Wee Willie Keeler carved out a Hall of Fame major league baseball career out of “hit ’em where they ain’t!” With a robust .341 lifetime batting average, two batting titles (including an astonishing .424 in 1897!) and 8 consecutive 200-hit seasons, the guy knew what he was talking about.
After getting skunked for riding last week, I was itching to ride! Didn’t want to encounter crowds or endless miles of totally thrashed snowmobile trails.
When snowmobiling for miles on a holiday weekend, “hit ’em where they ain’t” is my #1 strategy.
The plan
Horseshoe Lake parking lot into St. Lawrence County got the call! My plan was to spin track under the late-winter sun. Nothing particular in mind.
Route 421 was its usual frost-heaved mess. At least plowed snow filled in the chuck holes. Got to Horseshoe Lake parking area before 10am. Besides 2 trucks that were there overnight with a few inches of snow on them, I was the first arrival!
After I unloaded the snowmobile, I yelled: “THIS IS AWESOME!” Another truck rolled in behind me and one of the guys asked me (tongue-in-cheek) to tell everyone to stay home because the trails suck.
C7A leaving Horseshoe Lake was great! Untouched fresh groom with some fresh on top. Yeah, this sucked… (NOT)
Great times on C7A kept rolling through STLA 2 intersection. Hung the left to remain on C7A. Some low bumps and thin spots through the avenue, but the straights were a rush!
At STLA2 intersection, turned onto a fresh groom on 720.
Ummmm…….YEAH!!!!!!
Turned left onto S88 and rolled that until the flowing water crossing. Untouched with several inches of fresh on top until I hit it!
Backtracked to ungroomed section of S88 into 747 which had enough fresh snow to cushion the bumps enough to make the run to Burntbridge Pond lean-to quite worthwhile!
Rolled 717/718 and C7A to Shurtleff to round out my terrific Childwold Snopackers riding for the morning.
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Pressing toward Cranberry Lake
C7A north of Route 3 crossing, was thin but passable over the plowed driveway. After that, the trail was bumpy for long stretches and thin in spots. My intention was to hit S88 at STLA28, but turned left one intersection too early (at STLA27). That ride was bumpy in places. Smoothed out toward STLA26 but also got thin and pebbly.
After rolling a smooth, but thin at times, S88A to STLA25, I rolled northward on C8, which was maintaining its status as snowmobiling superhighway at mid-day.
Turned onto 712/Out-a-fit trail, which was several miles of AMAZING!
C8 between STLA25 and STLA24 was rather bumpy in places, but evolved to a serviceable ride into Windfall. As a dogleg, I did my favorite back-n-forth rip on S89/Cranberry Lake.
Looping it!
C8 from Windfall to STLA222 intersection had studderbumps and a few chewed up corners, but got me through OK.
Aside from several thin/pebbly spots, much of S80G was nice riding to STLA202 intersection. The roadside sections had enough snow to keep the slides and heat exchangers happy.
S80 was a rollercoaster ride to Newton Falls. But the rollers were soft and spaced far enough apart to keep the riding fun. Rough plan at that point was to turn tail and head to Degrasse.
But when you encounter a fresh groom ahead, you follow it! Indeed, S80 became a good ride toward Star Lake!
S80 past American Legion into Star Lake had yet to enjoy a fresh groom, so that was somewhat bumpy in places. But I was starting to cover new ground (FOR ME), so I pressed on!
Found Circle-K for a gas stop and to grab beef jerky for a quick lunch. Figured I would take a peek into riding C8 over to Wanakena from Star Lake. Why not, since I was here anyway….
Rode plush snowbank at times alongside Youngs Road for a mile-and-a-half, then made the turn into C8 toward Wanakena. I was maybe the 2nd or 3rd fresh track on it. Beside a few shallow water crossings, I had a cushioned (and fairly enjoyable) ride for three-and-a-half miles. Plenty of snow through here!
After the junction with 748, the next three-and-a-half miles of C8 sucked pretty badly with hard bumps along with a few moderately-deep water holes that required careful consideration whilst crossing. Even in the midst of that tedious riding, I found this gem in the trash.
I emerged on the other side. Wanakena to Route 3 crossing on C8 was a sight for sore eyes, being its usual snowmobiling happy place.
After crossing Route 3, the first mile or two was bumpy at times with some rocks and water bars showing in the “rock garden.” Eventually, it evolved into a pretty good ride back up to STLA222 to complete my loop.
First time I’ve seen the Oswegatchie River frozen over in quite a while!
Heading to Little Blue Mountain
Definitely wanted to scale Little Blue on this gorgeous late winter’s day! From Windfall, I beelined it via S81. Plowed road sections had enough snow along the margins and shelved snowbank to get by. Aside from a couple of particularly thin/pebbly spots on the trail sections, much of the riding looked like this!
From the junction at STLA38 intersection, C8 to Trooper Shed was shredded up and pebbly. Wow, did that get ripped apart!
S83 and C7A were shredded up with plenty of low bumps and numerous thin/pebbly spots. Lots of carbide clanking through that avenue.
The climb up Little Blue Mountain was buckboard rough with plenty of rock tops to dodge. Had to stand up and surf it like Baywatch Zac Efron.
But the view from the top was worth the cover charge!
A guy from Tupper Lake who had ridden in from Piercefield spotted me as his group was leaving Little Blue and heading to Thirsty Moose for dinner. He seemed pretty happy to be out riding his snowmobile instead of the couch.
Dash to the truck
Doubled back to C8, where I encountered Cranberry Lake Mountaineers trying to whip the trail back into shape. The bumps got flattened out, but there were more than several thin/pebbly stretches.
Rolled through 712/Out-a-fit trail to double up on the great riding I found through that avenue earlier. Didn’t disappoint!
S88A/S88 was a good ride to the Route 3 crossing, aside from some thin/pebbly and icy spots.
718/717/S88A/720 Childwold Snopackers loop was holding up GREAT!
C7A from STLA4 to STLA2 intersection was battered and tattered with numerous thin/pebbly stretches. That section took a beating during the day!
Decided to roll S78 to Conifer, since I had never done that before. Great decision to hit that dogleg!
Trail really thinned out once I entered Conifer (especially along the plowed shared used road) but I made it to C7/Railroad before turning tail.
From STLA2 back to Horseshoe Lake, C7A was somewhat tattered from the day’s traffic: more than several thin/pebbly spots that had emerged. The final mile back to the truck was helmet-whipping booty call on the straights.
Ran into a couple of Indian Lake guys who had returned to their truck. They did a 90 mile ride. Said the trails approaching Seveys Point and Thirsty Moose were badly thrashed and even down to dirt in places through the Boy Scout camp. Good thing I avoided that area!
Ride map
Rolled back to the truck just before sunset with a buck-forty-seven spun on this snowmobile ride.
Click here for ride stats, 3D Flyover and Larger Map.
Bottom line
Mission accomplished! Aside from encountering a few packs of snowmobilers that were riding respectfully, I basically had the place to myself! No hordes of out-of-control, throttle-jackal gangbangers as I’d expect to encounter on Thug Hill or Moose River Plains on a holiday weekend.
Did heavily trafficked main artery trails need more snow: YES!
Did I regret snowmobiling today: ABSOLUTELY NOT! I couldn’t ask for better weather and there was enough good to great riding to make it work.
Snowpack along today’s ride was mostly in the 8-16 inch range, somewhat less in exposed areas, maybe a bit more in the deep woods between Star Lake and Wanakena.
I’m trailering far more than I care to, but I’ve been seizing opportunities laid before me this dogshit winter.
Not as much as I’d want entering the Back-9 of winter. But I’ve had fun each and every time out.
Midweek outlook
Groomers are working with what we have, where they can. We’re past the point of holding out for better. Next two days will have abundant sun, with Tuesday as the wintry day. Wednesday will feel like early spring, after a cold start.
Warmish Thursday and Friday, but no blow-torch (or washout rain) expected for ilsnow land either. Unfortunately, the potential snow opportunity I was spying for end of this week now looks underwhelming. But a modest accumulating wet snow may still be on the table for Thursday night into Friday morning, followed by a cold shot into the weekend.
Ride it while we’ve still got it!
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
