I haven’t been up north in a while, so trucking it to Horseshoe Lake got the call Tuesday.
Watch out for a couple of doozie rollers with your truck and trailer on the upper part of Route 421!
Managed to start riding by 10:30am. I was treated to a few inches of fresh pow-pow.
Wasn’t first tracks, but I was dang close! Had a really nice ride on C7A from Horseshoe Lake to STLA2 intersection.
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Encountered some studder ripple on C7A enroute to Shurtleff. Did Local 720, S88, 717 and 718 and found a fresh groom for the win!
C7A from Shurtleff to STLA28 was pretty good riding, aside from a short rough patch near a water bar hazard.
S88 from STLA 28 to 29 intersections was bumpy in places, but new snow cushioned the riding.
C8 through Troopers Shed was its usual fast rip.
Hit a fresh groom on C8 north of Troopers Shed and had a mostly good ride all the way to NY-56 crossing.
C8 from NY-56 crossing to STLA78/Stark Road was bumpy at times, but guided me through some of my favorite wooded scenery.
Rolled C8D to STLA 79 intersection. Then took S86A to South Colton. Lengthy plowed driveway section had a couple inches of new snow to grease the skids nicely. Other than a few water/washout hazards, it was a nice meandering ride through the woods. Laid first track on that!
Snell Road had enough snow to slither into South Colton. Cold Brook Drive had enough to slither onto C8E where I ran into a fresh groom and Old Glory.
C8E was thin and scratchy in places leaving South Colton, then become a great ride once I got over the top!
From STLA67 intersection, westbound on C8D remained tattered from the weekend, so I left that for the groomer! Continued the great riding from C8E onto C8, where I found the completed groom.
Found a fresh groom on Local 712/Out-a-fit trail. I could not pass that up! That was a beautiful ride.
S89 to Cranberry Lake was its usual fun back-n-forth rip. There was a thin/pebbly section before I got into town.
Back to Horseshoe Lake
Backtracked through Local 712/Out-a-fit trail because I just had to roll that again!
S88 between STLA 29 and 28 intersections was groomed by the time I rolled through there mid-afternoon, but had some residual bumps.
C7A & C7C was a nice, powdery ride to Sevey’s Point. After a refuel at the pump, I went inside to escape the chill and grab a bite to eat.
From Route 3 crossing, C7C was halfway decent at times before hitting a recent groom at STLA 9 intersection.
After that, C7C had some residual humps passing Thirsty Moose then become a great ride through the Scout Camp to STLA 2 intersection.
From there, C7A held up as a good to occasionally excellent ride back to Horseshoe Lake.
Loaded the snowmobile onto the ilsnow wagon before 5pm with 137 miles for the ride.
Not a bad day!
Bottom line
One of my favorite road trips did it again! Groomers were out stamping out the holiday weekend bumps. Snowpack in most places was upwards of 18-30 inches, although it thinned to a foot or less into South Colton.
Ride map
Click here for ride stats, larger map and 3D Flyover
Midweek Outlook
Bringing it closer to home, C8 was groomed from Indian Lake toward Cedar River Headquarters Tuesday morning. And I heard that 2 Miles from Hell between Lewey Lake and Mason Lake was groomed.
We’ll major in cold and get snow to add to the pile. Snowmobile traffic usually lulls after a holiday weekend. I think you’ll find areas of good riding with low competition as groomers continue to make their rounds.
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
