be truly beautiful in the right conditions.
Hey, good to hear from you! I hear everything you're saying WHPH! Farm comes first, especially when livestock is involved! Hope everything works out okay. We will be back as we understand the conditions thrown at you people in less than 3 weeks was all but impossible to deal with. It appears to us the wheeled tractor groomers are not capable in the hills, bluffs, and just the very deep snow in these conditions. Need to put track kits on them? Not sure if the 2 track, or 4 track groomers work best, but I'm curious? Perhaps you can elaborate on that WHPH? Such as Sure-Track 2 track, Piston Bully, ag tractor 4-track, or Tucker pulling the drag? Seen many places where they just had to give up, unhook the drag, and try to retreat out. This was very difficult to do by the looks of what we seen. Post when possible, and perhaps it's not over for the season. How much snow did you get? We had close to a inch of rain, +/-. Water all over everywhere. Good luck to you!
Since Feb 5 we have received approximately 60-65". This is now are 2nd snowiest year on record. Northern half of tremp cty has a wheeled tractor with chains and a tractor with tracks. Neither one could handle the fast accumulation. Eau Claire cty has Tucker's and they were having trouble getting stuck and two broke down. (What I heard anyway). Buffalo cty has LMC machines with long tracks, witch I think is about the only thing that would have worked. Western Jackson, tremp, Eastern Buffalo and eau Claire cty got the most snow and that's where most of the groomer troubles are. Just too many areas with 4-6' of snow on the ground that we can't get thru with the groomers. All we can do is the railroad bed.
This area looks to be toast in a big way? As in BAD FLOODING! I really feel for you folks living there seeing what it was like last week.
Spot on! They could handle the warm up okay, and light rain. But the heavy, and extended rain is a bad, flooding deal for sure! Good luck WHPH!
WorkHardPlayHrd
Active member
This s#%@$!! It's practically pouring and the power is out. Glad we own a big generator for the tractor. And they just groomed the trail last night!!!!
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Rode Pierce Sunday and Monday. Trail goes right through back land to Beldenville. South to Ellsworth to Bay City east to Plum City north to Exile and back towards home. Next day south again towards Bay City then west over to Diamond Bluff and back north home. Both days were some of if not the best trail riding I had since I was 12 years old. That's 36 years of riding.
We love the trails, terrain, and scenery up there for sure! We have waited so long for the conditions to be good, ride able snow, and it's over already? Sucks after what all the clubs had to deal with up there.