Trip recommendations

[campertime]

Hey all just wondering if you guys could give me some trip recommendations. Have 5 days for a trip and I'm looking to see the kee. I've never been snowmobiling west of Munising before. I was thinking of starting out in one of the following towns: big bay, gwin, negaunee, or Ishpeming. Me and a buddy would back pack/saddlebag our way to Copper Harbor and then back.

Any recommendations on a route, places to stay, etc would be a great help.

 

[whitedust]

Suggest you buy a map/maps for the areas you want to ride everything listed there. Brockway is a have to-do in CH but you should have time to ride all the trails in the Kee. It is more where you want to ride after the Kee lots of nice very remote trails in Central UP or you can head out to WUP see LOC in Silver City or Bond Falls in Paulding. Also will cross Firesteel bridge in Mass City area. Really is an endless list of places to stay & things to see depending on your loop choice or where you choose to back pack to.

 

[dcsnomo]

The whole Bergland/Paulding/Mass City/Twin Lakes area is fantastic. An overnight from Bergland to Copper is 150 miles, good ride...no, real good ride!

There are places to stay all over, Bergland/Lake Gogebic is fun if you like to be around people and cold beer after sledding.

 

[whitedust]

During 5 days pace is a big issue in how much riding that you actually do. My buds would base out of White Pine for 5 days & ride themselves to exhaustion in 3 days & leave with big grins. The body can only take so much riding then the mind gives out & the mouth starts downing beers.lol. 150 mile day is easy riding in UP say 9AM to 4PM with nice burger somewhere. The trick is to take your time allow for playtime on lakes & powder & shooting the chit on the trail not to mention seeing the sights. If you ride balls to wall for 3 days days 4 & 5 are going to be hard. You have 1 day easy ride to CH ride all the trails day 2 in the Kee maybe stay in South Range nite 2 then you have to decide where from there that jives with body & mind.

 

[campertime]

Well we are both about 50/50 on/off trail riders but have no problem knocking off 150 mile days if we have to. Definately want to do some exploring/playing along the way, and see the sights. If there are must sees please post them up so we can try to add them to our plans. I was thinking of starting out somewhere between marquette and L'anse. That would put us in the car for 10 hours, ride for 3 or 4 days, then 10 hours in the car on the last day.

 

[whitedust]

In that case 50/50 on/off trail riders then forget the trail miles & hire a guide in the Kee only way to ride off trail without trespassing on private property. Huge problem last year with many riders riding off trail on private property & tearing things up. You have to know who owns what or don't ride it off trail. Honestly you will need a guide for that since you don't know the area. L'anse is a good location I stayed there but always torn up to mud in town just does not get as much LES 10 miles N/S/E/W or so out of L'anse AOK.

 

[campertime]

This will pretty much be a "trail" trip to see the sights. We definately want to leave some play time in our days and we have GPS on our sleds with great mapping software that has all the snow and atv trails, all the public and private land marked. We are not tresspassers that will see a field and just tear it up (even if there are tracks on it already) We may explore Forest roads, fire roads, seasonal roads, etc but it all depends on how we plan the trip.

 

[whitedust]

Difficult to make any more recomandations if 150 mile trail day is pushing it for you. What is your goal 50, 100, 125 trail miles? sounds like you should just hang in the Kee & play around. Follow the Kee trails the veiws are not secret just part of the ride not sure if you can still ride to lighthouse but not a big deal at least to me. Like I said Brockway is a must do in CH best view at top but other nice veiws along the way. Just take the trail loops during daylight & enjoy the views since you have detailed trail GPS software you should be fine just ride & explore the area simple as that.

 

[campertime]

How does this sound?

D1 - Big Bay > Bergland
D2 - Bergland > Copper Harbor
D3 - Copper Harbor > Baraga/L'anse
D4 - Baraga L'anse > Big Bay

 

[jd]

How does this sound?

D1 - Big Bay > Bergland
D2 - Bergland > Copper Harbor
D3 - Copper Harbor > Baraga/L'anse
D4 - Baraga L'anse > Big Bay

Sounds like a good time. Have Fun!

-John

 

[Hoosier]

This will pretty much be a "trail" trip to see the sights. We definately want to leave some play time in our days and we have GPS on our sleds with great mapping software that has all the snow and atv trails, all the public and private land marked. We are not tresspassers that will see a field and just tear it up (even if there are tracks on it already) We may explore Forest roads, fire roads, seasonal roads, etc but it all depends on how we plan the trip.

Keep in mind that a lot of the trails up there are old railroad grades, so the miles tend to add up quicker than other places and if you take the straightest paths, you'll get where you're going very quickly. I am not big on running the grades, so I try to avoid those as much as possible. My experiences are that the best trails in the Western UP or the Keeweenaw are the side trails that the monster trail racer crowd and bar hoppers stay away from, as they are most concerned with racking up miles or with getting from A to B ASAP. Not only are those trails more fun to ride, the traffic is usually lower also. Lots of fun to be had up there...

 

[campertime]

Well 2 more guys are interested in joining us and we are now thinking about staying in one place. Mass City, South Range, Twin Lakes???? Any recommendations on a cabin or motel that is centrally located?

Thanks for the replies guys. It's a big help.

 

[whitedust]

A very popular area & good choice for a base with lots of good places to stay in Mass City, South Range, Twin Lakes. Check the JD directory as to what you are looking for. Check it out... see what floats your boat all good but different from motel, cabins, to remodeled apartment town hall.You will need reservations for sure for an extended stay.

 

[campertime]

If we stayed in the south range/houghton-hancock area would we be able to sled to copper harbor casually with time to play or is it too far to have play time?

 

[jd]

If we stayed in the south range/houghton-hancock area would we be able to sled to copper harbor casually with time to play or is it too far to have play time?

It is about a 2 1/2 hour ride (at non-RickyRacer speeds) from Houghton/Hancock to Copper Harbor. So plenty of time to play on the way up.

-John

 

[whitedust]

It is about a 2 1/2 hour ride (at non-RickyRacer speeds) from Houghton/Hancock to Copper Harbor. So plenty of time to play on the way up.

-John

X2 easy ride to CH or LOC from Mass City,Greenland, South Range also can access Bond Falls South very nice loops in all directions with excellent snow coverage. Example all wide open groomed grade Greenland to Hancock about 45 miles easy riding in an hour if that.

 

[trackside]

Eagle River to Big Bay on day 1
Big Bay to Copper Harbor on Day 2
Day 3 some Keweenaw boondocking then a night in South Range
South Range to Silver City on Day 4
The return trip to Eagle River on Day 5 via Presque Isle

All scenic rides with a couple different route options! Some of the best trips are just hitting the trail and keeping the gas tank full! Stop when your tired or feel like playing a bit.

 

[HardwaterHoosier]

It would drive me nuts to have an agenda on a sled trip. Just check the weather and trail conditions before you leave and have fun. If you pass something up that looks interesting or you've read about, pull over and check it out. One of the coolest things is coming up on something unexpected, ( ie. bridge by mass city or dead mans hill in the lower)

 

[chillywilly]

Is Hurley Wi. for 5 days a route? NO? Darn

 

[whitedust]

It would drive me nuts to have an agenda on a sled trip. Just check the weather and trail conditions before you leave and have fun. If you pass something up that looks interesting or you've read about, pull over and check it out. One of the coolest things is coming up on something unexpected, ( ie. bridge by mass city or dead mans hill in the lower)

I hear ya for me I plan to ride in one direction then can end up riding in opposite direction just roll with best conditions & a little fresh snow or heavy unexspected traffic can change everything. You know you can have crap from Houghton thru Hancock maybe 17 miles or so deal with it or loop out of that area & head towards Sidnaw for example on less traveled trails. Know your options ok to have goals but those days trail conditions can change the best planned trip.