My mantra is “hit it when you get it because tomorrow ain’t promised.”
Opportunity knocked on my door again Wednesday.
The day started -1*F at the ilsnow storm center in Indian Lake. At the time I embarked on my ride at 9:45am in Tupper Lake, the temperature was a balmy 30*F on its way to a high near 40*F.
Definitely had the feel of a St. Patrick’s Day ride, rather than a Presidents’ Week ride.
Heading out
Washington Street mall parking lot was empty when I got there. YEAH!!!!!!
First 8 miles of C7 departing northward from Tupper Lake ranged from nearly mint sections to developing hash on long causeways. In between, some areas with floating pebbles.
Trail was tight from overnight cold, so I dropped the scratchers to keep slides and heat exchangers happy. By late morning, snow had loosed enough to retract scratchers for remainder of the ride.
C7 passing Floodwood to Lake Clear was GREAT riding – other than several thin/pebbly spots.
The 4 mile stretch of C7 past Charlie’s, before the pole trail, was thin in places, with worst hash being on the causeway. Was able to drop onto the frozen marsh to bypass it.
Surmising that it would be thin to bare in long stretches through Gabriels on C7/pole trail, I hit the cutover trail to C7B. Some of the ride was decent – but got choppy in the wooded section, and got rough along the power lines after crossing Route 86.
Was worth it to find the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box on C7B. Aside from some dips-n-doodles and a few thin spots, this was a fun ride toward Lake Kushaqua.
Of course, the campsite was a WHOOOOOOSH fest!
Rolled S83 for about 4 miles. Unplowed seasonal road section was nice. Plowed road had enough snow along the margins the press on. Got to the steel grate bridge and turned tail. Unless they have rubber or plywood overlay to protect skis and carbide, I avoid crossing those when I can. Knew that S83 would be more miles of plowed road riding anyway.
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Doubled back to hit C7 for pole dancing!
First 3 miles north of FRAN5 intersection had occasional studder-ripple and some floating pebbles but was enjoyable riding. Encountered a fresh groom before C8/Meacham Lake exit ramp with several miles of excellent riding continuing to FRAN6 intersection.
Rolled onto C8A/Wolf Pond Road which was good to excellent riding to Dollhouse. Then I encountered icy/thin and pebbly spots enroute to Frankin/Clinton County line.
Continued C8A for about a mile toward Lyon Mountain before turning tail. Wasn’t terribly choppy, but was thin with carbides clanking rock far more than I cared for.
Along the way, I rolled up to the scenic overview. Snow was soft & thin and I kicked around plenty of rocks up top. But the views were worth the cover charge, including the man-made escarpment.
360 degree view was amazing. Video footage started at Upper Chateguay Lake and spins though the frosty summit of Lyon Mountain before almost making it back to Upper Chateguay Lake.
There would be no run to Dannemora today. So, back to C7 pole dancing!
C7/parallel trail to Sugarbush exit was great riding! And bypassed long swaths of skank on the pole line.
C7 between Sugarloaf exit and Mountain View had large hash emerging.
Today’s gold star riding
C7/Mountain View to Owls Head was helmet-whippin’ boooooty call! Even better than sex and you don’t have to wine-her-n-dine-her to get action.
Excellent riding continued on C7 passing Owls Head until Titus Mountain exit ramp. Saw the bare spots on the other side and didn’t bother pressing toward Teboville. Surely wasn’t trying to make it into Malone proper.
Backtracked to FRAN23 intersection for a nice ride on S78 to Trailside. They were closed, so I hit up Jessie’s Supper Club for lunch.
Before I headed back to Mountain View, I ripped C7 through Owls Head to Titus Mountain exit ramp again to pad cheap thrill miles on my way out the door. When something works, I’ll hit it over and over again until it doesn’t work anymore.
Lunch
Opted for a bowl of french onion soup, Farmhouse burger and sweet potato fries. I’m a human trash can, but the angus burger hiding under the fried egg and bacon gave me a run for my money to finish. Good job!
Back to the truck
After a fuel stop at Mountain View credit card pump, rolled C7/pole line southward. Strong afternoon sun had really spanked the trail in places. Some thin/pebbly places were fading quickly.
Words always fail me when describing this mountain backdrop. WOW! Leaves me breathless.
Rolled onto C7B via S83. The plowed section of S83 was getting spanked in the sun.
Nice run through C7B and did a nifty mile-and-a-half dogleg on the side. Some morning thin spots had become bare spots in the sun.
Instead of taking the cutover trail to C7/Charlie’s, I continued southward on C7B. Bare/grassy spots galore, but somehow enough remaining to get me through.
After crossing NY-86 highway, C7B rock garden was somehow better than I thought it would be! Much of the trail was shaded by thick evergreen and old apple orchard trees. Somehow, I got booted off the trail, rode a grubby snowbank along NY-86 and got dumped onto Lake Colby. Saved me about a mile-and-a-half of the rock garden trail.
Lake Colby causeway was shot. No, I didn’t ride that thing through. Only got off the lake at the start of it.
Whilst taking a rest stop there, I chatted with an old timer who was banging out a ride on his Yamaha RX. Was only the second time he has been out all winter. Told me a bunch of stories about yesteryear snowmobiling. I really liked him, reminded me of Dad. A couple of ladies who walked across the causeway stopped to join the chat for a bit.
C7B/C7C from Lake Colby Causeway to Charlie’s Inn had serious hash on a couple of causeways, before giving way to a clean-n-white ride.
C7 from Lake Clear until near Floodwood was still GREAT riding late in the day. Nothing worse than a few thin spots with floating pebbles.
I kicked around a bunch of floating stones through Floodwood, although the trail was still white.
Last miles of C7 to Tupper Lake had gotten especially painful through the causeways. Ooooof!
Rolled it back to Washington Street mall parking lot around sunset with 163 miles of track spun for the day.
Stopped at Tupper Lake Save a Lot to stock up on produce. When you live in Indian Lake, without a grocery store, you take any opportunity to cart up!
Ride map
Click here for ride stats, 3D Flyover and Larger Map.
Bottom line
AWESOME DAY FOR A RIDE, and I’m sure glad I didn’t wait until tomorrow. A lot more good than bad, but ugly grew through the day. Can’t tell you whether these trails will stay open for the weekend, but I can tell you that sections are fading fast!
Snow cover ranged from few/several inches in southerly exposed areas to around a foot, not much more than the bare minimum needed to spin track.
Thanks to Marcel Carrier’s favorable intel on his Northern Adirondack SnowmobileTrail Conditions | Facebook, I decided to roll it from Tupper Lake. Had an awesome time and didn’t encounter thick crowds.
My other muse was trucking it to Smith Road parking lot in Constableville and rolling into Tug Hill. Probably would have had a good time there too. But it would have been twice the trailering time and dealing with crowds. I doubt the best that Tug Hill had would have exceeded, or even match, the best I had today.
Bonus intel
From the highway, most snowmobile trails in Long Lake showed fresh groom Wednesday morning, including C7B shelved snowbank onto Sabattis Road. Looked about as good as I’ve seen in several drive-bys this winter.
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
