After bagging only 2 rides in March, getting a foot-plus of white gold was enough incentive to load the sled onto the ilsnow buggy and haul it to Mason Lake parking lot for a run into Perkins Clearing.
At the very least, I wanted reward for Thursday’s sun-up to sun-down snow removal tour of duty.
I wasn’t the first to crack open Perkins Clearing Road, but found fun straightaway!
Didn’t take much longer to find plenty untouched off the beaten path.
Jessup River Road going to the back of Perkins Clearing had deep bumps in places from remnant winter trail base. If you find that hard to believe, take a look at snowpack back there BEFORE the storm.
That place holds snow! I found isolated shady nooks with snowpack over 2 feet deep in the back bowels off Jessup River Road.
Along the way, I enjoyed this mountain view.
Bridge before the end of Jessup River Road: Untouched beauty, WOW!
Carpenter Hill Road was a fun rip, but thin and a bit rocky in places. Didn’t cross unfrozen Mossy Vly so I circled back to Perkins Clearing Road.
Mud Lake Road was thin with carbide clank, especially the first two-plus miles. Getting worn to dirt in places and won’t last once open sun hits it.
South end of Perkins Clearing Road was unplowed and untracked to the gate. With logging equipment pulled out for the season, I figured it was fair game. Ended up thrashing it back-n-forth thrice. Dug down to dirt in places, but totally fun to maul the freshies!
Perkins Clearing Road had gotten thin in places by late afternoon with some dirt showing on corners. Rolled it back to the truck with 76 miles. At least several rigs had joined mine at Mason Lake parking lot. Had the pleasure of running into people who were in the for one last rip.
Stayed entirely within Perkins Clearing. But I didn’t bother with S41C to Pig Rock, S82C/Old Indian Lake Road, or LP9/Nichol Vly trail (except for about a half-mile into both ends).
I encountered a few washouts. Most fallen trees were either cut away or not difficult to bypass. Only had to break out my fold open hand saw once.
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Bottom line
Well, that was my 4th “last ride” of the season since late February. My snowmobile is always on standby mode until the winter glacier on the back end of Perkins Clearing is completely gone.
Perkins Clearing should hold up Saturday with mostly cloudy sky, high near 40*F and temperatures dropping back to middle-30s whenever snow/pellet showers roll through.
Once open sun returns Sunday, afternoon highs should hit 45-50*F and begin to cook Perkins Clearing Road back down to dirt.
Could I get a ride in May? As bizarre as this snowmobiling season has been, I can’t yet place those odds at zero.
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
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