Be careful!
We’ve been awaiting this day for 9 months, but take it easy on your first snowmobiling ride of the season! Until now, there has not been enough snow for the trail crews to get back into the woods to cut out fallen trees from the autumn and early winter. Remember that you are NOT in mid-season riding form. Take it extra slow and careful the first time you get “back on the saddle” or else your opening day may end up like this:
Indian Lake/Moose River Plains Report:
Snow cover ranges from around 6 inches at Indian Lake village to over a foot in Moose River Plains. Your best bet is to leave the local village trails alone and head out to Moose River Plains via Cedar River Headquarters. The snow conditions were reported as very good, but there were several large fallen trees and a myriad of low-hanging, snow-laden branches. The gate was opened at Cedar River Headquarters today. DEC was having difficulty opening the Limekiln gate as of early afternoon. But you can get around that, even if they can’t open it by Sunday. UPDATE: Limekiln gate at Inlet end of Moose River Plains is reported to be OPEN!
Brown’s Farm parking lot near the end of Cedar River Road was open today, but had not been plowed yet. Hopefully that will get plowed out by Sunday or else there will be more than a few truck “stucks”.
Speculator/Perkins Clearing Report:
Snow cover ranges from 3-6 inches in Speculator to 6-12+ inches over Perkins Clearing. The locals are probably packing down the village trails but they’ll need much more snow to become good snowmobiling. Perkins Clearing Road is open, but has been plowed. Beware of pickup trucks and loggers! Your best bet would be start from the Mason Lake parking lot and work your way down Perkins Clearing Road from the north end. Conditions will be rough and icy going in. But after you take a right at the main intersection (HM6) and grind it out for another mile, you’ll hit your payday on the back side of Perkins Clearing!
Lakes:
Big lakes are still mostly open. Small lakes and ponds are frozen over, but unsafe. I probably don’t need to tell you, but I’ll say it anyway: “STAY OFF THE ICE!!”
Snowmobiling Outlook for Next Week:
We could have a brush with snow on Christmas Day, but my eyes are fixed on the possible snowstorm for Wednesday night into Thursday! Believe it or not, there may be another snowstorm over the horizon for NEXT weekend followed by a massive Arctic cold plunge! Bottom line is that we’re going to have opportunities to kick up the snowmobiling season into high gear over the next 7-10 days. Snowmobiling will become safer as trail crews begin to groom the trails and remove the fallen trees.
I can’t be snowmobiling all places at all times, so I encourage riders to report their findings on ilsnow.com’s Facebook and Bulletin Board. It’s a great way to help fellow snowmobile riders and make new friends.
Thank you,
Darrin @ ilsnow.com
