Reporter:info@visitashland.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 1-5 inch
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
News and Reports:
Ashland County Trails are open and in fair condition. Due to warmer temps they are not grooming anymore. note….Trail 25 North on Mineral Lake Road has some gravel, ride at your own risk in this area and use caution!
The 2017/2018 Ashland County Snowmobile Season will close March 31st weather permitting!!!!!!
Reporter:info@visitashland.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 1-5 inch
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
News and Reports:
Ashland County Trails are open and in fair condition. Due to warmer temps they are not grooming anymore. note….Trail 25 North on Mineral Lake Road has some gravel, ride at your own risk in this area and use caution!
The 2017/2018 Ashland County Snowmobile Season will close March 31st weather permitting!!!!!!
Reporter:info@visitashland.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 1-5 inch
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
News and Reports:
Ashland County Trails are open and in fair condition. Due to warmer temps they are not grooming anymore. note….Trail 25 North on Mineral Lake Road has some gravel, ride at your own risk in this area and use caution!
The 2017/2018 Ashland County Snowmobile Season will close March 31st weather permitting!!!!!!
Reporter:info@visitashland.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 1-5 inch
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
News and Reports:
Ashland County Trails are open and in fair condition. Due to warmer temps they are not grooming anymore. note….Trail 25 North on Mineral Lake Road has some gravel, ride at your own risk in this area and use caution!
The 2017/2018 Ashland County Snowmobile Season will close March 31st weather permitting!!!!!!
Reporter:info@visitashland.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 1-5 inch
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
News and Reports:
Ashland County Trails are open and in fair condition. Due to warmer temps they are not grooming anymore. note….Trail 25 North on Mineral Lake Road has some gravel, ride at your own risk in this area and use caution!
The 2017/2018 Ashland County Snowmobile Season will close March 31st weather permitting!!!!!!
Reporter:BayfieldCounty
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 3-6 inch base
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
Area Report:
The warmer temperature and stronger sun are starting to take their toll on our trails. In the woods and in shaded areas the snow is holding, but trails can be icy to the freeze/thaw that’s happening. For those riding forest roads on National Forest Service land, please use caution and stay alert! Especially in areas where you see activity i.e. plowed roads. We can’t monitor all the forest roads throughout the county so unsafe conditions may exist. We’ve had reports of large plowed snowbanks on the roads which can be hard to see, so slow down and stay safe. Detailed reports from the local snowmobile clubs are posted below. Stay safe and stay on the trails!
Namakagon Trail Groomers: Due to warm weather and icy conditions grooming has been suspended in the Namakagon Trails area. Trails remain ride able with icy hills and corners. South facing areas, road crossings and routes have brown exposed. Trails in the woods remain ride able. Late season conditions exist. PLEASE RIDE SAFE!
Bayfield County Snowmobile Alliance – Iron River Area: Iron River area is still rideable but not enough measurable snow to groom and warmer temps forecasted for this weekend. Trails are becoming very icy with freeze/thaw conditions. Expect all road routes to be free of any rideable surface at this time.
Barnes Barnestormers: Barnestormers have suspended grooming at this point. The trails still have a good base and are rideable, however with the warm weather it doesn’t justify going out at this point. Most of the roads that connected trails have been plowed making some trails inaccessible.
Washburn Valhallers: we have decided to suspend grooming until we get more measureable snow. In the immediate Washburn area, trails are probably still ridable but tough to get uptown without a few blocks of bare pavement in most places. Still a good base on most trails out of town but will go quickly with 40 and sun.
Valhalla Area is still in pretty good shape. Very good snow on the trails and on the forest roads.
South shore Trail Club – Port Wing, Herbster & Cornucopia: Trail 1, 40 and 41 are still good, though no grooming until more snow. Trail 1 from Port Wing to Herbster is dirt but can access Hebster from the east.
WAINO Riders- Northwest corner of the County: Waino Riders are not going to groom this week. Lots of bare spots. Trail 1 is usable but not for very long if the forecast holds.
Closures:
ReReoutes:
Logging Activity
Reporter:officecoordinator@cable4fun.com
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 2-5″
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
Area Report:
Reporter:haywardlakes
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: Zero to 3 inch base
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
Area Report:
Hello Riders!
Well, our trails are OPEN, Really it’s FAIR to POOR...and in typical spring conditions of warming, melting days… and still cold nights…
**PLEASE plan ahead, contact businesses along the trails you’ll be sledding — they’ll be able to tell you how their sections of trails and lakes are!
The wooded trails are GOOD, but the trails through open areas, road crossings, along the roadways have very large bare patches.
The lakes are still good, EXCEPT Lake Hayward, which is NO LONGER SAFE, with several areas of open water. Some lakes are starting to pull off the stakes.
Thank you to all club members, volunteers and groomers. And thank you to all of you for choosing Sawyer County as your riding destination.
Reporter:Ely Chamber of Commerce/Explore MN Visitor Center
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 18 inches
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
Area Report:
With the warm daytime temperatures, trail bases are reduced and there are exposed rocks and bare ground throughout the trails. As of Tuesday, March 14, grooming on state trails has ceased. Area snowmobile trails will continue to be groomed as temperatures and snow conditions allow.
Taconite Trail: The entire Taconite is in fair condition. The trail base is thin due to warm weather and heavy trail use, and there are multiple spots on the trail where bare ground and rocks are exposed, especially on hills and corners.
Arrowhead Trail: The entire Arrowhead is groomed and in fair condition. The trail is thin due to warm weather and heavy trail use, and there are ,ultiple spots on the trail with bare ground and exposed rocks. Please slow down for logging activity throughout the trail.
Putnum/Fishing Lakes Trail: The trail was groomed on Tuesday, March 13, and is in fair condition. Watch for bare ground and exposed rocks throughout the trail.
Soudan Underground Mine & Vermilion State Park Trails: Trails are groomed as of Tuesday, March 13, and in fair condition. Watch for bare ground and exposed rocks throughout the trail.
Ely Area Trails & Tomahawk: As with the Arrowhead and Taconite trails, the base is thin and will have some exposed trail and rocks. Use caution if traveling on lakes. The warm weather has created slushy conditions on lake surfaces. Stay on staked lake trails whenever possible.
Reporter:Western U.P. Snowmobile Report
Trail Conditions: Fair
Snow Cover: 5”-15”
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
Area Report:
Date of Report: March 15, 2018
THE GOGEBIC RANGE TRAIL AUTHORITY REPORTS:
Overall Story:
03/13/18: We are grooming sections of trails to set them up for this weekend. What little fresh snow seen has done wonders. Trails remain extremely Icy if temperatures are below freezing. Late season conditions are seen, but so far water has not begun to flow yet. We still suggest trailering to Wakefield if riding east. Park and rides on the SW corner of Sunday lake and the open lot across from Holiday Gas Station is available. During the late Feb/Early March storms our extreme western corner of the U.P. saw very little or no accumulation. Not far west,east or south saw considerable more. PLEASE STAY ON THE TRAIL! PLEASE DON’T STEAL OUR TRAIL SIGNS. Hard to believe we have to continue echoing these issues, we are so lucky we have some of the most friendly landowners around. Please remind yourselves and riders in your group to check road crossings TWICE (at least!) before venturing across roadways. If traveling on a county road ROW keep speeds slow to avoid any issues
Trail 2 from Hurley to Ramsay US-2 Crossing:
Overall rating: FAIR
Last groomed 3/2. From the Iron Belle Train Trestle (east of the transfer station horseshoe loop) and east to Bessemer the trail has on and off thin spots. Water has pooled and made a slushy (night time icy) center strip. Around Walmart, we are working to cover an approximate 50′ long bare spot. Lots of snow was drug over it last night and will continue tonight. Please be courteous and keep noise/speed as low as possible in towns. We know you come to play but the community lives with the traffic all winter long, so help our cause and be respectful!
Trail 2 from Ramsay Crossing to Wakefield:
Overall rating: POOR.
Last groomed 3/2. Conditions are good from Ramsay Crossing US HWY 2 intersection all the way to Indianhead. From Indianhead to Wakefield the trail is poor with very thin snow in spots. There is a 1/2 mile stretch as you come into Wakefield that is down to dirt.
Trail 2 from Wakefield to Marenisco:
Overall Rating: FAIR.
Groomed 3/13 from Trail 2/ Trail 8 Intersection to US Hwy 2. The 12 miles of rail bed to Marenisco was not groomed but was in decent shape. Lots of snow on the trail. As you near Marenisco there are some on/off thin spots. Nothing bare.
Trail 8 from Bingos to Tula Crossing:
Overall Rating: FAIR.
Last groomed 3/13. The trail is showing signs of wear from traffic and little fresh snow. Corners will deteriorate quickly
Trail 160 from Walmart to Montreal River (WI):
Overall Rating: FAIR
Last Groomed 2/27. Lots of snow. We recommend doing an “Out and Back” as the Wisconsin Trail 3 / 2 we are told is hit or miss. As you depart the Montreal River Gorge the snow diminishes (with the elevation decline) but there is plenty of snow to make your way into Wisconsin. The Driftwood Bar on County Highway A has excellent burgers!! There are many scenic overlooks on this trail that riders should be on the lookout for! Bald Mountain / Powers Road Lake Superior Northern Overlook, Bald Mountain Southern viewing overlook, The Montreal River Gorge & Superior Falls are all spectacular. Be safe in these areas! This trail is an incredible ride and we are so happy to see riders out on it! Please remember to stay on the trail in the farm fields! So much work and money has been put into this trail we cannot risk losing it. The last half mile from high-line to Lake road is plowed for logging, ride cautiously.
11S (Wakefield, MI to Winchester, WI):
Overall Rating: FAIR
Last groomed 2/26. The first 2 miles of the trail as it heads south towards Wisconsin from Trail 2 is plowed due to logging. Please yield to all commercial truck traffic. Trail is in great shape and is groomed from the Vilas County Wisconsin Line to Trail 2 completely, regularly. There are still a few thin areas and areas that need more brushing but the trail is fantastic. Please enjoy this reopened trail responsibly, thousands of 100% volunteer hours were logged to open this! Keep speeds slow as you travel the southern half of it, once you cross the bridge within 2 miles there are some rough spots. They are snow covered, but we need more snow to fill in the uneven trail until we can repair it next summer.
LAKE GOGEBIC AREA GROOMER REPORT
Groomer Report
Wednesday, March 14th
We are in Late Season riding with trails are in great shape and holding up well. With the exception of 8 East, all trails have been freshly groomed. Had guests leaving town this morning – and they just finished riding over 1,000 miles. Their comments: “relatively no bumps, very little traffic”. Spoke to Dave who is grooming on the South end of Lake Gogebic and he said that “all trails on the South end of Lake Gogebic are in excellent condition”. Groomer Boss Rick said 102 and 1 North were groomed yesterday and are in excellent condition. Trails closer to town receive a lot of traffic and become more challenging, but that is to be expected.
Groomers will continue to run as long as temperatures permit. If you are thinking one more trip – you need to pull the trigger – and there is definitely some good riding to be had.
U.P. THUNDER RIDERS OF WATERSMEET GROOMERS REPORT:
Groomer Report
Groomers ran the whole trail system Friday, March 2 and will not be running again until we get more snow. Our trail conditions range from very good to poor call it “end of the season conditions” Everything is rideable and the trails are open until March 31 we just don’t have enough snow to keep grooming at this time.
Trail 2 east of Watersmeet – to trail 107 – Fair/good – snirty/dirty as you leave Watersmeet
Trail 3 north of trail 2 to bond falls – fair – roadside section right as you turn off trail 2 is bare, the rest of the trail has icy areas and icy/dirty corners
Trail 3 north of Bond falls – good – icy corners
Trail 3 south of Watersmeet to WI – good -this trail gets tons of traffic and it gets rough between groomings use caution over the bridges
Trail 2 west of Watersmeet – good – holding up much better than you’d think, there is a wet area about 20 miles west of Watersmeet where water is on the trail there are signs so please use caution
Trail 13 south of trail 2 – good – icy/dirty corners
PLEASE STAY ON MARKED TRAILS. RIDING ON UNMARKED TRAILS CAN RESULT IN THE CLUB LOSING EASEMENT OF THAT TRAIL AND YOU POSSIBLE GETTING A TICKET…..
—