Vilas County
- Thread starter pclark
- Start date
pclark
Well-known member
Currently 26 degrees and we received about 1.5” of new snow overnight. With Vilas County opening on Friday trails riders will experience a host of different conditions, trails around towns will be very thin, out in the woods it will be better, I wish there was storm in sight but that doesn’t look like it will happen. Be safe if you ride!
FAKE NEWS....not true
ya. I kinda figured.
hermie
Well-known member
I know one of the big problems like in St. Germain where you got to go down roads to get through the neighborhoods are going to have snow but it's not packed snow. Your carbides are going to cut through to the asphalt. Should help the power sports stores move some parts. I feel this is the clubs deciding to help the businesses out. They knew the forecast before they made this decision, to me it's a no brainer to have waited until Saturday. A little too warm Friday with the little base they have.
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pclark
Well-known member
You nailed it Hermie, I think the bars will do well, most won’t put very many miles on unless the ride the lakes or flowages which should be good.
hermie
Well-known member
Yes the lakes should be real nice and they should not get too rough because just not enough snow to get rough. Hopefully this will give some of the businesses a shot in the arm. You are correct in that it's not going to be trails you can go for miles just not good enough conditions. Still no doubt in my mind this was mid December trails would remain close but it's mid January and they have gotten to a point just barely enough snow to open so let's open them.
Apparently at the county vote there were a few clubs voting to wait until Monday, but they were out voted. The first post came from the Pea Patch in MW. I didn't see anything official for hours after that. Maybe the warmth today will get some moisture back into the snow and start to build the base. Effing weather is ridiculous. I bet no one thought that this could happen two winters in a row. I don't think Vilas ever had more on the ground than what is there now last year and they did not open.
Seems like perfect conditions to me to ride a bar stool watch NFL playoff games. Isn’t that the plan eat drink enjoy the Northwoods establishments. You want to ride head north to the UP snowbelts where everyone else is riding should be some outstanding whoops up there but you’re riding …Right?
pclark
Well-known member
Had to go to Rhinelander today, left about 9:30am from MW. There were guys out last night but in all honesty the trails looked ok this morning for as little snow as we have. Saw guys riding along 47 by the Ski Doo dealer, thought that was Oneida county? Back around 3pm and trails thinned out in spots but still white. Going to freeze hard tonight and the groomers just don’t have much to work with so it is what it is. Lots of sleds by the Pea Patch in MW. There won’t be any lubrication unless we get some light snow but if you gotta ride it’s buzzing up here, great for the businesses! Stay safe if you are riding!
It's a real catch 22 for the clubs....part of me as a service/parts guy for a powersports dealer (and weekend bartender) say...let them ride...dirt, snirt, whatever...I have plenty of slides, wheels, carbides, belts etc....the businesses up here need it.....but the club member in me knows better...it's too thin, and heavy traffic will do a lot of damage not only to the base, but to the land the trails cross....which irritates the landowners...making land owners mad is never a good option, because they usually close the trail that crosses their land.....the other problem with opening in low snow conditions is guys are constantly going off trail to kick some fresh snow into their tracks...it gets ugly... "stay on trail signs"...get ignored. I understand why Vilas opened, pressure from the businesses had to be enormous (derby week)...frankly after last winter I'm surprised a few of bars/restaurants survived and are still open...this winter will kill off the weaker ones for sure....there are really only 9 more weeks of riding, before easements end on April 1st. Smart bar/tavern owners join pool leagues, (We have men's, women's and co-ed leagues, along with a retiree league) so we have pool ..two teams Tuesday nights, one team Wednesday afternoon, and two teams Thursday night...we also have darts league on Sunday night...so we don't have to rely on Snowmobiling as our sole income during the winter....you just can't do that anymore...businesses that do...WILL FAIL...Snowmobiling for us is the icing on the cake, but not the cake.....because of mother nature, bar owners must diversify...it's tough. Trust me...I want to ride as bad as everybody here, but until we get more snow, and get the trails open here...I'll be content to run Lake Nokomis, and have some fun.
Yeah, well, LMAO whitedust!
That's perfectly put, and all true. From what I've seen this am, it appears good snow is not coming until close to Feb, and possibly there after? Time to start the 'Snow Dances'! Perhaps Tracker was right?
That being with the earth being off its axis, and the seasons running later than normal?
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pclark
Well-known member
Well, it’s 1 degree at 6pm tonight. Went in to town today but didn’t see a lot of sleds out, temp was about 6 degrees during the day. It’s going to get pretty cold for the next few days, sure would be nice to get a few inches of snow to go over the base. Most will leave on Sunday and it looks like temps will be be a little warmer next weekend.
indy_500
Well-known member
Hoping some of the LES creeps down to northern vilas the next few days.
With all of these cold polar, arctic air blasts happening, and it sounds like there are more to come, lake ice will build rapidly.
We rode Weds-Friday early afternoon out of Watersmeet. Trailered up from Eagle River every day. Put on just over 500 miles in the 2.75 days we rode. By Friday when we got back the rail grade was down to the dirt, the traffic was crazy. Talked to a guy in Kenton said there was hundreds of sleds waiting for fuel in Bergland. As for Vilas I wouldn’t even think of riding here..we took the truck and went around yesterday and had a ton of fun. Saw a few sleds in St Germain but not many people out at all. Heading to the WC today