Archive for February, 2008

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Winchester, WI Presque Isle, WI Marenisco, MI Bergland, MI Rockland, MI Bruce Crossing, MI Watersmeet, MI

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

Today had to be one of the nicest riding days I’ve had in a while. The temperature was right around 28 degrees all day and the sun was out too! My Dad and I left the house around 9am on our way to Fish Tales pub and grub for our standard walleye breakfast. We took trail 6 East into Presque Isle and then trail 1 North through Marenisco. Both trail 6 and trail 1 were in excellent shape! They were freshly groomed and we were maybe the 5th or 6th sleds on them. After breakfast (The food was great as usual!) we made our way into Bergland to gas up. We then took trail 8 East to trail 13 North. Both of these trails were in excellent shape as well.

There were a few small bumps on our way out of town, but overall very good! The closer we got to Rockland (A.K.A. Roughland) the trail got a lot more choppy. The last 15 miles into town were just plain ROUGH! We stopped in town at Henry’s Never Inn and had a soda. After that last 15 miles of trail we decided to take a different way back. That meant we’d take trail 3 South from Rockland. Trail 3 was in unbelievably great shape! I think we hit 1, maybe 2 bumps the entire ride. We hooked up with trail 8 East into Bruce Crossing and gassed up again. Then we took trail 8 East out of Bruce Crossing to trail 3 South again and made our way to Da Flowage Pub N Grub. We grabbed another soda there and relaxed a bit.

We hit the trail again and continued South on trail 3 until we hit trail 2 West. We took that into Watersmeet and gassed up. After leaving Watersmeet we took trail 2 West to trail 13 South and made a stop at Rogers Bar. Trail 2 was in decent shape with a few bumps on the bridges, but that was about it. After a pizza and soda at Rogers bar, we headed for home and took trail 2 West to trail 1 South into Presque Isle.

Trail 1 South had just been groomed, but thanks to some “Blair Morgan wanna-bee’s” that like to burn the snow off of every corner, it was already pretty well chewed up. We ran into these “wanna-bee’s” after they had run off the trail and got stuck out in the deep snow (serves them right!). Trail 6 West had also been freshly groomed, but since the “wanna-bee’s” were stuck in the snow, the trail was still in pretty good shape!

Overall Trail Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Distance: 191
Previous: 1,696
Season Total: 1,887

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Winchester, WI Presque Isle, WI Boulder Jct., WI

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

Today was just a quick ride to breakfast, then a short ways down trail 6 East towards Boulder Junction and then back. The trails were in decent shape, but the corners were starting to get icy. There was a good bit of traffic today and the trails were starting to show it. We took 6 East from Winchester to Presque Isle and ate breakfast at the Outpost cafe. After breakfast we continued East on trail 6 for another 20 miles before we turned around and took the same route home.

Overall Trail Rating: 8 out of 10
Distance: 48
Previous: 1,648
Season Total: 1,696

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Winchester, WI Presque Isle, WI Boulder Jct., WI Sayner, WI Land O Lakes, WI Watersmeet, MI Marenisco, MI

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

After yesterdays long ride, we took it easy today. We started off by going to Sayner, WI “The Birthplace of the Snowmobile”. We took trail 6 East through Winchester and Presque Isle and hooked up with trail 15 South through Boulder Junction.

The trails were good until we got through Boulder Junction. This was a holiday weekend and there was TONS of traffic in that area. The trails were decent, but not as good as what we had yesterday. After arriving in Sayner, we noticed the snowmobile exhibit was closed, so we just peeked through the window. We then ate lunch at the Sayner pub. After lunch we rode across Plum lake, taking the same path news anchor Randy Salerno and Scott Hirshey took prior to their very publicized crash. After crossing the lake we continued on trail 11 North to trail 7 and then hooked up with trail 6 East again. We ended up at Bents Camp and noticed they were having a radar run. It looked like a lot of fun, so we decided to stop and check it out. After 1/2 hour of watching the sleds run, we headed across the Cisco chain and hooked up with trail 13 North and stopped in to Rogers Bar.

After a couple sodas, we took trail 13 North to trail 2 West and made our way for home.

Overall Trail Rating: 8 out of 10
Distance: 120
Previous: 1,528
Season Total: 1,648

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Winchester, WI Presque Isle, WI Bergland, MI Rockland, MI South Range, MI Twin Lakes, MI Houghton, MI Copper Harbor, MI

Friday, February 15th, 2008

Today was quite a long trip. We left the house at 8am and didn’t make it back until 10pm. Our destination was Copper Harbor, MI. When we hit the trails, we were very happy to see them perfectly groomed! The entire way to Copper Harbor, I think we might have hit 2 bumps. It was just unreal! We rode trail 1 North to trail 13 East to trail 3 East and made fuel stops in Bergland, Twin Lakes, Houghton and Copper Harbor.

After arriving in Copper Harbor, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Mariner and then started our journey back. The first 20 miles on the way back were still in great shape. Once we got closer to Houghton, things started to get a bit choppy. We gassed up there and headed for Twin Lakes. The closer we got to Park View, the rougher the trails got. It was simply a product of lots of traffic in that area. After we got past Park View, everything seemed to smooth out again and it was smooth sailing. It was pretty cold out today, right around -10 and probably -20 to -30 with the wind chill. On the way back, we both got so cold, we made a stop at the Gogebic Lodge to warm up for a bit. Once we hit the trail again, we crossed paths with the groomer and rode perfect trails all the way back to the house!

Overall Trail Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Distance: 363
Previous: 1,165
Season Total: 1,528

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Land O Lakes, WI Boulder Jct., WI Manitowish Waters, WI Winchester, WI Marinesco, MI Watersmeet, MI

Thursday, February 7th, 2008

The trails were great today, but it ended up being a rough trip for us. We started off headed South and then West on trail 8 towards Boulder Junction. After arriving in town we got gas and then ate breakfast at the Outdoorsman restaurant. We then continued further West towards Manitowish Waters, WI. The trails were in AWESOME shape. I haven’t seen the trails this good in at least 3-4 seasons. There is hardly anyone in the area this week and the groomers have done an excellent job keeping the trails perfect! On our way towards Manitowish Waters, one of the people in our group had an accident and banged up the hood on their sled. We limped that sled back to our place and dropped it off. Then we took trail 11 North to Michigan and then trail 2 East to trail 13 South.

We stopped at Rogers Bar for a pizza and pop. After our short break we headed across the Cisco chain and made our way back to Land O Lakes. Almost every trail was in perfect condition and we couldn’t ask for anything better. If you get a chance to ride in the area any time soon, be sure to do it!

Overall Trail Rating: 10 out of 10
Distance: 167
Previous: 998
Season Total: 1,165

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Land O Lakes, WI Boulder Jct., WI Presque Isle, WI Winchester, WI Manitowish Waters, WI Marinesco, MI Watersmeet, MI

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

Today we headed West for some Polaris parts. We took trail 6 West…..destination North Country Polaris in Manitowish Waters, WI. All of trail 6 West was in excellent shape. I shot a few videos, but some didn’t turn out due to some technical difficulties. After breakfast I noticed the problem and was able to correct it.

After arriving at North Country Polaris we noticed they were closed. DOH!

We turned around and went East on trail 6 back towards Presque Isle. Then we hooked up with Trail 1 North to trail 2 East. Trail 1 was a little choppy and the corners were icy mainly from the amount of traffic.

Once we hit trail 2, we were in heaven! I’ve never seen this trail so flat and perfect!

It was a 10 out of 10 with no question! After arriving in Watersmeet we took trail 3 South to Land O Lakes and then we called it a day.

Overall Trail Rating: 9 out of 10
Distance: 127
Previous: 871
Season Total: 998

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Sayner, WI, Boulder Jct., WI Conover, WI Phelps, WI Star Lake, WI Land O Lakes, WI Watersmeet, MI

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Today we decided to head South and try out some of the Wisconsin trails. We headed West on trail 6 towards Boulder Junction and then went South.

These trails were in good shape, but the corners were a bit icy.

After arriving in Boulder Junction, we got gas and made our way towards Sayner. As we left Boulder Junction, the trails were pretty dirty and on the choppy side. There was TON of traffic in the area and that would explain the bumps. We ate a few pizzas for lunch at the Sayner pub and then went East across Plum lake.

That trail took us into Conover where we gassed up again. We continued East until we got to Phelps.

After riding through Phelps we headed for the Gateway Lodge in Land O Lakes. One of the sleds was having a bogie wheel problem so we dropped it off at the Lodge and went out on another ride. This ride took us down trail 6 West again to Bents Camp. We went across the Cisco Chain and then to Rogers bar. After a soda there, we got on trail 2 East to Watersmeet and then trail 3 South to Land O lakes. Overall the trails were in very good condition. I haven’t seen the Wisconsin trails this good in 4-5 seasons!

Overall Trail Rating: 9 out of 10
Distance: 165
Previous: 706
Season Total: 871

Snowmobile Trail Conditions Land O Lakes, WI Watersmeet, MI Bergland, MI Bruce Crossing, MI

Monday, February 4th, 2008

We started this ride from the Gateway Lodge in Land O Lakes, WI. After arriving at the lodge we unloaded the sleds and got gas. Then we took trail 3 north to Watersmeet, MI and then West on trail 2 to Rogers bar.

Both trails were in excellent condition and were freshly groomed. After eating a pizza at Rogers bar we headed West on trail 2 and hooked up with trail 13 North.

Once we reached the Root Cellar we hopped on the lake and rode to Bergland.


(sorry about the crooked camera angle!)

The lake was in good shape with a few snow drifts here and there. We gassed up again and then headed out of town on trail 8 East.

We ran trail 8 East to Bruce Crossing and then gassed up there again. Trail 8 was in good condition, but did seem to thin out the closer we got to Bruce Crossing. After getting gas in Bruce Crossing we took trail 3 South.

We got a soda at Da Floage Pub and Grub and then made our way South on trail 107 to trail 2 West. These trails were also in great shape! After we arrived in Watersmeet, we took trail 3 South back to Land O Lakes.

Overall Trail Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Distance: 135
Previous: 571
Season Total: 706